hey you all! Just planning my trip to Czech Republic and I'll be staying in Prague for some days (20,21) than head to Karlovy Vary (22) back to Prague (23) again, then south to Cesky Krumlov and Cesky Budejovice (24,25). Can you help in some doubts I have: What is the best way to travel to Karlovy Vary this time of the year (safer, comfortable)? Should I buy a Z-card (does it compensate for someone travelling as much as I'm going to) Is it possible to a 1 day spa treatment in Karlovy Vary, eventhough the websites say we require a 1 week stay ? Will it be snowing the all time I'll be in your country? What do you think of the track I selected, do you recommend any change? Which is the most romantic place you'd like to take your partner if she/he never have been to Czech Republic? Which is the most wild place to party if you are travelling with a buddy? Thanks to all of you.... Hope you can give me some advices
Hi You are going to stay in Czech for 6 days. If it's your first time in Prague I think it's not a good idea to go to another city. Try to stay in Prague. Last summer I was there 10 days in Prague and 3 in Karlovy Vary for spa. I went by bus and it was nice. If you want to go out for spa I know one in Prague, it's a hotel called hoffmeister www.hotelhoffmeister.com And the best place to be in "about me" I liked the bridge and to set in a restaurant there to see the bridge. [/url]
Thanx for the tip!!! I think definitely Prague has lot to offer and a 1st visit of just 6 days should all be reserved to this city. The spa you've sent me looks great!!! Wow Thanks for your help
yah it's nice one and I'm planning to be in it by Feb. 18 by the way I found an offer if you book 2 nights you will get one more for free. but the problem it's in Arabic interenet stie. :lol: try to find the same offer in english sites.
I agree you should spend more time in Prague if it is your first time. I have been there twice now, once for 10 days and once for 12, and have only begun to scratch the surface. You can't see Prague on one of those ridiculous "There's the river, there's the bridge, there's the castle...now on to our next venue" tours - you need to take time to really enjoy it all. Get to know the people, do some unstructured wandering of your own, and enjoy your stay in one of the world's truly great cities.
yeap, thank you glen for your advice. I'll keep that in mind... even cos the most touristic spots must be packed with people rushing from place to place to see what's in the travelguides... I don't want that for me. besides getting deep into the culture (which will be difficult for me with only 6 days), do some unstructured visits, what do u recommend, for a person that has visited Prague twice, that is not in any travelguide...? Kisses
I will write more later - am just getting ready to go to work - but you might consider the Zoo, a boat ride up the Vltava, a farmer's market (one outside of Old Town), a visit to a modern shopping mall (there is a nice one close to the Andel metro stop), or a visit to a sports venue (we saw an ice hockey game at Sazka Arena - great fun). Definately try some of the smaller restaurants away from the main tourist areas and check out some small, local pubs (great beer). More soon.
I will agree with the people who wrote to spend more time in Prague. We were in Prague in November for about 6 days. We did a half day trip to Kutna Hora and a full day trip to Cesky Krumlov as well as spending a full day meeting relatives we hadn't met before. If I were to do it over I would skip Cesky Krumlov (it is a beautiful town but at least a 2 hour trip each way & the Castle is closed). I would probably also skip Kutna Hora, it was an interesting place but my time would have been better spent in Prague. It was nice though seeing some of the Czech countryside. There are so many things to see and do in Prague, we didn't get a chance to take it all in!
You plan is not realistic: Bus (train takes longer) Prague - Karlovy Vary is at least 2 hrs one way. Add some time on each end to get you to and from the bus station (add 1 hr for that). Again, two night would be better than one as you want to walk the city, go to trails (even if you are older city person), have a nice meal at night (walk after). Tasting ALL healing waters is MUST you cannot miss...walk the promenade. Bus Prague - Cesky Krumlov is cca 3 hours one way. There is also walk from the bus station to town. If Castle is open (you should go at that time!!) you need one day for Castle + gardens, one day for walking town. If you are very young and would like to enjoy rived, add more time. There are many lovely restaurants etc. you should try. Two night are better as evening walks through the town are very romantic. Very safe place, no cars allowed. Because of transportation, if you go to Ceske Budejovice, you have to stay overnight to continue to Prague. You don't need more than that. Trains/buses do not leave that often so you have to go by their schedule, add time you have to go and buy bus tickets, never mind looking for your accommodation. If you have 6 days, you will have hardly time for Prague. Also: There seems to be misunderstanding between "Spa" and "Spa town with healing waters" That is huge difference. You can go to salon/spa anywhere in the world no difference. Spa towns like Karlovy Vary, Frantiskovy Lazne, Marianske Lazne is something unique and most people do not go there for treatments (unless they have very long vacation). These are very beautiful towns to see and taste their healing waters (free of charge). Have a great time in Prague.
Magan, Thanks for your input. Don't take me wrong, I think I'm aware of the spa town concept also, we have some in Portugal also but it also normally comes with the inside spa service offers that you can get in any city of the world. Going to Karlovy Vary seems irrealistic and will spoil the days I could better spend in Prague, that I concluded from all of your opinions posted above. But from 20-24 in Prague and 2 extra days to Cesky Krumlov I think it is ok because I'm not returning to Prague as I'll head south to Austria. If I go to Cesky Krumlov and I stay there for a couple of days, do I have to go back to Cesky Bujedovice in order to catch a train to the austrian border? Which is the name of the city in the border with Austria? Is it better to buy a ticket until the border town and cross on foot to Austria and buy there a ticket to Viena, or the difference to an international ticket from Cesky Krumlov/Cesky Bujedovice doesn't compensates? Do you know the ammount of the fares (please don't send me the trains link to answer my question) Compliments
Hi Marco, I'm sorry you didn't get a response to your last post. You have probably found the answers elsewhere. In any case, the name of the closest border crossing to Austria is Horní Dvořiště. I think the most convenient way to get from Český Krumlov to Vienna is to take a train from Český Krumlov to České Budějovice (50 minutes, 32 CZK / 1 EUR) and then take a direct train from České Budějovice to Vienna (3 hours 20 minutes, 841 CZK / 29 EUR). I WILL give you to a link to the train site. You can look up schedules at vlak.cz and you can find prices of train tickets at jizdenka.cz - there's an English version and a domestic/international fare calculator. Well, I hope you're having a good time in the Czech Republic despite the freezing cold! I'm curious to know how you ended up structuring your trip in the end and what you thought about Prague and any other towns you visited. Let us know if you can! Dana
Dana, Thanks for your comments and tips. Taking your advice, I'll share with all of you and future readers of this blog my opinion about the days I visited Czech Republic. In brief, IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the best countries, if not the best I ever been to (and I think I am quite travelled). Very well organized for tourism and all the people very pleased to receive us. Not only has Prague to offer but an all bunch of beautiful cities like Karlovy Vary and Cesky Krumlov. I came from Cologne with German Wings (20€) but there are other low cost airlines, flying to Prague (SmartWings as well). Been in Prague 2 nights, for sight-seeing mainly (I know it isn't enough, but I got the all touristic idea of the main spots), then headed to Karlovy Vary (really cheap bus tickets in Florenc station) for 1 night with inside spa treatment (classic massage and loads of drinking of healing waters - be careful, cos it makes your organism work really fast ) at Hotel Astoria (3 star hotel with medium-affordable prices and a 5star location), back to Prague for a more social tour (1night). After that went south to amazing Cesky Krumlov (wonderful to see this small medieval village full of snow - 2 nights in amazing backpacker spirit Hostel 99, I recommed also a wonderful restaurant "Krcma V Satlavske"). Than bought a train ticket to Vienna (29 Euros) with a 3 hour stop in Cesky Budojevice - nice city center, didn't manage to visit the Budvar Brewery but will go there next time and found another amazing restaurant named "Columbia". Places I'd like to visit and heard that were beautiful/interesting: Marianske Lazne, Slavonice, Terezin. Heard there are much more other pitouresque medieval villages to discover. Before CR been in Cologne and after in Vienna, Bratislava and Frankfurt. But what I loved the most was CR. Let me know of other magical spots in CR or other countries so I can meet in the future. Thanks for the great forum!!!!!!!
Hi Marcomota, Thank you for great report on your visit! It is always great when someone who visited CR shares in some detal where they stayed, transportation, etc. (incl. prices). I would be interested to hear in more detail about your stay in Karlovy Vary, namely inside spa treatment. How did you reserve this "treatment"? And what would be the price for it? I have been in Karlovy Vary long time ago, but it would be nice to do that next time. It would be also interesting info for other readers. Thanks.
Hey Magan! Sure! Everyone should share the info after... I recommend this website (http://www.hotel4you.cz/spa.php?language=0&menu=1) to get all the info about the spa hotels in Karlovy Vary. During my stay the public sanatorium was closed, so I could only go the inside spas of the hotels in Karlovy Vary. Lonely Planet recommends, Hotel Thermal (the highest building in Karlovy Vary - it will be difficult not to notice it) if you wanna go for a bath and water treatments. I've stayed at Hotel Astoria (http://www.astoria-spa.cz/) and contacted them by email (lookup in contacts at the website) and they replied promptly with the price list for rooms and another price list for the treatments available. There are treatments that can only be done with medical examination (they have their own staff) and someother that require a minimum stay of 1 week. You have to find the one that most suits you and your availability. The hotel was a 3 star and very well located in front of the Mill Collonade with healing springs. Very nice rooms and infrasctrutures. The only bad thing to point out was that we didn't find too many people that spoke in English there (really only a few... but everything turned out perfect during our stay), German and Russian are the most spoken language. We paid around 35 Euros, per person, on a double room with Breakfast and 1 meal. The treatments are vast and u can go from the more common hydrotherapy & massages to the more unusual Cryotherapy/Parafango/Electrotherapy. Got to go back 2 work... Cya
Hi Marco, Thanks for posting all this! It's great to get the "inside info" from someone who has just finished a trip. I agree about Krčma v Šatlavské. I eat there every time I'm in Krumlov, sometimes even twice on one trip! Slavonice is a very pretty place, very small, it's really a village. The reason to go there is to see the beautiful, large town square. There are a couple pictures of it in our photo gallery (in the Bohemia section, page 2). I very much like the town of Třeboň and also recommend Jindřichův Hradec. Like you say, there are many places to see in the Czech Republic. I hope you'll come back in the future!
