Anyone been to Dresden/Prague/Berlin?

[elrohwen]

Next week DH and I are going to Dresden for a business trip. He''ll be doing business, and I''ll be exploring Dresden alone for a few days!

Then we''re staying in Prague for a few nights, then back to Dresden, with a day trip to Berlin in there. This trip has only come up in the past week or two, so I''ve had very little time to plan what we''re going to do and see. Any suggestions? While he''s working we''ll be staying a bit out of Dresden, but I can drive in or take public transportation. During the rest of the trip we''ll be staying in the old town sections of Prague and Dresden close to all of the action.

Any suggestions on sights to see, tours to take, and places to eat are welcome!

 

[TravelingGal]

Here is a tip sheet I wrote for a friend early last year on Prague, so please double check facts as things change. I highly recommend the website livingprague.com

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An AWESOME website (and fun to read) is http://livingprague.com/ . This is a guy who lives there and gives his two cents. He writes practical stuff like what to do when you enter an intimidating restaurant, how to get seated, order, pay etc. There’s also a great article on scams, including ones that restaurants pull. Definitely worth a look.
THINGS TO SEE AND CHECK OUT

The Charles Bridge (Karlùv most in Czech) is worth seeing. Gorgeous by day or night. Night is especially pretty because of the view of the castle all lit up. Try to avoid peak times (high noon) when it is PACKED with tourists…and pickpockets.

Prague Castle – worth a look on the outside. I never went inside but I hear it can be worth it.

The Astronomical Clock. A neat clock and probably one of Prague’s more recognized landmarks. Keep your wallet in check in this area, especially when it’s on the hour and there are more people around.

Tesco – A great place to look if you are into looking at markets in different countries, not to mention a cheaper place to get anything you may need. When it went, it was interesting to observe how nothing is “free”. You had to pay to take a cart, and many brought their own shopping bags.

FOOD…and DRINK!
Areas for cheaper eats (and drink!) Wenceslas Square, Charles Square, the area around Tesco, and Zizkov. Old Town Square and the Castle is where you’ll be paying the most. From what I recall, the prices were very different. From a dollar beer in old town vs 25 cents a beer in Zizkov. The dollar has weakened in the last few years however, so that 25 cent beer may be a lot harder to find.
Pubs…
Pivnice U Rudolfina located at Køížovnická 10 I went to this one a couple of times, as we knew some locals there. It is a great traditional Czech pub that isn’t too far from city center. It’s kind of intimidating when you walk in, but worth it for the beer and simple food. Sausage, dumplings, game, are the usual Czech offerings. And by dumplings, I mean balls of dough/bread…not the chicken or meat filled kind that you are probably used to. I do believe they have potato dumplings though. Goulash is another popular dish (and it’s best sopped up with bread dumplings!). Food is hearty at best, heavy and greasy at worst. Just typical central European fare and probably won’t knock your socks off, but still fun to try. Here’s are a couple of links with a quick review.
http://www.praguepubs.co.uk/pubs_details.php?id=3
http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/3030

Often times at a pub, they will just leave a piece of paper at your table and mark it as they bring you beers/food. So don’t lose that paper…waiters can be surly! Also keep in mind that often in Europe, nothing is free. They will put bread on your table, and if it stays there, you pay for it. If you don’t want to be charged for it, reject it right off the bat.

The “Nonstop”. Lots of regular bars close early, but they have what is called the “nonstop”, which is what it sounds like…a place you can drink non-stop. I won’t recommend any to you…as I honestly don’t remember where I was. Guess that happens when you drink non stop.

Good Czech beers to try (and a spirit too)

They say that Czech Beers don’t give you a hangover because there are no preservatives in it. They are known for their beers, so it’s worth trying all you can. Here are some I remember. They are all lighter, yet flavorful.

Plzensky Prazdroj aka Pilsner Urquell (which you can get here but better there!)
Budvar (called Czechvar in the U.S. It’s the original “bud” and it’s probably my favorite)
Gambrinus
Staropramen
Krusovice
Radegast

Czech Beers are also measured in degrees. Here’s a quick rundown of what that means from a website I found.

Beer is measured here with degrees, according to the method devised by Professor Balling in the 17th century. The degree sign caused some confusion for consumers in the past, as international norms used it to signify the temperature of brewing and other things. So it was changed to a percentage sign, which causes confusion among consumers today. Many think that the percent is the amount of alcohol, but it''s actually the amount of malt extract used in the brewing process. The percentage of alcohol is about a quarter of the "percent" shown on the bottle, so 12% beer is roughly 3.1% alcohol, though it''s often higher. Czech beer comes in degrees from 6-19%, but 10% and 12% are the most common.

A popular Czech spirit is becherovka. I remember a bit of it, but couldn’t tell you how it tastes. Have it after a meal as it aids digestion – you’ll need it after all those stinkin’ dumplings. I prefer it neat but mixing it with tonic is popular too. You also may see slivovice (plum brandy). And of course, there is legal absinthe. Personally, I wouldn’t go there as it can make the trek back to your hotel very ugly…and make ugly people beautiful. (Although admittedly, absinthe is probably no worse than any other spirit. It’s more likely the combination of half dozen beers, a bit of becherovka, and then that final bit of absinthe that gets you. It always seems like a good idea at the time………………..)

Tips on money – try to pay in crowns…even if they say they accept Euro or dollars. If you buy something on credit card and they say they can charge you in U.S. Dollars, decline. They will give you a rate in THEIR favor. Your bank will always give the best rate, so just tell them to charge in crown.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I was promised a trip to Prague and had all my stuff ready and then the person backed out on me. She was going for business and had all the papers ready. It was horribly disappointing and I''ve never trusted that person''s promises since and she continues to call me about more stuff.

That said, here is a link to the post, so you can sift through it for info:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/where-in-the-world-is-prague.72538/

 

[charbie]

Wow. I was gonna write a thing or two about Prague, but TG kicked my post''s booty.

Ditto everything TG said- it is a wonderful city, with so much to see and do! You''ll see vendors everywhere- so look around and bargain for the best prices.

I don''t have any good information on Berlin or Dresden though- never made it that far north when travelling in Germany!

 

[elrohwen]

TGal, thank you so much! This is fantastic info. We planned to take a walking tour one morning to see most of the touristy stuff, and I''ll make sure we hit up the things you mentioned. We''re staying around the Old Town Square I believe, which I figured would be way too expensive to eat in. Your pub and food suggestions were awesome. Thanks again!

MC, I''ll definitely check out your thread. So sorry you didn''t get to go! That''s really not cool of someone to let you down like that for such a big trip. Hopefully you''ll get to go some other time!

Charbie, TGal did kind of write the definitive Prague post! I''m glad you liked it there and I''ve heard amazing things from others about it. And from what I can tell so far (by hotel prices at least) I think I like these former Communist countries. Way cheaper than western Germany!

 

[iheartscience]

I love Prague-it''s one of my favorite places! My family had an exchange student from Prague when I was in high school so when I went to Europe for the first time my twin sister and I stayed with her and her family for about 3 weeks.

I second Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge. And if you like architecture, Frank Gehry''s Dancing House is fun to see. We went to Kafka''s house too which was cool. Where else...we went to Cesky Krumlov, a town a few hours outside of Prague. It''s definitely a slightly longer train ride so maybe plan to stay overnight there if you go. I think we just went for the day but we left super early and came back really late.

Not sure if you''re into dancing but I loved this huge super fun dance place called Lucerna. It was in/near the city square and was amazing! Kind of cheesy but I love to dance so it was perfect for me.

We hung out at tons of local non-touristy pubs because of our friend but I can''t remember the names or locations of those...we had too much fun apparently!

 

[elrohwen]

Thanks Thing2! Everyone excitment about Prague is making me super excited to go there

 

[y2kitty]

Love this gelato place in Pottsdamer Plotz (Berlin):
http://www.caffe-e-gelato.de/

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 11/4/2009 10:44:54 AM
Author: y2kitty
Love this gelato place in Pottsdamer Plotz (Berlin):
http://www.caffe-e-gelato.de/

Yay, a Berlin recommendation! Thanks y2kitty! Anything I should do while I''m in Berlin? It''ll just be a day trip, but I have no idea what to do other than see the Wall.

 

[megeve]

The city of Berlin is huge, east and west merged together. So as a day trip, I would recommend a sightseeing tour bus (I am not sure how long the tour ride is) to go around the sightseeing spots of Berlin. If you still have the time, they do have wonderful museums esp the Egyptian museum to visit. If you still have more time for shopping, then 'Kudamm' is the place, a long street named Kurfürstendamm. KaDeWe is the high end departmental store in Berlin.

Dresden is such a beautiful historical town! I am always amazed every time I am there. If you get the chance, do get a tour guide. The history of Dresden is so long and unbelievable interesting esp. following the route/life of August the Strong, elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Places of visit: Frauenkirsche, Zwinger (museum), a boat trip along the river Elbe, a night out to the Semper Opera. And if you have the time, not too far from Dresden, do visit Meissen and Pillnitz (Castle).

Wish you a wonderful trip

ETA: Berlin is too huge for walking around, once you have gone round with the tour bus, you could more or less know which area you would like to concentrate on, then take a cab there. The historical part of Berlin is Unten den Linden, I find this street (long) but beautifull with century old buildings left and right of the street and on one end the 'Brandenburger Tor'.

 

[elrohwen]

Thank you, megeve! That is fantastic information. When I was in London for only two days, I did a bus tour and it was so helpful to get around and see all of the different areas. I will definitely look into that for Berlin, especially since we''ll only be there for a day. Is there any area of the city you''d recommend for finding good places to eat?

I''ll have two days to explore Dresden on my own while DH is working, so I''m definitely going to check out the Zwinger since it''s probably not high on his list of things to see. For tour guides, do you recommend a bus type tour? Or a walking type tour? I''m not sure how big and spread out things are.

Also, general question for anyone who''s been to Dresden: what''s the parking situation like? We''re staying about 20 min out of the city with almost no public transportation, so I might be forced to drive in each day. Will it be possible to find public parking?

 

[Kay]

I was in Berlin 10 years ago. The one place there that I would most like to see again is the Pergamon Museum. If you like ancient architecture, the collection is amazing. The museum houses large sections of original ancient buildings, such as the Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus, and the Ishtar Gate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pergamon_Museum

The Egyptian art museum in Berlin is also quite good.

 

[elrohwen]

Kay, that sounds amazing. Definitely a museum both DH and I could get into!

 

[D2B]

Berlin and Dresden are fantastic. Still waiting to get to Prague. If you only have a short time go to the local tourist office and get the information on walking tours, and key places to see.


Dresden is a real delight, the |''balcony of europe'' is a pretty spot, the opera house is a must, we got late tickets (standing ones, really cheap) and loved the atmosphere and history. The main dresden museum has some fantastic jewellery, an amazing green diamond necklace, that had me stunned even before pricesope. It was a good 10 years since I have been there so the collection might have moved, but those jewels were stunning.


If youhave time in Berlin, you can go to the Potsdam, and sanssouci palace where the prussian kings lived, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanssouci. Potsdam is also were the Potsdam agreement was signed by Churchill, Truman and Stalin at the end of WWII, the conference table is still set up and if you are into history is an amazing place and building.

I have to go, so just a quick reply, but dont forget to stop at a MeisterKonditorei, they are the Master cake bakery shops and the cakes are to die for!!

enjoy
D2B

 

[elrohwen]

Thanks, D2B! All great information. I hope I get to see that green diamond necklace too

 

[ChargerGrrl]

These three cities were part of my trip itinerary a couple of years ago.

Berlin- The best way to see the sights is to take the FAT TIRE bike tour. We had a blast!
Prague- Loved it! TG''s post says it all. Go visit U Flecku- it''s a beer hall that''s been around forever
Dresden- I was here for only a couple of hours, but remember the museum.

Have fun!

 

[swimmer]

Ditto on the bike tour of Berlin! I've been to all three cities and really the only thing to add is super comfy walking shoes. (Of course, few European women will be wearing sneakers, but do what you gotta do to be comfortable.) In Prague don't lose your subway ticket once you get on as you are charged a fee if you don't have it on you and are questioned on the way out. Sounds sinister, but when I was last there, 3 years ago(?) it was on the honor system for tickets and I got in trouble for losing mine even though it really cost very little. Their subway was awesome, chandeliers, dingy, but a real remnant of the soviet era. The Opera house is amazing if you have the time, but for every city, just walking around is the very best.

 

[megeve]

Date: 11/4/2009 4:22:54 PM
Author: elrohwen
Thank you, megeve! That is fantastic information. When I was in London for only two days, I did a bus tour and it was so helpful to get around and see all of the different areas. I will definitely look into that for Berlin, especially since we''ll only be there for a day. Is there any area of the city you''d recommend for finding good places to eat?

I''ll have two days to explore Dresden on my own while DH is working, so I''m definitely going to check out the Zwinger since it''s probably not high on his list of things to see. For tour guides, do you recommend a bus type tour? Or a walking type tour? I''m not sure how big and spread out things are.

Also, general question for anyone who''s been to Dresden: what''s the parking situation like? We''re staying about 20 min out of the city with almost no public transportation, so I might be forced to drive in each day. Will it be possible to find public parking?

Dresden is not huge, a walking tour with an individual tour guide or a group tour esp for the walking the route/life of August the Strong. Do go with your DH a night out to Semper Opera, its the most beautiful opera theatre I have ever seen in all Europe! And I have been to many!

We usually stay in the middle of City and do our sightseeing by foot. I only know Hotel Kempenski has a huge parking lot just oposite the Zwinger and it always easy to get space. Probabaly its more expensive than others but you are within walking distance to all sightseeing spots! So I hope this helps! Enjoy your trip!

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 11/4/2009 6:07:04 PM
Author: megeve

Date: 11/4/2009 4:22:54 PM
Author: elrohwen
Thank you, megeve! That is fantastic information. When I was in London for only two days, I did a bus tour and it was so helpful to get around and see all of the different areas. I will definitely look into that for Berlin, especially since we''ll only be there for a day. Is there any area of the city you''d recommend for finding good places to eat?

I''ll have two days to explore Dresden on my own while DH is working, so I''m definitely going to check out the Zwinger since it''s probably not high on his list of things to see. For tour guides, do you recommend a bus type tour? Or a walking type tour? I''m not sure how big and spread out things are.

Also, general question for anyone who''s been to Dresden: what''s the parking situation like? We''re staying about 20 min out of the city with almost no public transportation, so I might be forced to drive in each day. Will it be possible to find public parking?

Dresden is not huge, a walking tour with an individual tour guide or a group tour esp for the walking the route/life of August the Strong. Do go with your DH a night out to Semper Opera, its the most beautiful opera theatre I have ever seen in all Europe! And I have been to many!

We usually stay in the middle of City and do our sightseeing by foot. I only know Hotel Kempenski has a huge parking lot just oposite the Zwinger and it always easy to get space. Probabaly its more expensive than others but you are within walking distance to all sightseeing spots! So I hope this helps! Enjoy your trip!

Thanks! I would loooove to go to the opera, so DH might have to suck it up and go with me

Is it possible to get cheap matinee tickets? I doubt DH would want to pay an arm and a leg for evening tickets.

We''re only staying out of town the first couple days while DH is doing his conference stuff, but we''ll end the trip right in the town center. I''m excited for that! And I''m glad to hear that I''ll be able to find some good parking for the couple days I have to drive in. I''ll try to do public transportation, but others who have stayed in Radebuel said it''s a huge pain in the butt.

Swimmer and ChargerGrrl, thanks for the tips! The bike tour is a great idea. Do they actually lead you on the tour? Or do you just get a map and tour yourself around?

 

[Deelight]

I went to all those places last year they are all awesome

I highly recomend http://www.newberlintours.com/ The guides work on a tip basis and the tour we did the guy was FANTASTIC a great way to see a lot of Berlin in a short period of time they do have them in other places in Europe because they only get paid if you enjoy your tour they make it enjoyable, one of the highlights of my Europe trip .


There is a fantastic Gelato place in Prague just down off the main square near all the designer stores, down a bit further from Cartier IIRC (can''t remember what it is called but it was fantastic and the people in the place are in bow ties and it has really ornate setting faniciest icecream shop I have ever seen LOL. Prague is also killer expensive we were shocked at how much things were to what we expected them to be.

- The peeing man statues on the hill are kinda cool you can sms your name and they will write them out

- The castle is beautiful and the view is amazing

- Find holes in the walls and follow them , we did that in prague and found the best little local tea shop with the most massive assortment of teas and it was beautiful

- The beer in prague is TERRIBLE - well I thought so made me sick literally


- Dresden is small just walk around it is really pretty we enjoyed it

http://www.neweuropetours.eu/ a list of the other places they have free walkingtours

Have fun

 

[elrohwen]

Deelight, those tours sound awesome! Thank you! The entertaining tours are always so much more memorable than the dry boring ones.

I''m surprised you found Prague expensive! Everyone I''ve talked to says that it''s very cheap, especially compared to other cities in Europe. And I also think it''s funny that you hated the beer. Everyone says they love that too! Though I''m really not a fan of pilsners, so they won''t be my favorite beers ever. Last time I was in Germany everything on tap was a pilsner, and though better than any pilsner I''ve had in the US, I just prefer darker beers. I''m sorry you got sick though!