Hi there. We%26#39;re an Australian family (3 yong children) living in Scotland, hoping to get some more travel in before we move back home. At the moment I am planning a 4 week European driving holiday for June 2010, and would really love to add Prague to the itinery, but at this point I know very little about Prague other than it%26#39;s beautiful and I really want to visit.
We would be driving from Berlin via Dresden to Prague, then after our stay would drive on to Munich.
What is the driving like both in the Czech Rep. in general and in Prague itself? Are we crazy for contemplating it?
Ideally we would like to park at our Apartment / hotel, and then not use the car again until it%26#39;s time to leave. Which area would you stay in that is convenient to the major attactions and sights?
Also, because our three boys are young (7, 4 and 1 at time of travel), we can%26#39;t pack too much into our days and galleries and museums are not a good option for us. Keeping that in mind, what 4-5 things are a must do or see while in Prague?
Thanks in advance,
Sally
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Why not go by train? Each of the cities are easily reachable, the kids will love it, it will be a lot less stressful, cheaper, quicker, etc., and it doesn%26#39;t have to cost that much - the little kids will be free and the 7 year-old will have a big discount.
Driving in Prague is not to be recommended for the beginner and on-street parking is almost non-existent, or very expensive. If you are hiring a car, most German rental agencies will not allow you to bring cars into the Czech Republic anyway.
Have a read through this http://europetrainsguide.com/
If you don%26#39;t want museums and galleries, and you have little kids, then maybe Prague is not the place for you - we have a 4 year-old and a 2 year-old, and cities are a complete nightmare. We regularly go to Vienna to visit family, but going into the centre is a no-no. Prague is out of the question for the next few years at least. I would consider somewhere out in the country, possibly rent a cottage - have a look here www.limba.com/en/czech-republic/offer.htm… that is near a train route and you can hop on a train to Prague or wherever easily and cheaply.
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Thanks for the advice so far. Just to clarify, we would be bringing our own car, via ferry from the United Kingdom, although I will have to check with our won insurance company.
Ideally we would be looking for accommodation with parking as well.
Do you think Prague is that much more difficult with children than Paris, Rome or Seville? As we have visited these cities already and found it to be fine with the children.
Thanks again.
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Well - you know your own children best :)
Usually it is the more expensive hotels in Prague or the ones outside the centre that have their own parking, and otherwise it costs about €30/day - you need to park in a secure car park if you have foreign plates, and they are not always necessarily close to where you are staying.
I can%26#39;t speak for Paris, Rome or Seville, but if you survived them, then you should be fine!
Just remember the number 1 rule that trams have absolute priority and stop for nobody! Otherwise just grit your teeth and steer ...
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I would suggest hotel Julian casjul@vol.cz. They have got parking in the yard for 360 CZK per day. Position of the hotel is convenient - it is only one stop by tram from historical Little Quarter and near Kampa Island and fenicular to Petrin Hill - top of the hill is ideal for family with children - Maze, Mirror hall, view tower, beautiful Rose Garden etc.
Near the bottom station of fenicular is nice playground just at the bottom of Petrin hill.
As concern program I have couple of other tips:
1.At Prague Castle is for you better to focus on the gardens (Royal Garden, Garden on the Ramparts) and visit only Cathedral of St.Vitus
2. Visit Baroque gardens at Little Quarter and do not miss Waldstein garden, where the children can feed huge carp and koi fish and ducks in the pond (Take some bread with you)
3. Prague ZOO in Troya is very good and you can go there and also back by ship from Prague City Centre
http://www.paroplavba.cz/index-en.php. Opposite the entrance to the Zoo is one of the most beautiful Baroque Chateaus in Czech Republic with large garden.
Do not try to drive in Prague City Centre. I live in Prague from 1987 and do not drive to city central area if I can avoid it. Use public transportation. Two smaller boys do not pay and children from 6 pay only half.
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I have 2 children aged 8 and 4 and they have been to prague 15 times so fr and they love it as restaurants have no problem with children eating late and they love the bankrot shops and the playground on childrens island and have brought them to puppet shows aswell. Apartments are the best way to go with children but driving in prague no way.
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HI, I%26#39;m interested in your post as we have a young baby who we would love to take to cities like Berlin, Prague and Munich. We have visited all of the cities before and found them to be amazing but that was pre-baby! My nieces visited Prague with us when they were 10 and 8 and they had a great time. They enjoyed walking by the river, their funicular trip up Petrin Hill, running through the gardens by the castle, running around Old Town Square and watching the street entertainers throughout the Old Town - altho we had to keep a tight grip on them! I%26#39;m sure your little ones will love it. We had some lovely family meals too following recommendations from the TA site. The info at myczechrepublic.com/prague/children_entertai… might give more clues on other family friendly activities. Have you considered staying at Andels Apartments? I haven%26#39;t stayed there but a friend stayed in one of the apts and loved it. Not sure how accessible it is to the town centre but the reviews on here will maybe help - I%26#39;m sure there is a handy metro and tram stop. Their website boasts 70 underground parking spaces so you could maybe pre-book? They also seem to have quite family friendly facilities like DVD players etc. Hope you manage to plan your trip, good luck!
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I just wanted to say thanks for the advice and replies - much appreciated!
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We took our (then) 14 month old to Prague last fall and thoroughly enjoyed the Prague Zoo. We make it a point to visit the zoo whenever we%26#39;re in a new city and this one was top-notch and quite reasonably priced. Also, found the website www.kidsinprague.com to be helpful in picking kid-friendly restaurants, local parks, etc.
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