Orientation - Prague and the Czech Republic - page 49

lived in the US for several years and now serves a small congrega-
tion about 100 miles east of Prague. Jan likes to help travelers con-
nect with locals in little towns, particularly in eastern, southern,
and northern Bohemia and Moravia. He has an outstanding record
in providing genealogical services (toll-free US tel. [phone],
Czech mobile [phone], www.revjan.com).
Or get in touch with Honza Vihan, the co-author of this
book ([e-mail]).
Bus Tours
While I generally recommend cheap big-bus orientation tours for
an efficient, once-over-lightly look at great cities, Prague just isn't
built for bus tours. In fact, most bus tours of the city are walk-
ing tours that use buses for pick-ups and transfers. The sightseeing
core (Castle Quarter, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town) are not
accessible by bus. So if you insist on a bus, you're playing basketball
with a catcher's mitt.
Bus tours make more sense for day trips out of Prague. Several
companies have kiosks on Na Příkopě where you can comparison-
shop. Premiant City Tours offers 20 different tours, including
Terezín Concentration Camp, Karlštejn Castle, and Český
Krumlov (1,750 Kč, 10 hrs), and a river cruise. The tours feature
live guides and depart from near the bottom of Wenceslas Square
at Na Příkopě 23. Get tickets at an AVE travel agency, your hotel,
on the bus, or at Na Příkopě 23 (tel. [phone], mobile 606-
600-123, www.premiant.cz). Tour salespeople are notorious for
telling you anything to sell a ticket. Some tours, especially those
heading into the countryside, can be in as many as four differ-
ent languages. Hiring a private guide, many of whom can drive
you around in their car, can be a much better value (see “Private
Guides,” page 47).
More Tours
Tram Tours —Prague's tram #22 is an easy way to get familiar
with the city at very little cost (use the 26-Kč, 75-minute transfer
ticket—see page 44, trams run every 4 minutes). Handy tram stops
for this tour are located near the Národní Třída and Malostranská
Metro stops (see below).
Cruises —Prague isn't
ideal for a boat tour because
you'll spend half the time
waiting to go through
the locks. Still, the hour-
long Vltava River cruises,
which leave from near
the castle end of Charles