Portray of the Destination
Prague is a magical city full of interesting and beautiful sites. The main typical features of this city are its fifteen remarkable bridges. Fourteen of them are located on the Vltava river and one on the Nusle valley. The Emperor Charles Bridge was built in 1357. It constitutes the oldest bridge and forms part of the Royal Way, the famous coronation route of Czech kings that connects the Old Town with the Prague Castle.

The eclectic architecture of Prague is represented by outstanding buildings in Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classicist, and Art Nouveau styles. Churches, cathedrals, towers, museums, and castles enable tourists to discover the rich history of this country.

But Prague also offers green areas consisting in hills and amusing parks belonging to the palaces. As in every metropolis, you can find theaters, exhibition halls, and galleries in Prague. Life in this city is modern and hectic. However, the small islands on the Vltava river offer an oasis of peace, ideal for relaxing and enjoying magnificent panoramic views of the city. Undoubtedly, Prague charms everybody visiting it.

We would like to thank the Tourism Office of the Czech Republic for the pictures provided. Visit: www.czechtourism.com

Geography
600 Km from the Baltic Sea, over 700 Km from the Northern Sea and, the Adriatic Sea, where Prague lies, in the center of Europe. There are several national parks, mountain ranges and historical sights that demonstrate what Prague has been through. The terrain is constituted by hills, plains, plateaus surrounded by low mountains; generally the Czech landscape is very hilly.

Climate
Prague has a mild climate with warm, wet summers and cold winters. Average summer temperatures are 20ºC (68ºF), with cooler nights. In winter, daytime temperatures are freezing, falling several degrees lower at night. Spring is generally sunny, the wettest months are summer, May to August. Snow is rare in the city.

When to go
If sightseeing is something that you would want to do, the best time to go is between early May and late September as during the winter months, many of the places to see are closed. During April and October, the temperature is much cooler and it is more peaceful. During December and until March, there is snow on the mountains, and many people enjoy the winter sports. Most of the activities that you can do in Prague can be done in every season.

History
According to archeological discoveries, the first settlements in this territory date back to the Paleolithic Age. The Celts (Boii) were the first inhabitants of this area and named the region Bohemia.

In the 7 th C, a Czech Slavic tribe arrived at Bohemia and the Czech nation was founded. Prince Borivoj Premyslovec was the first Bohemian ruler. He established Christianity as official religion and built a fortress named Prague Castle (which has been the seat of the Czech rulers since those times until present). In the 10 th C, Prague became part of the Roman Empire. Many monasteries, churches, and even the first bridge were built. During the 14th century, the city flourished under the reign of Charles IV. He made of Prague the greatest center in the empire after Rome, built the Charles Bridge, established Prague’s New Town, and founded the Charles University (University of Prague, which was the first university in central, northern and eastern Europe). Master Jan Hus -a preacher and the university's rector- promoted his ideas about reforming the church. His execution led to the Hussite wars, resulting in the first defenestration of Prague. The Hussites defeated crusaders in 1420.

By the end of the 16 th C, Rudolf II succeeded to the throne. Under his reign, Prague experienced great prosperity and growth. However, tensions between the Protestants and the Catholics led to the Third Defenestration of Prague (1618), upon which the Protestants replaced the Catholic governors. This incident gave rise to the Thirty Years War. The Battle on the White Mountain marked the end of said war. The Catholics won and Emperor Ferdinand II became King of Bohemia. He proclaimed the re-Catholicization of the Czech Lands.

Between 1648 and 1848, Prague was consecutively occupied by Swedish, the French-Bavarian, and Prussian armies.

After World War I, Prague became the capital of Czechoslovakia in 1918. World War II and the Nazi occupation damaged considerably Prague’s development. In 1948, Communism took control over Prague; this situation lasted until the Velvet Revolution (1989). Upon the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic in 1993.

Traditions
Most of the traditions in Prague are derived from either Christian, pagan or regional traditions. The Burning of the Witches and Walpurgis Night is one of the most famous of the traditions which is still held now and probably one of the oldest. It is said that on the 30th April, evil forces would be able to harm. It was seen that the devil would send his power to earth through witches and wizards. To defend against them the village people would burn fires at the highest place. Though the years, youths would set fire to brooms and throw them up high and it is said that by doing this you could see how witches could fly.

All Saints’ day is another festival where they commemorate the people that have passed away and is held on the first and second of November since the year 998.

Prague has several traditions and most of them are festivals that everyone can enjoy.

Gastronomy
Czech food is not all low in calories as, traditionally, the food consists of rich butter sauces, cream, eggs, bread dumplings and animal fats. Most of the traditional foods have meat in them which are accompanied by dumplings. The most traditional food is pork served with dumplings and sauerkraut as well as pot-roasted beef in a creamy vegetable sauce with cranberries. The Czech beer is well known, examples are Pilsner Urquell, Prague Staropramen and Budweiser Budvar.

Basic Dictionary
1 - jeden; 2 - dva; 3 - tři; 4 - čtyři; 5 - pět; BIG - velký; LONG - dlouhý; SMALL - malý; SHORT - krátký; NARROW - úzký; WARM - vrouc; COLD - studený; FULL - plný; NEW - Nový; OLD - starý; GOOD - dobrý; BAD - špatný; NEAR - blízký; FAR - daleký; RIGHT - pravý; LEFT - levý; THANK YOU - Dékuji vám; YOU ARE WELCOME - Prosím; GOOD MORNING - Dobré jitro; GOOD AFTERNOON - dobré odopolendne; GOOD EVENING - Dobrý vecčer; GOOD NIGHT - Dobrou noc; GOODBYE - Na shledanou; HOW ARE YOU? - Jak se máte?; WHAT IS THIS? - Co je to?; EXCUSE ME - Promiňte; PLEASE - Prosim; YES - Ano; NO - Ne; HELLO -Dobrý den, Ahoj; I DO NOT UNDERSTAND - Nerozumím; DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH? - Mluvíte anglicky?.

Currency
The official currency is the Koruna (CZK), which is divided into 100 haler. 1

Currency Exchange
1 EUR = 28.47 CZK; 1 Pound Sterling = 43 CZK

Prices
Essential items are cheap due to general wages of locals being low, non-essential items, on the other hand, are more expensive. Beer is one of the items which is not essential but seen in Prague as essential so it is relatively cheap. Compared to many other destinations the prices for items and services are quite cheap, but like any tourist destination watch out as you might get overcharged, but it does depend on the place.

Useful Info

Official name
Prague
Country
Czech Republic
Time Zone
GMT +1
Official Language
Czech
Surface area
496 km² (192 sq. mi)
Population
1,183,729
Political Regime
Parliamentary democracy
Public holidays
1st January: New Year's Day, 24th April: Easter Monday, 1st May: Labour Day, 8th May: Liberation Day, 5th July SS Ctril and Methodius, 6th July: Jan Hus Day, 28th September: Czech Statehood Day, 28th October: Independence Day, 17th November: Struggle for December: Christmas Eve, 25th December: Christmas Day, 26th December: St Stephen´s Day.
Religion
 
Religion
39.8%, Roman Catholic; 39.2%, Protestant 4.6%, Orthodox 3%, other 13.4%
Arrival / Departure
 
Safety
Assaults are rare but be aware of pickpockers as the are skilful and you should keep a good eye on all of your valuables. Walking around and using the public transport is safe to use even during the night as it is used by everyone at anytime. It is best to keep an eye out on the bill in restaurants as it is known for restaurants to overcharge, the same with taxis as they will take you the long way around the city so be advised to agree on a price before entering the taxi.
Visa
As the Czech Republic is a member of the European Union. UK citizens can stay up to 180 days without a visa whilst national and all E.U countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, USA etc., can visit Prague up to 90 days without a visa. South African and other nationals must obtain a visa before travelling.
Clothing
During the summer months, you should wear light clothing and a waterproof jacket, and warmer cloths and a heavy waterproof coat and thick pullovers are recommended for the winter time. As the city is a particularly good place to explore on foot, some good walking shoes are a recommended.
Electricity
The voltage in Prague is 220v and the standard European two-pin plug is used. North American and British tourist are advised to bring adaptors with them to Prague as they are not widely available in the city.
Radio and Television
Most Hostels and Hotels offer satellite TV with at least one or two English or German channels e.g. CNN, Sky News. Pay per view movies and sports channels are normally offered in the larger hotels.

The local Czech television consist of two channels which are CT1 and CT2 and there is two privately owned which is TV Nova and Prima TV. The radio network is well developed and there are radio stations such as Radio KISS 98 FM, BBC World Service, Radio 1 etc.

Telephone
It is advised that when using a phone box, to try and get a phone card which can be purchased in any local shop. The minimum fare to make a local call is 4 Czech Crown. For directory enquiries for the Czech Republic is 1180 and for abroad it is 1181.

The country code is 420 and the Prague phone code is 2.

Police
156
Ambulance
155
Fire Brigade
150
Newspapers and Magazines
Due to the large American expact community in Prague there are a number of English and North American newspapers available. International newspapers are normally a day old by the time they reach the newsstand as under licence the international newspapers cannot be printed in Prague. The best priced English language papers are The Prague Post which is printed weekly, Prague Tribune which is a bilingual monthly magazine, Fleet Sheet.
Postal Service
To post anything locally within the Czech Republic such as a letter or a postcard, would cost around 7.50czk, and to post anything international would cost for Europe about 10czk, and 15czk for anything further than that.
Health Care Services
In Prague there are both state and private medical facilities. Most of the facilities have concluded contracts for the payment and provision of health care with specific health insurers as well as provide healthcare to patients who are insured with the relevant health insurers. When in the case of falling ill, the patient should go to the nearest doctor. If you do not know of any doctor or medical facilities find out from the local administrative people.
Airport
The international airport for Prague is called Ruzyně and is located 15 km (9.3 mi) northwest of the city centre. The airport has about 40 airlines flying to the city everyday but is a little bit smaller than other European airports but still has all of the services and facilities that other airports have such as cafés, duty-free shops, 24 hour exchange facilities, restaurants, post office etc.
Public Transport
The infrastructure of the public transport in Prague consists of three metro lines with 54 stations in total, trams, train system and buses. All of these transportation systems have common ticketing systems and are run by Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy (The Capital City of Prague Transport Company).
Railway
Prague railway system is linked up with other European capitals. The railway system is cheaper than air travel but it obviously takes a longer time. The international express trains do have the comfort of sleeping and dining carts. The State railway is called České státní dráhy (ČSD). Information about timetables and prices can be found at the train stations. When travelling on the train, it is better if you take a express train as it is faster and only goes to the major cities and then take a passenger train as it stops in the smaller towns which obviously takes a longer time. It is recommended that you buy train tickets in advance, it is possible to buy them on the train but you will have to pay a small supplement to the conductor.
Bus
Florenc is the main bus station and is almost in the city centre of Prague. Like the trains, it is possible to travel to other European cities but, as they are very popular, it is recommended to book in advance.
Car
When driving in the Czech Republic, the driver must be aged over 18 years old and must have a valid driving licence. Licences which are valid are Canada, USA and EU, but not Australian or New Zealand, unless they have an international driving licence. If you are driving using your own car, you must have with you a valid driving licence, a vehicle registration card, insurance-green card. A highway stamp is needed before travelling on the highway and is available in some post offices and petrol stations.
Car Rentals
When hiring a car, the rate include oil, public liability insurance and maintenance. Gasoline is at your expense if hiring a car. It works on a 24 hour basis, if the rental period is exceeded by 59 minutes then another 24 hours will be charged. The renters’ minimum age is 21 and the insurance is only liable in the Czech Republic.
Ship
 
Destination Tourism Office in Spain
 
Spanish embassy in the destination
 
Taking pictures
 
See climate
www.worldweather.org
Currency converter
www.xe.com
A dinner
75 -200 CZK (2.50€ -6.64€)
A coffee
30 CZK (1€)
The Bus
8 CZK withouth a trasfer, 12 CZK with a trasfer (0.27€ - 0.40€)
The taxi
Pre-Ordered taxi across town, 200CZK (6.67€)
The Underground
8 CZK withouth a trasfer, 12 CZK with a trasfer (0.27€ - 0.40€)