Posázaví is a beautiful place full of diverse nature and breathtaking scenery inviting to explore. However, if you are coming to us from far afield, you can choose to venture beyond the borders of this picturesque region, perhaps to nearby Prague. Its proximity makes the charm of the capital hard to resist. So today we’ll leave the peace and quiet of the country cottage for a while and head into the hustle and bustle of the big city. It would be a shame to skip a trip there on your holiday.
Transport and parking
Most of you will probably visit our cottage by car. While the remoteness of the cottage adds to the romance of the whole stay, it also makes travelling by public transport more challenging. Approximately 5 minutes away, at the turn-off to Bohuliby, is the bus stop Petrov, Bohuliby. From here, you can catch a bus that takes you to Jílové u Prahy. However, do not forget to check the timetables as the bus runs at long intervals. In Jílové you can change buses to Prague at the square, which fortunately runs several times an hour. It will take you to the metro stop C ,,Budějovická´´.
If you have a car at your disposal, the journey to Prague will be much easier. Depending on traffic, it takes approximately 45 minutes to reach the capital. Worried about where to park your car? Here’s a tip from Mr.Parkit, which offers over 60 parking garages throughout Prague. On their website www.mrparkit.com you can simply choose where, when and for how long you want to park and pay online via a payment gateway. Most garages can be used for a minimum of 12 hours, but there are also garages for parking for a minimum of 6 hours. Prices vary depending on location, so you can park at great prices (not only) outside the city centre.
For getting around the city, we recommend getting a public transport day pass. This is also valid for the cable car ride to Petřín and for the cruise on the Vltava ferries.
What to visit besides the most famous sights
Whether it’s your first time in Prague or you already know the city like the back of your hand, there’s always plenty to discover. We’ll leave the most famous sights like Charles Bridge and Prague Castle aside today. We’d like to give you some tips on places you might not think of first when visiting the Czech capital.
If you travel to Prague from the picturesque, nature-rich Posázaví region, you may get the impression that you won’t find such peace and diverse flora in the bustling city. But the opposite may be true. There are several parks and gardens in Prague that have their own charm in every season. Our favourite hidden corner is the Wallenstein Garden. It is located below Prague Castle and is part of the Wallenstein Palace, which houses the Senate of the Czech Republic. You will find the entrance just a short walk from the busy metro stop A ,,Malostranská”. The garden dates back to the 17th century and its main dominant feature is an artificially created stalactite wall, the so-called grotto, which also houses an aviary with owls. However, owls are not the only animal inhabitants of the garden; peacocks also live here. The garden is open from April to October and admission is free. The gardens around the Petřín Lookout Tower also offer beautiful scenery, especially during the colourful autumn. If you like to visit botanical gardens, we recommend visiting the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science of Charles University near Výtoň. Here you can visit a large greenhouse with subtropical palms, carnivorous plants or sequoias for free. In the outdoor area you can rest on the relaxing benches.
If the weather isn’t great or you just don’t feel like walking outside, you can visit one of Prague’s museums. Recently, the Museum of Fantastic Illusions in Vodičkova Street has become very popular. More than 150 entertaining exhibits are on display in this museum. Let yourself be shot out of a cannon by a magician or levitate in the air. Suddenly your head will be on a table or King Kong will have his way with you. A great place to take original photos. If you want to reminisce about your youth or see what life was like during socialism, visit the Retro Museum in the Kotva Shopping Centre on Náměstí Republiky. The exhibition depicts everyday life during the 1970s and 1980s in Czechoslovakia. The National Technical Museum is also very interesting and will fascinate not only technology enthusiasts. It offers several different exhibitions in technical fields – from transport to architecture, astronomy to household technology. There is something for everyone. Thanks to the exhibition of objects from modern history, you can also get an idea of what life was like under the socialist regime and during the world wars.
Thematic tours
If English or German is not a problem for you, you can book one of several city tours and see Prague through the eyes of foreign tourists. One of the most popular themed tours is the Ghosts and Legends of Old Town. On this tour, during 90 minutes you will hear stories and tales about the dark side of Prague, full of legends of murder, poverty and ghosts dwelling in the back alleys. You’ll be treated to the unforgettable atmosphere of evening Prague, away from the noisy tourists, yet still in the heart of the historic centre. The tour can be booked on the website www.praguetourinfo.com, besides the mentioned tour there are also tours such as Alchemy & Mysteries of Prague Castle, Psychiatric hospital and Abandoned cemetery or the World War II & Operation Anthropoid tour, during which you will visit the crypt of paratroopers hiding there after the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich.
Where to go for a good meal
Sooner or later you will surely get hungry while wandering around Prague. But we have thought of that too. For a great and affordable lunch in the city, we recommend Havelská koruna. This is a canteen where you can choose from several traditional Czech dishes every day, including sweet dishes. If you want to dine on the Old Town Square, head to the Mincovna Restaurant, which offers a lunch menu during the weekdays and also has a couple of tables with a direct view of the Old Town Hall.
For a snack or something sweet to eat, visit Libeřské lahůdky, a chain with famous open-face sandwiches, but also a large selection of pastries and good coffee. If you want to try something unusual, visit the newly opened Kolacherie. This bakery specialises in selling Czech sweet cakes and, in addition to traditional sweet options, also offers savoury cakes with chilli peppers or sausage.
What to beware of in Prague
Even though you may say that only inexperienced tourists can be tricked and cheated in Prague, we want to give you some tips to make sure you don’t leave the city with an unpleasant experience:
- Never take a taxi, always use Uber or another similar app (Liftago, Bolt). Taxi drivers are more likely to rip off foreigners, so don’t risk riding with them. The price is always fixed in the app.
- Always be sure to validate your public transport tickets. You need to validate the ticket only once. Exceptions are tickets bought with a card on trams or buses.
- Before you travel, check the traffic situation and closures, as well as the ongoing closures on the Prague Integrated Transport portal (PID) so that you are prepared to get to your destination by an alternative route.
We hope that you will enjoy your visit to the City of Hundred Spires and that you will enjoy your trip as much as your stay at our cottage Daisy.