How to Plan an International Trip: Travel Tales and Tips : Prague Trip Report, Days 3 and 4: Prague Castle, Mala Strana, Old Town, Charles Bridge

Day 3, Nov 19, 2017, Sunday, PRAGUE:

TRAIN from Budapest Keleti to Prague:

Taxi to station:

We boarded the 7.30 train from Budapest Keleti to Prague hlavni nadrazi.

We had booked a taxi from the private transfer service for 20 euros, though regular taxi will cost only 6 euros. The Deak Ferenc Ter metro escalators go at a great speed and I did not fancy taking them with luggage , also on arriving at Keleti by metro, lifts don't operate to reach the platforms.

Once the regular taxi had ditched previous customers at our apartment, so we went with the reliable private service. The taxi rang us up saying it was at our apt door before 6.45am. We left our key inside the room, pulled the auto locking door shut, took the lift down, again locking an auto door behind us. We saw several cars parked in front of the apt. thankfully before going out into the cold pulling the door shut, son decided to confirm the taxi was there. I stayed in, there was no taxi. Our phone does not have roaming, son walked down to the main apt block to check if the taxi is there. Meanwhile , the taxi arrived at our door, the driver apologizing profusely for going to the main block by mistake. I looked around anxiously for my son, he too arrived soon. Even a simple taxi ride some times becomes stressful and we have to be fully alert always!

We reached the station, looked for our platform from the electronic board and from platform 8, dragged our bag all the way to 1. The international trains are usually in these platforms, our taxi could have dropped us near that entrance. In fact we had told the driver international train but he had no clue!

Reserved seats, no guarantee!!

Our train was already standing, we had window seat nos 45, 46, found that coach fully occupied. We did not want to pick a fight, so sat in the next coach. We had read some accounts of passengers occupying reserved seats and refusing to vacate causing reserved passengers to even travel standing, the controllers don't interfere even on appeal!!

We had the coach to ourselves for a while, had our breakfast, even lay down and napped. Later, 2 men came with reserved seats for the window seats. We moved over to the other corner. At Bratislava, 2 more people came for those seats. Thankfully our cabin was now being vacated, 3 ladies with unreserved tickets now sat there. We showed them our ticket and sat in our rightful seats. They talked non stop among themselves and I developed a mild headache!! We had had such a nice time enjoying the views and peace and quiet so long!

Our train was going onward to Germany, we got our bags ready near the entrance and got down at Prague main station. We had requested our apt owner to arrange a taxi for us from the train station as we had read taxi drivers can be unreasonable. He declined and said he'll get us a taxi back to the station when we departed for Salzburg.

We had already seen the public transport options and knew we had to take the metro to IP Pavlova and then either walk or take the tram to Namesti Miru. Our apt was hardly 3km from the station but this was how we could make it. Before our arrival, the owner emailed the same directions to us. However, the metro was under renovation and was not plying in our direction. We wasted a lot of time before finding this out and again wasted time finding where to take the alternate bus they were plying. The info center had not been helpful at all. We arrived at our hotel after wasting a lot of time.

TRANSPORT CARD:

We bought the 24hr card for 110 Czech krones each and drew local money from the ATM at the station. 22 czk =1 usd; 1 euro=25.8 czk

Hotel Holiday Home Pension:

Initially I had considered a hotel right at the train station as we had an early morning train at 6am to Salzburg. I had decided on the current hotel because they said our room included a kitchenette. Unfortunately, that did not work out. I totally regret this choice …the check in lady made things so unpleasant. Here are the details

Stayed at Holiday Home Pension, Americka for 2 nights Nov 19, 20. Usually almost all our hotel reviews are 5 stars . This would have probably been a good experience if we had met with the polite owner but unfortunately our greeter was very rude every step of the way and spoilt everything. Much as I would like to give better review merely because of the owner's polite attitude, I have to be honest with the treatment we got from the lady who received us.

The rooms are up a steep flight of stairs, no lift. We were buzzed in and kept our bags on the 2nd step. A lady came to attend to us, nodded to my greetings, ignored my adult son's greeting and stepped into a reception room at a half landing. Son started attending to checkin as she sat behind the counter, I hovered near the open door keeping an eye on our bags on the steps. She ordered me to close the door. I said “our bags are out here”. She said “I don't know where you are from and what the conditions are. you are in czechia, things are safe here”. Unnecessary personal dig. Also where is the need to close doors if things are that safe. I had just read a Paris TA report where people had lost their bag when they were moving in to their rental and were transferring bags from stairs to room.

Anyways I closed the door and sat inside. Son went ahead, paid up for the checkin. She took out a map and started orientation talks. We do elaborate research and do not need briefing and I told her so. She sneeringly questioned how I know where we are on the map and I explained we have already seen google maps and have print outs, we don't need her restaurant rec because we are vegetarians and self cater. We'll just have the map please I said. She literally threw the map at me, said “Oh, you know EVERYTHING!! I could have given you excellent recommendations, but now I won't”. No loss for us, indeed I do know what I need for our travels, as my very popular blog with numerous readers all over the world can show!

We asked about there being no stove in the kitchenette and no bowls for the microwave. She said, “who wants to cook when there are such good restaurants nearby. Anyway we don't want cooking smells as there is no vent, so no hot plate provided.” If that's the policy, it should be stated on the website instead of misleading. We would have liked to steam a bowl of rice and make soup which were not possible with their amenities

We had corresponded with the owner regarding a taxi for our early morning train to Prague. I told her the owner was very polite and offered help in this regard. She said “he's my husband.” Oh, I had imagined she was some rude employee having a bad day! There was another torrent of not to disturb them with calls at awkward hours, not to smoke in their rooms etc. all redundant for us.

Anyways the owner was his polite self over the phone later and fixed a cab for our ride to train station. The náměstí miru (náměstí means square, miru is peace) location was convenient for trams. Only wish the lady's attitude had not been so obnoxious!

Our train had reached Prague by 2 but with all the waste of time we were out for sight seeing only well after 4. it was starting to become dark.

We took the tram 22 thinking it'll be a scenic ride. But the tram was lit very bright inside and all we could see was the reflection of people inside on the windows. We did not get a nice view of the city. Only some patches of lit up monuments. We got down at the Castle. But at that stop it was hardly lit.

We took the next tram back and got down at the National theater. This was lit up and we had some nice views of Karlov Most, Charles bridge.

We then took the tram back to hotel. Nice Christmas market coming up at the church grounds at Namesti Miru, our tram stop, 100 m walk to our room.

Bought some provisions from the nearby small shop and called it a day.

I had considered getting down at the Old town stop but did not as it did not look well lit. in hindsight that would have been the better decision.

Anyways we had a GREAT time the next day.

Day 4, Nov 20, 2017, Monday:

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad):

This is just outside our hotel, with the church and tram stop in sight.

TIP: do not get off at the castle where the majority of people get off at the stop called Pražský hrad, it'll be a steep long uphill climb to the castle ...we went two more stops to Pohořelec. We were near the Strahov Monestery and Loretta...short walk all down hill, into the castle grounds.

We made our way to Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)... nice walk through heritage buildings.

Here we are at the castle gates...On our way back, we noticed a huge number of tourists who got off tram #22 at the bottom of the stairs to the castle on the eastern side and make their way slowly, and painfully, the long way up. It's a steep walk and we saw every one panting.

The best place is to get off is not the lower eastern side but the higher northern side of the castle as we did.

Once the home of Bohemia's kings, it is today the official residence of the Czech Republic's President and one of the city's most visited tourist attractions. It's open 9-4. it's the largest castle in Europe with 700 rooms. There are several ticket options, we chose circuit a: 350 czk.

Originally built as a walled fortress around 970 AD, the castle has changed dramatically over the years and contains examples of most of the leading architectural styles of the last millennium.

Within the castle walls are a number of Prague's most popular tourist sites, including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Powder Tower, the Old Royal Palace, and the Golden Lane.

St. George's Basilica (Czech: Bazilika Sv. Jiří):

St. George's Basilica is the oldest surviving church building within Prague Castle, it dates back to 920 We visited it first and then retraced back to the lovely St. Vitus Cathedral.

Old Royal Palace:

Old Royal Palace's main hall, the Vladislav Hall, is so large it could be used for jousting tournaments, and staircases wide enough to allow mounted knights to use them.

St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala St. Vita):

Within the grounds of Prague Castle, the Roman Catholic St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala St. Vita) is the Czech Republic's largest and most important Christian church.

Seat of the Archbishop of Prague, it's also home to the tombs of numerous saints and three Bohemian kings. Founded on the site of a Romanesque rotunda built in 925 AD, the cathedral was started in 1344 and took more than 525 years to complete, resulting in a mix of modern Neo-Gothic and 14th-century Gothic styles, along with Baroque and Renaissance influences.

Highlights include stunning stained glass windows depicting the Holy Trinity, a mosaic from 1370 (The Last Judgment),

Bathed in the glow from the stained glass...

St. Wenceslas Chapel (Svatovaclavska kaple):

The St. Wenceslas Chapel (Svatovaclavska kaple) is spectacular with its jewel-encrusted altar with more than 1,300 precious stones. St. Wenceslas is the patron saint of Czech republic.

The largest ancient castle in the world, this vast complex requires considerable time to tour, but it's time well spent (particularly rewarding are the excellent views over the Vltava River with the old town and its countless spires in the background).

This is a lovely puppet museum/shop in the complex

Golden Lane (Zlata Ulicka)

Golden Lane consists of small houses, The street was created during the construction of northern fortification. In 1597 the emperor Rudolf II decided to give the space there to the castle marksmen who guarded the fortification. But there were 24 marksmen and a lack of space. Therefore, the marksmen had to build very small houses. The material they used was stone, mud, and wood. The emperor prohibited to build windows in the direction to the Deer Moat or to sell or rent the house to somebody else.

After 1657 there were only 14 houses left. Castle marksmen were not needed so much any more, more and more people of other occupations came to live there. The Golden Gate hosted both rich and poor people, artists, clerks, footmen, etc. One of the inhabitants of this street was famous writer Franz Kafka in house no. 22 or Prague prophetess Madame de Thebes, who was killed by the Gestapo in the war because she foretold the end of Nazism.

The street originally had houses on both sides, but one side was demolished in the 19th century and painted in bright colors in the 1950s.

Many of the houses are now souvenir shops, and there is a museum of medieval armory within the former 14th-century fortification accessible from Golden Lane.

Nice wooden contraption which we can turn to deflect fire after firing from our side...

View from inside

Golden Lane got its name from the story of alchymists living in the street during the reign of Rudolf II who tried to make not only the philosopher stone or the elixir of youth, but also to transform metals into gold. There is a real story dating to the beginning of the 20th century. One of the local house was inhabited by an old man, doctor of philosofy Uhle, who spent all his money on old books on magic. He made secret experiments in his lab inside the house. In 1831 people in the Golden Lane heard a big detonation from his house. When fire fighters entered the house and extinguished fire, they found Uhle dead with a yellow stone in his hand. Later on the stone was proved to be gold. How the gold got into the house is still not known. Maybe he really made his and many other alchymists’ longtime dream come true.

Dalibor Tower:

Golden Lane is connected with Dalibor Tower, which used to be a dungeon. We saw it next.

We then sat on the terrace and had our picnic meal before starting our walk down to Malá Strana, also known as Lesser Town, is a hillside area with views across the Vltava river to the old town.

We took tram 22 and got down at the national theater and visited the church.

Chiesa de Santa Maria della Vittoria:

Then we walked to Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), historic center of Prague,

Here we find the Tyn Church and the Clementinum, along with numerous other fine old churches, as well as splendid old architecture dating back as far as the 11th century, while the Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is just a short walk north.

A highlight is the Old Town Hall (Staromestská radnice), home to the wonderful early 15th-century Astronomical Clock (orloj): each hour, it springs to life as the 12 Apostles and other figures appear and parade in procession across the clock face.