Prague, from Hotel Hastal location

I'll answer the easy one: Mala Strana is the Czech name for what in English can be called "Lesser Town."

Its about 4000 feet as the crow flies, and since I presume you are not a crow, you will be walking on streets, many of which from my memory are cobblestone. With luggage that would not be a lot of fun. A taxi would work, just make sure you have a ball park for the fare before hopping in. Its is about 1000 feet walk to the Jindřišská tram stop where the tram can get you within about 300 feet of the Hastal.

I met Unclegus at Prague Castle today so I'm sure he'll be posting. For the transfer it would be a 15 minute walk. The fastest way by tram is to go to the station tram stop and take the number 15 three stops and get off at Dlouha. That will put you 150 metres from the Hastal. For tickets you'll need a CZK24 per person and a CZK16 per piece of large luggage. The Jewish Museum pass is valid for 7 days but can be used at a site only once. If you don't drink beer then look for any Czech wine from 2015 (excellent year). Or try a Becherovka with pear juice. If you've never been to Prague before you should always start with the Old Town and Jewish Quarter as an introduction to the city, then expand out.

Sam: We'll have to consider your logical thinking...as to distance and cobblestoned street. However, we have lugged our suitcases in many cobblestoned cities. One reason I like to walk is to get my bearings in a new city.

Jason: Thanks for the specifics on the tram, (# of stops, cost, etc.) Will there be an ATM machine at the train station to get the local currency? We won't have any with us upon arrival.
Also, if you are the "Jason" of Living Prague Tours, so I'll send you an email at your Tour site with specific questions I have about your tours.

Hi Carol, if I have to use an ATM at the station I go down to the -1 level (ticket offices and car hire etc) and use the one next to the Student Agency office as it's a bit more private than the one on the concourse. And yes I am that Jason so if we converse I'll send you a little map for how to walk it.

Soory i have not replied but been busy enjoying myself.just have my little ipad with me and the internet is very slow in my hotel.when are you visiting ,if it is not for awhile then i can answer when i am back in the Uk

Unclegus: Your opinion is so valued on this forum that I know we all appreciate it when you answer our questions about Prague. I am glad to know you are enjoying yourself in Prague, just appreciating the sites and people. We read an earlier post where you recommended the Living Prague Tour, so we have signed up for one of their tours.
We'll be in Prague a month from now, but will be leaving the states earlier, so any info you post after your return to Edinburgh (a favorite city of ours) will be appreciated.

I will do a more in depth reply in week or so wghen i have decent computer and internet.good choiCe going with Living Prague tours i am sure you will have a great time.
i am trying for an early night as we are off on the real Budvar tour tomorrow.of course self organised with a 200ml bottle of Jura single malt for the return train journry shared betwen 3 of us.

Unclegus: I'll be looking forward to your food recommendations when you return home. Some of us would like to know what a "budvar" tour is.
"Jura," huh? That must be the brand of choice for Scots. We have a wonderful memory of local Scots and Jura and Military Tattoo. One of our favorite memories of our time in your city.

OK, Budvar tour. Because what's now Czech Republic was 300 years under Austrian-Hungarian Empire until 1918 (the end of WWI). Therefore most if not all towns have also German name. For example Ceske Budejovice brews beer called Budvar. In German: Budweis brews Budweiser. Yes, real one and IMHO much tastier than so called Budweiser brewed in St.Louis. So Budvar Tour is a tour of brewery in Ceske Budejovice or we can say tour of brewery where they brew real original Budweiser. I was there about two years ago; the lobby has much information in Czech and English. They also give tours in several languages including English. You go via Ceske Budejovice when you go to Cesky Krumlov. About 25 km (15 miles) apart. It is also historical town but quite bigger than C.K.

well back from my holiday and had a great time in and around the city, weather was hot especially for a Scotsman.I did literally bump into Jason as I walked through the castle area and also met him for drinks and a meal a few days later(we have known each other for years).
Budvar tour, IIja has it right,I have been there several times before and did the English walk up tour at 2.00pm.Well what a mistake that was,busy beyond belief, 3 different tours in different languages going out at the same time.we were in the English tour and I tried to count the number on it over 50 people I counted between 53 and 56 ,one young girl trying to do the tour and just basically lead the group through the route, she tried hard but there was no way anyone could give a good tour with that amount of folk on it. I will contact the brewery and make my feelings known. Done the tour twice before and with only around 15 people on them they wee excellent.I did speak to the tour guide and thanked her for the effort.
to get to the hotel take the tram and the short walk Jason suggests, the tram stop from the station is a short walk to the right form the exit of the train station I think the no 26 is the only one that suits though maybe the 15 works too,I will try and check the local transport App, google maps are not up to date regarding trams.
as to which tour to try ,the 3 in one tour will give you a good overall introduction to the city and then allow you to see the areas you might be more interested in and do more in depth yourselves,it will also help orientate you in the city.
You might be a non beer drinker but do try a small beer or two,i have known many people that say they don't like beer but once they try beer in Prague they change their minds.There are places that actually do fruit beers like Blue berry and even chocolate beer,(I don't like chocolate beer). There are loads of options for other alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks but I stick to beer and the occasional Becherovka or Slivovice.
I am no expert on places to eat in that area of the city as I usually stay out of the city centre and also eat and drink out there but some places nearby I have tried.
http://www.pivolod.cz/en/home-en/
this is a boat on the river about 5 minutes or so walk from where you are staying, actually a brewery but does good food , Top deck is an outdoor grill, main deck is a standard restaurant and lower deck and typical Czech pub menu, not tried the top deck but have been to both other places and they have been very good, menu is limited but good.
https://kotleta-namesti-republiky.cz/cs/kotleta-namesti-republiky/
this is a fairly modern place and I have ben there twice in recent trips, good food and great service again about a 5 minute walk from your hotel.

http://www.obecnidum.cz/en/restaurants-and-shops/
this is a magnificent building with café , bars and restaurant , worth going there for the sheer opulence of the place ,I have not eaten there for a few years but pop in with visitors for a beer or Becherovka in the American bar there.
There really are numerous places to eat and drink in the area ,all will have English menus and staff that will speak English.
hope this all helps.

I think you'll be OK walking to your hotel if you leave the train station headed in the right direction. There is road work and building construction to the southwest (in the direction of my hotel), and you do not want to go that way with rolling luggage. Do not discount the pavement issue. There are few flat, smooth sidewalks in that part of Prague. Google says 18 minutes, and I've found its walking-time estimates to be quite good, but only if I don't get lost and do not have luggage with me. If you have wheeled luggage to deal with, I'd bet on 25 minutes or longer.

Not too far from your hotel (due west, but the streets are not exactly a grid) is Bilkova Street. Between Dusni and Kozi Streets there's a new Georgian restaurant that I liked. The Asian place across the street also looked good, but I haven't eaten there. This is a relatively quiet area, though it's only one block from the Spanish Synagogue.

The day I went to the Convent of St. Agnes (just 2 or 3 blocks north of your hotel), I walked all the (considerable) way around the convent. There were at least two interesting-Iooking restaurants, of which I chose the one connected to the convent. I enjoyed the meal, and the surroundings were very peaceful. (Much of Prague is a zoo.) I think the name of the restaurant was Anezka.

Uncle Gus: Thank you so much for the food options near the Hotel Hastal. I added them to my Google Trips...hoping we'll be able to find them. The Lod' Pivovar sounds interesting with good reviews. I'm hoping to attend a music concert while we are in Prague; hopefully in the Municipal House. Wow! And thanks for the tip on fruit beers. However, as mentioned in another post, I'll be on a quest for a good Almond cigar drink!

acraven: Thanks for your vote of confidence on walking from the train station to our hotel. It appears fairly "doable" on a flat map, so we'll attempt to walk it. We're staying in Prague following our Rick Steves tour, schlepping our suitcases over cobbled streets, so hopefully that will be good training. We'll check out the restaurants you mentioned also. We will be in Prague 6 nights, so hope to eat our way through the city, and walk it off each day. Thanks everyone.

I have been to a concert in the Municiple house though in one of the smaller halls,you can do tour of the place which I did about 12 years.Good luck in finding your special drink, I have never heard of it but then I stay well clear of "cocktails".

The Municipal House is gorgeous, with all sorts of fabulous architectural details. If you take the tour (necessary to see many of the most impressive rooms), I suggest paying the 55-forint photography fee.

acraven: Thanks for the photography tip. My husband will definitely want to take pictures. We can pay for it with the money saved by walking from the train station to our hotel 😦

That's the spirit! I walked to my hotel in Cambridge today. Forty minutes pulling a bag. At least the city is flat. But now I am ravenous and will probably spend the taxi fare on dessert.

In Prague now. We did walk to our hotel. It wasn’t difficult.
It took longer than expected because i don’t think we took the most direct route. Also, we stopped to snap a few pictures along the way and gaze into shops.
Positive: the sidewalks were wider than expected.
Negative: we’ve walked in many cities with cobblestoned streets, but I think 99% of Prague’s sidewalks and streets are cobblestones! Yikes!
Also, when we leave we’re planning on taking the Metro to the airport.

pleased you managed to walk to the hotel.yeah these cobbles are a bit of the pain and can really ripp the feet up if you don't have good shoes on .
Enjoy your trip.

I can recommend http://www.ucervenehokola.cz/index.php/cz/, it is very good and not expensive. You can try also Moravian wines, they are lovely. Close to your hotel is a perfect restaurant - pub Lokál (Dlouhá street)
The Jewish Quarter - you can visit each object once only.
Lesser Town is called Malá Strana, it is under the Castle.
Strongly recommended guide Marketa from https://www.prague-cool-guide.com/, we have planned to take one tour and we took more. She is also o photographer and she is doing the photo tours as your husband loves to take the pictures. Hope this is useful and enjoy the city!