One year in Prague!
Translated by 
Jaime Martínez
— 4 years ago
Blog: Translation blog by Jaime in EnglishTags: Erasmus blog Prague,
Prague,
Czech Republic
Hello, travelers! My name is Claudia and I'm going to tell you about my experience of living in Prague for a year as an Erasmus student: my favourite restaurants and places, typical food, places to visit, the trips I made around the country...
University
I went to the Charles University and all was great, but I advise you to look at the subjects before you go, because although many things change, it is possible that you arrive and have nothing to validate.
Here Link to make the study agreement.
You will have to do a little research which would be your faculty, you can put key words like English, medicine... there you can see if the subjects are taught in Winter (first semester) or Summer (second), the language in which are given and who is the teacher, if you click on him you will see his information, email... I had to talk by email with all the teachers before going to the class as there were many subjects that were only taught in Czech and they did me the favour of letting me take them by doing papers or exams in English but that's a matter of luck... The classes I had, like I study languages, were in the corresponding language but with English they helped me. Most of the teachers spoke English. The first week they organized an Orientation Week with parties, events, activities and excursions to meet people. Personally, I advise you to sign up for one of the Czech courses they give because English is not very spoken in the country; although you won't have any problem to manage, they value the effort and it will be very useful because the Czech classes are very dynamic and with activities about daily life, addresses, food, restaurants, the city and culture...
Residence
When I filled out the form at the university, they gave me the option of going to the dorm. I accepted and the truth is that most students were in residence. There are several and they put you up in the one they want although I think you can ask for one and be on the waiting list but it's quite complicated. Mine was Vetrník:
Na Větrníku 1932/18, 162 00 Praha 6-Břevnov, Czech Republic
+420 220 431 217
Don't expect luxury but for a year it's a fun experience. When you arrive it's a bit chaotic because nobody speaks English, you understand by signs, the people who work there are very old so they think that if they yell at you you'll understand them better and if you don't understand them they pass by, but don't take it badly and don't be scared, you'll get used to it... The rooms are shared, two single beds, desk and a fridge, at first they will put you with whoever they want (they can be mixed) and if you send them an email before arriving they will put you with the person you say. It costs about 120 euros per month. Freedom of entry and exit, shared kitchen and shared bathrooms, cleaning of common areas from Monday to Friday so it's pretty good everything except weekends which depends on the people living in the corridor obviously, and with shared bathrooms people are quite respectful and everyone goes with their gel, their shampoo and their bathrobe. For the kitchen you have your fridge in your room to share with your partner and you have to buy your kitchen utensils (don't leave them in the kitchen because they will be stolen). For the laundry there was a room with 4 washing machines and it's worth 20 crowns an hour if I'm not mistaken (about 80 cents) and then everyone buy their own clothesline and put it in their room. About the internet I don't really remember very well but each room bought a router that cost about 20 euros, I bought it in a computer shop in the Palladium shopping center and you had to enter a password that connected to the Wifi in the residence or something like that and it worked all year long very well. And finally about the visits, you can have visits, they only have to give some information for identification and they could even stay overnight but they had to pay 2 euros a night to stay in your room. The truth is that in general, despite its discomfort and how ugly it is, I recommend the residence because it is where you will meet more people and when the cold starts people will be more in the rooms than in the street. Warning: Don't make a mess after 22:00... people can meet in the rooms and we all had a good time but when we made a lot of noise they called the police and one day they closed the door or confiscated our IDs and some were even kicked out of the residence but you have like 3 warnings or something like that.
The tram and bus leave you about 5 minutes away from the residence which is great and the frequency is every 10 minutes or so. The neighborhood is pretty good, it's residential, you only see houses with gardens and families and there's just at the stop a super small "Norma", and at the next tram stop, about 12 minutes walking, the metro and a very big supermarket the "BILLA".
Transport
If you go for a short period and stay in the center I don't think you need to buy any pass, maybe the one of three days. But if you are going to stay longer, there are several subway stations, like Mustek, that have some offices where you can take out the transport pass that you must always carry on you, because if you don't carry it and you meet the staff, he will fine you (30 euros was the fine I had to pay). There are bonuses for 1, 3 and 5 months. They are worth, super cheap and unlimited for all the transports: tram, bus and subway. Public transport works quite well and there are tram and night bus 24h, so it´s perfect. For private use we used Uber which was more affordable than normal taxis.
On the other hand, the buses at international level are really good, because of the position of the country there are buses between 5 and 30 euros to many parts of Europe, the star trips are Dresden, Krakow, Wroclaw, Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Berlin... And the airport also has good offers to the UK and Italy. But the flights to Spain are quite expensive, normally 250 euros round trip with czechairlines.
City
The city is very small and beautiful, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. You can really see it in 3 or 4 days, but for those who are going to stay longer here I leave you all the places I went to which were worth it. And those of you who are just passing through I will prioritize the places to visit and you can decide.
First of all, the key words you need to know:
- Ano (yes)
- Ne (no)
- Kolik to je? (How much it costs?)
- Dekuje (sounds "yekui" and means thank you)
- Prosím (please)
- 1 euro = 27 crowns aproximatelly.
And now places...
I am sure you have heard about the Free Tour, young and enterprising people generally working with some new tour companies that are dedicated to making tours of the city explaining its history, tricks, tips, monuments... and in the end you give him what you think he deserves or what you can pay, and if you are not enjoying it then you go and give him what you think is appropriate. (Normally the minimum is 5 euros and depending on the pocket of each one the amount increases, you have to take into account that they are serious workers). Well these companies (my favourite normally Sandeman's) also offer many other paid tours that are generally very good because they make them dynamic and with young people and many of these tours end up in beer bars. In Prague I highly recommend to do the Castle Tour because it is a very nice tour with the best history of the city and once you do it you can do it for the people who come to visit you.
It's a monastery famous for being one of the first to brew beer. You can try it in the restaurant right there, although it's a bit expensive. The views are very beautiful, similar to the ones in the Petriny Tower. Many people decide to walk from the castle or from Letna park but you can go by bus. The beauty of this monastery is the small antique museum and the two libraries that are among the most beautiful in the world. You can't enter the libraries except with an organized tour by the university but you can see them from the door and it's really incredible, they look like a fairytale.
It was the bourgeois area of the city, the "new" part.
It is a wall full of graffiti, drawings and phrases in which there is usually some singer singing songs of the Bestles with a lot of history and feeling about freedom of expression and love. During communism, young university students went there to claim their rights and freedom.
A very nice garden with loose peacocks
Inside is the Wall of Nightmares, a wall on which the palace architect reflects the monsters and fears of his nightmares, peacocks and gardens.
Prague's main monument, beautiful at any time of day but full of tourists. Be aware of pickpockets because it is one of the areas of the world where most tourist robberies take place.
From the famous Czech artist David Cerny, who has monuments around the city such as the two figures urinating on the map of the Czech Republic (in Mala Strana, in the Kafka Museum).
It's the city old area. It's beautiful all over and there is an area where you'll see lot of shops, you'll be able to buy souvenirs and there are many restaurants.
It is the central square of the city, it is surrounded by historical buildings, the Astronomical Clock (which starts up every hour), the Clock Tower and the town hall which you can climb with a very nice view... And if you have the chance to go at Christmas, it´s better.
The neighbourhood is full of luxury shops and there is the synagogue complex and Jewish cemetery, to go to the most beautiful one which is the Spanish one you have to pay for all of them.
With a panoramic view of the city and all its beautiful bridges both at night and during the day.
It's a curious lookout point with a slightly posh restaurant at the top which is basically a tower with giant babies climbing up.
It is the main shopping avenue and where the National Museum is located. It's a street for walking, buying souvenirs and if you find the Hamleys store, come in! It's the best toy store in the world!
It is an imitation of the Eiffel Tower that has views of the whole city, it is next to the Strahov Monastery. I went up by funicular and the views are incredible, it´s very recommendable to go with the sunset!
It's a fortress with a panoramic view of the other side of the city.
A forest on the outskirts of Prague that has a huge lake where in summer people swim and in winter it freezes and they play hockey. The perfect place to go for a morning dip.
They say it symbolizes the end of the war and the political forces of repression. It is a building with a very modern architecture that symbolizes the embrace between communism and the opposite.
Where to eat
And finally my favorite part! The food!
Eating in Prague usually means eating very well. Don't expect a salad or an omelette when you go to restaurants, the food is quite caloric, which is appreciated from October because the country is very cold. Summers are between 15/30 degrees and winters reach -20 degrees. During my stay, from mid-September to the end of April the temperatures went down from 13 degrees to most of the time 3 degrees/-2 degrees; between December and February we reached -13 degrees, and March and April we didn't go above 13 degrees... So as you can understand, the star dish is goulash, both in soup and in stew.
I'll tell you straight out what my favorite restaurants were and what I used to order there:
"Trdelnik" is the typical sweet (actually it's Hungarian but Czechs took it) and you'll see them in a thousand stands all over the streets, people take them empty, with ice cream, with flavours... I liked it with Nutella.
The typical thing of this country is the beer, "pivo" (the word you will hear and read the most during your stay), they have many brands both blond and black and they sometimes ask for the mixture that is very typical. As a second option if you are not very beer-oriented there is the "cider", usually applecider, which is cider, a flavor similar to a mixture between beer and wine of flavors, I loved the truth. The wines aren't very good actually although they are very proud of their Moravian wine, but they do one very curious thing, especially at Christmas, which is the MEDOVINE. I took two bottles to Spain so... I love it. And finally his favourite liqueur is BECHEROVKA, it's very strong, it's about 40 degrees and tastes like cinnamon.
It is near the Old Square and they serve typical Czech food. It is a place where the locals go, not the tourists so the prices are very good. My favorite dishes are the coulis stew (on a plate), the duck and the meat with cream, lemon and blueberries (I don't know the name in Czech), I just remember that cream is "smetana" and the dumplins or knedliky as a side dish, which are boiled balls like bread, very good for dipping the sauce.
Zhatecka 53/10, Prague 110 00, Czech Republic
+420 732 835 876
This one is in Mustek and is a bit more touristy but one of the best Czechs I've ever been to. They have the menu in Spanish and several other languages. I recommend the knuckle to the black beer and the snitzchel. I think they put the typical Prague soup here which is the Gulas or garlic soup but in bread, that is, the bread acts as a bowl, and it's so good that people end up eating the bread.
Provaznicka 385/3 Praha 1, Prague, Czech Republic
+420 224 232 528
Another great Czech because of the price. Here the specialty is the Czech style knuckle, which is like smoked. The salads were also very good.
Karmelitská 379/18, 118 00 Malá Strana, Czech
One of the best burger restaurants I've ever been to in my life. It's in the TV tower district. It's expensive, but you're not going to eat a regular burger.
Chopinova 1521/26, 120 00 Praha 2-Vinohrady, Chequia
These restaurants has saved me from a thousand hangovers and was always waiting for me at nightclub exits. About 3,5 euros per burrito and I don't know if it's because of the alcohol but they always tasted great to me.
My favorite Mexican. It was also a bit expensive compared to the Czech prices, about 200 crowns per dish, but the truth is that the food was of very good quality and they make incredible margaritas.
Malé nám. 457/13, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
I know it's a typical American restaurant that's rather bad, but in this case, the food was perfect. I had spectacular ribs and the cheese and oreo cake for dessert.
Dům U Rotta, Malé náměstí 3, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
Dům U Rotta, Malé náměstí 3, 110 00 Staré Město, Chequia
It is a place where the locals usually go to drink and eat, the prices vary a lot but rather expensive.
U Radnice 10/2, Prague, Czech Republic
Bars and party
They perform concerts and work as a pub and as you will see, in Europe they don't serve cubatas, and this place did serve them and at a Spanish price; it was quite good.
/strong>Dům U Rotta, Malé náměstí 3, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
They used to have theme parties by nationality, Spain vs Portugal style, and the atmosphere was super international.
Francouzská 75/4, 120 00 Praha 2-Vinohrady, Czech Republic
One of the biggest discos in Europe, with several floors, each with its own style of music and a pub made of ice. The entrance fee was 200 crowns but we went quite a lot.
Novotného lávka 198/13, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
It's the nightclub that the university always rented out for its parties. But if you go when it's not a special event, it's usually techno or house music.
Dlouhá 33, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
It's a techno club but it's worth going even if it's just one day to see the decoration because it imitates the interior of a machine.
Plynární 1096/23, 170 00 Holešovice, Czech Republic
There are several around the city, the best one is near the Old Square. It is a bar that is usually open all day and full of students. The drinks are very cheap and they usually have a DJ so people end up going out to dance like a disco as the night goes on.
It's a huge place, with lots of rooms where people go to drink but also serve food all night long. It works in a different way: You get in the queue (which usually lasts 20 minutes) and there you meet a man like in a cell who will give you a bracelet that you will recharge with for example 200 crowns. Once you enter the bar every time you ask for consumption pass the bracelet by a plate and you will be charged the money, and at the exit you return the bracelet and the man gives you the money you over, but minimum you have to consume 50 crowns. Inside the bar there is a stage and many instruments loose in the different rooms. New groups usually come on stage to play.
Narodni 11 Next to Národní kavárna, Prague, Czech Republic
Excursions and trips
It is a beautiful medieval village with a castle and everything like a village, it is about 3 hours by bus or train but despite the distance it is very worth it. The view from the castle is breathtaking at any time of the year. When the weather is good, they rent kayaks to surround the village from the river.
There's a medieval tavern which is amazing and it's very cheap. Call to make a reservation because it is usually full but it is worth it, you are going to be introduced in the past.
Horni 157, Cesky Krumlov 381 01, Czech republic
+420 608 973 707
A town with a mainly Russian and German tourism as it is famous for its thermal waters and spas. It is surrounded by luxury shops and has one of the most famous hotels in the world, the Grandhotel Pupp. It's one hour and a half from Prague.
Famous for being the third most important during the Nazi occupation and can be visited both on your own and with a tour.
A beautiful national park that connects the Czech Republic with Dresden. Scenes from The Chronicles of Narnia were shot there.
Another national park where scenes from the film were also shot. In winter it is spectacular to see it snowy and in spring it has some beautiful lakes.
A small town with quite a lot of importance in the Czech Republic and second Erasmus destination in the country. It's good to go for a day out. It has a couple of beautiful churches, some squares and an astronomical clock like the one in Prague.
It is a path that goes from Velká Amerika, a forest with a dam and a cliff, which takes you to the village that is quite rural and have a huge castle that can be visited.
It's a town I recommend going with a tour because otherwise you'll miss a lot of details. The village has a lot of history and it's not bad but its protagonism is due to a church that is made of bones and is quite impressive.
Photo gallery
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- Italiano: Un anno a Praga!
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