We've used the European Walks series for London and Florence as a kind of chatty gossipy guide to less touristed streets in the tourist zone. Does anyone know of something similar for Prague? The reviews of such books on Amazon are abysmal, but the criticism is that they are poor substitutes for guidebooks--I don't want or expect them to be guidebooks covering the main sights. I want to wander and know a little about the streets around the main sights.
When we hit larger European cities, we're looking to take one of the "Free Walking Tours" where the tour guides work for tips.
We've had great experience with these tours.
At night, they'll often have an inexpensive "Nightlife Tours" of the city or even Pub Crawl Tours. That's when you'll see the best of the back streets and where they'll introduce to good restaurants, pubs and/or beer halls to visit. The people that take the nightlife tours are from all over the world, and they're a real joy to be with--if just for a few hours.
In Prague, we found $1.05 glasses of beer, and we also went to Urquil Brewery's beer hall that was an incredible stop.
Inquire at the Visitor Center once you are there and check these websites. I found them very useful:
http://www.pragueexperience.com
http://www.praguepost.com
We've been on free walking tours. Some for tips which are really advertisements for other tours and some like the fantastic ones in York which are run by local historian volunteers for nothing, not even tips. Those are both good things and we will seek them out in Prague. They may cover much of the information that we are looking for. But they are no substitute for a quiet chatty book that can be shared just among family. They are down time that no tour can ever be. Is there such a book, or blog, or other written resource for Prague?
The book: Prague Walks by Ivana Edwards. The one I have was published by Henry Holt and Company in New York 1994. Maybe there are also later editions. Try to get it from Amazon.
Thank you!
http://www.livingprague.com/freewalk.htm
this link should give lots of good info and the chance to download some free walks or download a whole load of walks for a fee.
Prague is a great city for just wandering lots of lovely narrow streets and some lovely little squares ,parks and gardens.
http://www.prague.net/sightseeing
this website has some greta info and you can maybe work out your own walks from the info provided.
I am just back from a trip to Prague (I visit there often).I did a walk through Stromovka park over to the Zoo and took a bus back into Holesovice and tram back to the centre from there.Also did a walk from Hradcanska metro through Letna park down to Holesovice ,some nice views of the Prague bridges from Letna Park.