Destination: Prague, Czech Republic

Time: 6 days/5 nights

Cost (w/o airfare): $480.60

Total Cost (including airfare):

• New York to Prague: $712 USD total cost: $1192.60 USD
• Miami to Prague: $722 USD total cost: $1202.60 USD
• Los Angeles to Prague: $1184 USD total cost: $1664.60 USD
• London to Prague: $221 USD total cost: $701.60 USD
• Sydney to Prague: $2054 USD total cost: $2534.60 USD

Description: Eastern Europe has been a haven for budget travelers for a long time. With the Czech Republic making the leap onto the Euro as early as 2012, however, those days may soon be over. In the meantime, hop a flight to Prague, the Paris of Eastern Europe (with much friendlier people who smile kindly as you butcher their language), and enjoy each of the city’s unique districts without breaking the bank. The city of Mozart, Kafka, Havel, and Smetana is as vibrant as ever and makes for a relaxing, exciting, invigorating and soothing holiday.

Itinerary:

• Day 1: Arrive in Prague June 12th after overnight flights from New York, Miami, Los Angeles, and Sydney. Fly in on the 12th from London. Arrange for pick-up from Prague Airport by Donal, Clown and Bard Hostel’s fearless concierge. For a mere $30.75 USD (600 CZK) each way, Donal will meet you at baggage claim and take you to Hostel Clown and Bard’s door. Staying in Zizkov gives you the unique perspective on Prague not unlike the perspective gained from visiting New York and staying in Greenwich Village. The area is cheaper, boasts a large ex-pat scene, and has a higher concentration of locals. Clown and Bard is a rare treat, offering free breakfast in what turns into a bar at night, a friendly staff, 24-hour access, and a single room (with shared bathroom) for $25.62 USD (500 CZK) a night. The dearth of American study-abroads will give way in June to a large mix of Europeans on holiday, and you can usually count on a Bob Marley sing-along in the bar at least one night of your stay. Use your first day in the City of a Thousand Spires to get acquainted with this thriving artistic community and to get a taste for local life. Three of the best things to see in Zizkov are the Jewish Cemetery, the Church of the Sacred Heart and the Zizkov Tower. Make the Jewish Cemetery first on your list as it’s only open from 9 AM to 1 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays, although it’s worth the visit (and 20 CZK/$1 USD) to find Franz Kafka’s grave. Josip Plecnik constructed the Church of the Sacred Heart in the late 1920s to extraordinary effect. You can literally ride a bicycle to the rose window, that is if you’re not completely blown away by the Art Deco architecture in the middle of ancient spires (admission here is free). The Zizkov Tower was once erected to block out foreign signals during Prague’s days under the Iron Curtain. Now it is a tower with unbeatable views of the city that can be ascended by elevator. Check out the sculptures of the babies crawling up the tower’s side (courtesy of David Cerny), locals love to hear tourist’s reactions to this part (admission 60 CZK/$3 USD). If you still have some free time, check out the free gallery in Karlin Studios for stunning modern art before seeking out the most local-looking restaurant/pub you can find for dinner. Some great clubs are also to be found in Zizkov, including Akropolis and Guru, or enjoy a low-key evening in Clown and Bard’s bar.
  Day One Totals: $30.75 Transportation, $128.10 (Up-Front) Five Days at Clown and Bard, $4 Attractions, $15 Drinking and Dining. TOTAL: $177.85
• Day 2: Enjoy a free breakfast at Clown and Bard and walk to the metro at Jirio Z Podebrad for access to Prague proper. A metro ticket for the week will cost you roughly 280 CZK ($14 USD) and will give you unlimited access to metros, trams, and buses. It’s especially helpful as authorities are cracking down on checking tickets (which, if you are riding for free, could cost you 400 CZK or $20 USD in fines on the spot). Don’t forget to stamp your ticket on first use, you can purchase a week-long pass from the Relay in Jirio station. Get off at Mustek and you’ll be in the heart of Nove Mesto (New Town) at Wenceslas Square. There are some amazing museums here that can be visited for roughly 50 to 100 CZK ($2.50 to $5.00 USD), including the Dvorak House, Gallery Art Factory, Galerie Gambit, and the National Museum. Also in Nove Mesto are some remarkable (and remarkably free) churches, including Our Lady of the Snows, Emmaus Monastery, and the Orthodox Cathedral of Sts Cyril & Methodius ($2.50 US/50 CZK). Grab a quick lunch at one of the Wurstel stands stationed at all corners of Wenceslas Square ($2 USD/40 CZK gets you a wurst and soda combination), but splurge for the evening at the Globe Bookstore and Coffeehouse. A great expat hangout with live music, the back cafe of the Globe is a beautiful area with tempting desserts and strong entrees. If you’ve lost your guidebook, you can pick one up from the front. While making your way back to Zizkov, stop over at Cafe Tulip as well for a beer and some more live music in the expat scene
  Day Two Totals: $14.00 Metro Ticket, $10 Sightseeing, $2 Lunch, $20 Dinner and Drinks, $10 Extras/Shopping. TOTAL: $56.00
• Day 3: Yesterday was very much about the new, now spend today traveling back in time to the old. Make your way over to the Charles Bridge, which closely resembles Times Square suspended above water. 50 CZK ($2.50 USD) will get you to the top of the Charles Bridge tower, giving you a nice morning workout and some of the best views of Prague’s tiled rooftops and a bird’s eye view of the bridge and its gaggle of artists, buskers, and artisans. Don’t cross it just yet, however. If you can fight the temptation, hold off until tomorrow and spend today in Stare Mesto (Old Town). Home to the famous Astronomical Clock and Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, Stare Mesto can be crowded with tourists (watch your wallets) but is a jewel box of stunning architecture, hole-in-the-wall galleries (including the Mucha Museum, a must-see), and free attractions. Use today to enjoy some of the many cafes as a sort of rolling lunch, and take in the Prague Kaffehaus tradition. Some good starters are the Franz Kafka Cafe, Bakeshop Praha, and Ebel Coffeehouse. Fuel up on liquids, Prague can be very hot in late May/early June, and try a sandwich, quiche, or pastry at each stop. If you need something with a little more sustenance, fuel up at Cafe Indigo before heading over to the Estates Theater for a night at the opera. This is one of Prague’s most historic opera houses (Mozart himself conducted the world premiere of Don Giovanni here in the late 1700s, and it was subsequently used in the film Amadeus) and offers cheap tickets with great views to see some of the world’s best performers in action.
  Day Three Totals: $8 Attractions, $20 Cafe Crawl, $10 Dinner, $15 Opera Ticket, $10 Extras/Shopping. TOTAL: $63.00
• Day 4: Now it’s time to cross the Charles Bridge! The other side of the Vltava river houses both Mala Strana and Hradcany districts. Stick to Mala Strana today, and save Hradcany (the castle district) for tomorrow. The Kampa Museum is one of Prague’s most famous galleries, with a prime location directly on the river. There are constantly new artists (including Yoko Ono) opening here, and the new exhibitions are free. It’s worth the 60 CZK/$3 USD to see the rest, however, which includes some impressive art from the latter Communist days of Prague. Get back towards the end of the bridge if you can, however: the main path leading from Charles Bridge into Mostecka Street, however, is a sight to behold, going from open air on the Vltava to the cozy, if not somewhat cramped, streets of this ancient part of Prague. The Church of St. Nicholas is a must see for Baroque at its best and is surrounded by some decently-priced eateries. If you can hold off, however, save yourself for the walk up Nerudova towards the Petrin hill. This is a steep street and offers benches for rest stops, however it is worth it to see Prague sink a bit lower and lower the higher you go. Nerudova leads to Prague Castle and itself is a street full of impressive architecture. Take a left to get to Petrin Hill, one of Prague’s Seven Hills, and check out the Petrin Tower (a replica to-scale of the Eiffel Tower) before making it back to the top Nerudova and getting yoursel f a well-deserved lunch at U Sevce Matouse, one of Prague’s best steakhouses with remarkably low prices. The walk back down to Maltese Square is much easier and will get you into town around 6. Hop on the metro (A Line) to Staromestka to see a little more of Prague’s rich theatrical history. The National Marionette Theatre of Prague performs Don Giovanni (to a recording) nightly. Seeing Prague marionettes in action makes the abundance of puppet shops seem a little more sensical, and this production is a fun burlesque take on the famous opera. Sit in the front row if you don’t mind getting wet.
  Day Four Totals: $8 Attractions, $15 Lunch/Dinner, $30 Marionette Theatre Ticket, $10 Extras/Shopping. TOTAL: $63.00
• Day 5: Give yourself the royal treatment on your last full day in Prague. Take the tram up to the castle district (it will take you partially through where you walked yesterday) in Hradcany. St. Vitus’ Cathedral, housed within the castle gates, is now free to the public and worth stopping in to see the Notre Dame of Eastern Europe. The castle grounds themselves are free, as are some of the other famous attractions: Dalibor Tower, the Castle Gates, the Paradise Gardens, Plecnik Obelisk, and the Royal Garden. Consider, however, purchasing a 350 CZK ($18 USD) day-pass for a tour of the entire castle grounds. A tour guide will give you all of the inside scoop on the castle history and be able to show you things otherwise hidden to the public. This is easily a day-long affair, however if you find yourself castled-out in the early afternoon, walk back towards U Sevce Matouse and go next door to U Cerneho Vola for a cheap beer and a local experience. Walk back down to Mala Strana to pick out some Czech crystal or amber/garnet (the lowest prices on amber are in the Czech Republic) or miniature bottles of Absinthe to bring home. Splurge on dinner at Palffy Palac, housed on the terrace of a baroque palace, for an experience that will last much longer than that Absinthe or amber. If you have an early flight, get some sleep. If you’re on an afternoon plane, enjoy some more of Prague’s nightlife in the Nove Mesto district (right around Wenceslas Square).
  Day Five Totals: $20 Attractions; $50 Lunch/Dinner, $20 Extras/Shopping. TOTAL: $90.00
• Day 6: Check out of Clown and Bard. Enjoy one last free breakfast and be sure to arrange airport drop-off with Donal earlier in the week (Day 3 or Day 4 should do the trick) and get dropped off at Prague Airport.
  Day Six Totals: $30.75 Airport Transportation.

More Information:

• For Clown and Bard Hostel reservations–as well as contact information for chauffeur Donal–visit: http://www.clownandbard.com/
• Bohemia Ticket can help you book concert and theatre tickets ahead while still enjoying low ticket prices: http://www.bohemiaticket.cz/
• Czech out The Globe Cafe and Bookstore’s website for upcoming events and English-speaking resources: http://www.globebookstore.cz/
• Prague Castle’s best online resource can be found at: http://www.hrad.cz/en/prazsky_hrad/navsteva_hradu.shtml
• And almost every Prague Museum can be explored online through: http://www.nm.cz/english/