Time Out Prague

This guide was really great for getting us around Prague. We went there this past spring (09) and the book got us around the city and had good recommendations on what we should see, but also what we should skip. I should add that the tone the book is written might not be appreciated by all (I thought the subtle humor was funny). My friend brought another guidebook (can't remember which) but we ended up using this one. His had a lot of history factoids and other information about Prague, but it wasn't as useful for getting us around to explore the city. I would definitely recommend this for anyone that plans on doing some stuff on his/her own. There is a partial map at the back of the book that is great for getting around the popular neighborhoods of Prague. It's not complete but was good enough for us to do what we wanted to do. The book also has a nice section on day/overnight trips to cities outside Prague. We spent a day in Tabor. My only advice is to do these trips during the summer months, otherwise you might find nothing to do. We went in the spring (end of March) and Tabor's tourist attractions were pretty much all closed. It was a bummer, but I could see how it would be nice when the weather warms up a bit more. I didn't give this book 5 stars because it's kind of outdated. The price guide for restaurants didn't match up. Prague, while still cheaper than some European cities, has become more expensive. Also, because it's a bit older, the dates for when things open for tourism, etc was a bit off. Although this should only be a problem if you're not traveling during the peak tourism season (like we were).

This is a good bookend to the Eyewitness Guide. The Eyewitness Guides are good for telling you about what you want to see while the Time Out guide is much much better on hotels, restaurants and other practical matters. You really do need both and a better map. My only complaint about the Time Out guide is the advertising. Not only does it make the guide larger than it needs to be, it also brings into question the objectivity of some the suggestions made.

As a New Yorker, Time Out has established itself into my lexicon as a straightforward (don't expect them to dance around topics that may make a Frommer blush) guide that treats the reader as a native rather than a tourist. And for a city like Prague, that's the only way to travel. With the added bonus of being written by people who are actually from Prague, the latest edition of this Time Out proves to be the traveler's bible, whether your stay is for a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. I find Time Out to be the pentultimate source on a City, at once informative yet never dry, and reading the guides as you're about to board your plane makes for a great deal of fun, excitement, and anticipation. All areas are covered, even some outside of the city (for those days where the Castle Steps and Pilsner Urquells are all too much), which means that even if you're staying somewhere further afield (such as Zizkov, just to take an example from personal experience), there will still be a handful of things mentioned that are worth doing/eating/drinking in the area. The listing of hotels is pretty broad and is broken down into the convenient categorizations of price and location, and even if you're already booked, it's nice to look up your hotel in this section beforehand to see what the real dirt is on it. What is most beneficial in this guide is the overview of the metro and tram systems (including a metro map and an invaluable note on the night trams), which allow you to travel the city not only quickly, but with the confidence of a native (and in a city such as Prague which is still rife with petty crime, confidence and an "I'm-not-a-victim" attitude are the best safeguards). They incorporate their promotion of the public transportation systems in their guides by also referencing in site descriptions which metros and trams stop nearby. Moreover, many little gems that wouldn't be found in more commercial guidebooks (I still thank Will Tizard for introducing me to La Creperie, which exponentially lived up to its description). The key highlights are here, too, including a great section devoted entirely to the palace grounds. Two of my other favourite features of the Time Out guides are especially helpful in Prague; the annual calendar details events throughout the year which, even if you can't travel around a certain set of dates, can still find something going on during your period of stay there. True to its magazine form, Time Out also features a lot of local advertisements for clubs, museums, theatre companies, and restaurants. There are great and thorough sections devoted to theatre, cinema, music (from jazz to rock to classical), nightclubs, museums, and gay & lesbian venues. In short, whatever it is that you came to Prague to do, Time Out can steer you in the right direction.

I lived in Prague for a year and I referenced my Time Out nearly every week for restaurants, reliable maps, activities and historical information. I found the information to be well-written with clear explainations. Dress codes, crowds at certain bars and restaurants, prices were all accurate. I owned four guidebooks by four different well-known publishers, and the Time Out was all I really needed.

This guidebook has accurate and good recommendations for hotels, restaurants and basic shopping and is written with wit. It also links hotels, restaurants and shops (if in central Prague) to the maps in the back of the book which is a tremendous help to find places. In terms of covering the sites in Prague, it is good for a basic overview. If you plan to visit Prague for a weekend or a long weekend, this is a great guidebook. If you are looking for a deeper understanding of specific sites, take a tour or supplement with another guidebook.