The land of beautiful women and delicious beer, Czech Republic is the epitome of what a stag do abroad should be!
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain and its inception as a country in 1993, the Czechs have bridged the gap between West and East. Located smack dab in the middle of Europe, this landlocked, easy to reach, paradise is quickly becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations on the continental.
Below is a quick and easy guide to surviving this city with the lads!
Getting there:
By far the easiest and cheapest way to arrive is by plane. Doing a quick search on Skyscanner will give you endless travel options from all over the UK. The airport is around 18 km northwest of the city center. With a stag group, private transport is the best option, it is cheap, and saves you from having to transfer a big group of rowdy lads from bus to train midway through the journey.
Where to Stay:
They say there are more hotels in the center of Prague than there are streets, so when planning your accommodation there is no lack of choices. That being said, too many options can be overwhelming, and finding the best option can be like finding a needle in a haystack. To narrow down your options try aiming for either the Stare Mesto (Old Town), or the Nove Mesto (New Town). Both neighborhoods are known for their abundance of bars, restaurants, and of course Prague’s famous gentleman’s clubs.
Transport:
Your most important form of transport this weekend is going to be your own two feet, so pack a comfy pair of runners. The city may look big on a map, but the areas you need to cover are clustered together and easily accessible by wandering the center. Taxis are notorious for ripping off tourists in Prague, so it is best to call ahead, as opposed to flagging one on the street. AAA Radio Taxi is a registered and reliable Czech company, and English speaking operators are available any time, day or night, at +420 222 333 222. If you must flag a taxi on the street, be sure the cars roof lamp is a permanent installation, and it says TAXI in big black letters on each side. If the taxi looks sketchy, wait for the next one! It is best to negotiate your price with the driver before ever even entering the car.
Money, Money, Money!
Czechs use the Koruna, or the Crown in English, and Great Britain Pounds, and Euros, will only work on the rare occasion, but as you can imagine the exchange rate will not exactly be in your favour. The city is littered with currency exchange shops, but like the city’s casinos, the house always wins! It is a good idea to take money out of an ATM on arrival, this will provide you with the fairest possible exchange rate. The exchange rate is big, and £100 will convert to more than 3500 Czech Crowns. If you are wandering the city with a big wad of cash, best to keep this in your front pocket, as the city’s pickpockets are experts at relieving tourists of their wallets.
Activities:
There are a number of different activities in Prague, ranging from adrenaline pumping, to extreme relaxation. Prague is most famous around Europe for its shooting activities, and their relaxed laws on firearms allow you to try firing off guns you would never have the chance to back home. Kalashnikov shooting is the most famous of these activities, and firing off a machine gun on a stag do is a memory none of you will soon forget. Pissup is the original Prague stag company, and they offer a wide range of these activities. They also offer activities based around convenience, such as limo and private bus transfers from the airport and within the city.
Language:
Czech is an unbelievably difficult language, but thankfully the younger generations have saved us the hassle and learned English! That being said, it never hurts to learn a few phrases before you leave, and stumbling over some Czech words in the nightclub is sure to garner a smile from those gorgeous locals…
Starting Easy:
Whiskey – Whiskey (VEES-kee)
Rum – Rum (ruhm)
Beer – Pivo (PIH-voh)
Little Harder!
Another round, please – Ješt? jednou, prosím. (YEHSH-tyeh YEHD-now, PROH-seem)
Cheers! – Na zdraví! (nah ZDRAH-vee!)
Do you speak English? – Mluvíte anglicky? (MLOO-vee-teh AHN-glihts-kih?)
Expert Level!
Do you have a boyfriend? – Máš p?ítele? (MA-sh PAH-rzhee-TEL-ee)
Will you marry me? – Vezmeš si m?? (VEZ-meh-SH SEE MEH-yeh)
That short and sweet guide to Prague should help lay the groundwork for a legendary stag weekend. There is a reason that Prague has, for more than a decade, set the gold standard of what a stag party should be. So saddle up, prep the liver, and ‘Go East, young man’!
