THE PRAGUE REGION Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. It is situated in the centre of Bohemia and it has 1.21 million inhabitants. It is the seat of the President, government and parliament and it is the political, cultural and economic centre of the country. The beautiful city of Prague is rich in history, which goes into great depth. A legend connects the foundation of Prague with Princess Libuše of the Přemysl dynasty who prophesied the future glory of Prague which would touch the stars. The oldest settlement of this area goes back to the Stone Age. What to see in Prague: Prague Castle - the most popular sight visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world. The most impressive building at the Castle is St.Vitus Cathedral The Charles Bridge over the river Vltava - definitely one of the most beautiful places in Prague. It is the oldest bridge in the city, which was built between the 14 th and 15 th century Prague Old Town mentioned in 1091, it is the oldest of the towns of Prague and gained the privileges of a town in the 13th century. The Old Town City Hall with the big tower is situated in the Old Town Square. It is a complex of buildings from various historical periods and a tower with the famous Astronomical Clock. Prague New Town - founded by Charles IV in 1348. Wenceslas Square - the heart of the New Town and present-day Prague. It is a 750m long boulevard lined with banks, department stores, boutiques, shops, hotels, restaurants, cafés, theatres and cinemas. Petrin Observation Tower more info below. Vysehrad is one of the most important historical places in Prague. It is a mighty fortress on a high cliff above the river Vltava. Vysehrad is a storied place and a seat of the first King of Bohemia in the 11 th century.
The 60 metre high tower is one of the dominant features of the capital of the Czech Republic. The Petrin lookout tower is the highest and probably also due to this the most famous in the Czech Republic. It was built in 1891. At first the construction was built, then the stairs were mounted on and afterwards the cableway was built. Petrin is also famous for its resemblance to the Eiffel Tower. It offers a magnificent view of Prague and surroundings. There is also a maze which was constructed as a pavilion for the Czech Tourist Club Prague Jubilee Exhibition in 1891. The inspiration was probably a mirror maze in the Prater in Vienna. The second room was in 1911, equipped with a variety of convex and concave mirrors and is known as the Hall of Laughter. The maze has 31 ordinary and 14 distorting mirrors. In 1975 it was reconstructed. But Prague is not only a historical city, it bustles with everyday life. If offers many possibilities of entertainment and leisure time activities. Everyday, innumerable cultural events take place in Prague and it is impossible to manage to see them all. LEISURE TIME IN PRAGUE There are many cycle tracks around Prague and it is easy to get to the countryside and you can also in-line skate in local parks. The swimming area in Podolí was opened in June 1965 with a famous international swimming competition. These days there is an indoor 50 meter long swimming pool, an outdoor 50 meter long swimming pool, another outdoor 33 meter long swimming pool, an outdoor children s paddling pool, an outdoor tobogan and also a Finnish bath, a sauna, a solarium and rehabilitation area. Prague Zoo - is one of the most beautiful European Zoos in the picturesque area of the Troja Basin. Attractive in any part of the year! Open daily. www.zoopraha.cz The botanical garden is situated in the vinicity of the Zoo, not far from Troja Castle (Trojský zámeček). It extends over an area of 52 hectares. The Japanese Garden exposition, Mediterranean exposition, Turkish exposition and others are complemented by the playground, educational path, archeopark and the new tropical greenhouse Fata Morgana, opened for public in 2004. The greenhouse is 130 metres long, 13 metres
wide and it covers an area of almost 2,200 square metres. It is divided into 3 sections: 1) succulents, savanna of Central America, semi-dessert of Madagascar and South Africa 2) tropical rainforest (with a waterfall 7 meters high) 3) chilled greenhouse - Andes, South Africa, Tasmania TEACHING IN PRAGUE Prague is the biggest branch of Wattsenglish Ltd. and teachers have the chance to teach in different Prague quarters in a variety of primary schools and kindergartens. The kindergartens and primary schools in Prague offer a pleasant working environment. We teach kids from 3 up to 15 years in almost 50 schools. Wattsenglish Office Our office offers facilities for class preparation as well as resting and meeting other people. Internet, copying and printing facilities are a matter of course. Our cute library with teaching materials to teach kids.
A big benefit of being based in Prague is the number of teachers that work here. This allows the social life to flourish. People can find many places to eat, drink or dance, or decide if they want to visit a cinema, a theatre, a concert, a music club, a museum, an exhibition, a sport match or some of the shopping centres. Prague is an important road, rail, river and air (Ruzyně Airport) transport junction. It also has a dense network of local transport which includes trams, buses and underground (metro). LIVING IN PRAGUE Wattsenglish teachers about Prague: Tommas Coldrick: I love Prague so much! It's awesome! There's never a dull moment. Every weekend there is something cool going on in Old Town Square, and during the week days there's always something to do with the other teachers here, whether it be a quiz night at Tiki Lounge or watching our super-awesome Comedy Improv show 'Too Soon? o_0' (see photo above) perform at various bars around the city. There's always a more chilled option too, be it relaxing at home or going to a vinotek by Ujezd and having a nice quiet glass of wine. My fellow teaching pals here are all great. I've made some awesome friends here not only through Watts but through the expat community (check out expats.cz for what's going on in Prague). The staff here at the Prague office are super-cool. They are always here to help you with whatever you need- help with planning, answering questions or as a drinking buddy. There are heaps of resources here- numerous text books, an endless supply of flashcards and many more supplementary materials, so you can always plan a great lesson. The rich history of the city never ceases to amaze me. It s Bohemian and Cosmopolitan influences make for it to be a truly awe inspiring experience every time I step outside. Teaching English here is great. The kids are awesome. The Czech teachers in the schools are always very helpful, even if there s a slight language barrier. I can say that I haven t worked a day since I ve been here. I can t call my job work. Work isn t supposed to be fun is it? I think of it more like an opportunity hang out and play games with awesome little kids, but you still get paid!!! I can guarantee you will love Prague! Culture You can never get bored in Prague. Everyone will find its own pleasures here, be it visiting theaters and museums, shopping, enjoying night life or practising sports. Entrance fees for selected places: National museum: 150 CZK ZOO: 150 CZK National museum on Wenceslas Square. Theater tickets prices range from 200 to 1000 CZK Cinema: 139 CZK
Monthly fee for an average fitness centre: 1000 CZK Eating out In Prague, you can find all types of restaurants from cheap local pubs to more luxurious restaurants. You can try food from all over the world but also delicious Czech cuisine. Check for example: http://www.mycompanion.cz/en/catalog/restaurants-fine-dining/czech You can eat for as little as 70 CZK a good meal but dinner in a decent restaurant will cost you at least 200 CZK. Going out: Beer is virtually the cheapest drink here. 0.5l of draught beer costs around 30 CZK Coffee in a café costs around 40 CZK For tips on going out check the website: http://www.timeout.com/prague/ www.expats.cz OR Accommodation The cost of living in a capital is unsurprisingly higher that in smaller cities or towns. In Prague, you have to be prepared to pay at least 6000 CZK or more for a room in a shared flat per month depending on the location. AROUND PRAGUE tips for trips Very usefull website for searching for trips in the Czech Republic: http://www.vitejte.cz/index.php?j=en If you want to see more of the Czech Republic, Prague is an ideal location because not far from the city, you can find historical as well as natural sights that offer a great opportunity for one day or weekend trips. The most visited Castle in the Czech Republic is for sure Karlštejn and can be reached in one hour from Prague town centre. The Flamboyant castle founded in 1348 holds a very exceptional position among the Bohemian castles. It was built by the Bohemian King and Roman Emperor Charles IV as a place for storing the royal treasures, primarily the collections of Holy relics and Imperial Crown Jewels. Definitely worth seeing!
Wax museum Karlštejn The wax museum was opened in March 1997 and its exhibits were produced by exclusively Czech sculptors, architects and makeup artists. Below the castle, Karlstejn presents an exposition of the historical section of Czech history and Czech statehood. The museum introduces the famous figures of Czech history in a contemporary environment. The museum has three branches: The Karlstejn, Prague and Cesky Krumlov. Kutná Hora is a town in Central Bohemia that lies approximately 70 km to the east of Prague. This royal mining town was established at the end of the 13th century on the site of rich deposits of silver ore. Thanks to the huge number of architectural monuments here (cathedral St. Barbora) and due to the fact that it has remained intact, Kutná Hora was entered in the UNESCO Register of World Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites in 1995. If you prefer hiking or rock-climbing, you definitely have to visit the amazing sandstone area called Bohemian Paradise lying 50 km from Prague and easily reached by train/bus. http://www.ceskyraj.info/en/ The Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area This former royal hunting ground forms a protected area which was designated a UNESCO biospheric reserve. The majority of the area is covered by deciduous and mixed forest abundant in red deer and game. The River Berounka forces its way through a deep canyon extending across the central part of the region. The Town of Český Krumlov The town of Český Krumlov, situated on the meandering river Vltava, is one of the most beautiful and architecturally best preserved towns in the Czech Republic. It was first mentioned in historical records in 1253. Its first owners, who were also the owners of the local castle, were the lords of Krumlov. This unique historical complex consisting of more than 300 Gothic and Renaissance buildings boasts an unusually wellpreserved medieval urban composition. Because of its unique character, the town was entered in 1992 in the UNESCO List. Every year the town becomes the venue of
the Renaissance-style Celebrations of the Cinquefoil Rose, festivals of chamber, jazz and ancient music and a range of other events. Cesky Krumlov is easily reached from Prague by a direct coach for 180 CZK single ticket and the journey takes 3 hours. Accomodation in a pretty hostel in the historical town centre can be found from 250 CZK per night. There are plenty of cool pubs and restaurants and lower prices than in Prague. Definitely worth seeing, annual Wattsenglish trips are organised there with sightseeing and canoeying on the river Vltava. Other cities, towns, places of interest worth seeing are: Kouřim (22km) there is a museum of Folk Architecture, later changed to a rescue museum which has acquired functioning specialized equipment, focusing on examples of construction techniques used in the folk architecture of the Czech Republic. Annual events like Easter and Christmas markets are organised there. Brno second largest city after Prague, the journey takes 2.5 hours and the price of a single ticket is 200 CZK Mladá Boleslav - the price of a single ticket to Prague is 60 CZK (approximately) Pardubice - the price of a single train ticket to Prague is 100 CZK (approximately) Plzeň Pilsen brewery town - the price of a single ticket to Prague is 95 CZK and the journey takes 60 min. Karlovy Vary is located 120 km from Prague and can be easily accessed by frequent buses (every 30 or 60 min). The journey takes 2 hours.