THREE DAYS IN PRAGUE
While Prague's classical music and the Czech Republic's unmatched beer are two excellent reasons to visit, the primary draw is simply walking along the winding cobblestone streets. Only on foot can you explore the countless nooks and crannies, and it would be hard to think of another world capital in which you can see so much in such a compact area.
Prague's unique setting distinguishes it from most other major European cities because its bastions, palaces, towers, and domes are densely packed into a small, hilly area. Intricate buildings are crammed next to one another on twisting narrow streets. Grand palaces nestled on hills are reflected in the river below. The city's most enchanting areas remain relatively free of the blinding electric technicolor world.
Your itinerary should be a loose one. Prague's most intriguing aspects are its architecture and atmosphere, best enjoyed when slowly wandering through the city's heart. We suggest the following itinerary for three days in Prague:
Day 1
Walk the Royal Route, or at least part of it. Start in the morning at the top of the Hradcany Hill with a tour of Prague Castle. The three key sights on the grounds are the towering St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace, and St. George's Basilica, now an art gallery. Don't miss the Toy Museum and the tiny houses in Golden Lane, also within the castle walls. Then begin your slow descent through the odd hill-bound architecture of Lesser Town.
 After lunch, stroll across Charles Bridge on your way to the winding alleys of Old Town. You can happily get lost finding Old Town Square, stopping at private galleries and cafes along the way. In Old Town Square, you can watch a performance of the astronomical clock at the top of each hour. Climb to the top of the Old Town Hall tower for a panoramic view of the city, visit the Tyn Church, explore the nearby Jewish Quarter, or continue to the end of the Royal Route at Powder Gate, marking the edge of the Old Town walls. From Old Town it's a short walk to Wenceslas Square, site of the demonstrations that led to the Velvet Revolution.
Along the route from Old Town you'll pass near Mozart's Prague venue, the Estates' Theater, an exceptional place for putting yourself in a photograph from the past. Dinner and your evening entertainment are all within 10 minutes' walk from here.
Day 2
 Explore the varied sights of Old Town, Lesser Town, and the Jewish Quarter – what you didn't have time to explore in depth yesterday. Just wander and browse. Throughout Old Town you'll find numerous shops and galleries offering the finest Bohemian crystal, porcelain, and modern artwork, as well as fashion boutiques, cafes, and restaurants. In Josefov, you can visit the astonishing Old Jewish Cemetery and the adjacent Ceremonial Hall, which displays heart-wrenching sketches by the children held at the Terezin concentration camp.
From Old Town, it's just a short walk across Charles Bridge to Lesser Town. This once was the neighborhood for those who served the castle, with narrow houses squeezed between palaces and embassies. Visit the Waldstein Gardens or get a low-angle view of the city and Charles Bridge from Kampa Park. The Lennon Wall, a symbol of youthful defiance of the Communists, depicting the late member of the Beatles, is near Kampa Park.
The dome of St. Nicholas Church, with its gilded baroque interior, dominates the view from Lesser Town Square. As you head up Nerudova, the road leading to the castle, you'll find small shops and galleries tucked into every narrow nook.
Day 3
 Make a day trip from Prague into the west Bohemian spa town of Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad). The town's slow pace and pedestrian promenades, lined with 19th-century art nouveau buildings, turn strolling into an art form. As you enter the heart of the town on the river's west side, you'll see the ornate white wrought-iron gazebo called Sadova Kolonada adorning the beautifully manicured Dvorakovy Sady park. Following the river another 100 meters you'll encounter the Mlynska Kolonada. This long covered walkway houses several Karlovy Vary springs. Each spring bears a plaque telling which mineral elements are present and its temperature. You can sample the waters free of charge, 24 hours a day. Buy a cup just about anywhere – most of the waters are too hot to drink from your hands. At the river bend, you'll see the majestic Church of St. Mary Magdalene perched atop a hill, overlooking the Vridlo, the hottest spring, which blasts water some 50 feet into the air.
Heading away from the Vridlo are Stara (Old) and Nova (New) Louka streets, which line either side of the river. Along Stara Louka are several fine cafes and shops. Nova Louka is lined with many hotels and the main theater, built in 1886, which houses paintings by notable artists such as Klimt.
Besides the waters, crystal and porcelain are Karlovy Vary's claim to fame. Dozens of shops throughout town sell everything from plates to chandeliers. Just west of the town center is the Moser Glassworks, founded by Ludvík Moser in 1857. Moser is known the world over for top-quality blown, hand-cut, engraved, and painted glass. Catch a guided tour of the glassworks followed by a visit to the sample room and the museum.
Return to Prague by way of Plzen (in English and German: Pilsen). Plzen's claim to fame is the Pilsner brewing method, developed in 1842 when the brewers of Plzen combined their expertise to produce a superior clear, golden, hoppy brew, unsurpassed anywhere else in the world. Visit the Pilsner Urquell brewery for a truly unique factory tour experience, great food, fantastic atmosphere, and a taste of the original Pilsner beer.
To order one of our recommended Prague guidebooks, visit our website at www.puppentour.com.
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NEW HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR VISITING CZECH REPUBLIC
Please note the following new requirements for ALL visitors to the Czech Republic:
To enter the Czech Republic, visitors are required to have health insurance coverage for medical services abroad OR travel insurance that covers medical expenses and hospitalization charges that might be incurred while traveling in the Czech Republic, including repatriation to the country of legal residence or the country which issued the passport. The limit of coverage must be at least $35,000.
When entering the Czech Republic, you must have proof of your medical insurance coverage, such as an insurance card issued by your insurer.
If you have purchased a Global Alert!® travel insurance policy through us, you have $100,000 in medical expense and emergency assistance coverage, including accident and sickness medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation expenses, and repatriation of remains expenses.
Purchase a Global Alert!® travel protection plan on our website at www.puppentour.com.
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CZECH KORUNA STILL IN USE
Even though the Czech Republic joined the European Union in May 2004, the country does not plan to adopt the euro until 2010, so our Puppentour 2006 passengers will find it useful to carry Czech currency during our three-day stay in Prague.
 The Czech koruna or Czech crown – in Czech: koruna ceská; "koruna" means crown – has been the currency of Czech Republic since February 8, 1993, following the dissolution of the Czechoslovakian federation into two separate, independent countries – Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The official name, the ISO 4217 code, and the local acronym for the Czech koruna (plural: korun) are koruna ceská, CZK, and Kc, respectively. One koruna equals 100 haléru (abbreviated as "h", singular: halér).The acronyms "h" and "Kc" are placed after the numeric value.
Coins are issued in 50 haléru, and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 korun denominations. Banknotes are issued in 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 korun. 20 korun is more common as a coin, whereas 50 korun is more common as a banknote. 10 and 20 haléru coins were taken out of circulation by October 31, 2003.
One euro is valued at approximately 29 korun and one US dollar is valued at approximately 24 korun, as of February 1, 2006. The current exchange rate of various currencies can be found by clicking the Currency Converter link on our website at www.puppentour.com.
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