Tours in Prague and excursions from Prague plus other options
SPECIAL "10% OFF" TOUR DISCOUNT FROM LIVINGPRAGUE:
Print the discount voucher. Present it at any of the Premiant City Tour booths when you book a tour to receive 10% off the published price. Applies to all regular tours, excursions and boat trips. Further terms and conditions on the voucher. You can book online to reserve tour places and get the internet 10% discount via this page but if you want to wait until you arrive in Prague and don't want to book online then use the voucher and you'll still get 10% off. No catch, anybody offering tours works on commission. I'm just choosing to give part of my commission to you (enough for a few beers). Same tour, more spending money in your pocket. Who might use this? someone that does not want to put credit card details online, somebody who can't commit to a firm plan very far in advance, someone who just wants to wait until they see what the weather will be like or even somebody with no email etc.
Premiant Booth locations:
Narodni Trida 40 (Jungmannova end, 2 mins walk from Wenceslas Square)
Na Prikope 12 (junction with Panska, 3 mins walk from Wenceslas Square)
Namesti Franz Kafka 7 (exit the Old Town Square via the passage next to the ST Nicolas Church and it's on the corner on your left).
If you decide to book online, just click on any of the links under the tour descriptions below. The booking process only asks for a contact name, email, number/type of people (adults/children/students etc) and select the date/time of the tour. There's also a language selection but, all tours have English. Click "Book" and you'll receive an email to say if the reservation has been accepted.
Available Tours (10% off online or 10% off with voucher)
s = SUMMER ONLY TOUR (i.e. not running between November and March inclusive)
SUMMER = 1st April to 30th October
WINTER = 31st October to 30th March
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 1
PRAGUE IN BRIEF WITH HEADPHONES
Duration: 1 hour
Travel by: Bus
WHOLE YEAR
This is the break-neck speed-tour of the city to be used by people who are very short of time or for when the weather is particularly awful. This short but very informative tour is the best way how to get familiar with Prague in the shortest time possible. There is no guide on board. Instead you put on your headphones and choose your language from the selection (default language is English). You travel around the various squares and districts of central Prague including its historical quarters: Old Town, New Town, Lesser Town and Jewish Town viewing from the bus.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 2
PANORAMIC PRAGUE WITH HEADPHONES IN 22 LANGUAGES
Duration: 2 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
Not the shortest tour available but ideal for somebody who wants to see the big sights and spend about half of the available time at the Castle. Although the Castle part is not guided, a good guidebook will give you information about the different courtyards and attractions. Be aware that you'll have about 45 minutes in the Castle complex. Use it as a quick look around and you can come back on your own another time to explore more in-depth. This tour aims to introduce the Prague attractions in two hours in your native language using an airconditioned bus equipped with a modern headphone system. In the first part of the tour you will see Old Town, Charles Bridge and Lesser Town (Mala Strana). Then you will have around 45 minutes to visit the Prague Castle on your own. After the walk around Prague Castle you will continue again by bus through Old Town Square and near the Municipal House back to the departure point whilst listening to your guide's commentary on the route.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 3
GRAND SIGHTSEEING TOUR + PRAGUE CASTLE + BOAT TRIP
Duration: 3.5 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk/Boat
WHOLE YEAR
In this tour you start with a bus trip through the heart of the city including the UNESCO listed Old Town. The guide will be with you explaining the history of Prague and its neighbourhoods (Old Town, New Town, Lesser Town, Hradcany) during the bus trip. The bus slowly winds it's way through all these major places before arriving at Prague Castle. You are in the Castle grounds for around 75 minutes including a guided tour in the St Vitus Cathedral. You'll be taken to the bank of the Vltava River to get on board your boat where you take a well earned rest and relax admiring the beauties of Prague from the river. Besides other bridges connecting both the river banks you should travel under the well-known Charles Bridge. Relaxed you will then continue with a pleasantly informative walk through the Jewish quarter to the Old Town Square (Prague Astronomical Clock - Orloj, Tyn Church) where the tour ends. It's a well balanced tour with 30 minutes on the bus, 75 minutes at the castle, an hour on the boat and finish with a 30 min walk (all times are approximate).
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 3A
GRAND SIGHTSEEING TOUR + PRAGUE CASTLE + CHARLES BRIDGE
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
Duration: 3.5 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
For those of you who don't want the boat trip or have already booked a river cruise etc then this will be your introduction to Prague. The major difference between Tour 3 and this one is the Charles Bridge. In the boat trip tour you drive past it but don't walk on it. In this tour the bus element is the same i.e. from an airconditioned bus you'll see the major squares and districts of Prague until you reach the Castle. As in Tour 3 you'll be taken down from the Castle into the Lesser Town and here will be the change. Instead of taking the boat you head for the Charles Bridge where the guide will take a certain pride in pointing out the major points of interest, the colourful history and maybe even a legend or two. From the Charles Bridge you'll walk along to the Jewish quarter and finally end your tour on the Old Town Square at the Old Town Hall. Take up our invitation and take part in our combined tour which particularly introduces Prague as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with its more than thousand years old history and architectural heritage.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 4
PRAGUE - HISTORICAL AND JEWISH TOWN
Duration: 2.5 hours
Travel by: Walking tour
WHOLE YEAR
As the tour title says, the majority of the time will be spent in the Old Town and the Jewish quarter also known as Josefov (Josephs town) so to be on this tour you really must have some knowledge of the religion and culture or else accept that you'll be asking a lot of questions. Better to do a little reading beforehand. The tour starts at the house where Franz Kafka was born. As you enter the Jewish quarter the guide will inform you about the history of original Jewish ghetto and that of the oldest synagogue in Central Europe, the Old-New Synagogue. You'll be guided through the Old Jewish Cemetery and also visit several synagogues that are part of the unique Prague Jewish Museum complex.
Prices include entry to:
MAISEL SYNAGOGUE
PINKAS SYNAGOGUE
KLAUSEN SYNAGOGUE
SPANISH SYNAGOGUE
OLD JEWISH CEMETERY
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
MARTIN TOUR 11
OLD TOWN AND CHARLES BRIDGE
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS
Duration: 3 hours
Travel by: Walking tour
WHOLE YEAR
A very pleasant tour and I guarantee you'll walk it again on your own. Packed with interesting stuff from beginning to end you'll be hard-pressed to take in all the architecture, historic locations, stories and a sprinkling of personal experience. This is the Royal Route tour and gets it's name from the start point (Powder Gate) adjacent to where the old Royal Palace once stood and the end point (Prague Castle) where the coronations used to take place at St Vitus. In this case you'll come back down the hill after the castle and end your tour next to the St Nicholas Church. The tour includes Charles Bridge because as the only bridge across the river for many years it forms part of the original "Royal Route". I personally recommend this tour for those wanting a rapid introduction to Czech history and architecture as the Royal Road contains the oldest buildings in the city.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 20
BEER TOUR WITH DINNER
Duration: 3 hours
Travel by: Walking tour
WHOLE YEAR
In this 3 hour wander around central Prague you'll learn a little about the nightlife of Prague locals and drink a few beers. Visiting small pubs in tucked away places where locals would come and drink beer might not be everybodys cup of tea but that's what the tour is about i.e. to get you out of the mainstream and give you a chance to ask your guide not just about the history of the city but also about everyday life in Prague. Your last beer will accompany a classic Czech dinner. Three beers and a Czech dinner plus a walk around the town. Great stuff and a great way to meet others!!
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 21
FOLKLORE EVENING
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST OR SECOND TIME VISITORS
Duration: 3.5 hours
Travel by: Bus to venue
WHOLE YEAR
This one stays in Prague and concentrates on showing you Czech/Bohemian Folk music and dance. Czech folklore music and dances are melodic, beautiful and so full of energy that it has been a great inspiration for whole generations of artists. If you've ever seen Czech childrens TV (I'm sure you have!!) then it's filled with folklore stories and music. The folklore evening is the best choice for everybody who wants to spend an enjoyable evening in a traditional Czech restaurant, who would like to learn something new and have a good dinner and good drinks. During this evening programme guests can also sing and dance. On your way there by bus our guide will speak about the illuminated monuments you pass and about Czech history and traditions. In short you will spend an unforgettable evening and did I mention that there is no limit on the amount of beer!! (so maybe a little bit forgettable :-).
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 22
KRIZIK'S FOUNTAIN WITH MUSIC PERFORMANCE
Duration: 2 hours
Travel by: Bus/walk
SUMMER ONLY
In post world war one Czechoslovakia the phenomenon of the musical fountain was briefly popular. On my travels I've found that several Czech and Slovakian towns which have them and very often have them on a main square or opposite a theatre. In this case it is located at the old Expo ground (known as the Vystaviste) in Prague. It's a tour done at night because as well as the music the fountain has a specially adapted lighting system synchronised with the music. If you want to listen to nice music and at the same time follow a fascinating experience of singing fountain join us for the show of Krizik's Fountain. The music varies. Following this unique show you have a guided tour by bus through Prague to see it's illuminated monuments. My Tip: take something comfortable to sit on as the seating at the fountain is hard.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 23
PRAGUE BIKE TOUR WITH DRINK
Duration: 2 hours
Travel by: Bike!!
SUMMER ONLY
I'm a walker but its nice to have a ride around town for a couple of hours if only to give you a different view of the city. I guess the total route is about 5km long but the idea is that you can get to all the places normally only accessible by pedestrians but also to be able to cover greater distances. This means you'll hop from place to place following your guide and stopping at the scenic spots like Kampa Island and the Lesser Town for some discussion and history etc. You'll also be able to take advantage of the paths right next to the river to get views that bus tours will not get. You'll bike quite a distance along the river even as far as Vysehrad Castle and on your way you'll also pass next to the Dancing House and the National Theatre. Refreshments included. My Tip: Remember that we drive on the right!!
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 24
PRAGUE GHOST TOUR
Duration: 1 hour 15 mins
Travel by: Walking tour
WHOLE YEAR
This is the first tour I ever did in Prague. I had a couple of hours free in the evening and just turned up at the last minute. I did not know the passageways then like I do now so it was not only the first time I'd seen them, I was also seeing them at night. Explore a darker side of Prague as you walk away from the Old Town Square. The lantern leads you down narrow lanes, twisting turns, and dark alleys. 13th Century streets host legends of mass executions, homicidal thieves, and gothic creatures. Learn what lies within and beneath these streets and the science behind the paranormal world, explore the legends of Prague and learn the secrets within the architecture.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 17
BOHEMIAN GLASS FACTORY
Duration: 3 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
Two choices here. Mondays and Wednesdays you go to a regular Glass Factory, see the process for manufacturing and cutting etc and on Saturday they go to a smaller place specialising in blowing coloured glass. Of course a shop is located at the premises, where you can buy crystal products at reasonable prices. And moreover you'll get a small present! My Tip: get into the shop as quick as you can if you intend buying.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 6
VLTAVA RIVER CRUISE WITH LUNCH
Duration: 2 Hours 15 minutes
WHOLE YEAR
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 7
VLTAVA RIVER CRUISE - GUIDED
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS (DAY)
Duration: 1 Hour 30 minutes
WHOLE YEAR
You'll have around an hour on the boat. The tour is guided so you'll be learning primarily about the places on and bordering the river but as these are some of the most famous places in Prague they are well worth learning about. Islands, political centres, religious buildings, historic monuments, modern architecture etc it's a full and interesting selection that will be over before you know it. Refreshments can be purchased on the boat.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 7A
PANORAMIC HOUR BOAT TRIP
Duration: 1 Hour
WHOLE YEAR
This is the shortest and hence, cheapest boat trip offered. No pick-up service and no guide but, bring a good guidebook and you'll be able to pick out at least the major sights. There is a small bar available to get a soft drink and a snack. The upper deck is open. The lower deck is heated in the winter and airconditioned during the summer. Good option for a quick river trip with kids.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 8
EVENING CRUISE WITH DINNER, MUSIC AND SIGHTSEEING TOUR
Duration: 4 Hours
WHOLE YEAR
This is an evening programme including a 30 minute bus sightseeing tour where the guide will show you the greatest historical highlights of the Old Town, Jewish quarter, Lesser Town and New Town. Also included is a pleasant three hour boat trip accompanied by your guide. Dinner is a cold and warm buffet plus a welcome drink is included in the price. Live music will be playing as you cruise down through the canal lock. Again the guide will be pointing out the sights on both sides of the riverbank. Either as part of a group or even on your own you can't help but mix with other people. My Tip: sit on the right-hand side of the boat.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 8A
EVENING CRUISE ON VLTAVA RIVER WITH DINNER AND MUSIC
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS (NIGHT)
Duration: 3 Hours
FREE TOURIST DVD. See note at the end.
WHOLE YEAR
I actually prefer this tour to the previous one. No pick-up service so you meet at the Na Prikope office (No.23). From there you transfer to the boat dock (max 10 minute trip). No guide so you can take all the sights at face value and enjoy them without neccessarily knowing what they all are. The boat trip includes almost three hours of cold/warm buffet (welcome drink included) and live music. The cruise goes under the Charles Bridge with a view of Prague Castle, and the baroque churches of Lesser Town and Old Town. Depending on the weather the upper deck should be open. The lower deck is where you will eat so in the Summer its airconditioned and in the winter its heated. Good value and not everybody wants a guide wittering on during the meal. My Tip: generally the boats stop at the canal lock to start the buffet before travelling down to Vysehrad where it gets darker. Finish your meal before you turn round then go onto the upper deck to enjoy the main boulevard (Dancing House, Manes Tower, Slavonic Island, National Theatre) on the right and the Castle on your left.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
MARTIN TOUR 36
KONOPISTE CASTLE/CHATEAU and VELKE POPOVICE BREWERY
Travel by: Bus/Walk
Duration: 5 hours
SUMMER ONLY
I like the tour option because it combines a scenic castle with a local brewery both to the south of Prague. Allowing for transfer times you should still have around 2 hours at both locations. At Konopiste you'll get a castle tour, learn its Habsburg historical links and you'll see the bears in the drained moat. It has extensive gardens but you'll probably have enough time only to enjoy the rose garden in season. Transfer back to the brewery takes about 30 minutes. As well as seeing the brewing/bottling process you'll also try a selection of the beers produced here at the internationally famous and award winning Kozel brewery. How do I know this? I live in the next village!. This is an excellent tour for people who just want to get out of the city. Konopiste will be full of tourists but you'll be the only ones in Velke Popovice I can assure you. The brewery also has a very good souvenir shop selling clothing, glasses and presentation beer. And when you get back home you'll be able to tell your friends you've been to a real Czech town. My tip: Ask for a Cerny Pivo (Dark Beer).
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 13
KARLSTEJN CASTLE
Duration: 4 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
Not everybody wants to do two castles in the same day. Can get a bit dragging being told a lot of 14th Century history and viewing tapestries etc. If you only pick one castle to visit on your trip it is usually this one. A picturesque Gothic castle set in rolling hills, former depository of the Crown Jewels of Bohemia. The guide will introduce you to the history of this castle, the life of Charles IV, his time and culture all of which were hugely important in the development of Bohemia.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 14
KONOPISTE CASTLE
Duration: 4 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
SUMMER ONLY
Mention Frantisek Ferdinand d'Este and you'll probably have no idea who I'm talking about. Now if I say Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand d'Este, whose assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 started the first world war then it gets a bit more interesting don't you think. Konopiste Castle is the formal seat of Habsburg throne successors. This 14th Century castle was bought by F. F. d'Este in 1887. He used it as his family residence until his death. The castle interior is decorated with Ferdinand's large art collections, numerous statues and pictures following the St.George's theme. You can also see one of the world's most extensive collection of historic weapons. And you might notice the results of his hunting skills on the walls as well. Other notables at Konopiste are the large gardens (especially the rose gardens) and the bears in the moat. Tour of the castle is included.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
MARTIN TOUR 53
MEDIEVAL NIGHT
Duration: 4 hours
Travel by: Walking tour
WHOLE YEAR
This is a lot of fun if you can detach yourself from real life for a few hours. A lot shorter than the Premiant tour above but then this is in Prague and does not include the brewery aspect. You'll have a 15 minute walk to the venue where you go into the old cellar. There will be a stage at the end and bench seating. You'll be served with a selection of "hearty" Czech food which will be perfect accompaniment to all the beer you'll be drinking to wash it down. Throughout the evening there will be costumed acts on stage plus "roving" people wandering around the tables juggling and peforming tricks etc. All good fun for a few hours and you not be going home hungry thats for sure. No loud music so you can enjoy lively conversation that generally comes after drinking a lot of Czech beer. My tip: sit facing the stage.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 15
SKODA CAR COMPANY - MUSEUM AND FACTORY
Duration: 5.5 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
NOTE: Tour is not for children under 12 years old (factory rules). Worldwide known car factory and butt of a huge number of jokes, Skoda now ranks as one of the fastest selling car brands in Europe but it wasn't always like it. Jokes like "why does a Skoda have a heated rear windscreen?" (so your hands are warm when you are pushing it) or "what do you get if you turn a Skoda upside down?" (a skip - a skip is a heavily angled container for rubbish). It was founded in 1895 in Mlada Boleslav a town located 55 km from Prague. Skoda gives tourists a unique and rare opportunity to visit its premises and follow its operation. First you will visit the Skoda museum located in company's historical buildings. You'll see a publicity film and exhibition on the history and development of car production including the displayed cars. Then you drive you to the factory itself where you'll spend about 90 minutes. My Tip: one of those strange translations. In English "Skoda pronounced Shkoda" means Pity.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 16
TEREZIN MEMORIAL
Duration: 5 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
In 1940 Terezin was a regular Czech town with a prison. Fifty years earlier it had been a garrison town hence the fortifications and entry/exits via a limited number of gates. By 1941 the Gestapo had already taken over the prison and it was already planned to expand into the walled town. By 1942 the towns population had been ejected and the walled fortress now contained the first of the Czech Jews being transported from all over the country. Terezin was a transit camp, not a concentration camp but conditions were bad enough that many elderly Jews died here. Its a sore point for many Czechs as much of the security in and around the ghetto was provided by the Czech police. You'll read and hear about how the ghetto developed (even introducing its own currency) along with recorded personal experiences. You'll get a full tour of the small fort followed by the museum in the big fort. I prefer it in good weather as it's more pleasant to walk through the garden reading the plaques. It's just under an hour drive to get here so its the kind of tour you start just after breakfast and return to Prague for a late lunch.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
MARTIN TOUR 70
GLASS FACTORY TOUR (Clear Glass)
Duration: 4 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
Here you will be travelling to Nizbor which is in the Beroun valley approximately 45 minutes drive from central Prague. It's a small place compared with some of the larger industrial producers but you get a chance to get up-close and see how it's done. Nizbor specialises in White crystal (that's clear crystal not coloured) and this is the major difference between this tour and the "Bohemian Glass Factory" operated by Premiant. Fascinating to watch the hand blowing and shaping of the glass by seasoned professionals who make a difficult job look easy. Depending on the number of people at the factory you might even get a chance to blow a piece of glass (it's harder than you think). My tip: get into the gift shop as quickly as possble if you want to buy something as it's a small place with only one or two assistants and sometimes they can't serve everybody before you have to get back on the bus.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 18
KUTNA HORA - UNESCO
Duration: 5.5 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
Its about an hour drive to the UNESCO registered Kutna Hora. Once the second richest town in the kingdom you'll be surprised at the quality of the architecture for what is really just a mid-sized provincial town. You'll be interested in either the Gothic St Barbara Cathedral or the Bone Church (Ossuary) and this tour shows you both. Usually the Bone church (Ossuary is container for bones) is the first to be visited and you'll get a chance to see some pretty unique decoration using more than 40,000 bones (look out for the Schwarzenberg coat of arms and the chandelier). Note that there is an extra charge if you want to take photos/video. Kutna Hora has a history of silver mining. You'll find out about the Royal Mint (Italian Court) and examples of the coins produced. This tour will get you out of the city but it's largely motorway travel. The Bone church is a complete one-off and well worth a visit to see something you'll not find anywhere else. My Tips: Take a small packed lunch with you. You cannot eat on the bus but, you will have 30 minutes free to eat/drink in the town. You might want to take a camera stand if taking pictures at the Ossuary. Many of the exhibits are in caged areas and flash will create false shadows.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 9
CESKY KRUMLOV
Duration: 10 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
FREE TOURIST DVD. See note at the end.
SUMMER OPTION
You'll start with a pleasant drive through largely scenic territory until you arrive in the lower part of the Cesky Krumlov. In summer the tour will immediately take you to the Castle with its Rosenberg history/festival (second largest Czech castle is rich in historical furniture, full of art, tapestries and decorated weapons. You'll descend into the town itself for a lunch in one of the many scenic locations by the river or under the castle. Personally I've only been here in the summer when its fun to watch the kayakers running the rapids at the weir. The historical centre is created by narrow and bending little streets with more than 300 protected buildings including gothic, renaissance and baroque houses that originated as mansions of noblemen families - the Rosenbergs, the Schwarzenbergs and the Eggenbergs. You'll have time to wander around the many craft shops. Although the river runs right through it, you'll find it difficult to reach it as most of the houses are built right up to the edge. This is another good tour which gives you a fairly long scenic drive through many Czech provincial towns before arriving at the historically attractive destination. This second largest Czech castle is equipped by historical furniture, full of art, tapestries and richly decorated weapons. Lunch is included. My Tip: Check the dates of the Rosenberg Festival (mid-June). Wear comfortable walking shoes as many roads are steep.
Check summer availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
WINTER OPTION
A lot of the above tour is included. Biggest difference is that as the Castle will be closed. In this case you'll have a guided tour of the town followed by a pub lunch. After lunch you will go to the Museum.
Check winter availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 9A
CESKY KRUMLOV (UNESCO) OVERNIGHT
PERSONALLY RECOMMENDED FOR FIRST TIME VISITORS IF COMBINED WITH THE ROSENBERG FESTIVAL
Duration: 2 days
Travel by: Bus/walk/Rafting(option)
FREE TOURIST DVD. See note at the end.
SUMMER ONLY
NOTE: The Rosenberg festival is extremely popular and hotels will be booked early. Definitely a tour to reserve in advance as local accommodation has to be secured.
Programme:
Day 1:
After your arrival to Cesky Krumlov you'll have a guided tour of the castle, understand some of the history of the town and take a look around its local treasures. After an excellent lunch in a tavern you'll check into the hotel and choose your excursion which you will take on the second day. You get a voucher for this excursion according to a set choice (this may change depending on local conditions):
a brewery trip with beer tasting (voucher)
a visit to a graphite mine (voucher)
a city tour with a guide (voucher)
a rafting trip through downtown (voucher)
a visit to Hluboka nad Vltavou castle (voucher + 700 CZK supplementary charge)
If you are not doing any other brewery tour then I'd take the visit to the brewery as Cesky Krumlov has a long history of brewing. The rafting trip is good if the weather is fine and the Hluboka Castle is a beautiful place to visit (if you like castles). I tend not to recommend the tour of the city because you'll have fun doing that on the first day.
After your excursion you can take a walk by yourselves, go shopping or stop in one of the charming coffee houses.
Day 2:
After breakfast you can ask the guide for advice about how to spend your morning and options for lunch etc. After lunch you'll get back to the pre-arranged meeting point for the journey back to Prague. My Tip: The Rosenberg 3 day festival is in mid-June. If your trip overnight stay can coincide with that its a huge bonus to see all the cultural events.
INCLUDED: LUNCH, BED&BREAKFAST, VOUCHER FOR THE NEXT DAY, ENTRANCE FEES TO CASTLE REPRESENTATIVE CHAMBERS
SUPPLEMENTARY CHARGES FOR A SINGLE ROOM (OPTIONAL TO CHANGE FOR THE VOUCHER FO THE NEXT DAY)
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 10
KARLOVY VARY AND MOSER FACTORY
Duration: 9.5 hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WHOLE YEAR
This and Cesky Krumlov are the longest CZ tours offered but, the towns are really different. Karlovy Vary is a famous spa town with several hot and cold mineral waters available to drink (the water is free but people normally buy a distinctive cup for catching and sipping) and a history stretching back nearly 700 years. Karlovy Vary is also famous for it's glassware, porcelan and a certain alcoholic drink called Becherovka (you can't miss it, dark green bottle. I recommend you try it with a thick juice like pear or apricot). Part of the tour includes the Moser Factory which is normally done first. You have a guided tour of the centre of town in the late morning to give you good orientation and lunch at the Hotel Thermal is included in this tour. After lunch you have freetime to wander around looking at whatever takes your fancy and/or go swimming in the Hotel Thermal rooftop pool. I recommend you at least change into your swimwear to get the view from the top even if you don't actually swim. Even the drive to and from Karlovy Vary is quite scenic so all in all its a nice day out after a hearty breakfast. Lunch and entry to the Moser Factory are included in the price. My tip: If you buy your crystal at the Moser factory shop you'll save about 30% on the Moser Prague shop price.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 11
"PILSNER URQUELL" BREWERY AND KONEPRUSY CAVES
Duration: 9 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
CAVES ARE SUMMER ONLY
On this tour you do the caves in the morning as you will be passing Beroun on your way to Plzen then transfer to the Brewery for lunch and then the brewery tour. Part of the journey to the Caves takes you through the Beroun valley and a few small villages. The caves are well lit and the hazzards are well marked but still its possible to bang your head especially when taking pictures so be careful. If you are here on a hot day then take a light jacket in with you. There are two or three major caves and a series of smaller connecting caves reaching a total length of about 600 metres. You'll find a couple of souvenir huts close to the car park. Note that there is an extra charge for being able to take photo/video. And so onto the brewery. There are different tours offering the "brewing process" etc that is the same in each place. The sheer size of the Plzen operation makes it different. Plzen (Pilsen) is a town of beer where the best known Czech Pilsner Urquell beer is produced. You will have a nice lunch and later in Pilsen museum of beer you will learn more about the brewing history of Czech beer.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 11
PILSEN AND "PILSNER URQUELL" BREWERY (winter)
Duration: 9 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
WINTER ONLY
Beer has been brewed in Plzen for hundreds of years and the first written records about beer brewing here are associated with the very foundation of the town of Plzen. You will have a nice lunch. During your brewery excursion you will visit the modern plants where this delicious beer has been bottled as well as historical cellars. Having seen a film featuring the history of Pilsner Urquell Company you will be shown around the authentic places where this renowned beer has been brewed for ages - brewing - and malthouse, lager cellars - associated with fresh brewed beer tasting. After our visit to the local museum presenting collections on trades, guilds and beer brewing history you will go for a walk in the city center.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
PREMIANT CITY TOUR 25
DRESDEN, ZWINGER GALLERY
Duration: 11 Hours
Travel by: Bus/Walk
FREE TOURIST DVD. See note at the end.
WHOLE YEAR
In just under two hours you'll be at the Zwinger Palace in the stunning Elbe valley. Many people think of Dresden as a boring modern city but 250 years ago they were building this fantastic place. Built between the old city fortifications in the original walled "Old Town" it's six Baroque pavillions are joined by large galleries and these hold a collection of museums. The gardens are beautifully kept and the Elbe river is only 200 metres away. I'm sure the first thing you'll find out is how the "Zwinger" got it's name. If entering via the Crown Gate (the Kronentor) be sure to walk a bit further down to your right to get a great photo of the bridge, moat and gate. But don't spend all of your time at the Zwinger. Get into the centre for a few hours as well and visit the Hofkirche and the listed Yenzide building. Also consider a trip up the Schwebebahn (suspension railway) for an aerial view of the city. My tip: Take the Saxon steamship ferry for a quick trip through the Elbe valley and through the centre of Dresden.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
MARTIN TOUR 69
VIENNA
Duration: 14 Hours
Travel By: Bus/walk/metro
Not everybodys first choice for a tour but, you might not come this way again so why not try it. Journey time is about 3 and a half hours to the Prater area of Vienna. From here you can get a metro into the heart of the city. Get the metro to the Westbahnhof and you can walk back along the main shopping street of Mariahilferstrasse past the museum quartier (art museums) and on to the Rathaus/Volkspark. From here its a 10 minute walk past the library into the centre of Vienna and back to Stephansplatz. From there its three stops back to Prater. Obviously you are not going to fit everything into 7 hours in the city but get familiar with the metro system before you arrive, buy a day pass to travel around and you'll be able to see many of the highlights including a river trip on the Danube if you time it right. You'll need Euros, a valid passport or Schengen ID card and any necessary visa. My tip: Excellent place to visit for a pre-christmas trip to the markets and if you like the artist Klimt, the Belvedere gallery is a "must see" location.
Check availability and book online to get 10% off listed price.
FREE DVD NOTE:
You can read details of the DVD on the Tourist DVD page. The following conditions apply:
1. The tour must be booked online via this page or locally using the discount voucher.
2. For tours listed as receiving a FREE DVD this means one DVD per booking.
3. You must have paid for the tour and not cancelled.
4. The DVD comes from Livingprague and has nothing to do with Premiant City Tour.
5. If the above conditions are met then send me an email with your return postal address and the DVD will be in the post the next day.
The descriptions of the tours and personal tips are my own and I try to point out as much detail as possible but, the tour companies reserve the right to make changes so best to read the full tour description on their own websites. Some tours have free pick-up from the hotel and also free drop-off so check the tour detail for this.
A note about what to expect
Regarding languages, transfers and staff etc. As with any tour company if you have taken the "hotel pick-up" option be aware that you may be picking up others as well. For languages most of the guides are multilingual but only as far as the tour is concerned. I've read many posts on message boards where the guide will be speaking two languages even if there is only one person on board who speaks that other language. As for the staff, by far the majority will be knowledgeable about the tour but maybe will not be able to answer indirect questions. But they are only human and can have "off" days. My aim is to make sure that the off days don't stretch into off "weeks" etc so I welcome feedback, good or bad!. With this I can try and improve the service of the companies providing the tours. Enjoy your trip.
Personal Guides
A Personal Prague Guide Informative and entertaining walks with your Personal Prague Guide at www.prague-guide.info. Tailor made Prague tours and tours of the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. Quality service, flexible intinerary, friendly care and reasonable prices (recommended by Travels with Friends and Rick Steves). Regularly gets good reviews on the message boards. One-woman company that has grown but, still keeps a personal touch.
Organised Walking Tour companies and their offers for Prague tours
Don't forget to take your FREE walking tours from Living Prague.
There are a couple of companies offering organised walking Prague tours and I know the offer of Prague Walks (www.praguewalks.com) and Walks.cz (www.walks.cz) the best. It's a case of take your pick between the two as they both offer similar walking Prague tours like the Jewish Quarter, Kafka, Prague Castle/Cathedral, Architecture, Pub tour etc. Both companies now offer a six hour super tour or Grand Walk de Lux encompassing walks through the major tourist centres, a short boat trip and a tram ride up the hill to the rear of the castle. The super tours are about 1000kc but, you also get complimentary tickets to the evening "Legends of Prague" or "Ghost Trail" depending on the company (I've done the ghost trail single tour and it's good fun). Walks.cz offers a 4 for 3 deal on Prague tours and there is a printable 10% coupon. Most regular Prague tours are around 90 mins and cost 300kc.
Czech Walking (www.czechwalking.com) has Prague tours combined with Cultural tours both inside and outside of Prague. Features trips out of CZ as well.
Pub Prague Tours. As written previously, the best Pub tours in Prague really depend on the group. I recommend the organised walking tour offered by www.walks.cz. It's by request i.e. they have to have 4 or more people to run the tour, it lasts three hours and costs @350kc. Considering the average Czech beer costs less than 30kc (even in central Prague) it will be difficult to drink your moneys worth but, this will give you the chance to drink in places that you would not ordinarily have visited. Take my advice, drink only light beer or dark beer, don't mix.
Organised Bike Prague Tours (Normally April to November but some all-year)
There are a couple of tour operators offering different choices of bike Prague tours. Praha Bike (www.prahabike.cz) offer mainly guided bike tours around Prague (2.5 hours for 15 Euros) but, also short bike tours outside of Prague for about 100-150 Euros. They also offer solo bike-hire Prague tours (without guide) the whole year round. They also have a 7-seat bike which is quite fun.
Bicycle Tours (www.bicycle-tours.cz) is aimed more at people wanting bike tours to be the focus of the holiday and not just an option. Tours are at least 6 nights long with options for travelling into surrounding contries. Costs are equivalent to a regular three star hotel in Prague i.e. 600-700 Euros for a week. If you are on your own then you pay the supplement for a double room. Two people sharing means no supplement cost. Bike hire is extra above the published price.
Top Bicycle (www.topbicycle.com) is also aimed at the bicycle holiday tour. It's the online version of the "Greenways Travel Club" in existence since 1996. Guided and self-guided bike tours in the Czech Republic.
Finally, although not organised Prague tours, a great site has started at www.laduv-kraj.cz. It lists details of route numbers 20 to 30 which are in South-East Prague. As well as a good map it also lists route details like total length, length between villages, altitude and accommodation/attractions along the way. Multi-language site.
Prague tours in Classic cars and carriages
Around the Old Town Square (normally in Male Namesti) you'll find a couple of open-air classic cars (for 7 or 8 people) or maybe an old sports car (for 3 or 4 people). Prices are about 300kc per person for one of their 30 minute Prague tours around the centre of town or the whole car for 1200Kc. In Malostranske Namesti you'll find the same thing but it's a 40 minute tour. There are a few different types around now including open-backed Skodas and old Pragas which will hire the whole car for an hour for @1000kc. I can't believe these vehicles don't crash more often as the drivers seem to spend precious little time looking at the road in front of them and note there are no rear seat-belts on many of these old cars. On the Old Town Square you'll find the horse drawn carriage tours. Prices are @1000kc for Prague tours using the whole carriage for a 20 minute ride.
Assorted Links
As well as the links above you'll also find some interesting places below:
Czech Heritage (National Monuments including Prague).
Domavcr - (Not for Tourists)
Number 91 "Tourist" Tram
|
|
|
|
