Shopping
Shopping in Prague is entertainment in the full sense of the word. Those who are familiar with local shops know that they need to set aside money for this business and allocate time. You won’t get off with a magnet on duty even in a souvenir kiosk – the counters look so fabulous. And how not to touch at least, not to photograph, everyone’s favorite cartoon mole?
Pomegranate is considered a tourist brand of the Czech Republic and the best souvenir that you can bring from Prague. Every jewelry showcase in the city is decorated with products with this stone. You can’t call it cheap, so we don’t recommend buying grenades in the center. But a trip to the largest plant in the Czech Republic “Lapiz Diamond” will make “precious” shopping also budgetary. The world-famous Bohemian glass is also sold there.
Probably, everyone who goes to Prague calculates in advance how many bottles of beer they will be able to grab on the way back. And you don’t even need to explain why. It is difficult to name the best, but we know the unsurpassed – Pardubice Porter. What distinguishes it from hundreds of others is its amazing – sweet, bitter caramel taste. Of the other alcoholic drinks, Becherovka and Slivovitz deserve attention. See EDUCATIONVV for education and training in Czech Republic.
By the way, Czechs drink beer not only inside. Cosmetics based on it are in great demand among tourists: creams, shampoos, masks, etc.
Prague is also a paradise for hunters of European brands. Prices here are already low, and during periods of sales you can lose your head, because the “sleva” sign promises discounts of up to 70-80%.
The first two weeks of January in terms of shopping in Prague are considered the most profitable.
Luxury brands are located on the street. Parizhskaya, the mass market is concentrated on Wenceslas Square, as well as in the large centers “Hodov”, “Kotva”, “Palladium”, “Letnyany”, etc. Very popular among tourists is st. On Przykope with its democratic brands.
Sales in Prague can be found in April, July, October, the largest one starts at the end of December. On the eve of Christmas, endless shopping arcades with souvenirs unfold in the city squares.
What to try
They treat in Prague to the glory – moderately exotic, a little artistic, unimaginably tasty and very plentiful. You will have to forget about the diet, but it is better to focus on burning calories than to miss such a gastronomic adventure.
And it begins, of course, with beer, other intoxicating preferences in Prague are forgotten automatically. A variety of varieties will satisfy even the most demanding gourmet.
“Czech beer” is a protected geographical mark. Only a few brands have the right to be called that, including Pilsner Urquell and Velkopopovicky Kozel.
The main component of Czech dishes is meat. Goulash, sausages, duck, ribs in honey, lamb in lemon. And in the center of this diversity is the “boar knee” – baked pork knuckle. A fragrant sauce and, without fail, “dumplings” will be brought to the meat. This is a very popular snack in the Czech Republic, until the 18th century it was considered the food of the poor. It would seem that something is simpler – flour and water, but you won’t try it yet. Today, in addition to bread slices, there are cottage cheese and potato slices on the menu. They are stuffed with vegetables, meat, as well as fruits and berries.
Despite the love of meat, once a year, at Christmas, the Czechs refuse it. This is the tradition – there should be a carp on the table on this holiday. You can’t replace it with another fish, the locals say, otherwise “you release happiness into the depths of the sea.”
It is impossible to resist aromatic Czech soups. All of them are good: meat with spices, cheese with croutons, cream soup with mushrooms, goulash soup in bread, and “garlic” is especially loved by tourists. It is prepared on the basis of chicken broth or smoked meats with the addition of cumin, garlic, potatoes, raw eggs and butter. They say that this soup is great for a hangover, which is very important in Prague, where a tourist day is complete without beer.
Another healthy and tasty dish in this regard is stewed cabbage. Not our way, cooked with wine and vinegar, it perfectly complements any dish. They don’t serve it here except for dessert.
And for dessert, Czechs eat strudel. Another local delicacy “trdelnik” is a strip of dough, which is baked on a roller over an open fire. The resulting curl can be supplemented with any filling.
Cafes and restaurants in Prague
All kinds of cafes and restaurants, pubs, taverns, craft bars in Prague can not be counted, everywhere you look – signs. And if they had a motto, it would not have been possible without the words “nutritious”, “inexpensive” and “traditional”. Local establishments are distinguished not only by a tempting variety of menus, but also by truly Czech practicality – there is a lot of food, few frills, proven recipes, and budget prices.
Answering the main question, beer is served everywhere in Prague. Restaurants here have their own breweries, and each brewery has its own restaurant (pub / bar). Good reviews are left by vacationers about the establishments U Fleku, U medvidku, a special atmosphere reigns in U Krale Brabantskeho. You can have a delicious meal at Ferdinanda, Bredovsky Dvur, Baracnicka Rychta, Sklipeku Munku.
In most Prague establishments, the price tag is moderate, despite the fact that the portions here, to put it mildly, are rather big. Breakfast in a tourist cafe in Prague will cost 70-120 CZK, the average bill for dinner in a central tavern is 350-500 CZK. “Boar’s knee” in a “tourist” establishment will cost 300-350 CZK. From 12:00 to 16:00, most restaurants offer a daily menu, and you can eat soup on the run – many culinary shops have soup of the day – a pretty decent snack for only 40-60 CZK.
Prices for beer vary depending on the variety – 35-60 CZK is a mug of draft beer, 15-40 CZK will cost bottled beer. Everything that you didn’t manage to drink at dinner can be tasted at any brewery.
Those who suddenly don’t like Czech food will not remain hungry – there are many pizzerias, Chinese restaurants in Prague, Greek and Oriental cuisines are well represented. Beas Dhaba, a budget eatery, is popular among vegetarians, while Gopal is a more sophisticated option.
As far as tips are concerned, in most cases it is up to the guest to reward the waiter. Before paying, please check the check, in some restaurants 10% of the “default” bill will be added to the cost of lunch. In simpler establishments, you can, without waiting for the service, pay directly at the checkout. Whether to leave a bonus in this case is up to you.
