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ONLY BE PRAGUER
Only-Be Praguer
Prague’s 3 Most Popular Beer Spas
Prague has pioneered the launch of so-called “beer spas”. Places where you can soak in hot beer while drinking an ice cold one. There’s no doubt the plan I’m proposing is a truly advisable delight for the senses.
A Night in Prague
Staying in Prague is not just sightseeing and culture. It’s also a night that could become unforgettable with a Vltava River cruise, the tasting of traditional dishes, beer pubs, opera for the classic ones among you, and clubs for the party animals.
Silent but Alive – Dolls and Puppets in the Czech Republic, Prague
Dolls with moving body parts are not only a popular souvenir of the Czech Republic, they’re also a part of its history. This is why today we’ll travel first to the origin of Czech dolls and then give you advice about where to buy the best dolls and puppets in Prague. These dolls have been part of the Czech tradition since the 18th century, when Czech puppeteers toured Central Europe to tell stories and entertain audiences. At that time, the manufacture of dolls and puppets developed into an art form in the Baroque era. Great attention to detail was given, for example, to the design of the puppets’ faces. Traditionally, they are hand-carved from linden wood, polished with beeswax and then painted. They represent different characters, from devils, witches and wizards to clowns, kings and princesses or even Czech celebrities such as Špejbl, Hurvínek or Švejk. Many of these beautiful puppets are true works of art. The stories of the puppet shows are based on classic stories like Faust, Don Giovanni or Czech historical dramas. In Prague there are many places to buy dolls and puppets. Here are some recommendations: In the Havel market you’ll find traditional wooden toys, costume jewelry, souvenirs, and handicrafts as well as vegetables, fresh fruit and flowers. Havel Market is one of the oldest markets in Prague and is a haven for collectors and bargain hunters. It is said that you’ll find the most beautiful and original puppets of the city here. The market is held every day from 8 am to 6 pm, and it’s located near Wenceslas Square. The Puppet gallery has...
Next Stop: Prague
Prague, also known as the Golden City or the City of a Hundred Spires, is really quite magical with its palatial buildings and many turrets. It’s not hard to imagine why it feels that you are in a fairy tale. The Town Hall’s Astronomical Clock More than likely you have already heard of it a number of times, since it is the most famous medieval clock on the planet and it has been in the Town Hall clock tower since 1490, when it was built by the well-known master clockmaker Hanus. You can see it for yourself in the Clock Tower, which is nearby the Tyn Church. You won’t want to miss seeing the parade of the 12 apostles that takes place on every hour. It’s also an ideal spot to take a snapshot of the Old Town Square. Photo: Klearchos Kapoutsis Prague Castle and the Golden Lane Once you’ve arrived at the Prague Castle, which is from the ninth century, you will soon realize that you are looking at the largest medieval castle in the world. It really is an impressive sight. It’s not a medieval fortress but rather a group of palaces set amongst a maze of narrow streets. Life in the Czech capital revolves around this castle, and in fact the city was once built around it. Inside, one of the most famous and popular streets is the Golden Lane. Full of small, colorful houses, this street can make time stand still. And it’s interesting to know that number 22 was once the home of Franz Kafka himself in the early twentieth century. This place was...
Shopping in Porto
Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and famous for its export of port, the fortified wine that is popular as a pre- or post-dinner drink. In addition to its great food and wine, there’s plenty of shopping to be done in this modern city. Today, we’re going to tell you where you can find locally made products and hand-crafted items as well as where you can find some quality wine and port to take back home with you. A Vida Portuguesa To start out our tour, we’re going to A Vida Portuguesa, at 20 Rua Galeria de Paris. Located in a beautiful, sunlit space on the second floor, this unique store if full of items that have survived the test of time. It was started by journalist Catarina Portas, who sought out Portuguese products that kept their original style and packaging over many years. You can find great gifts and souvenirs here as well as household items, ceramics, stationery, and retro toys, all of which are made in Portugal http://www.avidaportuguesa.com/ Portosigns Another store specializing exclusively in products made in Portugal, Portosigns actually refers to two different stores. The first store, which is named TRADITION, is located at 17 Rua da Alfândega, opposite the “Casa do Infante”. It exhibits and sells items that are of genuine Portuguese origin and more traditional than its sister store. Of especial interest are the bags, hats and ties made of cork and the ceramic and metal rooster sculptures. They also have original, locally designed t-shirts. Stop by to see one of their ongoing exhibitions featuring ceramics, paintings, photographs, and more. INNOVATION is...
5 curiosities about Prague
Beer in Prague is cheaper than water, the bread is exquisite and men still walk around with socks and sandals as their history is still present in their hearts. Prague´s beer is good, but it´s not for gourmets. Not a lot can be said about its composition, its fermentation time, its essence or its aroma. In the pubs it´s cheaper than water, it´s a totally artisanal beer. It´s the same one every day, a beer with nice volume, sweet and surprisingly enjoyable; it´s part of the culture. You can also find absinthe. It´s legal and you can buy it everywhere, but I´m not too sure of who actually drinks it. It seems that only foreigners ask for it, because the locals don´t usually drink it at home or on nights out. Large part of the architecture is supremely beautiful. We can easily find, for example, a charming 10th century church in many districts in Prague. The architecture is still standing firm and it´s part of the city´s everyday life. If you go around the streets on a bicycle be very careful, especially after it has rained, since the cobbled streets become very slippery. Prague is also a city that´s filled with history. In the 20th century, this country experienced five regimes. With the oppression that this brought, it is not easy for locals to talk about this. The population awoke with enemy tanks on the streets and saw how their families were taken away by the Gestapo. They packed their bags secretly and left everything and everyone that they had known, with a strong chance of never seeing them...
Indie nights in Prague
It´s likely that we won´t take long to agree that Prague isn´t really the cradle of pop, rock, indie-rock or pop-folk, so if you´re a big guitar fan, you´ll struggle to find your place in Prague´s nightlife scene. However, we´ve done all the dirty work for you. We have a correspondent there who just goes to bars and decides if they´re cool or not. Read carefully: NoD Skinny jeans and expensive glasses and maybe some big taches is what you can find here, where they often stage concerts, art exhibitions and theatre plays. The music isn´t bad, but you might have to endure a Spice Girls song that ruins it for everybody, but that may be the price to pay. But seriously, it´s a good place if you´re looking to go out until late with a great atmosphere and serious partying. Find it on Diouhá 33 110 00, Praha 1. Meet Factory Another fashionable place amongst Prague´s coolest people is Meet Factory, a cool art gallery-room where you can often listen to live bands that will make your jaw drop. Great atmosphere. Ke Sklárn? 3213/15 150 00 Praha 5 Palác Akropolis Palác Akropolis is a bar, theatre stage and party venue. If you´re bored at any time of the day, from 12pm you can drop by here and enjoy their daily events, reggae, techno or latin music DJs (check out the programme before you get here to avoid any surprises) and even live jam sessions. Oh, I nearly forgot, it´s also an excellent cheap restaurant. Find it on Kubelíkova 1548/27 130 00, Praha 3 Cafe v lese A charming, retro and vintage place,...
The Charles Bridge in Prague
One of the most important cities in Europe, is the capital of the Czech Republic, located on the banks of the Vltava River, where the second oldest bridge in the country stands. After the flood that caused the destruction of the Roman bridge, the Judith Bridge, in 1357 the current bridge construction was initiated by order of King Carlos IV, name given to the bridge in his honor. Work was completed in the early fifteenth century, becoming the largest trading connection between Eastern and Western Europe, and the only way to cross the river and connect Prague Castle, the Old Town and the surrounding area until the late nineteenth century . Initially the bridge was named Puente de Praga (Pražský most) or Stone Bridge (Kamenný most), but since 1870 it was called Charles Bridge (Karl?v most). With its 516 meters long and ten meters wide, the bridge connects the Old Town, or Stare Mesto with the town, which in Czech is Mala Strana, holding up with sixteen arches. Under the moonlight, the Charles Bridge transports us to medieval times. Long ago there were four lanes used by carriages, today it is a pedestrian bridge and a large influx of tourists stop to look at the works of artists and merchants that are on the bridge. Charles Bridge has three towers that protect it, two in the Lesser Town and a tower at the end of the Old City. This last tower is considered as one of the most amazing Gothic style ones in the world. Each side of the bridge is decorated with thirty baroque statues dating from the...
The Controversial Art of David Černý in Prague
If you are thinking about planning a trip to Prague there are a few obligatory on every visitor’s agenda, such as: The Franz Kafka Museum Charles Bridge The Castle St Vitus Cathedral or the Old Jewish Cemetery to name a few. All these landmarks are part of not only Prague’s tradition but also a symbol of the background of the entire country and there are plenty of other monuments and places throughout the city that are part of the cultural heritage. However today we would like to focus on someone who marches to his own drum and who also left his mark in various places in Czech capital. Czech artist David ?erný is widely known for his unconventional, often controversial sculptures. To present a rather extreme contrast to the traditional, conservative art that is widely known of Prague, we highlight some of ?erný ‘s works throughout the city: St. Wenceslas riding a dead horse that is upside down If you go to the old shopping arcades at Lucerna Palace look up and you will see a rather strange sculpture of the patron Saint of the Czech state. He sits on a horse and this horse not only seems to be dead, but it is hanging upside down. The TV Tower in Žižkov Don’t be alarmed when approaching the building you see babies that seem to be crawling up the tower. The tower already holds a top spot in the ranking of the ugliest buildings in the world and ?erný added his touch by placing crawling alien-like babies with big heads on it. Do I see two guys...
