INTRODUCTION - Prague and the Czech Republic - page 6

Sightseeing Priorities
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic prox-
imity into account, the following are my recommended priorities.
3 days: Prague
4-5 days, add: Your choice of nearby day trips (Kutná Hora,
Terezín Concentration Camp, and the three
castles: Konopišt ě , Karlštejn, or K ř ivoklát)
5 days, add: Č eský Krumlov (and skip day trips)
7 days, add: Olomouc
8-9 days, add: T ř ebo ň , Tel č , and T ř ebí č
More: Your choice among Moravský Krumlov, Šumava,
Wallachia, Slavonice, or the Mikulov Wine
Region with Lednice/Valtice
This list assumes you're primarily interested in the Czech
Republic. But note that Prague also splices neatly into a wider-
ranging trip that can include such nearby destinations as Vienna
(4.5-6 hrs by train), Budapest (7-9 hrs), Kraków (7-8 hrs), Munich
(6-10 hrs), and Berlin (4.5-5 hrs).
Travel Smart
Your trip to the Czech Republic is like a complex play—easier to
follow and to really appreciate on a second viewing. While no one
does the same trip twice to gain that advantage, reading this topic
in its entirety before your trip accomplishes much the same thing.
Design an itinerary that enables you to visit the various sights
at the best possible times. Make note of festivals, colorful market
days, and when sights are closed.
If you have only a few days for Prague, remember that the
impressive sights of the Jewish Quarter are closed every Saturday,
and other museums (particularly in the Old Town) are closed on
Monday. Monday is also a problem day outside of Prague, when
many museums are closed. Saturday morning feels like any bus-
tling weekday, but at lunchtime, many shops close down until
Monday morning. Sundays have the same pros and cons as they
do for travelers in the US—sights are generally open but may have
limited hours, shops and banks are closed, city traffic is light, and
public-transportation options are fewer.
Be sure to mix intense and relaxed periods in your itinerary.
Every trip (and every traveler) needs at least a few slack days. Bring
along a water bottle, and rest your feet when needed. Pace yourself.
Assume you will return.
Reread this topic as you travel, and visit local tourist informa-
tion offices. Upon arrival in a new town, lay the groundwork for
a smooth departure; write down the schedule for the train or bus
you'll take when you depart.
Plan ahead for laundry and picnics. Get online at Internet