Janek Rubeš is a Czech journalist who uses his YouTube channel “Honest Guide” to show people the do’s and don’ts of the Czech capital, and has some really good tips for you.
“If you see a list called ’10 things to do in Prague’, don’t do those things”, he says. Many of the landmark buildings are overcrowded with tourists, and many of Prague’s hidden gems end up being missed. Whoever wants to see the Charles Bridge or Prague Castle should get up early in the morning, before the storm.
In general, you should recommend weekends in Prague, because that’s when it gets most crowded. In a city centre with more tourists than locals, it becomes increasingly difficult to live normally, says Janek. “Tourists have different needs than locals. Tourists don’t need to buy toilet paper for instance. So if eventually we run out of all the little stores and bakeries, and see them replaced with souvenir shops, then we’ll have a serious problem.”
For cash-friendly Luxembourgers, it’ll be recommended to overcome your fear and use debit or credit cards, which are accepted almost everywhere. Whoever insists on taking out cash should tread carefully with exchange places, since they are known for ripping tourists off. Ideal is taking out cash at ATMs of established banks. But even here, danger can be lurking: the banks sometimes “suggest” certain amounts in Czech crowns to you, but often these amounts are much higher than what you need. It’s always a good idea to know how much you want to withdraw in advance.
Whoever arrives at the airport: public transport comes cheap at just €1 and takes just half an hour (no taxis needed). Also, if you get Trdelník (a sweet), you’ll make Janek very mad, since not only will it be plain and overpriced, but more importantly it isn’t even Czech.
But for more of that, check out the Honest Guide on YouTube!
Janek makes it clearly that he doesn’t want anyone to be scared about coming to Prague. In contrary: the reason he runs his channel is so that you can enjoy the Czech capital to the fullest, and don’t leave with bad memories. Come as a curious visitor who explores, not a tourist that follows a tour guide or a crowd.
If the Honest Guide won’t make you fall in love with Prague, then only Prague itself can.
