What budget for activities and outings Prague?
Entrance fees vary widely, from €1.5 to €16, and up to €18 for a full tour of Prague Castle. Prices can be even higher for special events (exhibitions, concerts, etc.). All National Gallery sites are free one day a month. These days are often scheduled during the first week of the month, but check the relevant websites for details. Otherwise, except for Prague Castle, sightseeing is not very expensive, but you'll still need to budget for the many museums, houses and historic buildings, not to mention the extras (concerts in churches or prestigious halls, etc.). Children and students benefit from reduced rates, and admission is often free for children under 6. There are various formulas, such as the Prague Cool Pass (https://praguecoolpass.com - 1 to 10 days, €64 to €144 per adult, €48 to €100 reduced rate), the most practical, which can be downloaded directly onto your smartphone and allows you to enter over 70 sites simply by presenting a QR code. A great value if you're planning a series of visits to museums and paying sites during your stay.
Ice skating is a religion in Chechnya, and a winter break will certainly be an opportunity for you to learn or improve your skills. Skating in winter on Ovocny trh Square is a very romantic experience. In the morning, there are generally few people to turn in front of the facade of the states’s theatre and it is free (excluding skate rental costs). In Letna Park, Prague’s largest winter skating rink offers a stunning view of the castle and is also free.
Life in the Czech Republic is generally less expensive than in France, but Prague remains a tourist capital, where prices often tend to soar. Staying local won't break the bank, but food stores, particularly those selling Italian cheese, wine and charcuterie, can be very expensive. Downtown markets, which have become very touristy, have also seen their prices rise in recent years. When it comes to electronics and fashion, don't expect to save any money - it's often even more expensive than in France! So try to stay as local as possible, so you can be pampered without breaking the bank!
Going out in Prague doesn't cost much. Some discotheques with international DJs raise their prices, sometimes very artificially, but without becoming more expensive than in France, far from it. If you stick to beer, you'll get by for a few euros, but the bill will quickly rise if you go for cocktails or champagne.
For a cinema outing , we recommend the Bio Oko cinemas at 15 F. Křížka (a fine cinema in the Letná district, www.biooko.net), the Aero Cinema at 31 Biskupova (considered one of Prague's best arthouse cinemas, www.kinoaero.cz) or the Světozor at 41 Vodičkova (a very good cinema on Wenceslas Square with an excellent arthouse program, www.kinosvetozor.cz). Prague is of course also home to modern multiplexes in the Cinema City network: you'll find them in the Nový Smíchov shopping center in Smíchov or Flora in Žižkov, but also in the city center at Na Příkopě (www.cinemacity.cz).
What budget to eat Prague?
Eating in a Czech hospoda off the tourist trail isn't expensive, and you can easily get by for under €15/20 with a solid meal and a drink. Even cheaper are the street stalls, particularly on Wenceslas Square, where Prague ham or mustard sausages cost a handful of euros, if you're happy to eat on the go.
As for gourmet breaks, you'll have no trouble finding inexpensive pastries and viennoiseries. Espresso coffee, on the other hand, is a little more expensive than in France. But Prague's success is due above all to the quality of its beers, which are excellent and particularly inexpensive, with an average price of €2.5 per pint. Wine is available by the glass or bottle in classic establishments, but rarely of excellent quality. Wait until you're in a vinoteca or gourmet restaurant to order it. It will be more expensive, but you'll be sure to get something drinkable. Many establishments offer happy hours, usually from 5pm to 7pm, or one pint for every three or four purchased.
What is the budget for accommodation Prague?
Accommodation in Prague will make up the bulk of your budget. If you're planning a long stay, try to book in a slightly more out-of-the-way neighborhood like Vinohrady or Žižkov, east of the city center, or Smichov, south of Mala Strana. You'll save on hotel nights and still be able to reach the center by streetcar or metro in less than 15 minutes. You'll also have the advantage of enjoying the lively nightlife of these former working-class neighborhoods, far from the tourist hotspots of the city center. On the other hand, traditional hospoda restaurants are still very good value. Here are some mid-season budget ideas.
Small budget: minimum budget of 1,500 Kč per day per person (€60). That's one bed in a youth hostel, a meal on the run at lunchtime and a more elaborate but no-frills meal, plus two metro/tram tickets and a visit to a museum or monument.
Average budget: around 3,000 Kč per day per person (around €120). That's one night's accommodation in a boarding house or comfort hotel, two decent meals as well as transport, visits and shows.
Big budget: from 6,500 Kč (or 260 €) per person per day. Top-of-the-range hotel, one good meal a day, museums and shows, plus cab fares.
Travel budget Prague and cost of living
With the effects of the global crisis, hotel rates have slowed down in recent years, particularly in the off-season, correcting years of sometimes unreasonable increases. Unfortunately, the health crisis has also led to the closure of many establishments, reducing supply and keeping prices high. High-season demand is still high enough to keep prices staggering, up to five times or more the normal rates for Prague Spring and Christmas. On the other hand, in the low season (October-November and February-March), there are more and more promotional offers on Internet sites, and hotels slash their prices to attract customers. Be on the lookout.
In any case, accommodation remains the main expense of a stay in Prague. But if you're not too demanding and a bed in a youth hostel suits you, dormitories can be found for less than €25 in the city center, out of season. Again, in high season, a single bed in a dormitory can cost up to €90 in even the most spartan establishments. Hotels, on the other hand, are quite expensive. In Prague, expect to pay between Kč1,900 and Kč2,300 for a double room in a (very) standard hotel in mid-season. After that, the price rises very quickly. Hotels in the slightly more outlying districts of Vinohrady and Žižkov are relatively cheaper. From there, it's a 10-15 minute streetcar ride to the city center. A valid solution if you're staying for more than a weekend.
Meals, on the other hand, are fairly inexpensive, although inflation is beginning to push prices up here too. Czech cuisine has the added advantage of being served in generous portions. A good dish and a beer will make you forget your hunger and will set you back between 200 and 400 Kč. But if you like your food a little more elaborate, you'll have to pay a lot more, especially in gourmet restaurants, of which there are many in an increasingly gentrified city center. For those who prefer to compose their own meals, no problem: supermarkets and grocery stores are plentiful. Seasonal fruit is much cheaper at the market. It's always a good idea to check your restaurant bill, as unordered dishes tend to appear on it. Be aware that bread, which is given to you at the start, is not free, nor are any extras. Tipping is never included in the bill, and waiters will remind you of this (even if you've only ordered a small coffee...). In the most touristy places, waiters sometimes assess their own tips and add 10-15% to the bill. It's up to you to decide whether you approve of this method..
Transport is efficient and inexpensive. A ticket (metro, streetcar, bus) costs 30 Kč, or around €1.24, for the shortest journeys (30 minutes). But most of the time, you'll have to buy tickets for 40 Kč (or €1.65), valid for 90 minutes, just so you don't get caught breaking the law at the 31stminute ! Weekly passes are also very attractive. Long-distance travel by bus or train is, compared with France, really cheap.
As for visits and extras (outings, concerts), it all depends on your requirements and your means. Museum entrance fees range from €1.50 to €16, but the full Prague Castle tour with photo option costs 450 Kč (€18) on its own.
