Dear Students, This guide is intended particularly for you ...

Dear Students, 

This guide is intended particularly for you – European students who are coming to study 

at Charles University in Prague through the Erasmus programme. It has been designed 

by the International Office of the Faculty of Arts, which is the place where you will 

register and obtain all the information to make the best of your stay. 

You will find that the guide contains all sorts of information – from general outlook 

of the Czech Republic and the brief history of our University to more practical advice 

on living and behaviour in the Czech Republic. We also hope you will appreciate the 

leisure tips we have prepared for you, be it recommendation of sports centres, theatres 

or pubs. 

While we know it is impossible to answer all the questions you may have, we hope you 

will find the information your guide contains useful both for your studies and life in Prague. 

For all other information, don’t hesitate to contact us at the International Office. 

We wish you an exciting and rewarding stay in Prague! 

Erasmus Co-ordinators 

Marcela Boušková Ing. Jan Bieber 

1

WELCOME TO CZECH REPUBLIC, WELCOME TO PRAGUE 

HISTORY .........................................................................................................5 

GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM............................................................................7 

ETHNIC GROUPS ...........................................................................................8 

RELIGION ........................................................................................................8 

LANGUAGE .....................................................................................................9 

FAMOUS CZECHS ..........................................................................................9 

GREAT CZECH COMPOSERS ......................................................................10 

GREAT CZECH VISUAL ARTISTS .................................................................11 

GREAT CZECH THEATRE ARTISTS ..............................................................11 

GREAT CZECH AUTHORS ...........................................................................12 

GREAT CZECH FILM DIRECTORS (OSCAR WINNERS) ............................12 

GREAT CZECH CONTEMPORARY FILMS ...................................................13 

UNESCO PROTECTED MONUMENTS .......................................................14 

WELCOME TO CZECH REPUBLIC, 

WELCOME TO PRAGUE

Welcome to Czech Republic, Welcome to Prague 

The Czech Republic is a country situated in Central Europe. It has been historically 

divided into three regions: Bohemia, Moravia and a part of Silesia. The total area 

is 78,886 km 2 and the country’s population is around 10.3 million. The capital city 

of the Czech Republic is Prague (Praha), with 1.2 million residents, and there are 

5 other cities with populations exceeding 100,000 – Brno, Plzeň, Olomouc, Ostrava 

and Liberec. 

The Czech Republic borders Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia. The country 

is encircled by mountain ranges – Krkonoše in the northeast, Krušné Hory in the 

northwest, Šumava in the southwest, Hrubý Jeseník in Moravia and the Moravian- 

-Silesian Beskydy. The highest point of elevation in the Czech Republic is the peak of 

Mt. Sněžka (1,602 meters above sea level). Many important rivers (the Elbe, Oder, 

Morava, Vltava (Moldau), etc.) flow through the country. 

In the past, a network of ancient trade routes running from east, west, north and 

south intersected in the country and therefore, over the centuries, many of the nations 

of Europe have met here and influenced each other’s destinies. The Czech lands 

are virtually a showcase of architectural styles, as reflected in the many historic towns, 

castles and manor houses. 

history 

Evidence suggests that at the end of the 5 th century and the beginning of the 

6 th century, during the Great Migration, Slavs began settling in the territory of Bohemia 

and Moravia. The first evidence of a Czech state dates back to the early Middle 

Ages. A kingdom was established in the 13 th century and raised under the rule of 

Charles IV., the Czech king and Roman emperor. During his reign (1346–78) Prague 

grew into one of the largest cities in Europe. It acquired its fine Gothic face and 

landmarks including Charles University (founded in 1348), Charles Bridge and St. 

Vitus Cathedral. In the 15th century Bohemia became the arena for severe religious 

wars. Several conditions led to the creation of the Hussite reform movement. The 

first was the economic and political crisis after the death of Charles IV. This crisis was 

5

exacerbated by the problems in Europe of this time (the Great Schism, criticism of 

the Church). The Hussite movement was inspired by the ideas of Master Jan Hus, a 

preacher who was burnt at the stake in 1415 at Constance. Despite his death, his 

supporters successfully continued in their efforts to reform the Church and even 

defeated five consecutive crusades from Rome in the years 1420–1431. The Hussite 

movement changed the structure of society in many ways. It created religious dualism 

for the first time in Christian Europe. In the second half of the 16th century the city 

experienced great prosperity under emperor Rudolf II and was made the seat of the 

Habsburg Empire. Rudolf II established great collections of art and renowned artists 

and scholars were invited to his court. The Habsburg rule however brought the re-introduction 

of the Roman Catholic faith, centralization and the construction of a multinational 

empire. The Czechs finally lost their national independence to the Hapsburgs 

Empire in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain and for the next 300 years remained 

part of the Austrian Monarchy. After the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 

in World War I, Czechs and Slovaks declared independence in 1918 and Czechoslovakia 

was established as a sovereign state. This united the Czech territory with 

a part of Hungary inhabited by Slovaks and Ruthenians, who speak a language similar 

to Czech. During the 1920s and 1930s, Czechoslovakia ranked among the ten most 

developed countries in the world. After Hitler’s occupation of the country in 1938 (as 

a result of the infamous Munich Agreement), Czechoslovakia was split into two parts: 

the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and the Slovak state. The Czechoslovak 

statehood was restored after World War II ended in 1945, but the country suffered 

a territorial loss. The most eastern part, Transcarpathian Ukraine, was annexed to 

the Soviet Union. 

The events leading up to World War II as well as the war itself strengthened the 

leftist orientation of a significant part of the population. Nationalization of mines, 

key industries, banks and insurance companies in October 1945 affected more than 

60% of the economy. The Communist party won the 1946 parliamentary elections in 

Bohemia, which led to a cabinet crisis in 1948, and the Communist party formed the 

next cabinet. This resulted in regime change and brought the country into the international 

communist movement, led by the Soviet Union. Subsequently, this brought 

about Soviet influence in all practical matters concerning the country and the lives of 

its citizens. The entire economy became naturalized, and was, to a great extent, run 

to meet the needs of the Soviet bloc. In addition, the state administration became 

entirely centralized. The efforts and enthusiasm towards liberalization of the regime 

in the 1960s (known as the 1968 Prague Spring) were too short-lived to succeed. 

A turning point in the history of Czechoslovakia came in November 1989, when 

the socialist regime renounced its power during the so-called “Velvet Revolution.” 

This movement, initiated by students and intellectuals, was soon supported by the 

common people, who formed a group called the Civic Forum, committed to bringing 

in democracy and a market economy. Free parliamentary elections in June 1990 confirmed 

the course of democratic development. At this time, Czechoslovakia, a unitary 

state, became a federation known as the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. 

The federal structure did not last for long, however, as politicians of the two republics 

held different views on the content and degree of economic and social reforms. 

After the 1992 elections, the split of the Czechoslovak state and emergence of two independent 

states (the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic) could not be avoided. 

The constitution of the Czech Republic was passed on December 12, 1992. Since the 

emergence of the new country, the foreign policy efforts of successive governments 

have been focused on joining the Euro-Atlantic structure and the “europeanization” of 

the country. In keeping with these policies, the Czech Republic became a member of 

the OECD in 1995, signed the Europe Agreement in 1995, joined NATO in 1998, ratified 

accession to the EU in 2003 through a referendum, and became a Member State 

of the EU in May 2004. In 2008 Czech Republic became a part of Schengen area. 

6 7

governmental system 

The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. Universal suffrage exists for all citizens 

over the age of 18. The highest executive authority is the President, who is the 

formal head of state and is elected jointly by both houses of Parliament for a term of 

five years. The current President is Václav Klaus. 

The supreme legislative body is the Parliament, which consists of the House of 

Deputies, the lower house of the legislature, and the Senate, the upper house. The 

House of Deputies is made up of 200 deputies who are elected in a general election 

based on a system of proportional representation, for a term of four years. The Senate 

comprises 81 senators elected in individual electoral districts in a two-round system, 

for six-year terms. 

The supreme executive body is the Government. The Prime Minister heads the government 

and is appointed by the President, who also appoints other cabinet members 

on the basis of the Prime Minister’s recommendations. Each Government is required 

to win a vote of confidence in the House of Deputies when it takes office. 

ethnic groups 

Most of the citizens are of Czech nationality. Some citizens from Moravia and Silesia 

identify themselves as Moravian, while others do not. It is estimated that there are 

approximately 200,000 Roma (nearly 2% of the entire population of the country) 

living in the Czech Republic, but most of them officially declare themselves to be of 

Czech or Slovak nationality. 

r eligion 

The Czech Republic is a secular state and every citizen enjoys freedom of religion. The 

number of people practicing religion is low in comparison to other European countries. 

Almost 60% of the population describe themselves as agnostic or atheist; in 

Northern Bohemia the proportion rises to about three quarters of the population. The 

main reasons are the suppression of the reformation movement followed by forcible 

mass re-catholicisation (after 1627), and forty years of official suppression of religion 

during the communist period (1948 – 1989). The religious community is formed by 

26,8% Roman Catholics, 1,15% Protestants and 0,97% members of the Orthodox 

Church. There is also a small Jewish community of approximately 10,000 members. 

language 

The official language is Czech. Czech (along with many other languages) belongs to 

the Slavonic group of the Indo-European language family. The Slavonic languages 

are divided into the eastern, western and southern branches. Czech belongs to the 

western Slavonic family, along with Slovak, Polish and Wendish. Czechs and Slovaks 

understand each other without major problems. Czech has a rather difficult grammatical 

structure but reading and pronunciation are fairly easy. 

famous czechs 

Although the present territory of the Czech Republic was only established in 1993, 

many illustrious men and women were born in this part of central Europe and are 

considered to be great sons and daughters of this small nation. Just a few names 

from the extensive list: 

Přemysl Otakar I. (1155 – 1230) – Czech king who in 1212 received the Golden Bull of 

Sicily, a decree proclaiming Bohemia a kingdom and Bohemian princes hereditary kings. 

Sv. Anežka (1205 – 1285) – Saint Agnes of Bohemia was the daughter of King Přemysl 

(above). She founded an order of nuns, built one of the first hospitals in Prague, and 

was canonized in 1989, five days before the Velvet Revolution. 

Karel IV. (1316 – 1378) – King Charles IV., Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor, 

founded Central Europe’s first university and initiated the construction of many of 

Prague’s great Gothic monuments. During his reign Prague grew into one of the largest 

and most important cities in Europe. 

Jan Ámos Komenský (1592 – 1670) – Comenius wrote several textbooks on education, 

which were so original that they won him the name “Father of Modern Education”. 

Unlike his contemporary educators, Comenius used pictures, maps, charts and other 

visual aids. 

František Palacký (1798 – 1876) – Czech nationalist and historian; he is considered 

the father of the modern Czech nation. Palacký played a leading role in the Czech 

cultural and national revival in the 19 th century. 

Ema Destinová (1878 – 1930) – famous opera singer. She was one of the greatest 

dramatic sopranos of the twentieth century. 

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1850 – 1937) – the first Czechoslovak president, under 

whose presidency Czechoslovakia became a strong democratic country, one of the 

most developed countries in the world. Apart from being a politician, Masaryk was 

also a philosopher and sociologist. 

8 9

Václav Havel 

Antonín Dvořák 

gr e at c zec h com p oser s 

Václav Havel (*1936) – Czech writer and 

dramatist. In 1977, his involvement with 

the human rights manifesto Charter 77 

brought him international fame as the 

leader of the opposition in Czechoslovakia; 

it also led to his imprisonment. After 

the Velvet Revolution in 1989 he became 

tenth and last president of Czechoslovakia 

and then the first president of the 

Czech Republic. 

Jan Palach (1948 – 1969) – a Czech student 

who committed suicide by self-immolation 

as a political protest against the 

Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia in 

1968. Palach died after setting himself 

on fire in Wenceslas Square in Prague. 

Bedřich Smetana (1828 – 1884) 

Major works: Bartered Bride, Dalibor, 

The Kiss, My Country 

Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904) 

Major works: Slavonic Dances, 

Stabat Mater, Rusalka, 

The New World Symphony 

Leoš Janáček (1854 – 1928) 

Major works: Jenufa, The Cunning Little 

Vixen, The Macropoulos Case 

Bohuslav Martinů (1890 – 1959) 

Major works: The Opening of the Wells, 

Dandelion Romance, The Kitchen Revue 10 

Alfons Mucha – posters 

gr e at c zec h v isu a l a rt ists 

10 11 

Václav Hollar (1607 – 1677) 

Petr Brandl (1668 – 1735) 

Josef Mánes (1820 – 1871) 

Mikoláš Aleš (1852 – 1913) 

Alfons Mucha (1860 – 1939) 

František Kupka (1871 – 1957) 

Emil Filla (1882 – 1953) 

Josef Lada (1887 – 1957) 

Jan Zrzavý (1890 – 1977) 

Josef Šíma (1891 – 1971) 

great czech theatre artists 

Jaroslav Kvapil (1868 – 1950) – poet and theatre director, 1910-1918 led the National 

Theatre in Prague, mainly an artist of symbolism 

Harel Hugo Hilar (1885 – 1935) – theatre director, poet, dramatist, translator, cooperated 

closely with visual artists, brought expressionism and civilism to Czech Theatre. 

Emil František Burian (1904 – 1959) – theatre director, musician, singer, actor. He 

created voiceband and theatregraph, led his own alternative theatre D34 until his 

death in 1959. 

Alfréd Radok (1914 – 1976) – one of the most famous European directors of the 20 th 

century, creator of Laterna Magika. 

Otomar Krejča (*1921) – theatre actor and director, established his own Theater 

Behind the Gate (Divadlo Za Branou) that made him famous all over the Europe. 

Jan Grossman (1925 – 1993) – writer and theatre director, led the Theatre on the Ballustrade 

(Divadlo Na Zábradlí) in the 1960s and cooperated with Václav Havel, which 

made him famous all over Europe.

great czech authors 

Jaroslav Hašek (1883 – 1923) Major work: The Good Soldier Švejk 

Karel Čapek (1890 – 1938) Major works: R.U.R., War with the 

Newts, The White Plague, The Macropoulos Case, Krakatit, An 

Ordinary Life, Tales from Two Pockets 

Jaroslav Seifert (1901 – 1986), poet, Nobel Prize Literature laureate. Major works: 

City in Tears, Sheer Love, On the Waves of TSF, The Nightingale Sings Poorly 

Bohumil Hrabal (1914 – 1997) Major works: I Served the King of England, 

Larks on a String, Closely Watched Trains, Too Loud a Solitude 

Josef Škvorecký (*1924) Major works: The Cowards, Sins for Father Knox, 

The Swell Season, The Engineer of Human Souls, The Republic of Whores 

Arnošt Lustig (*1926) Major works: Night and Hope, Diamonds of the Night, 

Darkness Casts No Shadow, A Prayer for Kateřina Horowitzová, Lovely Green Eyes 

Ivan Klíma (*1931) Major works: Love and Garbage, The Spirit of Prague, 

My Merry Mornings, My Golden Trades, The Ultimate Intimacy, No Saints or Angels 

Milan Kundera (*1929) Major works: The Joke, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, 

Laughable Loves, Immortality 

Václav Havel (*1936) Major works: Garden Party, Summer Meditations, Largo 

Desolato, Power of the Powerless 

gr e at c zec h f il m dir ec t or s (osc a r w inner s) 

Jan Svěrák (*1965) Oscar film: Kolya (Kolja, 1996); other successful films: 

The Elementary School (Obecná škola, 1991), Accumulator (Akumulátor, 1994), 

The Ride (Jízda, 1994), Dark Blue World (Tmavomodrý svět, 2001) 

Jiří Menzel (*1938) Oscar film: Closely Watched Trains (Ostře sledované vlaky, 

1966); other successful films: Larks on a String (Skřivánci na niti, 1969), 

My Sweet Little Village (Vesničko má středisková, 1985), Beggar´s Opera 

(Žebrácká opera, 1991) 

Miloš Forman (*1932) – emigrated after the Soviet invasion in 1968; 

Oscar films: One Flew Over the Cuckoo´s Nest (Přelet nad kukaččím hnízdem, 1975), 

Amadeus (1984); other successful films: Competition (Konkurz, 1963), Loves of 

a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky, 1965), The Firemen’s Ball (Hoří, má panenko, 

1967), Hair (Vlasy, 1979), Valmont (1989), The People vs. Larry Flynt (Lid versus 

Larry Flynt, 1996), Goya’s Ghosts (2007). 

gr e at c zec h con t e m p or a ry f il m s 

Forgotten Light (Zapomenuté světlo, 1996) by Vladimír Michálek 

Buttoners (Knoflíkáři, 1997) by Petr Zelenka 

Those Wonderful Years that Sucked (Báječná léta pod psa, 1997) by Petr Nikolaev 

Sekal Has to Die (Je třeba zabít Sekala, 1997) by Vladimír Michálek 

Cosy Dens (Pelíšky, 1999) by Jan Hřebejk 

The Return of the Idiot (Návrat idiota, 1999) by Saša Gedeon 

Greedy Guts (Otesánek, 2000) by Jan Švankmajer 

Divided We Fall (Musíme si pomáhat, 2000) by Jan Hřebejk 

Loners (Samotáři, 2000) by David Ondříček 

Wild Bees (Divoké včely, 2001) by Saša Gedeon 

Fimfarum (Fimfárum, 2002) by Aurel Klimt and Vlasta Pospíšilová 

Year of the Devil (Rok Ďábla, 2002) by Petr Zelenka 

Zelary (Želary, 2003) by Ondřej Trojan 

Bored in Brno (Nuda v Brně, 2003) by Vladimír Morávek 

Up and down (Horem pádem, 2004) by Jan Hřebejk 

Something like Happiness (Štěstí, 2005) by Bohdan Sláma 

I Served the King of England (Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále, 2006) by Jiří Menzel 

Grandhotel (Grandhotel, 2006) by David Ondříček 

Beauty in trouble (Kráska v nesnázích, 2006) by Jan Hřebejk 

Secrets (Tajnosti, 2007) by Alice Nellis 

Empties (Vratné lahve, 2007) by Jan Svěrák 

Roming (Roming, 2007) by Jiří Vejdělek 

It´s gonna get worse (.. a bude hůř, 2007) by Petr Nikolaev 

Bathory (Bathory, 2008) by Juraj Jakubisko 

Children of the Night (Děti noci, 2008) by Michaela Pavlátová 

The Village Teacher (Venkovský učitel, 2008) by Bohdan Sláma 

About Parents and Children (O rodičích a dětech, 2008) by Vladimír Michálek 

Citizen Havel (Občan Havel, 2008) by Miroslav Janek, Pavel Koutecký 

Protector (Protektor, 2009) by Marek Najbrt 

Kawasaki’s rose (Kawasakiho růže, 2009) by Jan Hřebejk 

Changes (Proměny, 2009) by Tomáš Řehořek 

Kooky’s return (Kuky se vrací, 2010) by Jan Svěrák 

The eye over Prague (Oko nad Prahou, 2010) by Olga Špátová 

12 13

unesco pro t ec t ed monumen ts 

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the following areas and monuments in 

the Czech Republic on the World Heritage List: 

Historic Centre of Telč 

www.telc-etc.cz 

Pilgrimage Church of St. John 

of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora 

www.zdarns.cz 

Kutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with 

the Church of Saint Barbara and the 

Cathedral of our Lady at Sedlec 

www.kutnahora.cz 

Lednice - Valtice Cultural Landscape 

www.lednice.cz, 

www.radnice-valtice.cz 

Holašovice Historical Village Reservation 

www.holasovice.cz 

Gardens and Chateau at Kroměříž 

www.azz.cz, www.mesto-kromeriz.cz 

14 

Litomyšl Chateau 

www.litomysl.cz 

Holašovice Kutná Hora 

Olomouc – the Column 

of the Holy Trinity 

www.olomoucko.cz 

Tugendhat Villa in Brno 

www.tugendhat-villa.cz 

The Jewish Quarter and 

St Procopius´ Basilica in Třebíč 

www.trebic.cz/unesco 

Historic Centre of Prague 

www.prague-info.cz 

Historic Centre of Český Krumlov 

www.ckrumlov.cz

FACULTY OF ARTS 

CHARLES UNIVERSITY .................................................................................17 

HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY ...................................................................18 

FACULTY OF ARTS .......................................................................................21 

BASIC ERASMUS DATA ...............................................................................23 

ERASMUS DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATORS .........................................24 

STUDY AT THE FACULTY OF ARTS ............................................................27 

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE .................................................................................27 

ACADEMIC CALENDAR ...............................................................................29 

REGISTRATION FOR THE COURSES ..........................................................29 

ORIENTATION WEEK ..................................................................................30 

ID CARDS......................................................................................................30 

REGISTRATION AT THE FOREIGN POLICE ................................................31 

STUDY DURING THE ERASMUS EXCHANGE ............................................34 

ACCOMMODATION ....................................................................................35 

STUDENT CAFETERIAS IN PRAGUE ...........................................................37 

COMPUTER FACILITIES ...............................................................................38 

LIBRARY FACILITIES .....................................................................................39 

SPORTS FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES .........................................................42 

FACULTY OF ARTS

Charles University 

Charles University, founded in 1348, is one of the oldest universities in the world and 

today belongs to the most eminent educational and scientific establishments in the 

Czech Republic, recognized in both the European and global contexts. It is an outstanding 

cultural institution as a result of its scientific and pedagogical achievements 

and its unique historical tradition. 

Charles University now contains 17 faculties (14 in Prague, 2 in Hradec Králové, 

and one in Plzeň), 3 collegiate institutes, 6 additional establishments for educational 

and scientific research, developmental activities, other creative activities and for information 

service, 5 university-wide facilities and the vice-chancellor’s/rector’s office 

which serves as an executive establishment for the Charles University management. 

The university has more than 7,500 employees, 4,000 of these being academic and 

research staff. Over 51,000 students are studying at CU (which is roughly a sixth of 

all students in the Czech Republic), in more than 300 accredited degree programmes 

and 660 study disciplines. More than 18,000 are studying in bachelor's programmes, 

25,000 in master's programmes and more than 7,000 in doctoral programmes. Over 

6,000 students are from abroad. Various courses in lifelong learning programmes organised 

by CU attract more than 15,000 people each year. The university is dedicated 

to international co-operation with prestigious educational and research institutions. 

CU has signed a total of 450 bilateral agreements and 190 international partnership 

agreements with foreign universities. Charles University ranks among the world's top 

universities, a fact that has been confirmed repeatedly by the international university 

rankings. In the Shanghai University's Academic Ranking of World Universities, which 

evaluates 2,000 universities, Charles University placed in the top 300 out of the 

total of world's 17,000 universities and colleges. Charles University therefore belongs 

among the 2% of the best universities and the 100 top European universities. It is the 

only Czech institution of higher education to place in the published list of 500 universities. 

The university fared just as successfully in The THES ranking, ranking 229th. 

The significance of Charles University can also be characterized by its income which is 

roughly 8 billion Czech crowns per year. 45% of this amount comes from educational 

funding, 29% from competitive research grants, and 26% is its own income. 

Charles University in Prague – photo archive UK 

17

Charles University is an accredited public university, it is an autonomous scientific 

and educational establishment. The Rector is the head of Charles University; the 

Academic Senate is the supreme self-regulating academic body. Other organs: the 

Academic Council and bursar, the Board of Directors, responsible for the implementation 

of public interest in Charles University's policies. The Senate consisting of the 

prorectors, the bursar and the chancellor make up the advisory body of the rector. The 

deans are heads of faculties which are independent to a large extent; other parts of 

Charles University are managed by their directors. 

history of the university 

Charles IV., a Czech and Roman king, founded Prague University by a deed of foundation 

on April 7, 1348 as the first university (studium generale) north of the Alps and 

east of Paris. Charles University belongs among the oldest European universities. It 

followed the example of the Bolognese and Parisian universities and in a short time 

became internationally renowned. The original university consisted of four faculties: the 

Faculties of Theology, Arts, Law, and Medicine. Not only Czechs but also many foreign 

teachers and students were members of the academic community of the university, 

particularly those from Central European areas for whom the university in Prague 

became an accessible and erudite university of studium generale. Charles IV.’s son and 

successor, Wenceslas IV., extended his influence on the university and in 1409 strengthened 

the position of the native members of the academic community with the Kutná 

Hora Decree. The territorial character of the Prague studium generale was emphasized 

by the protest departure of a number of scholars from the University. Shortly afterwards 

the University was influenced by the Hussite movement, which preceded the 

European Reformation, and changed the University’s character. The university rector, 

Jan Hus, became very influential at the university. In the following social and political 

revolution the University was reduced to one faculty – the Faculty of Arts. 

At the beginning of the 17 th century the University was influenced profoundly by 

provincial political estates which were involved in the anti-Habsburg opposition whose 

political representatives stirred up a conflict at the beginning of the first European 

war (the Thirty Year War from 1618 to 1648). Their defeat caused a radical change at 

the university. The victorious Roman emperor and Czech king Ferdinand III united the 

Carolinian university with a Jesuit university in the Klementinum (whose beginnings 

go back to 1556) into a university with a new name, Charles-Ferdinand University 

(the name survived until 1918). This university re-established all four Faculties which 

had existed before the Hussite movement and began growing from a free corporation 

of intellectuals into a public educational institution. This process was finished with 

reforms carried out by the absolutist regime of the emperor Joseph II in the 1780s. 

The University started to grow into a modern institution of higher education during 

the reforms of 1848/49, as it gradually changed into a public institute educating a 

professional intellectual class. In 1882, during the period of a high national political 

movement, the Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague was divided into two universities: 

Czech and German. 

By the turn of the 20 th century both universities had reached high scientific levels. 

Professor Albert Einstein worked at the German part of the university. Several 

excellent personalities who played an important part in the political emancipation 

process of the state, worked at the Czech part, including Prof. Thomas G. Masaryk, 

who became the first President of an independent Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. 

The Charles University – i.e. the Czech university in the independent state – took 

advantage of its new circumstances to expand scientific research, some of whose 

results achieved world standards. We should remember in particular the discoveries of 

Professor Jaroslav Heyrovský in the field of polarography, which brought him a Nobel 

Prize in 1959. 

Hitler’s occupation of Czechoslovakia caused terrible disaster and loss. After student 

demonstrations of 1939 (especially during the funeral of a medical student Jan 

Opletal, shot dead by the Nazis), Czech universities were closed on November 17, 

1939, followed by the persecution of students and university teachers. Charles University 

was authorized to resume its activity after World War II. The German University 

in Prague, which had joined the association of Reich universities in 1939, came to an 

end at the same time as the Nazi Reich. 

Free development of activity at Charles University was interrupted after the communist 

coup in February 1948. For many years the regime subordinated all education 

and research to ideological and political control, and international relations and the 

impulses of science at the University were affected. Students loyal to the tradition of 

liberal principles protested against the totalitarian system on November 17, 1989 and 

initiated the removal of the regime 

Aided by international cooperation, modern university life has developed rapidly. 

Today Charles University continues to develop systematic research cooperation and 

takes part in both European and international programs. 

18 19

Faculty of Arts 

The Faculty of Arts is one of the original four faculties established in 1348, and 

currently offers 89 subjects of study run by 46 departments and institutes. Since it 

gained independence at the beginning of the 19 th century, the Faculty of Arts has 

been concentrating on its principal concerns — the humanities. As a result it is now 

one of the largest and most important humanities institutions in the Czech Republic. 

With almost 8,000 students and 700 members of teaching staff, the Faculty ranks 

among the largest at the University. It occupies four buildings in the city centre, 

whose addresses are: 

J. Palacha Square 2 

Main Building, Faculty administration, 

International Office, Computer Laboratory, 

Interpreter Laboratory, Self-Access 

Language Centre, and the majority of departments; 

Celetná Street 13 and 20 ➸ 

Adult Education, Archaeology, Cultural Studies, 

Education, History of Art, Psychology, Sociology, 

Information and Advisory Centre 

Hybernská Street 3 ➸ 

Translation Studies, Ibero-American Studies, 

Comparative Literature 

20 21 

➸ 

U Kříže 8 (Jinonice, Prague 5) 

Political Science, Information Science 

and Social Work 

➸

The Faculty is composed of 46 basic working units (29 institutes, 14 Chairs, the language 

centre, the centre for Ibero-American studies), 4 specialized working units (the 

scientific information centre, the international sinological centre, the history cabinet, 

the media centre and two scholarly research institutes (the Czech Institute of Egyptology, 

the Institute of the Czech National Corpus). In the philology field, regular and 

occasional courses are offered in more than 50 languages, as well as in the literature, 

history and background associated with each of the languages. The humanities offer 

a broad spectrum of disciplines from traditional philosophy, religious studies, logic 

and aesthetics to pedagogy, psychology, sociology, political science, adult education, 

theatre and film studies, information studies, librarianship, etc. The basic undergraduate 

program is a 5-year MA degree program, which is usually a combination of two 

subjects (a joint degree program), or, in a few cases, just one subject (a single degree 

program). Some departments already offer 3-year BA programs. Postgraduate 

doctoral 3 – 5 year programs are realised by means of research (admission requirements: 

MA diploma, entrance interview). Undergraduate students are enrolled on 

the basis of entrance examinations. For international students joining the programs, 

prior knowledge of academic Czech is a requirement, except when the student joins 

the Czech Studies Course or the paid Eastern and Central European Studies Course 

taught in English. 

Full legal name of the institution 

ERASMUS Code 

Address (Main Building) 

22 23 

Dean 

International Office 

Head of International Office 

ERASMUS Faculty Co - ordinators 

International Office 

office hours 

basic erasmus data 

Charles University in Prague 


Univerzita Karlova v Praze 

Filozofická fakulta 

CZ PRAHA 07 

Náměstí Jana Palacha 2 

116 38 Praha 1 

Czech Republic 

doc. PhDr. Michal Stehlík, PhD. 

1 st floor, rooms 103+128 

E - mail: zahranicni@ff.cuni.cz 

Fax: 221 619 382 

Bc. Kateřina Mitasová 

Tel.: 221 619 390 

E - mail: katerina.mitasova@ff.cuni.cz 

Marcela Boušková – incoming students 

marcela.bouskova@ff.cuni.cz 

Ing. Jan Bieber – outgoing students 

jan.bieber@ff.cuni.cz 

Tel.: 221 619 363, Fax: 221 619 382 

Monday closed 

Tuesday 9 – 12 

Wednesday 14 – 17:30 

Thursday 14 – 16 

Friday 9 – 12

erasmus departmental coordinators 

During Orientation Week, you should find your supervisor – the departmental coordinator 

at the appropriate department or institute – and discuss the lectures and 

seminars you wish to attend with him/her. He/she will also let you know where and 

when those courses take place. 

Field of Study Coordinator E - mail Room 

Musicology Mgr. Marc Niubó, Ph.D. czech.music@centrum.cz 404, main building 

Theatre Studies Mgr. Veronika Štefanová VeronikaStefanova@seznam.cz 407, main building 

Cinema Studies MgA. Kevin Johnson kevij7af@ff.cuni.cz 406, main building 

Art History Prof. PhDr. Roman Prahl, CSc. roman.prahl@ff.cuni.cz 401, Celetná 20 

PhDr. MgA. Josef Záruba-Pfeffermann, Ph.D joszaruba@seznam.cz 

Adult Education PhDr. Martin Kopecký, PhD. martin.kopecky@ff.cuni.cz 301, Celetná 20 

Education PhDr. Michaela Vítečková, Ph.D. Viteckova.m@email.cz 225, Celetná 20 

Aesthetics Mgr. Tereza Hadravová tereza.hadravova@ff.cuni.cz 203, Celetná 20 

Philosophy Jakub Jirsa, PhD. jakub.jirsa@ff.cuni.cz 220, main building 

Religious Studies Jakub Jirsa, PhD. jakub.jirsa@ff.cuni.cz 220, main building 

Auxiliary Historical PhDr. Zdeněk Hojda, CSc. zdenek.hojda@ff.cuni.cz 212, main building 

Sciences and Archive Studies 

Czech History Doc. PhDr. Martin Nejedlý, PhD. martin.nejedly@ff.cuni.cz 211, main building 

General History PhDr. Ondřej Vojtěchovský ondrej.vojtech@seznam.cz 302, main building 

Prehistory PhDr. Ivo Štefan, Ph.D. stefanivos@seznam.cz 149, Celetná 20 

and Early History 

Classical Prof. PhDr. Jan Bouzek jan.bouzek@ff.cuni.cz 340, Celetná 20 

Archeology 

Cultural Studies PhDr. Karel Hnilica, CSc. karel.hnilica@ff.cuni.cz 319, Celetná 20 

Ethnology Mgr. Zuzana Korecká zuzana.korecka@ff.cuni.cz 229, Celetná 20 

Czech Language Mgr. Jan Chromý jan.chromy@ff.cuni.cz 24, main building 

and Theory of Communication 

Czech Studies PhDr. Jana Bischofová jana.bischofova@ff.cuni.cz 417, main building 

Danish Studies Mgr. Helena Březinová, PhD. helena.brezinova@ff.cuni.cz 322, main building 

Dutch Language Mgr. Lucie Sedláčková luczka@seznam.cz 118, main building 

English PhDr. Pavlína Šaldová, PhD. pavlina.saldova@ff.cuni.cz 105, main building 

and American Studies 

Field of Study Coordinator E - mail Room 

Finnish Studies Mgr. Jan Dlask j.dlask@volny.cz 419b, main building 

French Studies Mgr. Lucie Tučková lucietuc@seznam.cz 109, main building 

German Studies Boris Blahak, M.A. borisblahak@hotmail.com 318b, main building 

Italian Studies PhDr. Alice Flemrová, PhD. al.flemrova@volny.cz 114, main building 

Norweigan Cand.Philol. Thor Henrik Svevad svevad@ff.cuni.cz 322, main building 

Studies 

Portuguese PhDr.Jaroslava Jindrová jaroslava.jindrova@ff.cuni.cz 116, Oettingen palace 

Studies 

Romanian Studies PhDr. Libuše Valentová, CSc. libuse.valentova@ff.cuni.cz 301, Hybernská 3 

Spanish Studies Juan Antonio Sánchez Fernández, Dr. sanchez@praha1.ff.cuni.cz 115, main building 

Swedish Studies Mgr. Helena Březinová, PhD. helena.brezinova@ff.cuni.cz 322, main building 

Czech and PhDr. Libuše Heczková, PhD. libuse.heczkova@ff.cuni.cz 413, main building 

Comparative Literature 

Anglophone Prof. PhDr. Martin Procházka, CSc. martin.prochazka@ff.cuni.cz 219a, main building 

Literatures and Cultures 

Translation Studies Mgr. Šárka Kühnová, D.phil. kuhnsaff@ff.cuni.cz 103, Hybernská 3 

Latin Studies Mgr. Martin Bažil, PhD. martin.bazil@ff.cuni.cz 339, Celetná 20 

Slavonic and East 

European Studies 

Dobromir Grigorov, PhD. dobromir.grigorov@ff.cuni.cz 23, main building 

Indic Studies Prof. PhDr. Jaroslav Vacek, SCs. jvck@bohem-net.cz 337, Celetná 20 

9,8 - Japanese Studies Mgr. David Labus, PhD. david.labus@ff.cuni.cz 244, main building 

Sinology Mgr. Dušan Andrš, PhD. dusan.andrs@ff.cuni.cz 243, Celetná 20 

Political Science PhDr. Radek Buben radek.buben@ff.cuni.cz 4011, Jinonice 

Sociology Mgr. Dana Mudd, PhD. dana.mudd@seznam.cz 112, celetná 20 

Psychology PhDr. Monika Morgensternová, PhD. monika.morgenstern@post.cz 308b, Celetná 20 

Social Work PhDr. Hana Pazlarová, PhD. hana.pazlarova@ff.cuni.cz 4012, Jinonice 

Economic 

and Social History 

PhDr. Michal Pullmann, PhD. michal.pullmann@ff.cuni.cz 108, Celetná 20 

Information PhDr. Petra Sluková petra.slukova@ff.cuni.cz 2011, Jinonice 

Studies and Librarianship 

Center for Doc. Markéta Křížová, PhD. krizova_ibero@seznam.cz 207,Hybernská 3. 

Ibero-American Studies 

24 25

(zátišie s pracovným stolom, perami, papiermi a obálkami – 

trochu neporiadok) 

Study at the Faculty of Arts 

before you arrive 

Before you arrive to study at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague, you 

must prepare for a game called Bureaucracy. It’s not really difficult but you have to 

remember the rules. To make it as easy and smooth as possible we will take you 

through the individual steps of the procedure. In the end you will have most of the 

forms you need to obtain all of the necessary permits. 

All You Need Is (In The Following Order): 

1. To be nominated by your LLP – Erasmus coordinator 

2. To fill in the on-line registration 

3. To print two documents generated by the on-line registration 

(Application Form + Learning Agreement) and to get them stamped 

and signed by your LLP – Erasmus coordinator 

4. To send the documents together with Transcript of Records 

to the Faculty of Arts 

Deadlines 

The absolutely final deadlines for the applications are as follows: If you are applying for 

the winter semester: June 15 th , for the summer semester: October 31 st . However, in 

view of the shortage of student housing in Prague, we strongly recommend that you 

send your application earlier if at all possible. 

26 27

Application Procedure 

Step 1 – Nomination (contact your LLP – Erasmus coordinator) 

If you wish to study at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University as an Erasmus student, 

your home university must officially nominate you. As a first step, therefore, you must 

contact the LLP – Erasmus coordinator at your home university. 

Step 2 – On-line registration 

Please note that this is an obligatory process – so if you have filled in the standard 

forms (on paper) without registering on-line we still must ask that you register online. 

Detailed information about on-line registration is available in our Step-by-Step 

On-line Registration Guide at http://www.cuni.cz/UK-2301.html. The on-line registration 

is available at the following websites: http://www.is.cuni.cz/erasmus or https:// 

www.is.cuni.cz/erasmus 

Step 3 – Confirmation of the Essential Forms: 

(Application Form + Learning Agreement) 

The printed-out forms are to be checked and confirmed/signed by the relevant coordinators 

of your university. Remember that forms must be delivered on time. Your 

application cannot be accepted after the closing date for any reason whatsoever. We 

recommend that you send the documents by means that provide you with proof of 

dispatch (registered post, express courier, etc.). 

Step 4 – Sending Documents 

Send the forms together with Transcript of Records either to the coordinator of the 

Faculty of Arts or to the European Office: 

Erasmus Coordinator 


Náměstí Jana Palacha 2 

116 38 Praha 1 


European Office 

Charles University in Prague 

Ovocný trh 3 

116 36 Praha 1 


Please bear in mind that until the printed, signed and stamped forms are sent, you 

have not yet actually started the application process for your study exchange. We will 

confirm the Application Form and Learning Agreement and send the originals back to 

you together with a Letter of Admission and Accommodation Voucher. If you decide 

not to use University accommodation we need you to inform us as soon as you have 

arranged your private accommodation. 

administrative support for international students 

During their studies international students will probably need assistance from our 

administrative staff. 

At the Faculty of Arts feel free to visit us at: 

International Office at the Faculty of Arts 

Nám. Jana Palacha 2, 1st floor, room 128. 

This office is responsible for students’ registration, issuing confirmations of studies and 

transcripts of records, signing the learning agreements, helping with course registrations 

and the electronic system. 

At the University level you can visit: 

European Office of the Charles 

University 

Ovocný trh 3. 1st floor, room 113 

116 36 Praha 1 

This is the office which issues your acceptance 

letters, you can contact them 

regarding the accomodation issues, acceptance 

for prolongation of your studies 

and other things where university 

coordinators are needed. 

EO Office Hours: 

You are welcome anytime (daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.), but if you want to be a hundred 

percent sure of reaching the European Office staff member you need, then visit them 

during official office hours. 

Monday 10 – 12a.m. 2 – 4p.m. 

Tuesday 10 – 12a.m 

Wednesday 10 – 12a.m. 2 – 4p.m. 

Thursday 10 – 12a.m. 2 – 4p.m. 

28 29 

Jana Hanousková 

Institutional Co-ordinator 

for Incoming Students 

Tel.: +420 224 491 710 

Fax: : +420 224 229 487 

E-mail: jana.hanouskova@ruk.cuni.cz

academic calendar 

Winter term 

Orientation week – 27 th September 2010–3 rd October 2010 

(but 28 th September is Holiday!) 

Winter term lectures – 4 th October2010–7 th January 2011 

Exam term – 10 th January 2011–18 th February 2011 

Holidays (= no lectures) 

28 th October – The day of creation independent Czechoslovakia in 1918 

17 th November – The day of fight for freedom and democracy 

(the Velvet Revolution in 1989) 

23 rd December 2010 – 2 nd January 2011 – Christmas Holiday 

Summer term 

Orientation week – 14 th February 2011–20 th February 2011 

Lectures – 21 st February 2011–20 th May 2011 

Exam term – 23 rd May 2011–1 st July 2011 

Holidays (= no lectures) 

25 th April – Easter Monday 

registration for the courses 

After their arrival students will be registered in the electronic database by the faculty 

coordinator Marcela Boušková. She will also guide and assist students to enroll in the 

respective courses. Students can drop and add courses in the database by the end 

of October. 

Language courses taught by Jazykové centrum (Language Center) are not intended 

for Erasmus students. The number of credits awarded for each class is specified in the 

electronic system. 

More detailed information and the list of all available courses will be given during 

the Orientation week. 

orientation week 

Orientation Week is always held one week before the term starts. It takes place 

27 th September–3 rd October for the winter term and 14 th February– 20 th February for the 

summer term. You should arrive during that week. There is a lot to do and arrange: we plan 

meetings concerning departments, sorting out your schedule, finding accommodation, 

ID cards, transport tickets…. The student club will also have something in store for you – 

free city tours, the welcome party, etc. The detailed program will be announced as 

soon as possible via e-mail. There will be an official registration for all Erasmus students 

during Orientation Week, where 

you will receive all necessary documents 

and instructions. You must bring your 

Letter of Admission and one passport 

photo with you. No student can be enrolled 

at the Faculty without this registration. 

If you have serious reasons for later 

arrival, your registration can be handled 

individually at the International Office in 

room 128 during office hours. 

30 31

id cards 

Each international student is obliged to 

get his/her ID CARD (Identity Card), 

which is free of charge. It is a university 

chip card, which includes the most important 

information about a student (personal 

details, photo, signature, name and 

stamp of Charles University). This card 

will be valid for the period of time stated 

on the student’s application form. 

For this card, a coupon will be given to each student during registration. Students 

can pick up their ID card at two locations (see below). You have to bring along the 

coupon and your passport. You can receive an ISIC card instead of the normal Student 

ID Card for a fee of 300CZK: Choose the type carefully, changing it afterwards is not 

free of charge. You also have to pay for a new card in case of losing it. 

The IDs are issued at two distribution points: 

Faculty of Law (nám. Curieových 7, Praha 1) 

on the ground floor, left side, room No. 34 

opening hours: 

Monday – Thursday 9:00 – 12:30 13:00 – 16:30 

Friday 9:00 – 12:30 

Information and Advisory Centre of Charles University (Celetná 13, Praha 1) 

opening hours: 

Monday – Thursday 9:00 – 12:00 12:30 – 18:00 

Friday 9:00 – 12:00 12:30 – 16:00 

You will use your ID or ISIC card for printing and making copies. To load your card 

with the amount you need use the charging machine (ground floor of the main 

building) or go the Library of Cultural Studies located off of the courtyard of the 

main building. 

registration at the foreign police 

If an EU citizen intends to stay in the Czech Republic longer than 30 days, he/she is 

obliged to report their place of residence at the department of Foreign Police up to 

30 days after their entry into the country. To do this, you will need to fill out the State 

Border Crossing Report (both parts) and the so-called “Hlášenka“ (see page 34). In 

addition, you must bring two passport photos (3,5 x 4,5cm, white background) and 

your insurance card (the blue EU card is the best option). Be aware that the police 

are very strict about the photos!!! 

32 33

The Office of the Foreign Police is situated at Koněvova 188/32, Praha 3. You can 

take bus 133 from Staroměstská or 136 from Flora to the station Černínova. There, 

walk down the hill until you come across the Delvita/Billa supermarket – the office 

you seek is on the third floor of the building. Opening hours are MO, WE: 7:30 – 17:00, 

TU, TH: 7:30 – 14:00. One word of advice, come as early as possible, so that you get a 

ticket/number. Half an hour before opening hours should do. 

Be ready for everything – queues, annoyed women behind the desks and most 

importantly a lack of knowledge of any foreign language!!! Unfortunately, it’s not a 

joke. They only speak Czech!!! 

study during the erasmus exchange 

Once your Learning Agreement is signed, your departmental coordinator should guarantee 

your place in the courses you have selected. If you want to change any courses, 

do not forget to fill in the “Changes in Learning Agreement” form during your first 

month in Prague. 

You should also be automatically accepted to courses that belong to the study field 

you are accepted to. You are of course allowed to study any subject at the Faculty 

of Arts; your admission to a course is always up to the teacher (it can depend on 

the number of students or the level of your language skill). All of the courses by the 

Faculty of Arts offered in foreign languages should be listed on the web site. 

If you are able to follow lectures or seminars in Czech, you should browse the web 

sites of specific departments and institutes. 

You can also pick some courses from other faculties (mainly the Faculty of Social 

Science or the Faculty of Humanities) but we cannot guarantee that you will be accepted 

into these courses. 

There is the possibility of visiting some courses from the ECES and CIEE programs. 

These study programs are organized mainly for American students who pay for them, 

but we can offer the vacant places to Erasmus students free of charge. 

There is an intensive Czech Language course offered to all Erasmus students. The 

course consists of 5 teaching hours per week and meets twice a week. There are 

different levels available – beginner, intermediate and advanced. You will be sorted 

into groups on the basis of a written test. This course is not free of charge. The price 

will be announced during he orientation week. You can sign up for the course during 

Orientation Week; a place is guaranteed for all Erasmus students. 

At registration, you will receive a yellow book called Book of Academic Records, 

where you will fill in the names of your courses. At the end of your study period, 

teachers in all courses you have been attending should sign your Book of Academic 

Records and write your grade and the number of credits obtained in your Book of 

Academic Records, once you have passed the course. As soon as you collect all of the 

signatures, you should come to the International Office with your Book of Academic 

Records to pick up the Transcript of Records and the Confirmation of Study Period, 

which you may need for your home university. It can take 5 days to issue the documents 

so make sure you come in time. 

34 35

accommodation 

Accommodation at Charles University Residence Halls 

Accommodation is provided in Charles University Residence Halls. Students are housed 

in double-occupancy rooms. Single rooms are not available. Each unit consists of twin 

rooms, which share bathroom facilities. A small kitchenette is usually at the end of 

each hall. Students can also use a lavatory and cloakrooms in the building. Bedding 

and bed linen are provided; towels and kitchen utensils are not. 

The allocation of rooms is the responsibility of the management of the residence 

hall – if you wish to share a room with a friend (schoolmate) of yours, please ask the 

Accommodation Office (Reception) upon your arrival. 

Accommodation will be provided for the period corresponding to your study stay at 

Charles University. It is always available starting approximately one week before the 

beginning of the semester/study period – orientation week included – and students 

do not need to make any special request to move in during this week. You will be 

notified of the details of your accommodation in an Accommodation Voucher that you 

will receive together with a Letter of Admission. Please contact the European Office 

if you need accommodation for a period that differs from your study period for good 

reasons: ivana.herglova@ruk.cuni.cz 

All Erasmus students of the Faculty of Arts are accommodated in Kolej Hostivař. 

address: Weilova 1128/2, 102 23 Praha 10 

e - mail: kolej.arealhostivar@kam.cuni.cz 

phone: +420 267 215 205 (reception) 

The exact price and period of your stay will be confirmed on the Accommodation 

Voucher. Students who wish to come earlier will have to find their own accommodation. 

Please note that if you decide to cancel your accommodation you will not be able 

to reapply for accommodation in Charles University Residence Halls. 

For the residence check-in you need your passport, the original of your Accommodation 

Voucher, and one photograph. Students who arrive after office hours will 

be housed for the night (the reception stays open non-stop) and registered on the 

following workday at the Accommodation Office. 

Rent is paid directly in cash (CZK) at the Accommodation Office/Reception at the 

appropriate residence. Credit cards are not accepted. Students make the first payment 

upon their arrival and must make subsequent monthly payments in advance, always at 

the latest on the 25 th of the preceding month. When checking-in, students are expected 

to pay for one month in advance plus a deposit of 1,800 CZK. If a student wishes to 

leave the accommodation earlier than is stated in the agreement, he or she will have to 

pay a penalty charge that will be deducted from the “advance” part of the payment. 

Private Accommodation 

It is not difficult to find private accommodation in Prague. For a three-room flat 

(two rooms and a kitchen) in Prague you will pay about 15,000 CZK. It can be twice 

as cheap if you live out of the centre. You can contact various rental agencies: for 

example, you may find it useful to visit the website of GTS International (www. 

gtsincoming.cz) where you can find accommodation in Prague and other Czech cities. 

The contact person in GTS is Yvetta Harčariková, phone: +420 257 187 132 . 

Other relevant sites are: 

Sreality – http://www.sreality.cz 

Expats.cz – http://realestate.expats.cz 

Centrum pronájmu – http://www.centrumpronajmu.cz 

Spolubydlící (roommate agency) – http://www.spolubydlici.cz 

Happy House Rentals – http://www.happyhouserentals.com 

Home Sweet Home – http://www.homesweethome.cz 

Your Reality Group – http://www.youreality.cz/eng/ 

Roommate agency – http://www.roommate.cz 

If you decide not to use the University accommodation we need you to inform 

us as soon as you have arranged your private accommodation. Send e-mail to 

ivana.herglova@ruk.cuni.cz 

36 37

student cafeterias in prague 

You can get lunch and dinner at any student cafeteria (“Menza”) of the Charles 

University. You can choose to have lunch at one cafeteria and dinner at another one – 

whatever suits you. Most of the cafeterias offer some vegetarian meals, but this is 

not guaranteed to happen daily. 

To get a meal, take your ID card and meal plan tickets (provided during registration) 

to the cafeteria with you and they will deal with it. The cafeteria in the Faculty 

of Law (which is the nearest to our faculty) uses a system of magnetic cards. This 

card costs 150 CZK but this fee is refundable at the time you return the card before 

your departure. Some of the cafeterias charge your meal from your ID card, that you 

can load with money. 

Menza Právnická 

Address: Náměstí Curieových 7 (at the Faculty of Law, the closest cafeteria to the 

main building of the Faculty of Arts) 

Menza Jednota 

Address: Opletalova 38 (at the top of Wenceslas Square, near the Main Railway station); 

this cafeteria also serves breakfast 

Menza Arnošta z Pardubic 

Address: Voršilská 1 (between the National Theatre and the metro station Národní 

třída); this cafeteria also serves breakfast 

Výdejna Jinonice 

Address: U Kříže 10 (another building of the Faculty of Arts, near the Jinonice metro 

station, where you can find the Institute of Political Science, Institute of Information 

Studies and Librarianship and others) 

Menza Hostivař 

Address: Weilova 1128 (in the location 

of the dormitory, where all the Erasmus 

students get their rooms) 

computer facilities 

During the Orientation Week you will be given username, password and rules for 

accessing the university network and the Internet. In the main building you may 

either use one of the computer terminals in the hallways, or there is a computer 

room located on the mezzanine between the ground and 1st floor which operates 

on working days from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. There also is a computer room in 

Hybernská street No 3 with opening hours every working day from 9:00 am to 8:00 

pm, and other computer rooms in Celetná street No 13, Jindřišská street No 27 and the 

Jinonice building. In the main building there is wireless Internet broadcast. In case of IT 

troubles you have to consult staff of the computer lab (Tel.: 221 619 348, 221 619 358, 

lvt@ff.cuni.cz), which is located on the ground floor of the main building. Walk towards 

a cafeteria right from the main staircase, turn right before entering it and use 

the narrow door leading to the courtyard. Cross the courtyard diagonally and enter 

the door to the computer lab. The staff does not speak english well, so we reccomend 

to ask your tutor or a fellow student for interpretation. 

38 39

library facilities 

The library system in Prague is quite specialized. There is not a single University library, 

but each Faculty operates its own departmental libraries. Students also have access to 

non-university libraries, such as the National Library in the Klementinum (close to the 

Faculty’s main building), the Municipal Library, the National Museum Library and the 

Academy of Science Library. Ask the departmental coordinator or your tutor from the 

Erasmus & Company club for information and assistance. 

The National Library 

The National Library (http://www.nkp.cz/_en/index.php3) in the Klementinum complex 

is located a three-minute walk from the main building of the Faculty of Arts towards 

the Charles Bridge. One of the entrances is situated on Mariánské náměstí square, 

another in Karlova and Křižovnická street. The National Library is one of the oldest 

public libraries in the Czech Republic with collections of a size far outranking 

any other library in the country. Historical collections are mostly of Czech and European 

origin. In addition the Slavonic Library constitutes a part of the National Library. 

It is a public research library, the largest such in Central Europe specializing in Slavonic 

studies. Besides original Slavonic literature, the documents are thematically oriented 

around professional Slavonic literature from all over the world and focus mainly on 

history, philosophy, linguistics, literary science, folklore studies, ethnology, political science, 

sociology, and art. 

Mon – Fri Sat 

Visitor Information and Library Shop 9:00 – 17:00 closed 

Main Hall 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Help and Information Desk 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Circulation Desk 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Catalogues 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Library Cards 9:00 – 19:00 14:00 – 19:00 

Photocopy Services 9:00 – 19:00 14:00 – 19:00 

Reference center 

Consultations 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Bibliographic & Research Services 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Union Catalogues 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Interlibrary Loan Services 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Internet access 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

Reading Room 9:00 – 19:00 9:00 – 19:00 

The Municipal Library of Prague (http://www.mlp.cz/english) of Prague is the universal 

public library. The library offers loans, materials for reference, newspapers and magazines, 

audio materials (CD, MC, LP), sheet music, drama, graphics and reproductions. 

In the automated libraries users also have access to electronic catalogues and other 

databases, multimedia information sources and the Internet. You will mainly need the 

Central Library, which is located 5 minutes from the main building of the Faculty of 

Arts, on Mariánské náměstí. 

Opening hours 

Monday Closed 

Tuesday 09:00 – 20:00 

Wednesday 09:00 – 20:00 

Thursday 09:00 – 20:00 

Friday 09:00 – 20:00 

Saturday 10:00 – 17:00 

Sunday Closed 

40 41 

The Municipal Library

The Masaryk Library of Social Sciences in Jinonice (http://knihovna.jinonice.cuni. 

cz/KSVENG-6.html) consists of two parts – the sublibrary with charging desk in 

the main building and study room placed over the street. The Charles University 

card is required to entering both parts of the library. The library users are required 

to put their coats and bags (the notebook bags as well) into the storage boxes 

before entering. The keys are borrowed by the librarians on the CU card or ISIC. 

When the key is not returned the same day it was borrowed, there are penalties 

according to the table of charges. 

Opening Hours 

Monday – Friday 8:30 – 19:00 

During examination period: 

Monday – Friday 8:30 – 20:30 

Saturday 9:00 – 18:00 

Study and Reference Centre and Faculty of Arts Library are situated in the 

Main building of Faculty of Arts and can be found on the ground floor, to the 

right of the main staircase (next to snack bar “U Platóna”). 

Study and Reference Centre provides: 

services concerning loans, information, 

reference and bibliography, open 

access basic reading materials and 

journals on three floors: 

RED – philology and literature; 

BLUE – philosophy, social sciences, art; 

GREEN – philology and literature; 

You can find three study rooms with wi-fi 

access, a PC study room, a group study room with audiovisual equipment, selfservice 

copiers with rechargeable copy cards, relaxation areas there. 

Opening Hours 

Monday – Friday 9.00 – 20.00 

Saturday – Sunday closed 

sports facilities and activities 

Student sports activities are organized on the Faculty level. The Department of Physical 

Training and Sports at the Faculty of Arts offers a wide range of sports, activities 

and courses, such as swimming, skiing, self-defence, tennis, basketball, volleyball, 

aerobics, gymnastics, cycling, softball, running, rowing, rafting, canoeing, windsurfing, 

hiking, yoga, and fitness. To find out what is offered and how to join, check the 

website: http://ktv.ff.cuni.cz, which is, unfortunately, only in Czech. 

You can also use public and University sports facilities (fitness centres, swimming 

pools, tennis courts, saunas, squash and golf centres) at the Sport Centre Hostivař 

(close to the dormitory Hostivař, Bruslařská street n. 1132 – bus station Gercenova). 

Individual sports are also offered: 

Swimming pool – open on Monday 20:00 – 21:30, Friday 18:00 – 21:00. The fee 

with the student discount (Book of Academic Records or ID card must be shown) 

is 55 CZK/hour. 

Tennis – open from May to September (outdoor) for 80 CZK/hour – reservation 

on 274 861 200, from October to April (main hall) for 480 CZK/hour – reservation on 

272 082 203 

The HUMANITA Sports Club caters to the training of the University’s sports teams in 

aerobics, cross-country skiing, volleyball, mountaineering, rafting, hiking and fencing. 

You can also visit the Sport Centre Evropská at the Faculty of Physical Education and 

Sport, which is located at José Martího street, No 31, Praha 6 (parallel to Evropská 

street). The Sport Centre offers squash, bowling, an artificial rock-climbing wall, workout 

room, solarium, aerobics, indoor cycling, sports shop, fitness bar, and massage. 

More information by telephone: 201 172 309, 201 172 310 or on the web site www. 

sportcentrumevropska.cz 

42 43

notes 

44

STAY IN PRAGUE 

ARRIVING IN PRAGUE.................................................................................47 

ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION 

OR WHEN YOU NEED SOME PRIVACY ....................................................48 

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CZECH MONEY ....................................49 

WILL MY LIFE SAVINGS BE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN PRAGUE? ..................50 

CALL YOUR MUM .......................................................................................51 

SEND GREETINGS TO YOUR GRANDMOTHER ........................................51 

INTERNET .....................................................................................................52 

HEALTH PROBLEMS? ..................................................................................52 

HELP, HELP I’M BEING ROBBED!...............................................................52 

TRAVEL AROUND PRAGUE AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC .......................53 

FREEZING OR SWEATING?? .......................................................................55 

IS BEER REALLY THE ONLY THING WE CARE ABOUT? ..........................55 

WE ARE NOT SO DIFFERENT, OR ARE WE?? ..........................................57 

LITTLE CZECH DICTIONARY (JAK SE MÁŠ?) .............................................58 

GIVE ME THE FOOD… ...............................................................................61 

STAY IN PRAGUE

Stay In Prague 

arriving in prague 

Every student that comes to Prague will have a tutor (a person who will take care 

of you after arriving and if agreed, he/she will also pick you up from the place you 

arrive), which should make your life much easier. In the case that you decide to prove 

your self-confidence, or arrive very early or very late (the time your tutor is either 

sleeping or having his 10 th beer), this is how you will find your way to the dormitory. 

All Erasmus students are staying at the same dormitory, Hostivař. 

Arriving by plane: there is a direct bus connection from the airport to the metro 

station. Just take the bus number 119 (do not forget to buy a ticket at the airport. 

The price of a ticket is 26 CZK and it is valid for 75 minutes in normal working days, 

90 minutes at night or weekends. Don't forget to valide the ticket upon entering 

the tram or subway). This bus will take you all the way to the “green” metro station 

Dejvická in approximately 30 minutes. This is the bus’ last stop (so do not 

worry that you will miss it). Here you change to the metro, and take it all the way 

to the last-but-one metro station, Skalka (the journey takes approx. 30 minutes). 

There you get off the metro and you can take bus number 154 or 271. In 7 to 12 

minutes you arrive at the station Nádraží Hostivař, which is where you are staying. 

The dormitory is a 5 minute walk from the station. At night it gets a little bit 

more complicated: even though night buses and trams run, the metro stops. When 

arriving at night, take bus number 510 from the airport to the Dejvická station. 

This bus runs only once an hour. From there you have to walk to the Hradčanská 

station (approx.15 minutes walk) and from there you take a night tram 57 (runs 

twice an hour) that will bring you all the way to the final station called Nádraží 

Hostivař, i.e. home. It is usually not recommended to take a cab, but in a case 

your suitcase is heavy, it might be a good idea. Just be careful about the price – 

you should not pay more than 600 CZK to drive all the way to the dormitory. 

Arriving by train: the main Railway station (Hlavní nádraží) is located on the 

red metro line. You can just take one stop from the railway station to the station 

47

Muzeum, where you change to the green line and the rest of the trip is the same as 

for arrival by plane. At night you might have to walk from the railway station all the 

way to the Národní Třída night tram stop and from there you take the 57 night tram. 

This tram will bring you straight to Nádraží Hostivař, i.e. home. 

Arriving by bus: the main Bus station is located at the metro station Florenc (yellow 

line). You should take the yellow line from the bus station to the Můstek metro 

station where you change to the green line and from there, again, the same directions 

apply as in arriving by plane. At night it is quite a lot of walking and transferring, so 

probably we would suggest a taxi. Our most recommended taxi services are Modrý 

Anděl (Blue Angel), tel.no.: 737 222 333 or AAA Taxi, tel.no: 14014, Speed Cars, tel. 

no.: 224 234 234 

alternative accommodation or when you need some privacy 

All Erasmus students stay at the same dormitory. This brings some advantages and 

some disadvantages. The advantage is that you can be sure that you will get to live 

under one roof with all the other students, which makes getting to know each other 

very easy. The disadvantages are the non-stop parties on the hallways and also the 

loss of privacy, as you always live in double rooms. After some time at the dorm, when 

they get tired of the parties, many students find a good friend or two and want to 

rent their own place, possibly close to the centre of the city. For those is intended the 

following section of the guide. 

Probably the best and also easiest way to manage finding a place is to check the 

info board at the Faculty of Arts building on a 1 st floor. That is where all the students 

(international as well as Czech) put their ads. The price is usually good and the location 

as well. 

If you don’t find anything suitable there, check a good website www.expats.cz 

where after login you will get to see tons of ads updated daily about flat-share and 

renting. With a little bit of knowledge of the Czech language you can visit the website 

www.byty.cz or another good one, www.sreality.cz. 

We recommend being very careful when renting, as we have had a case of some 

students who paid the deposit and 2 months´ rent and never actually got as much as 

a key from the house. The basic rule is that you should get an official document for 

everything you pay. There is also a lot of rental agencies, but you have to take into 

account the extra payment, at an amount of one month’s rent, for the service. The 

most recommended agency is Happy House Rentals 

(http://www.happyhouserentals.com/index1.php). 

welcome to the world of czech money 

The Czech currency is called the Czech Crown (koruna) and it is easily exchangeable 

everywhere. The coins come in the value of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and sometimes 50 CZK, 

the bills are in the value of 50 (the effort is to start using the 50 coins instead of a 50 

bill – so that people get used to the Euro coins, 50 CZK having the approx. value of 

2 Euro), 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and rarely you will get to use also the 5,000 bill. 

When exchanging money in Prague, never exchange on the street. There are various 

“cheaters”, who might offer you a good exchange rate, but will rip you off for sure. 

Also, it is not recommended to exchange money in the very centre of Prague due to 

the high (and thus not fair) exchange rate. If you want a good deal, look for exchange 

offices out of the centre and remember there are a lot of exchange offices where you 

don’t have to pay a commission fee. A lot of people use the Arabic exchange places. 

You can find them also in the centre (usually on a smaller street) and they usually sell 

Czech glass as well. 

It is also common for international students to open an account at one of the 

Czech banks. The most common is Česká Spořitelna, but the one we recommend is 

Živnostenská Banka, where after contacting your tutor you will be able to arrange a 

meeting with someone from the bank to help you out with the opening of an account. 

In case you do not have CZK and no Exchange is open, all the big supermarkets accept 

Euro as well, but they may not offer you a very good exchange rate. However, you 

won’t stay hungry and they will give you change back in CZK. 

48 49

will my life savings be enough to live in prague? 

The Czech Republic is still considered to be a cheap country for many people from 

western countries, but especially in Prague living is becoming more and more expensive 

all the time. Especially the centre of the city offers a huge variety of bars 

and restaurants, but you won’t notice too many Czech people around. It takes only 

a couple of minutes to walk from the centre to a place where the prices are much 

more “Czech” and the number of people having their meal and as always drinking beer 

increases. Here is a list of reference prices of some services and beverages in CZK and 

in EUR, the current exchange rate being 1 EUR = approx. 26 CZK. 

GOODS PRICE IN CZK PRICE IN EUR 

butter 25 0,93 

salami 20 0,74 

ham 18 0,67 

eidam cheese 17 0,63 

brie cheese 40 1,48 

bagel 4 0,15 

bread 25 0,93 

baguette 14 0,92 

10 eggs 26 0,96 

2 liters of Coke 32 1,1 

1 kilo of apples 30 1,30 

1 kilo oranges 35 1,30 

beer in supermarket 10 0,37 

beer in a czech bar 28 1,04 

beer in the center 40 1,48 

0,5 liter of Becherovka 170 6,30 

0,7 liter of czech wine 70 2,59 

music CD 400 14,81 

liquid soap – regular 90 3,33 

shampoo – regular 80 2,96 

Marlboro Cigarettes (20) 82 3,04 

call your mum 

You can make an international phone call from any phone booth, which you will 

find all over the city. It is usually better not to call directly, but to buy one of the 

charged phone cards from a kiosk so called “trafika” (a small shop selling newspapers, 

cigarettes, etc., that you will find almost everywhere in the city, as well as at every 

metro station). There are various kinds 

of phone cards available, so ask the shop 

assistant to help you choose the best one. 

There are also many Internet cafes that 

offer the possibility of international calls 

via the Internet. Almost all international 

students today have cell phones. There 

are 3 operators from whom you can 

buy a SIM card. Two of them (O2 and 

T-Mobile) might charge you an extra 50 

CZK for their pre-paid SIM card, so most 

of the students choose the third operator, 

Vodafone. The price of a SIM card is 

200 CZK with 200 CZK worth of calling 

time (for more information about prices 

check their web at http://www.vodafone. 

cz/en/). This operator has also the advantage 

of being able to send free SMS messages from internet (see also the operator’s 

website). The country code for the Czech Republic is +420, the area code for Prague 

is 2, so if you want to call for example the International Office, the whole number 

would be in a form of: +420 221 619 363. 

send greetings to your grandmother 

The best way of sending a postcard is just to buy a stamp at any kiosk. The price 

of a stamp is the same to every EU member country; for other countries you must 

inquire about the price. There are also many post offices in the city centre. One of 

them is close to the Faculty of Arts main building at Kaprova street 40/12, the other 

one, which stays open from 02:00 till 24:00, is at the very centre at Jindřišská street 

900/14 (by the Wenceslas Square). The post offices also offer fax service. 

50 51

internet 

There is Internet available in the Faculty buildings (see the section on facilities). If 

you need to use an Internet café (as the Faculty buildings are closed on weekends), 

you will have to pay for Internet use. Usually expect to pay something between 0,50 

to 1 CZK per minute. Many cafés also offer free connection of your notebook to the 

Internet. The wi-fi Internet connection covers almost all the centre and surrounded 

areas, so you can take your notebook to a park. To see the locations that offer this 

service and also the IP addresses and all other things needed visit the website of the 

City of Prague at: http://www.praha-mesto.cz/default.aspx?l=2. 

health problems? 

We sincerely hope that you all will just have a great time in Prague, but in case of 

sickness, please pay attention to this information. There are certainly many hospitals 

in Prague, but you may encounter some problems there – especially the language 

barrier. This is why we recommend that you contact your tutor to accompany you to 

the hospital. 

No Homolce Hospital (probably the best one): 

Nemocnice Na Homolce 

Roentgenova 2, 

150 30 Praha 5 

Tel: 257 271 111 

Unicare Praha 6, Na Dlouhém lánu 11, tel. 235 356 553 

Medicover klinika Praha 2, Tylovo náměstí 3, tel. 224 251 319 

Canadian Medical Care Praha 6, Veleslavínská 30, tel. 235 360 133 

American Medical Center Praha 7, Janovského 48, tel. 220 807 756 

General Health Care Corporation Praha 1, Krakovská 8, tel. 222 211 206 

Health Centre Prague Praha 1, Vodičkova 28, tel. 224 220 040 

help, help, i’m being robbed! 

Prague is a safe city, but it has a high rate of pick-pocketing. That is why we 

recommend you to take the highest level of vigilance to avoid being robbed. 

Always watch your bags, especially at 

busy tourist areas and at nightclubs. In 

case anything happens to you, again, 

contact your tutor who will help you out. 

Usually, if you choose to go to the police 

station, you must go to the one closest 

to the place where the incident happened. 

The problem with this is that the 

police officers may not speak English, or any other foreign language. For that reason 

there is a police station at the very centre of Prague, at Můstek. They are open 24/7 

and the receptionists speak foreign languages; as a minimum they certainly speak 

English. If needed, a translator can be called, but count on waiting for some hours, 

depending on how busy he/she might be. 

travel around prague and the czech republic 

After arriving in Prague the best way to 

get around is public transportation. There 

is the metro that runs almost everywhere 

and you will probably also use the trams 

and buses. There is no student fare for 

single tickets, but there is a cheaper ticket 

for 18 CZK for shorter distances (5 metro 

stops without changing or 20 minutes on 

a tram) and then a 26 CZK ticket that you 

can travel with for 75 minutes (90 minutes at weekends and after 20:00) and change 

as many times as you wish. The tickets are available in kiosks and machines. 

Most of you will probably buy a 3-month permanent pass. You can get it at several 

metro stations (we recommend the Můstek station) when you show your student ID 

card. The price is 720 CZK for a 3-month student pass (only if you are younger than 

26). For students older than 26 the price is doubled to 1,480 CZK. 

In case you lose your permanent ticket, you can get a duplicate copy without needing 

to buy a new one at the Municipal Transportation Centre. Their address is Na 

Bojišti 5 (near to the metro station I. P. Pavlova). 

The system of public transportation is considered very good, so you shouldn’t have 

a problem getting anywhere, even at night. Generally the night buses and trams run 

52 53

the whole night, every half an hour. The metro closes around midnight and starts 

running again at approximately 5:00 in the morning. During rush hour the metro runs 

every 2 minutes, trams and buses about every 10 minutes. 

When travelling without valid ticket (you must validate your one-way ticket when 

entering public transportation) you can get caught quite easily, especially in the centre 

where a lot of tourists travel without a ticket. The conductors wear regular clothes, 

so you will not know that they have entered the transportation. They will show you 

a small badge and ask you for a ticket. If you do not have one, either you must pay a 

fine of 950 CZK (which can be lowered to 700 CZK once paid right away) or they will 

ask you for ID and take down all of your personal info. If you cause trouble they will 

call the police, so it is recommended that you cooperate. In case you only just left your 

permanent ticket at home, do not pay anything, but tell them and you will have to 

bring the ticket to show to the Na Bojišti 5 address where you will pay a fine of only 

50 CZK. It is strongly recommended to watch your bag closely, especially in a full metro 

or tram where a lot of thieves use the rush-hours to empty your bags and pockets. 

There is a lot of places worth visiting around Prague. When travelling by bus, you 

will find all necessary information at the main bus station located at the metro station 

Florenc; when travelling by train, the main railway station is at the metro station 

Hlavní Nádraží. When you take a bus, always ask if you can get a student discount, 

which is usually possible, and may grant you up to 50% off. The trains don’t offer 

a student discount, but they have a good price on group tickets. To form a “group” 

there must be at least two people. Tell the cashier you want a group ticket. To learn 

more about discounts, visit the main bus or railway station. 

Main Railway Station in Prague 

freezing or sweating?? 

You are all aware of the global warming problem, which you will be able to experience 

in the Czech Republic as well. The cold winters are getting warmer and the 

warm summers are getting hotter. In winter the temperature very rarely falls below 

–15 centigrade and in Prague the snow never stays for a long time. In summer the 

temperature may rise to 30–35 degrees Celsius. Usually there is an autumn with a 

lot of rain, during which you find most Czechs in one of the many bars and cafes, 

drinking their mulled wine. 

is beer really the only thing we care about? 

The character of Czech people has been much discussed. Well, for us it is hard to 

say, but we rather like to see ourselves as the “beer philosophers,” an easy-going and 

generally happy crowd. For those of you who know Švejk (the supposedly traditional 

Czech character from a novel by Jaroslav Hašek) – well, we are just like him. 

We have asked some international students about how they see us and we hope 

that their answers will give you some idea of our temperament. (The authors of this 

booklet haven’t edited anything that was said.) 

“Some men are really exclusive here. Not handsome but they have a great sense of 

humour and charm. But they are vain and unreasonably self-satisfied. Women are 

much more different. They are self-confident and they know how to take advantage of 

their virtues. Sometimes I just have to stop on the street and watch a woman, as she 

disappears in the crowd. Czechs love to gather together having a glass of beer and 

discussing everything (politics, sport...). Family is a very important issue. If you get the 

opportunity to be a part of their world, it is a wonderful experience. Czechs love to 

enjoy their lives. They have a good sense of humour and love to smile. “ 

– a German 

“Every woman is called Sarka and has such long legs. In general most Czechs are good 

looking. But why do they have the tendency (especially men) to loose their appearance 

very soon? Maybe it is because of knedlo-zelo-vepro, beer and smoking. Czechs 

have an impeccable taste. Sometimes I would think that the worst insult the com- 

54 55

munists did on them was when they replaced the crown of the Czech symbol – lion – 

with a red Soviet star. What I really don’t like is the envy and greed.” 

– an American 

“The women are beautiful. But sometimes they are trying too hard to look the same as 

those models in magazines. Then I feel like I’m meeting “the same faces” all the time. 

Men don’t care a lot about themselves. However, the younger generation is changing 

this slowly. Czechs had a lot of famous writers, composers and scientists. They are 

intelligent. That is true about individuals, not about society as a whole. I like that 

they respect old and historical things. But when they buy new things, they don’t care 

about design and stuff like that. At first I thought that Czechs were cold, that they 

were worried about something. Today I think it is because of their reserve. At home 

or between their friends they act so differently, they are friendly and sincere. Inside 

their families they are bound tightly together and they help each other a lot more 

than in Japan. That is what I admire. And they talk with each other a lot, sometimes 

even too long.” 

– a Japanese 

“Slavonic women are beautiful; it is said that Polish women are the most beautiful 

in the world. I always recognize a Pole in the crowd but I’m not sure if I would 

recognize a Czech. Czechs are proud of their intellectuals. Especially their schools 

are pretty hard. I don’t think Czechs have good taste. However, there are big differences 

between the younger and older generation. Old people are too conservative; 

they were influenced by the communism more than they can accept. Young people 

are open to new things, you can see their joy that they have a choice. What is very 

typical for this nation is their discretion. They don’t solve problems right away, they sit 

down and talk about them or let the time to solve them. Most of my friends agree 

that Czechs are nicer than Poles – when they see a foreigner they either try to get 

money out of him or to help.” 

– a Pole 

“I think a lot of people here have a problem with their freedom. To understand it, to 

enjoy it. They are not used to it and they always look for some restrictions. They don’t 

want to be responsible for their lives, they need “someone” who will take care of them, 

who will tell them what to do. Most of the people have good taste, but not the rich 

people. They became rich too quickly and they don’t know how to spend their money. 

Czechs are reserved; they don’t like to say their opinion in the public. If they have 

a goal, they go for it. They love competition. What I really hate is their aggressive 

driving. They don’t have respect for each other. And one more thing, Czech men don’t 

know how to flirt - they take everything too seriously.” 

– an Austrian 

we are not so different, or are we?? 

Let’s call the Czech Republic a developed 

democratic country, a member of the EU 

and generally prospering quite well. Also 

let’s call it the heart of Europe (as we like 

to think of ourselves). But in every country 

there are some features of behaviour 

that are a bit different. Let’s see what 

those are in the Czech Republic. 

Shoulds And Shouldn’ts: 

– always make a seat available for an 

older person on public transportation. 

Also sometimes a person approaches 

you and shows you a special card. This 

card is the proof of some kind of his/ 

her disability and you should leave the 

seat to him/her. 

– always leave a small tip (how small or 

big depends on how the service was). 

The waiters and waitresses get a really 

low hourly wage and the tips are 

usually a part of their income. There 

is not really a set % rate you should 

leave as a tip. 

– when cheering with a beer, you must 

hit the glass on the table before taking 

a sip. This is not too common, but 

you will see a sign of appreciation in 

the eyes of your Czech co-drinkers. 

56 57

– there is a different form of Czech language used when talking with a friend and 

with an older person or a professor. Be aware of that – you do not want to look 

impolite. 

– watch your wallet – all the time. 

– especially for students from the south: when a Czech person says “let’s meet at 

17:00”, they really mean 17:00. Waiting for a long time is usually not common. 

Classes also generally start at the announced time, although there is a 15-minute 

period called ‘the academic quarter hour’, during which it is ok to be late. 

little czech dictionary (jak se máš?) 

Many people say that the Czech language is unpronounceable as a result of the ridiculous 

amount of consonants that it is possible to place together in a word (e.g. čtvrtek – 

Thursday, zmrzlina – ice-cream). What’s more, there are a few sounds that are very 

difficult to pronounce also for some Czechs themselves, e.g. the letter Ř, which is 

pronounced as something between the French R and a soft Z. 

Also you will notice many accents over the consonants or vocals. Generally the 

rule is that when you see a little line over a vocal, you have to pronounce it longer 

(e.g. káva – kaava). When there is a small tick over the letter, mostly consonants, they 

are pronounced just in a softer way than their equivalents without a tick. So don’t 

worry, a little bit of practice will make you a master. 

PHRASES IN ENGLISH PHRASES IN CZECH 

Hello. Ahoj/ Čau/ Nazdar 

Good morning. Dobré ráno 

Good evening. Dobrý večer 

Good day. Dobrý den 

Please. Prosím 

Thank you. Děkuji/ Díky (less formal) 

I am sorry. Promiňte/ Promiň (less formal) 

I don’t speak Czech. Nemluvím česky 

I am from….. Já jsem z…. 

Could I please get…. Mohl bych prosím dostat…. 

Do you have a menu in English? Máte jídelní lístek v angličtině? 

I will have one beer, please. Dám si jedno pivo, prosím. 

I would like to have a coffee. Dal bych si kávu. 

I would like to pay. Zaplatím. 

Can I pay with a card, please? Můžu platit kartou, prosím? 

Excuse me, please. Promiňte, prosím. 

Does this bus/tram/metro going to…. Jede tento autobus/tramvaj/metro na…. 

Where can I buy a ticket for…. Kde můžu koupit lístek na…. 

Could I get a student discount? Můžu dostat studentskou slevu? 

Where is the closest police station? Kde je nejbližší policejní stanice? 

Could you show me the way to…. Můžete mi ukázat cestu…. 

What time is it? Kolik je hodin? 

right vpravo 

left vlevo 

straight ahead rovně 

railway station (vlakové) nádraží 

bus station (autobusová) zastávka 

food jídlo 

drink pití 

cold studený 

warm teplý 

good dobrý 

bad špatný 

open otevřeno 

closed zavřeno 

58 59

Days of the week 

Monday Pondělí 

Tuesday Úterý 

Wednesday Středa 

Thursday Čtvrtek 

Friday Pátek 

Saturday Sobota 

Sunday Neděle 

Numbers 

one jedna 

two dvě 

three tři 

four čtyři 

five pět 

six šest 

seven sedm 

eight osm 

nine devět 

ten deset 

eleven jedenáct 

twelve dvanáct 

twenty dvacet 

thirty třicet 

forty čtyřicet 

fifty padesát 

sixty šedesát 

seventy sedmdesát 

eighty osmdesát 

ninety devadesát 

hundred sto 

thousand tisíc 

give me the food… 

Although Czech cuisine is not exactly a synonym for healthy cooking, everyone will 

probably find at least a couple of meals “to die for.” It may be the potato soup, the 

traditional roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut, the fruit - filled dumplings, or 

the apple strudel. Czech cooking and eating habits have been shifting in the general 

direction of a healthier lifestyle, but traditional Czech recipes are still extremely 

popular – and those tend to be high in calories, fat and sugar. Sauces and condiments 

are also popular. 

Soups 

A Czech meal often starts with a soup (polévka). Some popular Czech soups are: 

– potato soup (bramborová polévka or bramboračka) 

– garlic soup (česneková polévka or česnečka) 

– chicken noodle soup (kuřecí vývar s nudlemi) 

– beef soup with liver dumplings (hovězí vývar s játrovými knedlíčky) 

– sauerkraut soup (zelná polévka or zelňačka) 

– dill soup, made of sour milk (kulajda) 

The Main Course 

The main course (hlavní chod) usually consists of meat (maso) and a side dish (příloha). 

The most popular meats are chicken (kuřecí) and pork (vepřové), followed by beef 

(hovězí), usually served with some kind of sauce (omáčka). Fish is not very common 

although trout (pstruh) or cod (treska) are sometimes served. Salmon (losos) and 

seafood (plody moře) are served in more lavish restaurants. The mackerel (makrela) 

is a popular fish to grill over an open fire in the summer. Carp (kapr) is traditionally 

served on Christmas Eve. 

60 61 

Traditional Czech Dish called “Svíčková”

Side Dishes 

The most common Czech side dishes are: 

– boiled potatoes (vařené brambory) 

– roasted potatoes (opékané brambory) 

– mashed potatoes (bramborová kaše) 

– French fries (bramborové hranolky) 

– rice (rýže) 

– bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) or potato dumplings 

(bramborové knedlíky) with sauce (omáčka) 

– bread or potato dumplings with sauerkraut (zelí) 

– potato salad (bramborový salát) 

Desserts 

Desserts (moučníky) come in many varieties and tend to be heavy and fatty 

because butter (máslo) and whipped cream (šlehačka) are often used. 

Some popular desserts are: 

– crepes (palačinky) filled with jam (džem) 

or strawberries (jahody) and whipped cream 

– honey cake called Medovník 

– blueberry dumplings (borůvkové knedlíky) 

– apple strudel (jablečný závin) 

– ice cream sundae (zmrzlinový pohár) 

Beverages 

As far as drinks (nápoje) go, a Czech meal is often accompanied by the national 

beverage, beer (pivo). If you’re not in the mood for beer, you can have mineral 

water (minerálka), orange juice (pomerančový džus), apple juice (jablečný džus), or a 

soda (specify its name, i.e. Coke, Sprite, because soda in Czech means “soda water”). 

Czechs also like to drink tea (čaj) with sugar (cukr) and lemon (citrón), and coffee 

(káva) with or without milk (mléko) or cream (smetana). 

Specials 

If you wish to try something special, do not skip 

the soup of cows´ stomachs (dršťková), potato 

pancakes (bramboráky), fried cheese in breading 

(smažený sýr), molded cheese combined with 

tons of onion and pepper and chili in oil (nakládaný 

hermelín) or just simple toasted bread 

with a lot of garlic (topinka). 

Nakládaný hermelín 

62 63 

notes 

Traditional Beer Snack called “Utopenec”

notes 

64

LEISURE TIME 

FANCY A SVÍČKOVÁ? ..................................................................................67 

FANCY A NICE COLD BEER? ......................................................................69 

WE ALL LOVE SHOPPING ...........................................................................74 

PRAGUE IS A CITY FULL OF CULTURE ......................................................77 

SPORTS AND HOW TO STAY FIT ...............................................................84 

LEISURE TIME

Leisure Time 

fancy a svíčková? 

Many restaurants in Prague offer a lunch menu (polední menu), meaning they have 

special dishes for a special prize. If you go to a typical Czech restaurant, you will find 

this menu on a separate list of paper or at the first page of a menu booklet. This 

menu is usually offered from 11:00 till 14:00 (sometimes later on), but the later you 

come, the smaller the selection tends to be. It is recommended to go to eat a little 

bit outside of the centre as the price will be lower and sometimes even the food is 

of better quality (not to mention the huge portions and the typical “service included” 

policy). 

Also remember that the tip is not always necessary, but for good service it is expected. 

How much you should tip varies from place to place. In general, however, in a 

bar or a regular restaurant it is ok to just round the price (let’s say you should pay 83 

CZK, so if you leave 90 CZK that’s ok). It is common to say the total sum you wish to 

pay before you get your change back, and not to leave the tip on the table for the waiter 

to pick up. In more expensive restaurants the tip should be about 10 % of the bill. 

The following is just a list of some restaurants that are not too common; they 

might have something special or they will give you a touch of your home country. 

67

Name Address 

Akropolis .............................................................. Žižkov, Kubelíkova 27/Víta Nejedlého 

Biskupcova pivnice .............................................. Praha 3, Biskupcova 64 

Bruska .................................................................. Praha 6, Eliášova 7 

Česká hospoda .................................................... Letná, naproti Techn. muzeu 

Česká hospoda .................................................... Žižkov, Orebitská 

Demijon Bar ........................................................ Ve smečkách 16 (100m od Václaváku) 

Francouzská restaurace ....................................... Praha 1, Nám. Republiky 5 

Golden Eagle (U Zlat. orla) ................................ Malá Strana, Josefská 1 

Hospůdka U Gambáče ........................................ Vinohrady, Varšavská 24 

Hospůdka v Bráníku ............................................ Bráník, u nádraží 

Chateau ............................................................... Staré Město, Jakubská 2 

Chinese Restaurant Canton................................ Malá Strana, Saská 3 

Jamajka ................................................................ Smíchov, Staropramenná 23(u Anděla) 

James Joyce ......................................................... Praha 1, Liliová 10 

Kain .................................................................... Žižkov, Husitská 1 

Klub techniků ...................................................... Staré Město, Novotného lávka 5 

Klub U Tučků ....................................................... Smíchov, Holečkova 67 

Klub Újezd ........................................................... Smíchov, Újezd 

Konvikt ................................................................ Konviktská 22 

Koto Sushi ........................................................... Praha 1, Mostecká 20 

La Bastille ............................................................ Praha 1, Malá Strana pod lanov.z Petřína 

La Fabrique .......................................................... Staré Město, Uhelný trh 2 

Modrá terasa....................................................... Praha 1, Na můstku 9 

Na kovárně .......................................................... Holešovice, Partyzánská 5 

Na ovocném trhu ................................................ Ovocný Trh 368/17 

Na Palmovce ....................................................... Palmovka, Sokolovská, naproti poště 

Nad Viktorkou ..................................................... Žižkov, Bořivojova 

Pivrncova putyka ................................................. Praha 1, Maislova 3 

Pizzeria Einstein .................................................. Letná, Šmeralova 3 

Pod Petřínem ...................................................... Hellichova 

Pohádka ............................................................... Ve Smečkách 

Red Hot & Blues ................................................ Staré Město, Jakubská 12 

Reykjavík .............................................................. Staré Město, Karlova 20 

Smíchovský radniční sklípek ................................ Smíchov, nám. 14. října 4 

Steak-House ........................................................ Paraha 5, Zborovská 1200/6 

Šenk u krále Jiřího ............................................... Liliová ul. 

Taverna Toscana .................................................. Staré Město, Malé nám.11, Michalská 22 

Therapy restaurant .............................................. Praha 1, Školská 30 

U Betlémské kaple .............................................. Praha 1, Betlémské náměstí 2 

U Bílého lva......................................................... Smíchov, Na Bělidle 30 (u Anděla) 

U Brouka ............................................................. Praha 5, Vltavská 

U Buldoka ........................................................... Smíchov, Staropramenná 

U císaře Rudolfa ................................................. Praha 8, Na Šutce 

U černého koníčka .............................................. Myslíkova 26 

U dvou koček ...................................................... Uhelný trh 10 

U Džbánu ............................................................ Praha 6, Jenečská 

U Fleků ................................................................ Křemencova 11 

U Kláštera............................................................ Břevnov, Bělohorská 169 

U Magistra Kelly ................................................. Malá Strana, Jánský vršek 14 

U Malého Glena .................................................. Malá Strana, Karmelitská 23 

U Maltézských rytířů........................................... Malá Strana, Prokopská 10 

U Pinkasů ............................................................ Jungmanova ul. 

U Richtyků........................................................... Praha 1, Lodecká 9 

U starého lva ....................................................... Svornosti 32/Lidická 

U suchý dásně ..................................................... Trojická 11/1912 

U vystřeleného oka ............................................. Žižkov, U Božích Bojovníků 3 

U Zlaté trumpety ................................................ Staré Město, Ungelt - Týn 2/640 

U Zlatého tygra ................................................... Staré Město, Husova17 

Zdar .................................................................... Staré Město, Anenská 1 

fancy a nice cold beer? 

After you arrive in Prague you will see that drinking beer is more than a national sport 

in the Czech Republic. Students, the working class, homeless people – everyone sits 

in a bar, a terrace, a beer garden or just in the park having their refreshing bottle 

of Czech beer. 

This is probably also due to the fact that beer is the cheapest drink on the whole 

menu. Beer is something Czechs are really proud of and we are the country in which 

the most beer per person in the whole world is consumed. 

This is why you should never talk badly about Czech beer, because you might get 

into a long-lasting discussion about its qualities. Beer is one of the oldest drinks 

68 69

known to mankind. In Bohemia beer was always made from malt, hops and water 

and everyone who had the opportunity and the raw materials could brew it, i.e. the 

feudal lords and church dignitaries. Many royal towns were established in the 13 th 

century with various privileges, and one of the greatest was the right to brew beer. 

In the 14 th century, the brewing and malting trades were separated from each other 

and two different guilds were created. 

Czechs like to think that their beer is the best in the world, and those that don’t 

agree with them should come and taste it. Czech beer tends to be more full-bodied 

and bitter than foreign brews, and usually arouses the desire for more. There are 

many different types of beer. Apart from the famous brews such as Pilsner Urquell, 

Budvar and Staropramen, there are also many local brands each with their own specific 

taste. In the past, e.g. in the 18 th century, there were more than 1,200 brands; 

nowadays there are fifty. You can visit most of the breweries and taste their beer at 

the very source. There are also some restaurants in Prague with their own microbreweries, 

where you can follow the brewing process. Perhaps the most famous of these is 

U Fleků (Křemencova 9, Praha 1), which has been brewing beer since 1499. 

There is a useful website with a list of over 450 bars and pubs, unfortunately only 

in Czech. Visit http://www.ceske-hospudky.cz/search. php?t=hospudky and find your 

favourite place. 

In case you want to know more, here are some recommended bars (the favourite 

ones of the creators of this brochure). 

Hany Bany 

Veleslavínova 5, Praha 1-Staré Město, 

tel.: 222 327 602 

e-mail: cafe@hanybany.cz 

Café Indigo 

Platnéřská 89/11, Praha 1-Staré Město 

Konírna 

Anenská 11, Praha 1-Staré Město 

Krásný Ztráty 

Náprstkova 10, Praha 1 

tel.: 775 755 143 

Velryba 

Opatovická 24, Praha 1-Staré Město 

Týnská Literární kavárna 

Týnská 6, Praha 1 – Staré Město 

tel.:224 821 807 

Street cafe 

Praha 2 – Vinohrady, Blanická 28 

Út – Čt 16:00 – ??, Pá – So 19:00 – ??, 

Agave Azul – Mexican Bar 

Praha 7 – Letná, Kamenická 7 

Po – Pá 18 – ?? So – Ne 18 – ?? 

Atmosphere Café - Pub 

Praha 1, Smetanovo nábřeží 14 

Café 10:00 –24:00, Pub 12:00 – ? 

Balbínova poetická hospůdka 

Praha 2, Balbínova 6 

Po – Pá 12:00 – 24:00, So – Ne 18:00 – 24:00 

Bar B52 

Praha 2 – Vinohrady, Francouzská 52 

Baráčnická rychta 

Praha 1 – Malá Strana, Tržiště 23/555 

Po –Ne 12:00 –24:00 

Barracuda café – mexická restaurace 

Praha 10 – Vršovice, Krymská 2 

Po – Pá 11:30 – 23:30, So – Ne 17:00 – 23:30 

Biskupcova Pivnice 

Praha 3, Biskupcova 64 

Po – Pá 14:00 – 02:00, 

So 17:00 – 02.00, Ne 14:00 – 00:00 

Brouk 

Praha 5 – Smíchov, Vltavská 22 

Po – Ne 17:00 – 02:00 

Café Galerie Chiméra 

Praha 1 – Malá Strana, Lázeňská 6 

Po – Ne 14:00 – 03:00 

Club Saigon 

Praha 2 – Vinohrady, Třebízského 9a 

Po zavřeno, Út – Čt 17:00 – 01:00, 

Pá – So 18:00 – 02:00, Ne 18:00 – 24:00 

70 71 

Cross Klub 

Praha 7 – Holešovice, Argentinská 

Po – Ne 16 –?? 

Dejvická Sokolovna 

Praha 6 – Dejvice, Dejvická 2 

Po – Čt 10:30 – 23:00, Pá 10:30 – 24:00, 

So – Ne 11:30 – 23:00 

Duende 

Praha 1 – Staré město, 

Karoliny Světlé 277/30 

Po – Pá 13:00 – 01:00, 

So 15:00 – 1 :00 Ne 16:00 – 1 :00 

Elwood 

Praha 6, Čs. Armády 13 

Hells Bells 

Praha 5, Na bělidle 27 

Po – Ne 15:00 – 03:00 

Recommended heavy music bar with a 

good music, nice and interesting people 

and drawings on the walls that will 

inspire the devil-worshiper in you. 

Hospoda U starého lva 

Praha 5, Lidická 13 

Hospůdka u Gambáče 

Praha 2 – Vinohrady, 

Varšavská 1042/24 

Hospůdka U myslivce 

Praha 5, Holečkova 51 

Po –Ne 16:00 – 01:00

Hostinec U Suchý Dásně 

Praha 2 – Nové město, Trojická 11 

Po – Čt 12:00 – 02:00 Pá 12:00 – 03:00, 

So 16:00 – 0 3 :00 Ne 16:00 – 02:00 

Hostinec U Vrby 

Praha 6, Hládkov 6 

Hugo Z Hor, café, bar 

Praha 5, Vodní 17 

Po – Pá 9:00 – 22:00 So – Ne 16:00 – 22:00 

Jazz Cafe č.14 

Praha 1, Opatovická 14 

Po – Pá 10:00 – 23:00 

So – Ne 12:00 – 23:00 

Klub Exit 

Praha 5 – Smíchov, Erbenova 8 

Po – Ne 15:00 – 24:00 

Molly Malone’s Irish Pub 

Praha 1, U Obecního dvora 4 

Po – Čt 15:00 – 00:30 

Pá – Ne 15:00 – 02:00 

Na Hrádku 

Praha 6, Šlikova 15/402 

Na měsíci 

Praha 8 – Libeň, nám. Dr. V. Holého 7 

Po – Pá 14:00 – 23:00 

So – Ne 18:00 – 23:00 

Na Ovocném Trhu 

Praha 1, Ovocný trh 568/17 

Nad Viktorkou 

Praha 3 – Žižkov, Bořivojova 79 

Nirvána 

Praha 10, Na Spojce 8 

Po – Pá 11:00 – 23:00, 

So – Ne 12:00 – 23:00 

Pivnice Jamajka 

Praha 5 – Smíchov, Staropramenná 23 

Po –Ne 16:00 – 01:00 

Pivnice U Milosrdných 

Praha 1 – Staré město, 

U Milosrdných 12 

Po – Pá 10:00 – 23:00, 

So 10:00 – 2 2 :00 Ne zavřeno 

Restaurace Haštalský dědek 

Praha 1 – Josefov, Haštalská 20 

Restaurace JÁMA 

Praha 1, V Jámě 7 

Po – Ne 11:00 – 01:00 

Restaurace Tlustá Koala 

Praha 1 – Nové Město, Senovážná 8 

Po – Ne 12:00 – 01:00 

Restaurace U Pinkasů 

Praha 1, Jungmannovo nám. 16 

Po – Ne 09:00 – 04:00 

Sport bar Zlatá Hvězda 

Praha 1 – Nové Město, Ve Smečkách 12 

Po 11:00 – 24.00, Út – Čt 11:00 – 02:00, 

Pá 11:00 – 04:30, 

So 12:00 – 04:30, Ne 12:00 

U Kruhu 

Praha 1, Palackého 21 

Po – Ne 11:00 – 24:00 

U Magistra Kellyho 

Praha 1 – Malá Strana, Jánský vršek 14 

U Rady Vacátka 

Praha 7 – Letná, Milady Horákové 22 

Wenceslas Square 

72 73 

U vystřeleného oka 

Praha 3 – Žižkov, 

U Božích bojovníků 606/3 

Po – So 15:30 – 01:00 

U Zlatého Tygra 

Praha 1, Husova 17 

Po – Ne 15:00 – 23:00 

Žlutá pumpa 

Praha 2, Belgická 11 

Po – Ne 12:00 – 01:00 

And many, many more.

we all love shopping 

Shopping in Prague is an adventure and you can find good deals. Areas like Žižkov 

are full of second-hand shops where bargain hunters and antique collectors will find a 

gold mine of dusty Communist-era regalia, interesting used clothing and other odds 

and ends. Many visitors just want to stock up on cheap Asian imports at the outdoor 

markets. In addition, Prague has many quality high-end stores including recognizable 

international companies as well as world-famous designers. There’s something to suit 

everyone’s pocket! 

Wanna buy a gift? 

For something truly Czech look for handmade goods. The art of lace-making is 

still practiced today and lots of women in the villages continue to create beautiful, 

traditional patterns. Wooden toys like dolls and marionette puppets are good gift 

ideas. If you’re in Prague during the spring, look for hand painted eggs or braided 

birch switches used by boys to whip girls’ legs at Easter (a pagan fertility ritual). 

The Czech Republic has many garnet mines and the stones are used in making all 

kinds of jewellery. Garnets are usually a deep red colour but the ones from the Czech 

Republic are known to have a brighter pinkish tone. Another jewellery item easily found 

is amber. It ranges from a light golden colour to a deep brown and some of it is even 

green. Variations in the ‘stone’ caused by trapped plant matter - or even insects - add to 

the design. Both amber and garnets can be found in many shops throughout the city. 

Buying glass and crystal goes without saying: it is known all around the world that 

Czechs know how to blow and cut crystal better than anybody. Don’t worry about 

buying a chandelier because you don’t want to travel with it; almost all shops will 

gladly arrange shipping. 

If you visit beautiful Karlovy Vary make 

sure to pick up the large, round, layered wafer 

cookies (karlovarské oplatky). Also, look 

for the ceramic mugs with a built-in straw 

that doubles as a handle. They’re made for 

drinking from the hot springs but maybe 

you’ll want to use yours all the time. There 

are ceramic beer ‘steins’ of all shapes and 

sizes for sale in all the tourist shops, which 

beer drinkers at home may appreciate. 

Drinkable goods to bring home include Becherovka, the national herbal ‘medicine’; 

Slivovice – hard liquor made of plums; and the infamous liquorice-flavoured Absinth, 

banned in many other countries because of its apparently hallucinogenic and toxic 

ingredient: wormwood. 

If you need something unique for a friend who likes to cook, how about a 

good luck kitchen witch? Flying on a broomstick, she makes sure nothing in the 

kitchen burns. ‘Mole’ (Krteček) is an adorable Czech cartoon character for children – 

a t-shirt, book or furry backpack will delight the kids on your list. Art lovers will appreciate 

a box or deck of cards with motifs by Alfons Mucha – he was one of the most 

celebrated Czech painters ever and was very influential in starting the Art Nouveau 

movement. Ladies might like linden tree perfume – it’s the national Czech tree and 

smells fresh, green and flowery. 

Nesting dolls are beautiful and make great gifts for both children and adults; but 

they’re a Russian tradition, not Czech. And then there are all the typical tourist souvenirs – 

jumping spiders and ‘Communist’ regalia like furry hats and so on. For the most part 

these things are imported from China to be sold to tourists here. But if you like it, 

that’s all that matters! 

Don’t be hungry 

You have several options when it comes to daily things like food. Supermarket chains 

(e.g. Albert) can be found throughout Prague with more or less the same selection 

you would expect anywhere else. There are several popular flavours that show up in 

everything from tea to yogurt. A few of these are: apricot (‘meruňka’), blackcurrant 

(‘černý rybíz’), strawberry (‘jahoda’) and apple (‘jablko’). 

The outer areas of Prague are now home to ‘Hypermarkets’ such as Hypernova, 

InterSpar and Tesco, where locals do most of their personal food shopping. The prices 

are low and there is a better chance of finding imported foods. In the city centre you 

will find small shops that are crammed with goodies, some so small that the staff 

behind the counter have to get your things for you. This can be a little frustrating if 

you don’t speak Czech. 

The Czech Republic uses the metric system. In many of the shops you are required 

to use a shopping trolley or basket and the staff may complain if you don’t, as it can 

be considered bad manners. Also good to know: unless individually wrapped and 

priced, fruits and vegetables should be weighed, usually self-service, on the electronic 

scales provided. Look for them – you’ll see other shoppers bringing their things there. 

Push the button with the picture of the fruit you have, and out comes a label with 

74 75

the weight and price printed on it that you put on the item so they know how much 

to charge at the checkout. 

For fresh, cheap produce go to any of the open-air markets in Prague. The biggest 

one is the Pražská tržnice in Prague 7 near Vltavská metro station. Here you can find 

almost everything from apples to furniture and hardware to portable stereos and CDs. 

The prices are often a lot lower than in the shops, though the selection is limited. 

Outdoor markets are cheap and fun 

From little wooden stalls set up around 

the Old Town Square to sprawling 

markets with cheap imitation designer 

clothes you will find outdoor markets 

in various locations throughout the city. 

Some of them are very tourist-oriented, 

especially those in the centre, and may 

seem a bit tacky but it’s possible to find 

a good deal now and again. There are 

also markets that appear occasionally, most notably at Christmas, especially in the 

Old Town and Wenceslas Squares. They sell items such as souvenirs, seasonal food 

and drink and wooden toys. You will also find Christmas crèches with live animals and 

entertainment throughout the day. 

Havel’s Market, Havelská, Prague 1 

The most popular central Prague market is located on a short street that runs at right angle 

to Melantrichova Street, the main route connecting the Old Town and Wenceslas Squares. 

Pražská Tržnice, Prague 7 

Prague’s largest outdoor market. This is a vast network of kiosks with vendors selling 

an endless variety of consumer goods. Warehouse-size stores selling furniture and 

hardware are also found here. Produce prices are lower than in the shops but the 

selection is often more limited. 

Pankrác Tržnice, Prague 4 

This market has many outdoor stands offering some of the best seasonal produce available. 

Inside the large aluminium warehouse you can buy dry goods, household products 

and electronics. Located next to Pankrác metro station it’s also easy to find. 

prague is a city full of culture 

Prague has always been a cultural centre of Central and Eastern Europe and it is trying 

to keep up its good name. You will find many museums, galleries, theatres and 

also many concerts and festivals. Here is a list of some museums and galleries: 

MUZEUMS AND GALLERIES 

Kafka Museum, 

Address: Cihelná 2b 

Even if you haven’t read any of Franz 

Kafka’s novels or stories, the Kafka museum 

will throw you into the world of a 

man you may not know about, and will 

hopefully leave you wanting to get your 

own copy of The Trial or The Metamorphosis 

(conveniently sold in a number of 

languages in the museum’s gift shop). 

The interactive exhibition takes you 

chronologically through several displays 

dedicated to the writer’s works, and then 

several detailing the writer’s life (and 

inevitably the role played by Prague). 

A number of eerie videos really set 

Franz Kafka 

the Kafkaesque mood, so once you leave the museum you might just experience 

some of the tricks the city plays on the mind. Opening hours are daily 10 am – 6 pm, 

January–February daily from 11 am – 5 pm. 

Marionette Museum 

Marionette Museum, Address: U Karlova 12 

Puppets are very popular in Prague and indeed the city is the unofficial puppet capital 

of the world, due to the long tradition of puppetry here. There’s plenty in this museum 

to keep you entertained, not least actual puppet shows in the special theatre 

on the premises. 

76 77

National Museum 

National Museum, 

Address: Václavské náměstí 68 

At the top of Wenceslas Square, a statue of King Wenceslas guards the National 

Museum (Národní muzeum). Built in 1818, it is the oldest and largest museum in 

the Czech Republic, and undoubtedly the most well-known by the visitors to Prague. 

The museum is more geared towards natural science and history, and its permanent 

exhibitions include: prehistory of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, mineralogical, petrological, 

paleontological, and zoological collections (try saying that five times fast), 

an osteology collection, the cabinet of book culture, and an anthropology exhibit. Just 

don’t come on Tuesday, they are closed. 

Jewish Museum In Prague, 

Address: U staré školy 1 

Present at the establishment of the Jewish Museum in Prague in 1906 were the 

historians Dr. Hugo Lieben and Dr. Augustin Stein, the representatives of the Czech 

Jewish movement and later heads of the Prague Jewish Community. The original of 

the museum was to preserve valuable artefacts from the Prague synagogues that had 

been demolished during the reconstruction of the Jewish Town at the beginning of 

the 20 th century. The Museum was closed to the public after the Nazi occupation of 

Bohemia and Moravia on 15 March 1939. In 1942 the Nazis established the Central 

Jewish Museum, to which were shipped artefacts from all of the liquidated Jewish 

communities and synagogues of Bohemia and Moravia. Its founding was proposed by 

Dr. Stein himself, who, in co-operation with other specialist members of staff, sought 

to save the Jewish objects that were being confiscated by the Nazis. Following long 

negotiations, the Nazis approved the project to set up a central museum, albeit 

guided by different motives than those of the museum’s founders. Thanks to that 

deed, many valuable objects survived to these days. 

Alfons Mucha Museum, 

Address: Panská 7 

This is a real treat for art lovers, particularly 

those with an interest in art nouveau, 

but anyone who likes to look at nice 

pictures will have a great day here. The 

museum is all about the life and work of 

Alfons Mucha, the famous Czech painter 

who was the defining artist of the art 

nouveau movement in France, and who 

spent his last years in Prague decorating 

various buildings and landmarks in his 

unique style. Open daily from 10 am to 

6 pm, the museum holds over 100 exhibits, 

which include everything from decorative 

panels to pages from his sketchbook. 

Klementinum Gallery, 

Address: Klementinum 190 

Located at the Klementinum in the heart 

of the Old Town, the Klementinum Gallery 

is run by the National Library and 

most often features exhibitions by Czech 

artists. The beautiful halls of the gallery 

alone are worth checking out for their 

historical and artistic relevance. The entrance 

to the gallery is from Křižovnická 

Street, by the Charles Bridge. Be sure to 

check their website for a full listing of 

exhibitions, which change fairly often. 

Museum Of Communism, 

Address: Na Příkopě 10 

The Museum of Communism starts off 

humorously, especially if one first browses 

through their hilarious mock-communist 

78 79

postcards and posters. The exhibit goes 

on to show the aspects of daily life under 

communism, from propaganda at schools 

and work to empty shelves in stores, as 

the theme turns from idealistic dream 

to horrific reality. However, by far the 

most intense experience is watching the 

30-minute or so film near the end of the 

exhibition. The video presents clips from 

the Warsaw Pact invasion of 1968 and 

the Velvet Revolution of 1989. After half an hour of watching people of all ages and 

sexes brutally beaten by riot police on camera, suddenly your own life won’t seem so 

bad. Open Monday to Sunday, 8 am – 9 pm. 

Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures, 

Address: Betlémské náměstí 1 

In 1826 the Fingerhut family bought the old Prague building “U Halánků” with a brewery 

and distillery which, within a matter of years, their older son Vojtěch was to make 

famous literally throughout the whole world. In 1848, after the overthrow of revolution 

in Vienna and Prague, Vojta Náprstek (1826 – 1894) sought refuge from police persecution 

for ten years in the United States, where he gained a lot of experience. Upon his 

return to the country, he tried to use this knowledge to repay the Czech society. One 

of his most important activities was the construction of the private Czech Industrial 

Museum, which was supposed to help underdeveloped Czech manufacturing. Before 

long, the museum and library became the centre of the Czech intellectual scene, and, 

thanks to Náprstek’s contacts among Czechs living outside the country, was even celebrated 

abroad. Apart from exhibits on things technical, the museum also accumulated 

ethnographic and artistic artefacts, which Náprstek’s friends and travellers brought from 

all around the world. After his death the museum became ethnographic, and after 1946 

its bearing was orientated purely towards non-European cultures. 

Top Coins and Fine Art, 

Address: Klimentská 6 

Top Coins and Fine Art presents an introduction to Australian Aboriginal Art. The gallery 

features examples of the several different styles of Aboriginal Art with work by 

over 100 different artists from all over the “Top End” of Australia, with many works 

by artists of the Central Western Desert of the Northern Territory Arnhem Land and 

the Tiwi Islands. 

DOX Centre for Contemporary Art 

Address: Poupětova 1, Praha 7 http://www.doxprague.org/en/ 

Brand new modern art musem The DOX Centre was initiated in 2002 by Leoš Válka, 

along with several partners. The goal of this initiative is to serve the wider public by 

creating a living arts centre, becoming a platform for the exhibition of Czech and 

international contemporary art. 

Museum Kampa, 

Address: U sovových mlýnů 2 

While the earliest surviving records mentioning 

the existence of a flour-mill on 

Prague’s Kampa island on the Vltava dates 

from 1393, there is no doubt that the facility 

had actually been established much 

earlier than that: scholarly research has traced it as far back as the tenth century, established 

by members of the Convent of Benedictine Nuns at Saint George’s. During the 

Hussite Revolution the mill was destroyed, and the premises subsequently passed into 

the hands of the municipality of the Prague Old Town. In 1478, the city fathers handed 

the site over to Václav Sova of Liboslav, who built a house with a hammer-mill and a 

flourmill. The restored mill was named after its new owner, a name it has retained to 

this day (Sovovy mlýny). The old building now hosts a modern art gallery with a permanent 

collection of modern Central European art and many attractive exhibitions. 

Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art 

Address: Dukelských Hrdinů 47 

Kinský Palace 

Address: Staroměstské náměstí 12 

Museum of Decorative Arts 

Address: 17. listopadu 2 

The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague collects and preserves examples of historical 

and contemporary crafts, as well as applied arts and design. 

80 81

National Technical Museum, 

Address: Kostelní 42 

Predecessors of the National Technical Museum can be seen in the collecting activities 

of the Professional Engineering School (established in 1717), Prague Technical 

University (1806) and Czech Industrial Museum (1873). Some of their collections are 

now in this Museum. The National Technical Museum itself was established in 1908 

under the name Technical Museum of the Czech Kingdom with a modern program of 

documentation of principal development trends of technical progress, evaluation of 

their benefits to society, and preserving representative samples of this development 

for future generations. All these are the activities through which the National Technical 

Museum has been, since its founding, contributing to understanding the character 

and sense of modern civilization. The National Technical Museum was established 

with the initiative and funds of the Czech technical intelligentsia, in particular the 

team of professors at the Technical University. It was managed and funded by the 

Technical Museum Association, the members of which were well - known factories 

and banks. The Association was creating a wide membership base diversified into 

professional groups presided over by renowned Czech industry personalities. As early 

as 1910, the Association made the first collections accessible to the public (in the 

Schwarzenberg palace at Hradčany). Until 1935, it collected, through sophisticated 

financial policy, the funds for construction of a new (present) building that was realized 

in 1938 – 1942. However, the German Nazi authorities confiscated this building 

and the Museum found its refuge the unsuitable premises of the Prague Invalidovna. 

After the War, the Museum received back only a part of the whole building and 

only recently the National Technical Museum has been getting back the remaining 

premises that it had owned. In 1951, the Museum was nationalized and the institution 

received its present name. Subsequently, the Association was dissolved, linkages 

with industry were broken. The National Technical Museum became a museum and 

scientific institution with a nation - wide range of action. State subsidies have enabled 

the number of employees to rise and put money into new exhibitions. In the years 

before 1989, the Museum succeeded in increasing its importance as a research and 

editorial institution for the history of sciences and technology, as well as in presenting 

itself through successful foreign exhibitions. In this way, it increased the awareness of 

itself among many European countries. Today, the National Technical Museum holds 

the status of the central technical museum of the Czech Republic and as a scientific 

institution with the documentation, presentation, methodological, and information 

functions. The bases of its activities are the technical collections that have been created 

as the nation’s memory. 

What about a movie? 

There is a cinema in every shopping mall 

in Prague. Usually they are at a metro 

station i.e. Flora, Anděl, Zličín, Černý 

Most, Chodov. In these movie theatres 

you can (usually) see American productions 

in their original version with Czech 

subtitles, so it is a good plan for a lazy 

Sunday afternoon. 

There is a small independent movie 

theatre called Světozor (Vodičkova street), 

where you can take part in some smaller 

Febiofest 

movie festivals (usually showing the independent movies you will not get to see in a 

multiplex movie theatre) and the good news for all those who don’t speak Czech, they 

almost always have English subtitles. However, it’s recommended that you ask before 

you buy the ticket. 

During the month of April the biggest movie festival in the Czech Republic, the Febiofest, 

takes place. It lasts over 2 weeks and more than 200 movies are shown from all 

over the world. For the last two years it has taken place near the Anděl metro station at 

the Village Cinema Anděl. If you are here at that time, check the website: http://www. 

febiofest.cz/cz/. 

Other movie festivals are: Days of European film (http://www.eurofilmfest.cz/en/), or 

the Prague Short Film Festival (http://www.pragueshorts.com/about-festival/). 

For those who are interested in independent movies there is a popular little movie 

theatre called Aero (Biskupcova 31, website: http://www.kinoaero.cz) where you can 

take your beer or meal inside and enjoy it while watching Kieslowski, Pasolini, or 

Fellini. 

For those of you who decided to stay here over the summer as well, or have no 

other plan, there is a great movie festival organised annually in Uherské Hradiště – 

http://www.lfs.cz or to visit The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, which is the 

most important international film festival of Category A in Central and Eastern Europe 

and the only festival of Category A in the Czech Republic – http://www.kviff.com 

82 83

sports and how to stay fit 

For the majority of you who will be staying at the Hostivař dormitory, it is good news 

to find out that just one bus stop from the dorms there is the Charles University 

sport facility, where you can do many kinds of sport activities from aerobics to swimming.We 

have also asked several students to recommend some venues for the most 

common sports: 

Running 

Stromovka, in Bubeneč, Prague 6, is the 

absolutely favourite place to go jogging. 

It is the largest park in the city, most of it 

is not hilly, and it has a series of soft dirt 

trails that give the legs some relief from 

the cobblestones. The quickest route to 

the flat area of the park is through the 

Gothardská street entrance. You can either 

park on the street near this entrance 

or get off at the Hradčanská metro 

(green line) and walk or run the six blocks to the park. 

Letná is not as large as Stromovka, but it is also a flat, pretty place to run once you 

climb the hill beside the Vltava, and it is easy to get to from the city centre. 

Vinohrady is not an ideal place to run, but if you live in the area and want to go for 

a run close to home, try running on Vinohradská. This street’s inclines and declines are 

gradual, and if you start at Italská and head east, you can run for nearly two miles over 

only a few cobblestone sections. If you want to extend your run, turn into Olšanské 

cemetery to run on its tree-lined paths. 

Žižkov is another nice park to run in, but it’s difficult to reach. You can try half-running, 

half-walking from Náměstí Míru, but by the time you reach the flat area at the 

top of the hill you will probably be exhausted from the climb. Another easier option 

to reach the park is to take the tram 9, 10 or 16 to Biskupcova stop. 

Kunratice Forest, south of the city centre in Prague 4, is ideal for running: lots of 

paths (some dirt and some paved), slightly hilly, well shaded, and not too crowded 

even on a sunny weekend mid-afternoon. To get here you can take the red metro line 

to the Roztyly metro stop. 

Swimming 

As the sweet smell of chlorine hits your nostrils and you get ready to hit the waves, 

there are a few general things to remember about how the system works. Prague 

pools mostly charge by how long you plan to stay, usually in 60 or 90-minute blocks. 

Most pools assign you a locker, often with a key on a wristband you can wear in the 

water, and many have private changing rooms for those inclined to modesty. There’s 

also usually a ‘no shoes in the changing room’ policy, and many pools have a sort of 

‘no - man’s land’ near the entrance of the changing rooms where you remove the offending 

items and put them in plastic bags to take in with you. Also, make sure you 

check the opening times before you visit – a lot of pools close for the middle part of 

the day. Apart from that, most pools are pretty easy to negotiate. 

Here are some of the most popular swimming pools in Prague with their opening 

hours and entry fees. These might change according to winter or summer time, so 

please always double check before really waking up at 06:00 in the morning to have 

your morning swim. 

Aquapark Lagoon Letňany 

Tupolevova 665, Prague 18 

Bus 156 from metro C Holešovická, or bus number 159 from metro B Vysočanská, 

Open: 

Mon, We, Fri: 06:00 – 09:00 12:00 – 22:00 

Tue, Thu: 07:00 – 09:00 16:00 – 22:00 

Sat – Sun: 09:00 – 22:00 

Entry: Adults – 140 CZK/90min, Students 100 CZK/90 min 

This pool is a kid’s dream. Definitely geared towards recreation rather than sport, it 

makes up for being fairly small and a bit out of the way with an extremely large and 

fun water slide, which twists and loops an impressive number of times, much to the 

great enjoyment of children and adults alike. As well as the water slide, it’s got a spa 

pool, kids’ pool, and a 25-meter main pool. 

84 85

Psa Hloubětín 

Hloubětínská 80, Prague 9 

Trams 3 and 19, Metro B line to Hloubětín 

Open: 

Mon 06:00 – 08:00 12:30 – 16:00 21:00 – 23:00 

Tues, Thurs 06:00 – 08:00 12:30 – 16:00 18:00 – 23:00 

Wed 06:00 – 08:00 12:30 – 14:00 18:00 – 23:00 

Fri 06:00 – 08:00 12:30 – 15:00 18:00 – 23:00 

Sat 10:00 – 20:00 

Sun 08:00 – 18:00 

Entry: Adults – 70 CZK/60mins, 100 CZK/90mins, Kids - 30CZK/60mins, 50CZK/90mins 

This is a good, modern pool attached to a fitness complex. It has one 25-meter 

pool; a nice touch is the large number of leafy plants that line the walls, which lend an 

appealingly tropical atmosphere to one’s swimming experience. Also a plus is the café 

upstairs. 

Podolí 

Podolská 74, Prague 4 

Trams 3,16,17,21 

Open Daily 06:00 – 21:45 

Entry: Adults – 80 CZK/90mins, 100 CZK/120mins, Kids – 45 CZK/90mins, 

60 CZK/120mins 

For size, accessibility, facilities, and being able to swim outside in below freezing 

temperatures, Podolí can’t be beaten. It’s got a huge indoor pool that’s open all year 

round, as well as high diving boards, an outdoor waterslide set against a cliff-face, and 

an impressive selection of pool toys for those inclined to less adrenaline entertainment. 

One of the best features is the heated outdoor pool which is open all year round. 

Pražačka Krytý Bazén 

Za Žižkovskou 17, Prague 3 

Any pool whose entrance is through the adjoining pub is worth at least one visit. It’s 

old, a little run-down, and quite small, but it’s cheap, it has amazing views of Prague 

and very warm water. It’s only open from 6 – 8 am and 8 – 9:45 pm on weekdays, and 

12 – 6 pm and 10 – 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. 

Radlice (SK Motorlet) 

Výmolova 2a, Prague 5 

A big, very modern pool which holds national swim meets and has a strong emphasis 

on swimming lessons and schools – good for doing laps and very close to the metro. 

Sokol 

Polská street, Prague 2 

A standard 25 meter pool, with the very non-standard addition of a nude swimming 

night on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 in the evening. No bathing suits allowed! 

Hotel Pyramida – Bělohorská 24, Prague 6 – Although it’s quite small (11 x 7m), 

it’s still good for a gentle bit of exercise and a splash around. 

Hotel Axa – Na Poříčí 40, Prague 1 – It’s right in the centre of town, it’s great for 

laps, and it’s popular with locals and hotel patrons alike. 

Hotel Praha – Sušická 20, Prague 6 – This round pool is too small for laps, so visit 

this one to float about in your best swimsuit and relax. 

86 87

notes 

88

OTHER 

CHARLES UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL CLUB ........................................91 

OTHER USEFUL LINKS .................................................................................92 

CALENDAR ...................................................................................................94 

NOTES .........................................................................................................106 

OTHER

Charles University International Club 

International Club is a group of students of the Charles University who want to help the 

international students enjoy their time in Prague. 

We organize various social and cultural events for both international and Czech students, 

namely parties and trips/excursions around Prague and the Czech Republic, assist the 

faculties during the Orientation Week, and generally help international students to 

handle their stay in Prague. 

We have also launched Tandem Teaching Program. The international student teaches 

his/her own language and receives lessons of Czech in return from local student. 

Last but not least we would like to present 

you Czech culture in a very comfortable 

way – Erasmus Film Seminar. We watch 

a Czech film every week, of course with 

English subtitles. 

You can find more at our website: 

http://ic-cuni.cz/ and facebook under the 

name “Charles University International 

Club (IC CUNI)“. You can also contact us 

by e-mail: info@ic-cuni.cz 

91

other useful links 

http://www.seznam-brno.cz/cestovka/default.asp?stav=amba1 – list of all the 

embassies in Czech Republic. 

http://fincentrum.idnes.cz/kurz_listek.asp – currency list, updated every day. 

www.seznam.cz – probably the best search engine in the Czech Republic. 

Unfortunately most things are only in Czech. 

www.idos.cz – best website to find a train (vlak), bus or public transportation 

(MHD) connection. In Czech only but easy to manage. 

www.expats.cz – fine website full of information in English. 

Wanna rent a flat, find a job or buy/sell old furniture? 

www.bloguje.cz – the biggest Czech blog spot. 

http://erasmusclub.ff.cuni.cz/ – Erasmus club at the Faculty of Arts. 

http://www.svetpiva.cz/db_restaurace/ – List of bars and restaurants 

that serve the more unusual types of Czech beer. In Czech only but easy to manage. 

Addresses of the pubs always included. 

http://www.abcprague.com/ – News from Prague’s cultural life 

and all you need to know. In English. 

http://www.praguepost.com/ –Prague English newspaper. 

www.cuni.cz – The University website. 

www.ff.cuni.cz – The Faculty of Arts website. 

http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/sightseeing/ – some tips on what to see 

and where to go in Prague and the Czech Republic. 

http://www.zoopraha.cz/english/ – pages of the Prague ZOO – definitely 

worth visiting. 

http://www.play.cz/ – listen to any of the Czech radios on-line. 

http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/vysilani/ – watch Czech TV on-line. There is also the 

archive of all their production available for free. 

http://www.studentagency.cz/ – travel cheap and with student discounts. 

http://www.gtsint.cz/ – travel for cheap and with student discounts. 

http://www.mlp.cz/index.php – website of the Prague city library. Unfortunately 

only in Czech language. 

http://www.nkp.cz/_en/index.php3 – Czech National Library website. 

http://www.filmcenter.cz/ – all about new and old Czech films and festivals where 

you can see them. 

http://mp3.hudebni-scena.cz/mp3-zdarma/ceske-mp3-pisnicky/ – a good link where 

you can download for free Czech music by known and yet unknown artists. 

http://www.funonline.cz/ – see what is going on in Prague. List of all the concerts, 

clubs, museums and other useful info. 

http://www.t-shock.cz/?page=flash – create your own t-shirt as a memory or gift. 

notes 

92 93

94 95 

october 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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31 

september 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

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7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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23 

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25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30

96 97 

december 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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november 

1 

2 

3 

4 

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7 

8 

9 

10 

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12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

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30

98 99 

february 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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23 

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26 

27 

28 

january 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31

100 101 

april 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

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17 

18 

19 

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march 

1 

2 

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11 

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14 

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16 

17 

18 

19 

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26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31

102 103 

june 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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may 

1 

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11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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29 

30 

31

104 105 

august 

1 

2 

3 

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5 

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7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

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17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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31 

july 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

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16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

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31

notes 

notes 

106 107

notes 

notes 

108 109

notes 

notes 

110 111

notes 

112

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