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Contents 1. Prague 1.1 Overview 1.2 Things to do in Prague 2. Cost of Living 3. Transport 4. Accommodation 2
1. Prague 1.1 Overview Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1,100 years. For many decades during the Gothic and Renaissance eras, Prague was the permanent seat of two Holy Roman Emperors and thus was also the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. At the present time the city proper is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1.9 million. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009.Prague is classified as an alpha- world city. 3
Prague has encountered its fair share of trials and tribulations in the past which have contributed to its powerful history. Prague s history goes into great depth and the city is renowned for having the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. Prague Castle rests amongst other countless cultural treasures in Prague s possession, attracting millions of tourists every year. Prague covers a total area of 496 sq km s with approximately 1.2 million people in the city and an urban total estimated at 1.9 million. The city has seen a major change in its rapid transition from communism to capitalism which has brought around a wider gap between the rich and poor. Whilst most historic sites and monuments have been preserved, the restructuring of Prague city is vital in order to manage the influx of tourists, especially after joining the European Union in 2004. For example a ring road project is underway to ease the car traffic and certain ancient buildings have been turned into hotels. Prague claims to be one of the cultural centres of Europe, displaying a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists and symphony orchestras at the city s classical venues. The city also houses many enlightening institutions such as museums, galleries and theatres. 4
Czech breweries produce some of the world s finest beers. Bohemian Beer is another valued commodity found in Prague and it is certainly appreciated by many tourists. This leads us on to the city s vibrant nightlife scene which has recently become a trendy spot for the younger generation. Peak season generally runs from April to October and many visitors can be expected during New Years. Almost one-half of the national income from tourism is spent in Prague. The city offers approximately 73,000 beds in accommodation facilities, most of which were built after 1990, including almost 51,000 beds in hotels and boarding houses capable of satisfying all categories of visitors. Prague s economic wealth is dominated by the tourism sector and whilst it accommodates to the estimated 3 million tourists a year, it still has managed to maintain its true cultural magnificence. Having been an ancient capital of Charles IV s Bohemian Kingdom, its historic past reflects the beauty it portrays today. 5
1.2 Things to do in city Spending time in Prague can be made more adventurous by participating in various activities. The city offers some of the best activities that will make your stay more memorable. Activities are held throughout the year but reservations in advance are required. There are also various spectator sports which are very popular with the locals, such as football, horse racing, ice hockey and tennis. Prague is Europe's (and one of the world's) most popular tourist destinations. Prague was one of the few European cities relatively untouched during the World Wars, allowing its historic architecture to stay intact. There are lots of old buildings with beautiful murals on them. It also has a lively nightlife, mostly due to the extraordinary range of beers available at nominal prices. It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultra-modern. Exhibitions held at Prague's museums and galleries In Prague there are many museums and galleries having extensive collections of art of all styles and eras, ranging from fine art to applied arts to sculpture. Prague offers a dynamic cultural life with festivals and events held throughout the year attracting a variety of visitors. Events include opera performances, museums or galleries, exhibitions, classical or modern musical concerts and film festivals. 6
Prague, Czech Republic Entertainment Nightlife The city has a diverse nightlife. Despite the restaurants and pubs dimming out by midnight, the bars and clubs are open and are full of life till the early hours. Prague s nightlife is mainly based on alternative music clubs and bars. The city has many clubs that also offer some interesting musical and theatrical concerts. The majority of the clubs play 80 s music and house, and generally there are no strict regulations concerning dress codes. Many new shopping centres and hypermarkets have been developed in Prague, especially in recent years. Since the early 1990's, the quantity and quality of products available in the Czech Republic have improved considerably. The increase in competition has resulted in a wider selection of goods, including many European designer brands and an improvement in customer service. There are a number of regional associations of regional artists and craftspeople along with some excellent shops of glass and crystal. Other shopping choices include pottery (particularly from Straznice and Kolovec), geyser stone carvings from Karlovy Vary, needle embroidery and delicate lace work from many Moravian towns, as well as china ornaments, semi-precious stones from Bohemia and blood-red garnets. Opening Hours Large supermarkets are open till 8 or 10 pm and some of them are open 24 hours a day. Most stores located in the centre of Prague are open on weekends. Stores outside Prague open at around 8 to 9 am and close by 6 to 7 pm. Some of these are not open during the lunch hour and most of them except large supermarkets are closed on Sundays. Almost all the stores are closed on Easter Monday and Christmas Eve. 7
2. Cost of Living Restaurants Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 4.01 Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 23.61 Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar 4.62 Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) 1.13 Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 1.50 Cappuccino (regular) 1.67 Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) 1.07 Water (0.33 liter bottle) 0.84 Sports and Leisure Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 39.34 Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 7.96 Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 6.37 8
Markets Milk (regular), 1 liter 0.67 Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) 0.73 Eggs (12) 1.21 Fresh Cheese (1kg) 6.72 Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) 5.29 Apples (1kg) 1.07 Oranges (1kg) 1.12 Potato (1kg) 0.52 Lettuce (1 head) 0.69 Water (1.5 liter bottle) 0.52 Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 4.52 Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 0.60 Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 0.98 Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 3.17 9
3. Transport Get in: By Air: Prague's Ruzyne International Airport is a major airport of the Czech Republic. It is situated 20km northwest of the city centre and can be reached within 30 minutes by car. This Airport has daily flights from several European and few North American cities on national and budget carriers. The national carrier, Czech Airlines offers its services to many European and some international destinations, including New York and Toronto. Some airline companies provide cheap direct flights such as Easy Jet, Ryan air and BMI baby from UK, Smart Wings from Continental Europe & Turkey, Aer Lingus from the Irish cities of Dublin & Cork, Sky Europe and Sterling from Scandinavian countries. The airport is well connected with the city by buses, shuttles and taxies. The journey takes around 30 minutes to reach the city centre. The buses run from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. 10
By Train: This is the most comfortable and easiest way of travel. Prague is connected with Berlin, Vienna and Budapest by Eurocity trains. The city has two international stations namely Hlavni Nadrazi - the central station, and Praha Holesovice. Both the stations are linked with metro line C. It takes 4-4.5 hours from Vienna, 6.5 hours from Budapest and 5 hours from Berlin to reach the city. The city also has some Super City Pendolino trains that offer faster options of travel. By Road: The city is connected with surrounding countries by highway connections from five major directions. So you can reach Prague city by bus or car. Florenc, Krizikova (metro lines B and C) is the main bus station for international buses in Prague, and is located to the east of the city. Major European cities are connected to Prague by Eurolines. However, the highway network is not well established and some highways are still under development. Gasoline (1 liter) 1.38 11
Get around: The public transportation system in Prague is one of the most convenient and economical systems in Europe. Two-third of city s population makes use of the metro, trams and buses. The public transportation system covers most of the areas tourists are likely to visit frequently. Visitors can buy a tourist pass which enable them to use any type of public transportation as many times as they want within the time period for which the pass is valid. One-way Ticket (local transport) 1.11 Monthly Pass 21.79 Metro (Subway): Metro is the most efficient, fast and highly integrated way of transport in Prague. Daytime metro runs from 05.00 a.m. to midnight. It is used by around 400 million passengers per year and its three lines cover all areas of the city. This safe means of transport mostly runs underground and has about 50 stations in the city. The subway system covers long distances in a matter of minutes. One can easily reach subway stations anywhere in the city if unable to continue to destination on foot. Subway lines offer their service every 2-3 minutes during peak hours and every 10 minutes at other times. The three metro (subway) lines are: Line A (Green): From Skalka to Dejvicka running east to west. Line B (Yellow): From Cerny most to Zlicin running east to west. Line C (Red): From Ladvi to Haje running north to south. The three transfer stations where two lines intersect each other. Mustek (lower end of Wenceslas Square): lines A and B Muzeum (upper end of Wenceslas Square): lines A and C 12
Florenc (main bus station): lines B and C Tram: Prague tram has 500 km of tracks in the city and covers large areas of the city. It carries around 300 million people a year. Day time trams operate from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 8-15 minute intervals. The night time trams run from 00:30 to 04:30 at morning. Some trams cover most scenic routes of the city running through the city centre. Some useful routes: Trams 9, 22, 23 and 91. City Buses (Autobusy): City buses are mostly used to reach the outskirts of Prague city. Daytime buses operate from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 5-15 min. intervals in peak hours on working days, 10-20 min. intervals at off peak, and 10-30 min. intervals on weekends. The night buses are also available in the city which runs from 00:30 a.m. till 4:30 a.m. at 40 min. intervals. There are 196 day routes and 12 night routes. It carries around 310 million people a year. 13
Funicular railway: The funicular railway, which climbs Petrin hill, starts at the Ujezd tram stop in Mala Strana. It operates daily from 09:00-23:30 in April - October and 09:15-22:20 in November - March. Enjoy the stunning views of the whole of Prague while travelling by this railway. Taxi: Getting around Prague by public transportation is always the better choice, and makes one forget the existence of taxi services in the city. Unfortunately, not many good things can be said about the traffic situation and the taxi drivers in the city. If one has to use taxi to get around, use the service of a reputable taxi company for fair rates. Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 1.25 Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) 1.11 Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 13.56 Walking: The best way to explore and enjoy the original Prague! Walk around most parts of the city starting from Wenceslas Square to the Old Town Square or from the old town to Charles Bridge and the Palace district. 14
5. Accommodation Rent Per Month Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 559.41 Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 367.66 Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 929.35 Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 613.87 Buy Appartment Price Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre 3,110.26 Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 1,834.52 Utilities (Monthly) Basic (Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment 98.57 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.19 Internet (6 Mbps, Flat Rate, Cable/ADSL) 19.24 http://www.flatshare.cz http://www.general-reality.cz http://www.maxima.cz/en/default.aspx 15