Hostelworld Guide for PragueCustomised for Yhosimi Esquivel

It's a tired clich when it comes to many cities around the world, but Prague really is an enchanting mix ofthe old and the new. The Nov Mesto (New Town) symbolises the new independent Czech Republic,

while the Star Mesto (Old Town) is one of the best preserved old towns in Europe as it remaineduntouched in both World Wars. While these are both on the eastern side of the River Vltava, to the west is

Mal Strana (Lesser Town) where Prague's medieval castle dominates the skyline. Along with all thesightseeing to do, Prague has more than its fair share of affordable restaurants, while search hard enough

and you'll find some of the cheapest (and tastiest) beer in Europe.

In this Guide...

Useful InformationAfter Dark

Places to EatTop Attractions

Budget TipsWhere to Shop

The Essentials Climate

Exchange Rates

Getting There

By plane: Prague's Ruznye Airport is 10km fromthe city centre. To get to the city catch bus #119(Kc20), get off at the last stop (Dejvick Metro stop)and catch the metro into the city centre.

By train: All long distance trains travelling to theCzech capital terminate at Hlavni ndraz which isin the city centre, just east of Wenceslas Square.

By bus: Nearly all international and domestic busestravelling to Prague end their journeys in FlorencBus Station just east of the Old Town Square.

Getting Around

On foot: Prague's Old Town and New Town arewithin walking distance of each other. The LesserTown is west of the river.

By tram: The best way to see all of Prague is bytram as they cover all parts of the city. You can pickup route maps in some metro stations.

By metro: While Prague's underground network iseasy to use (there are three lines) they don't coveras much of the city as trams.

By taxi: Prague is notorious for rogue taxi drivers. Ifusing them in touristy areas haggle with drivers.

During the winter it can get very, very cold in theCzech cap i ta l . December and January seetemperatures drop well below 0C, although the cityis extremely picturesque under a blanket of snow. Itremains very cold until the middle of March and itisn't really until April that temperatures begin to rise.July and August are the warmest months and this iswhen Prague is at its busiest. September is a nicemonth to visit, along with early October, although itbegins to get very cold again towards the end of themonth before winter.

Useful InformationLanguage: CzechCurrency: Czech Koruna (Kc)Electricity: 220 Volts AC/50Hz. 2-pin plug.Area Code: +420 (CZK) 02 (Prague)Emergency Codes: Ambulance / Fire / Police112Time Zone: Central European Time (GMT+1)Central Post Office: Jindisk 14 (just offWencesclas Square)Main Tourist Office: Na Prikope 20

Embassies / Consulates

USA: +420 257 530 663UK: +420 257 402 111Canada: +420 272 101 800Australia: +420 296 578 350 (Consulate)South Africa: +420 267 311 114Ireland: +420 257 530 061Germany: +420 257 113 111Spain: +420 224 311 222Italy: +420 233 080 111New Zealand: +420 222 514 672 (Consulate)France: +420 251 171 711

Hostelworld Guide for Prague www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats After Dark

Orange Moon, Rmov 5, Josefov Due to theCzechs' tendency not to charge western-styleprices for eastern-style fare, you can enjoy a fullmeal in this fusion restaurant for less than 10.Choose from Indian/Burmese/Thai dishes. Opendaily 11.30am-11.30pm.

Coctail-Caf Restaurant, Karlova 6, Star MestoConsidering its central location, you'd expect thefood to be a lot dearer than it is in this restaurant.But here you can get anything from pizza to fish atvery reasonable prices. Try the 'Peen uzenkoleno' (roasted smoked pork). It's big enough tofeed a horse. Open daily 24 hours.

Pivnice U Svejk, jezd 22, Mal Strana Thisrestaurant is primarily geared towards tourists butstill does decent food at good prices. While it's goodfor lunches, if you decide to refuel here after 7pmyou can do so to the sounds of a local accordianplayer. Open daily from 11am-midnight.

Bohemia Bagel, jezd 16, Mal Strana For agood old fashioned English or American breakfast,this is where to go. The menu is full of pancakes,scrambled eggs, and bacon and rashers. OpenMon-Fri 7am-midnight, Sat & Sun 8am-midnight.

A Good Way to Start the Day

Kva Kva Kva, Nrodn 37, Nov MestoThanks to delightfully friendly staff, and mugs oftea/coffee big enough to (nearly) swim in, thereis no better place to start the day than in here.Located just two minutes from the northern endof Wenceslas Square, you get 15 minutes freeinternet with every 60Kc spent. Open Mon-Fri7am-10pm; Sat & Sun 9am-10pm.

Wenceslas Square If you've been saying to yourfriends lately 'Does my bum look small in these?',this is where to go. Fast-food stands galore.

Vinrna U Sudu, Vodikova 10, Nov MestoThey say first impressions last. This isn't alwaystrue. Upon walking into this bar it seems like aquiet, local wine bar. But take a moment to explorewhat is beyond the small bar which greets you andyou'll discover a bar that never seems to end - ithas 7 different zones. Open Mon-Thurs 8am-3am,Sat & Sun 8am-4am, Sun 8am-2am.

Karlovy Lazne, Novotnho lvka 5, Star MestoAttracting Prague's weird and wonderful offspringevery weekend, Karlovy Lazne is Prague's veryown 'superclub'. Spread out over four floors and fiverooms, each one plays different genres of music sothere is something for everyone. Open nightly from9pm-5am; admission 50Kc-100Kc.

Gay / Lesbian PragueUnlike other capital cities in Europe, Praguedoesn't have one 'gay area'. Instead all themain gay bars and clubs are spread out aroundthe city centre. Prague's main gay club isGejzeer (Vnohradsk 40). With two bars andtwo dancefloors it is extremely popular. Termix(Trebizskeho 4a) is one of the newest clubs onthe scene. Some bars which are popular withthe gay community include Friends(Nprstkova 1), and Pinnochio (Seifertova 3).

Pivovarsk Dum, Lipova 15, Nov Mesto Thisbar, frequented mainly by locals, is where to gowhen you want to try something different. The pubhas its own brewery and produces such delights asbanana beer, cherry beer and coffee beer. It's alsoa good place when you want to get out of the citycentre. Open daily 11am-11.30pm.

Rocky O'Reilly's, Stepanska 32, Nov Mesto Ofall of Prague's Irish bars, 'Rocky's' is by far the bestone. There's a good atmosphere during the week,while on weekends it gets far livelier. Go and you'reguaranteed to have a bit of 'craic'. It's also a greatspot to catch live sporting events. Open daily10am-close.

Chapeau Rouge, Jakubska 2, Stare MestoAttracting all walks of life (overseas backpackersincluded), Chapeau Rouge is a three-story bar thatshould meet your hedonistic demands. The firstfloor is where you'll f ind a traditional bar, butdownstairs it's a different story thanks to the club onone floor and live bands on the other. Open dailyfrom 10am-close.

Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar

Prague Castle, Hradcansk nmst, Mal StranaBuilt around 850AD, Prague's enchanting castle isnot to be missed. Home to St Vitus Cathedral, StGeorge's Basilica and Golden Lane, it is said to beEurope's oldest surviving medieval castle. Opend a i l y f r o m 9 a m - 4 p m / 6 p m ; a d m i s s i o n350/250/150Kc.

Staromstsk nmst

Old Town Square (Staromstsk nmst),Star Mesto Translating in Czech toStaromstsk nmst, the Old Town Square iswhere you will find some of Prague's mostbeautiful buildings. These include the Old TownHall in the centre of the square and Tyn Churchwhich dominates the eastern side of the square.

Charles Bridge, Star Mesto This bridge is themost famous of all the bridges which cross theRiver Vltava and is crowded with tourists day andn i g h t . B u t y o u c a n s e e w h y a s i t b o a s t sbreathtaking views of the castle and provides freeentertainment during the warmer months whenbuskers do their utmost to entertain tourists to earna few crowns.

St Nicholas Church, Malostransk nmst, MalStrana Along with Prague Castle, this church is theother building which dominates the skyline on MalStrana. Taking over 80 years to complete, i tbelongs among the leading baroque buildings inEurope and is undoubtedly one of Prague's mostbeautiful sights. Open from 9am-4/5pm; admission70Kc.

Petrn Hill, Mal Strana For unrivalled views overPrague, hop on a funicular from the station at jezdin Mal Strana bound for Petrn Hill. Once youreach the top (there are two stops) you can walkaround the park, get lost in the 'Mirror Maze', orclimb Petrn Tower (admission 50Kc).

January - Three Kings Day Held on the 6th ofJanuary every year, this festival marks the end ofChristmas with carol singing and bell ringing, whilevolunteers collect donations to give to the poor.

March/April - Easter Markets Hundreds stalls areset up at the Old Town Square and WenceslasSquare where you can buy everything f romhand-painted eggs to wooden carved toys.

April - Burning of the Witches Originally a festivalto prevent evil from occuring, today this event seesa fairground staged at Bubenec and an all-nightbonfire party take place on Kampa Island.

May - Prague Marathon Athletes from all over theworld travel to run in this 26 mile race. To keep thespirits of the runners up, the streets are lined withstreet entertainers and musicians.

June - BMX Freestyle World ChampionshipsThis is the year's biggest events in BMX world andattracts the best riders. Held in the city's StvaniceIsland (Mystic Skatepark), it shouldn't be missed.

July - Myst ic Skate Cup Prague 's annua lskateboarding competition attracts the world'sbiggest names who compete for a prize of $30,000.

July/August - Chamber Music Festival Known as'Ameropa', this annual music festival celebrates thejoy of music-making with the world. Combiningd i f fe ren t s ty les , the event a lways o f fe rs acollaboration between instrument and voice.

September - Prague Autumn International MusicFestival In the 14 years it has been running, thismusic festival has become a permanent part of notjust Prague's, but also Europe's musical life.

October - Prague International Jazz Festival Firststaged in 1977, Prague's annual international jazzfestival attracts the best of homegrown talent aswell as other artists from across the globe.

November - Festival Alternativa If you findyourself in Prague in the month of November andare looking for something different to do, visit thisfestival. It showcases the best in alternative dramaand dance and won't be forgotten.

December - Chr istmas in Prague Praguebecomes one of Europe's most enchanting citiesevery Christmas as hundreds of stalls are set up inthe Christmas markets in the Old Town Square.

Hostelworld Guide for Prague www.hostelworld.com

Get Connected Retail Therapy

Call Point, Vodikova 20, Nov Mesto This smallinternet shop just off Wenceslas Square only has 7machines but they have fairly speedy access. If youwant to make a quick call home you can do thatalso. Word of warning though - if you have a soreleg steer clear as the computers are up a verys teep, w ind ing s ta i rcase! Open da i ly f rom10am-10pm; 1Kc per min.

Internet Majk, Rytirska 18, Nov Mesto Founddown a small arcade, this cybershop is apparentlywhere you wil l f ind the 'fastest connection inPrague'. There are over ten machines to choosefrom so youll never have too much of a problemfinding a spare one. Open Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat10am-9pm, Sun 11am-8pm; 25Kc for 15 mins,100kc per hour.

Internet, Kamizikova 6, Star Mesto There are 7terminals to choose from, and if you feel l ikedecorating your room, or buying a present forsomebody back home, you can buy one of theprints that hang on the wall for around 100Kc. Itwont win any prizes for its name, but it could dofor its location as it is just off the Old Town Square.Open dailiy from 10am-10pm; 1,50Kc per min.

Tiscali, jezd 16, Mal Strana Located besideBohemia Bagel, you can send emails or browse theweb in this brightly coloured internet caf to thesound of funky tunes. It also doubles up as a bar soyou can have a beer afterwards. They also have abranch on Masna, just two minutes from the OldTown Square. Open Sun-Thurs 9am-10pm, Fri &Sat 9am-midnight; 1,80Kc per min.

urlswww.karlovylazne.czwww.praguepubs.co.ukwww.hrad.czwww.czechtourism.com

Wenceslas Square, Nov Mesto More like a longboulevard, Wenceslas Square and the streetswhich break off it are where you can find somes t o r e s b e l o n g i n g t o m a n y o f t h e w o r l d sbest-known brands. This includes H+M, Benettonand many more. The area also has heaps of sportsstores if you wish to buy yourself a new pair oftrainers.

Karlova, Star Mesto If you feel like succumbing tothe hundreds of touristy shops that sell all sortskitsch, Karlova, a street to the east of the Old TownSquare, is where to go. Its numerous shops aredriven towards tourists, so you can pick up all sortsof memorabilia from your time in 'Praha'.

All Kinds of Everything

Havelsk Trziste Initially this market may seemlike it's driven exclusively towards tourists. Butsaunter on past selling trinkets and you'll seethis market, which dates back to the 13thcentury, has other stalls where you'll pick up thefreshest of fruit and other niceties. Open dailyfrom 10am-5pm.

Tesco, Nrodn 26, Nov Mesto With four floors toshop on, you can buy absolutely anything in thishuge department store. Electrical goods can befound on the 4th floor, cooking utensils (your hostelmay be short a ladle!) are on the 3rd, clothes are onthe 2nd, lingerie, ahem, are on the 1st while on theground floor are the trustworthy travel guides. OpenMon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 10am-8pm.

Bontonland, Vaclavske nmst 1, Nov Mesto Ifit's a new CD you're after you'll find it here asBontonland is the Czech Republic's largest musicmegastore. Along with the world's most popularacts, if you want to see what the Czech youth oftoday like to get down to, there is a large sectiondedicated to nothing but Czech acts. Open Mon-Sat9am-8pm, Sun 10am-7pm.

Budget Tips A Day in Prague...

Visit a museum for free Some of Prague's mainmuseums are free on certain days. This includesthe National Museum on the first Monday of everymonth, most of the main galleries on the firstTuesday of every month, and the Prague CityMuseum on the first Thursday of every month.

Visit Valdstejnsky palac (Wallenstein Palace) Ifyou're pockets are empty and you dont know whatto do you can visit this palace in the Lesser Town.Built between 1624 and 1630, twenty three houses,three gardens and a municipal brick kiln wereraised to make way for the palace and its grounds.Open Sat & Sun 10am-4pm (last entrance 3.40pm);admission free.

Buy day/multi-tickets for public transport Asenjoyable as it is to roam the cobbled streets of theOld Town and cross Charles Bridge to the sound ofbuskers, at some stage you may need to utilisePrague's public transport. When you do, buyday/multi-tickets. A day-long ticket costs 70Kc, anda 3-day ticket will set you back 200Kc.

The Bells! The Bells!

Every hour from morning until night, hundredsgather at the astronomical clock on the OldTown Hall in the Old Town Square for the'Procession of the Apostles'. Lasting fiveminutes, this 'procession' sees the 12 apostlesnod as they pass over the clock on the hour asa bell rings somewhat morbidly.

Visit Prague Castle Even though it is the Czechcapital's number one attraction, you don't actuallyneed to pay in to the castle. To walk around thegrounds, and even into St Vitus Cathedral is free. Ifyou do visit the castle try not to miss the changingof the guard which takes place on the hour.

Start the day with a cup, sorry, jug of tea or coffeeand a bagel in Kva Kva Kva. They have varioustypes of both beverage, such as 'Hawaii Tea' and'Salvador Coffee'.

Get tram #18, 22, 23 or 57 from Narodni trida (justup from Kva) to 'Prazsky hrad' (Prague Castle)stop and visit the castle.

Catch the changing of the guard before exploringthe castle. Visit St Vitus Cathedral, one of Europe'smost magnificent, and exit the castle through'Golden Lane'.

Walk down the castle steps, taking in views overthe Vltava. Make your way down to U Svejku onUjezd for some lunch.

Across from U Svejku is the funicular station toPetrn Hill. Costing 12Kc, the trip takes five minutes.Once atop climb Petrn Tower for views over thewhole of Prague.

Once you return from the hill, visit St Nicholas'Church. Marvel at the fresco on the ceiling. CrossCharles Bridge en route to the Old Town Square.

Relax in the Old Town Square. Sip a (albeitexpens ive) beer for a whi le and watch the'Procession of the Apostles' at the astronomicalclock.

Five minutes from the Old Town is 'Orange Moon' areasonable, yet classy restaurant. Grab a bite to eatbefore hitting the town.

Get lost in 'Vinrna U Sudu' just off WenceslasSquare in the New Town. This traditional Czechpub never seems to end. Finish the night off in stylein Karlovy Lazne!

Hostelworld Guide for Prague www.hostelworld.com

Miss Sophie's, PragueMelounova 3,

Your Booking Details

Booking Ref. 10597-106982605Confirmed: THU 22 MAY 2014 00:49

PH +420 296 303 530 FAX+420 283 870 636 EMAIL reservation@miss-sophies.com

You have paid US$2.87 as part of your deposit.Upon arrival at the hostel the BALANCE OF CZK 1,415.41 IS PAYABLE

About Miss Sophie's

A charming and welcoming place with designer flair and a host of little luxuries,Miss Sophies feels more boutique hotel than hostel. Situated in two historicbuildings in the New Town of Prague, Miss Sophies offers unique andaffordable accommodation tucked into modern chic design. Cushy comforts likerain-dance showers, ultra-soft linens and home-cooked breakfasts make for arestful visit away from home.

Choose from a variety of room types including private rooms, dormitories andapartments, each custom designed with contemporary style, local influence andgenuine details in mind. Wake up to fresh breakfasts in our brick cellar loungeprepared for you by our specialty chefs. Or head to our quaint guest kitchenand make your own breakfast, meal or snack. Connect to the world using the

free wifi or our free guest computers. Take our free customized map (a guest favourite) for your pocket andexplore new and old Prague right from our doorstep.

Miss Sophies is tucked in Pragues New Town (Nov Msto) which is steeped in authenticculture and home to an eclectic mix of local restaurants, cafes and shops. New Town borders Old Townallowing easy access to the historical center and Wenceslas Square by foot or by tram. Our location isideal, especially for those who seek a wee bit of refuge from the tourist crowds.

Our staff are looking forward to welcoming you to Miss Sophies and helping you find your way aroundthe city. Theyll offer the best tips for to-dos in Prague and around the neighborhood and are alwaysaround, day and night.

Miss Sophies also offers a courtyard, brick cellar lounge with flat-screen TV and free movie rentals (andrecommendations), 24 hour reception with no lock-out or curfew, secure luggage room and air-conditionedrooms upon request (based on availability). Miss Sophies is a non-smoking building.Recommended by the worlds great travel resources--Lets go, Lonely Planet, Time Out, RoughGuide and more. Featured as One of the Worlds Best Boutique Hostels by the Guardian UK.

Map & DirectionsFrom the airport

Take bus 119 to Dejvicka Metro A station (last stop). Take this Metro to Muzeum. Change to the Metro C(red line) in direction Haje. Get off at I.P. Pavlova. Then follow directions below.From the Main Train Station

Take Metro C in direction Haje...2 stops to I.P. Pavlova. Then follow directions below.From Holesovice Train Station

Take Metro C (red line) in direction Haje...5 stops to I.P. Pavlova. Then follow directions below.From Florenc Bus Station

Take Metro C (red line) in direction Haje...3 stops to I.P. Pavlova. Then follow directions below.From I.P. Pavlova

Follow the Metro platform up the escalator. Then take the first left exit up the stairs to street level. Gostraight towards Sokolsk street, cross and follow Katerinska street. Cross Cafe will be on your right andIbis Hotel will eventually be on your left. Take the first right into the small Melounova Street and find MissSophies on your left.

Hostelworld Guide for Prague www.hostelworld.com

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