Prague

I just returned from a lovely short trip to Prague! Check out what I saw!

LENGTH OF STAY: We had about 3 days in Prague but part of that was working. One more day would have been great to see a bit more!

ACCOMMODATION:
The hotel we stayed at was the Hotel Grand Majestic Plaza http://www.hotel-grandmajestic.cz/en/.
It was totally awesome. Great price, clean rooms, terrific breakfast, super nice employees. One of the best parts was that they let us leave our bags after we checked out so that we didn't have to walk around with them.

TRANSPORTATION:
The transportation in Prague is great but not particularly English friendly. We used the trolley system and the metro. To get to the airport to and from the city center it is best to get a taxi.

CURRENCY:  The currency in the Czech Republic is the koruna. 1 dollar is about 24 koruna. Here is a converter http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/. Most places also accept euros.

SITE SEEING:
Astronomical Clock: The clock is a really cool part of the city. It is totally worth the extra money to go up the top of it to see the fantastic view. The clock is located in the middle of Old Town Square.
Castle: The castle is spread over 18 acres and includes palaces, a beautiful cathedral, government buildings and a vineyard. It is beautiful during the day and at night.

Here is the view of the castle from the top the astronomical clock.

Martin Tours: If you are looking for tours or excursions a great option is Martin Tours. We took their 1 hour short river cruise. It was really nice and in the inside part of the boat so it wasn't too cold. The tours are guaranteed to be in English but often the translator is also giving information in other languages. Some reviews say that if they have to translate into multiple languages sometimes you don't get as much information. We didn't have this problem but it is something to keep in mind.

In addition to this tour they have a variety of walking tours and excursions. You can easily find their booths near the palladium or in Old Square http://martintour.cz/prague-tours-czech-sightseeing/martin-city-tour-prague-sightseeing.html 

This is the view of Charles Bridge from the boat tour

Charles Bridge: The bridge is a super cool part of the city with an awesome view of the palace and the river. Built in 1357 it is a great place to go and reflect on the incredible history of the city.
Palladium: The palladium is a giant mall in Prague. Although it has mostly American stores it is a nice change of pace. They also have a great Mongolian BBQ restaurant.
Old Town Square: This is the best area for tourist shopping, yummy local food and culture. This is also were many of the walking tours leave from. If you are interested in a walking tour (which I highly recommend in any city) visit my post on free walking tours http://travelforfreeee.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/free-walking-tours.html.


FOOD
Las Adelitas: Although it isn't Czech cuisine, while in Prague we visited an awesome authentic Mexican restaurant and tequila bar. Sometimes it is nice to taste a bit of home while on the road so I would recommend giving it a try. http://www.lasadelitas.cz/index.php/en/
Kozlovna: If you are looking to try some authentic Czech cuisine try Kozlovna. The waiters speak great english and can explain everything on the menu. I would recommend their dumplings and their homemade potato chips.

PENNY MACHINES: Coincidentally we found a pressed token at the top of the astronomical clock when we weren't event looking. The machine gives you a penny sized token and cost 20 koruna.