PRAGUE: BEST TIME TO GO, ACCOMODATION, EATING

Updated on August 19, 2019

ESPAÑOL

WHEN TO GO

From late spring to early autumn temperatures are favorable, with highs around 20ºC (68ºF) that barely exceed 25º in the middle of August. This season coincides with the highest rainfall frequency, but Prague is not a particularly rainy city, the high point is around the months of June and July, but average does not exceed 33% daily.

From mid October to April rains are very scarce, but temperatures drop considerably. In winter, maximum temperatures are around 0ºC (32ºF), although minimum temperatures do not usually drop below -3ºC, and can reach values of -10ºC.

Even so, for those who can withstand the cold, the best time is definitely winter, not including Christmas or New Year (accommodation prices the week after New Year holidays are the lowest throughout the year). Not only the city is beautiful covered with snow, but there are far fewer tourists. I have been in March and November, quite bleak even without snow, and I cannot imagine how many people must be there in summer. Both times, in Staromestská Square I could hardly walk.

As for festivals, some of the most prominent, all in late spring, are:

– Czech beer festival, in May, the most important of its kind in this country that considers itself one of the best in the world in this regard.

– Spring Festival, from May 12 to June 3, is the most prestigious event in the city. It consists of classical music concerts throughout the city.

– The Prague Fringe, inspired (or rather copied) from the famous Edinburgh Fringe, held for 9 days on the same dates as the previous one, is focused on music, comedy, theater and dancing, mainly in the street.

EAT

goulash
The famous goulash

Restaurants are scattered throughout the neighborhoods frequented by tourists, being more expensive and offering worse quality the closer they are to Staromestska Square. But Prague people also like to enjoy good food in the center of their beautiful city. If we want to taste quality Czech cuisine at a local price we will have to dig a little, and flee from those restaurants that are in the streets nearby the river of tourists, or what is the same, move away towards Nove Mesto.

On the other hand, typical food in Czech Republic are soups and goulash. The truth is that call it goulash, but it is a beef stew, who has not eaten it before either in their own country or in nearby Hungary, Romania, Germany or Poland?? What I’m saying is that I consider unnecessary splash out for taking something you’ve already tried before; outside the tourist areas there are of equal quality and reasonably priced. In the tourist area prices are absurdly high, twice I’ve eaten at McDonald’s in Mala Strana just not to pay for a restaurant.

tdrlenk
Trdlník in a Kiosk in Republic Square

Another typical meal are the trdelníks (where are the vowels?), a piece of sweet rolled dough, filled with sugar and chocolate; they are sold in many places.

For those who stay in hostel or apartment, there are supermarkets in the main streets, the prices are quite cheap for European standards.

 

ACCOMMODATION

Reserva 2012
Price of my reservation (3 nights € 22.25) in November 2012
Reserva 2016
At the bottom, the price of the same bed for November 2016, more than double per night

If you search carefully, you can find cheap and excellent quality accomodation, although I as described in the negative aspects, problems and dangers post, in Prague they are blatantly chasing tourist’s money, as long as people keep coming and paying, they keep on rising up the prices. The first time (November 2012) I was in a hostel in Nove Mesto, spectacular, 5 floors, bar, WiFi in the room, clean, shared 4 bed room for 7.5 € per day. Today, for November 2016 the very same bed costs 16 € … For that price I don’t know if it is worthy anymore. In 2016 the best quality / price are the apartments. We stayed in Apartments Soukenická and those we do recommend, 33 € per night, excellent, 5 minutes from Staromestská.

Stana y Petr
Thanks Stana and Petr for taking me out for dinner
MORE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IN PRAGUE:
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DANGERS AND ANNOYANCES>

∇ Destinations / ∇ Europe / ∇ Czech Republic / ∇ Prague

4 thoughts on “PRAGUE: BEST TIME TO GO, ACCOMODATION, EATING

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