General Travel News from Prague

Prague's Charles Bridge Suffers from its Unprofessional Renovation

In 2002, record-setting floods turned the Vltava River — which cuts through the center of the Czech capital — into a rampaging watercourse. It nearly destroyed the blackened stone bridge that is the country's most recognizable landmark.

But shoring up the 650-year-old span is provoking a storm of protest from preservationists who charge that shoddy workmanship is making the statue-laden bridge more susceptible to damage or collapse. Petr Sefl, a member of the Association for the Protection and Development of the Cultural Heritage of the Czech Republic, is among the critics.

“The Charles Bridge is the most important historical heritage monument in the Czech country and must be cared for for future generations with maximal respect of the authenticity,” Sefl said. “There are two problems. One is aesthetic and one is technical.” The bridge's sandstone construction makes erosion a constant threat. But many here, including officials at the Czech Ministry of Culture, say too many old stones have been replaced and a failure to adhere to the original joints is altering the World Heritage site's appearance and potentially weakening it structurally.

Apartments near Charles Bridge in Prague

Jan Knezinek, director of the Heritage Fund Department for the city of Prague, which is responsible for maintenance of the city's treasure trove of historic sites, says a botched renovation carried out during the 1970s by the country's Communist overseers is compounding the problem. "The second [current] part of the renovation had provoked controversy because the public could see visible changes," he said. "The third phase consists of evaluating the more than 50,000 stones that comprise the bridge, which will take 15 to 20 years."

It's a mere blip in the life span of the nearly 1,700-foot-long Gothic structure. Construction on the Charles Bridge began in 1357 and was completed more than 40 years later, early in the 15th century. The work began under the auspices of King Charles IV, though he did not live to see its completion, dying in 1378. For centuries it was simply called the Stone Bridge, taking on the moniker Charles 140 years ago. Its sweeping arches were an engineering marvel at the time. Using some 50,000 Bohemian sandstones, the bridge joined Prague’s Starometska (Old Town) with Malostrana (Small Town).

The 30 or so Baroque statues which adorn the balustrade of the bridge did not come along until the turn of the 17th century. Over the course of its 600-year history, the bridge has borne witness to at least one epic military battle, public executions and a series of devastating floods.

Today the bridge hums with the presence of painters, photographers, musicians and tourists. Sefl and others said that renovations should maintain the bridge's historical integrity. As he walks over the bridge he points to cracks in the fresh masonry and dollops of concrete where there should be repaired stonework as proof of the shoddy — cost-saving — workmanship

Charles Bridge Hotels in Prague

A regional commission agreed, fining the city of Prague, which is responsible for maintaining the bridge and contracting out the renovation work, the equivalent of $200,000. “The bridge needs to be elastic because there is tension,” Sefl said. “Winter, water, cold and ice — in a few years the Charles Bridge could be destroyed by a catastrophe.”

Indeed, it appears that the only thing the critics do not agree on is who to blame. The city and the state historical institute both have come under fire for failed oversight, while the contractor is faulted by turn for its failure to properly finish the work. Pavel Kamenik, a spokesman for SMP, the contractor, said his company was not to blame for perceived shortcomings in the $10-million renovation.

“We had instructions confirmed by the historical preservationist’s office,” he wrote in an email. “Civil engineers, architects, historical preservationists and other experts were cooperating on the project from the very beginning.” Kamenik (a name that is, ironically, Czech for “stonemason”) said SMP followed instructions given to them “by the team of experts," that included representatives from Faculty of Science, historical preservationists and representatives from the city of Prague.

“We discovered that it was very well insulated and that there was no water getting in,” said Knezinek, the head of the city's preservation department. “So we are very satisfied with the first part of the work they did and that is all I have to say to it." After a brief pause, he added: "We're not so far very satisfied with the masonry work and exchanging [replacing] the stone blocks.”

The Number of Tourists is Rising in Prague

The number of foreign tourists coming to the Czech Republic has started to grow again, with the biggest growth seen by Russians (+14 percent) in the first half of this year, the CzechTourism agency said. The positive trend of a moderate growth in incoming tourism, started in the first quarter of this year, thus continues, the agency added. The Czech Statistical Office (CSU) informed yesterday that 2.8 million foreign tourists visited the Czech Republic in the first six months of this year, 3.7 percent more than a year earlier.

Out of the ten countries whose people are visiting the Czech Republic the most, six had a several-precent growth. The rankings of the top five countries remains unchanged. Germany tops the list with 622,036 tourists visiting the Czech Republic in H1, up 0.4 percent year-on-year

Russia placed second with 183,000 tourists.
"The Russian economy is slowly rebounding from the bottom, the ruble has lately been stable, has even firmed slightly. Thanks to this situation, Russian middle class is beginning to travel again. They are visiting not only spas but are also making sightseeing tours," said CzechTourism CEO Rostislav Vondruska. Poland came next with 170,623 tourists, up 1.9 percent yr/yr. Then came Great Britain with 164,757 tourists (+4.7 percent) and Italy with 157,771 tourist (-11.6 percent).

Czech regions also registered a moderate increase in incoming tourism. Prague was the most popular, as usual, trailed by the Karlovarsky and Jihomoravsky regions. The Moravskoslezsky region registered the biggest fall (-8.9 percent). Foreigners stayed nearly four days in the Czech Republic on average in the first half of this year. Russians stayed the longest (6.2 days on average), followed by Germans (4.5 days) and the Dutch (4.2 days).

After sharp falls in foreign tourist arrivals in the Czech hospitality sector in the early part of 2009, there has been a continuing improving trend in recent quarters. Although foreign guest arrivals declined by 8.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) in 2009, compared with a 2.6% fall in domestic tourism, the rate of decline in foreign arrivals narrowed to -3.5% y-o-y in Q409.

Data for Q110 show a turnaround in foreign tourism, with a nearly 3% y-o-y increase in the number of foreign guests, although domestic guest numbers fell compared with Q109.

Hospitality
In 2009, total overnight stays by foreign and domestic tourists were down by 6% y-o-y, with foreign and domestic tourist nights declining by 10.5% and 1.3% y-o-y respectively. In Q110, the hospitality sector recorded a rather weak performance, although non-resident tourism showed promising signs of improvement. Total foreign and domestic tourist overnight stays amounted to about 6.9mn in Q110, down just over 1% y-o-y. Of these overnight stays, foreign tourist nights edged up by 0.5% y-o-y but nights by domestic residents declined by nearly 3% y-o-y. Total guest numbers rose by 0.5% y-o-y to over 2.2mn at all accommodation establishments, driven by positive growth in the number of foreign guests, while domestic guest numbers fell y-o-y.

Prague Apartments and Prague Hotels

Although foreign tourist spa nights also showed signs of an improving trend, they were still down by 3% y-o-y in Q110. In terms of the Czech Republic's key source markets, the number of guests from Germany, Italy and the UK all declined y-o-y, although arrivals from Germany fell only slightly. The number of visitors from Russia and Poland increased by 4.5% and 1% y-o-y respectively.

Forecast Scenario
Our growth forecast of 2% y-o-y for foreign tourist arrivals in 2010 remains unchanged. BMI estimates that there was a 9% y-o-y fall in arrivals in 2009. We anticipate a slight acceleration in growth in 2011 to 4%. This forecast scenario is partly based on economic recovery in the Czech Republic's main source markets. These include the eurozone, where growth is forecast at 1.0% and 1.4% - downgraded from 1.6% - in 2010 and 2011 respectively; the UK; the US and Russia, with the latter two forecast to achieve relatively strong economic growth over the same period. A factor likely to restrict growth in arrivals over the next few years is the exchange rate, with the Koruna expected to resume its broad uptrend, particularly against the euro. We hold to our view that the koruna will appreciate to CZK24.500/EUR by the end of 2010.

Czech Airlines
Domestic carrier Czech Airlines (CSA) recorded a considerable loss of CZK3.7bn (US$198mn) in 2009, with a 3% y-o-y fall in passenger numbers to 5.46mn. The company has a three-year recovery plan approved by the government, with the aim to cut the loss by CZK600mn in 2010. Two of the points in the plan are further sales of assets and the separation of more activities into subsidiaries. CSA reported a recovery in scheduled passenger numbers in the first five months of 2010, with traffic increasing by 4.4% y-o-y. Press reports also indicate improved y-o-y financial results for Q110.

Prague Ruzyne Airport
Following a decline of nearly 8% y-o-y in total passenger traffic at Prague Ruzyne Airport in 2009, including an equivalent fall in international passenger numbers, there are tentative signs of recovery at the airport. Data for period January-May 2010 show a 0.1% y-o-y increase in total passenger traffic to 4mn. Although international traffic was up by 0.4% y-o-y to just under 4mn, domestic passenger numbers continued to fall, declining by 19% y-o-y.

 Prague Step by Step

The tour of Prague starts in the New Town founded in 1348 by the famous emperor of the country, Charles IV, with large open spaces and broad thoroughfares in mind. We visit the St. Wenceslas Square named after the patron saint of the city, represented here with an equestrian statue. St. Wenceslas Square saw a great deal of history over the centuries as the Czechs tried to free themselves from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 and again in 1969 when a student set himself on fire during the Soviet invasion. More recently, Václav Havel and Alexander Dubcek addressed the huge crowds gathered here during the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Also worth visiting are the City of Prague Museum, the Museum of Communism and another landmark, the memorable National Museum.

Prague New Town Apartments

Another impressive landmark that stops one in his tracks is the Dancing Building built by architects Vlado Milunic and Frank O. Gehry in 1996. It is named after a famous dancing pair, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, because of its curved lines that come to a narrow waist and are pressed against a straight building.

Prague Apartments in the Old Town

The Old Town dates from the 10th century and is the home of the beautiful National Library, Palace of the Artists and Czech Symphonic Orchestra. Lesser Town is where the Houses of Parliament and all the embassies are. A sight to behold and spend several hours visiting is the colossal Prague Castle, visible from anywhere in Prague and one of the biggest castles in Europe. This is the most visited site in Prague with several courtyards and St. Vitus Cathedral at its center. Construction began on the Prague Castle in the 9th century and continued the 12th, 18th and 20th centuries, which may account for its imposing size. The castle has always been the seat of the Czech rulers and is still the official residence of the president. Giant statues of battling titans are on each side of the Main Gate in the First Courtyard. There is a changing of the guard every hour on the hour and at noon this is carried out with an exchange of banners and a brass band.

After passing through the Matthias Gate, one enters the second courtyard with the Chapel of Holy Cross, the impressive Spanish Hall and the Rudolph Gallery. What used to be horse stables have been turned into the Prague Castle Gallery with exhibits of 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century art. The Second Courtyard leads to the Powder Bridge and Stag Moat and the Royal Gardens. The Ball-Game House, Summer Palace and the former Riding School are all used for exhibits of modern art.

Prague Apartments near Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral was started in 1346 by Emperor Charles IV and it took 600 years to complete it. It was finished at the beginning of the 20th century. Owned by the state, the back part is the medieval section and front part is the modern built mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries. Beautiful stained-glass windows have been created by well-known Czech artists. The Great Tower has 297 heart-pounding steps to the top for the brave soul who is rewarded with panoramic views of the city. The Royal Mausoleum and the Royal Crypt have the graves of all the rulers including Charles IV and Rudolf II. The most beautiful chapel is that of St. Wenceslas. The Crown Jewels and valuable artifacts about Prague’s history are kept in the vaults of the Cathedral.

The Third Courtyard has a statue of St. George killing the dragon and a red church from the 10th century dedicated to St. George is now used as a concert hall.

The Golden Gate with the mosaic of the Last Judgment above is one of the highlights of the Castle visit. The Old Royal Palace dating from the 12th century and used by royalty houses the exquisite Vladislav Hall and the Bohemian Chancellery.

Following our tour, we walk downhill to the Vltava River and take an hour boat ride from the bottom of the Prague Castle to get a different perspective of Prague and see some of the city’s 22 bridges from the river, the most famous of which is the elegant Charles Bridge constructed in 1357, connecting the Little Quarter to the Old Town. Commissioned by Emperor Charles IV and built by Peter Parler, it has 30 18th-century statues and is a favorite stop of visitors for grand views of the city. The Franz Kafka Museum is nearby with the writer’s collection of letters, diaries and first editions of his works on display. Although he wrote in German, Kafka lived most of his life near the Old Town Square of Prague.

The centerpiece of the Old Town is the Old Town Square, Prague’s main public square since the 10th century. Located on the eastern bank of the Vltava River, Old Town Square is the place for outdoor concerts and when we were in town, Hyundai was sponsoring rock and pop-music concerts with the latest models of their cars on display. The original Old Town Hall is another major attraction and has the famed astronomical clocks with the upper circle of the 12 zodiac signs showing what time it is and the lower circle showing 12 months of the year. Across the square is the monumental Cathedral of Our Lady of Tyn from the 14th century. The colossal Jan Hus Monument is also here. Jan Hus became the symbol of the nation after he was burned as a heretic for views similar to Martin Luther’s. From the Old Town Square branch out many alleys and narrow streets full of shops, galleries, and museums.

Before our tour concludes, our guide also talks about Prague’s musical past. Most notably, Mozart visited Prague quite often to perform his compositions to appreciative audiences and spent considerable time there staying with friends the Duseks. It was at their home, Villa Bertramka, that he finished his opera Don Giovanni. It is believed that Josefina Dusek locked Mozart in a room so he could finish an aria for her — “Bella Mia Fiamma,” one of his masterpieces. Czech composer Smetana brought folk music along with the national aspirations of the Czech people into orchestral music, and Dvorák admired Smetana and similarly incorporated folk melodies into his music.

Headquarters during our visit was the elegant boutique hotel Grand Hotel Bohemia, ideally located in the center of Old Town, close to the Powder Tower at the beginning of the so-called Kings Way, and within easy walking distance to all the attractions of Prague.

The Renaissance of Vltava River in Prague

A flat on the Vltava is surely a common daydream for visitors to the Czech capital who walk across the Charles Bridge, with its incomparable vista of Prague Castle. Toward the end of the 19th century imposing buildings went up along the embankments to house the city's wealthier citizens, followed shortly by a flowering of art nouveau apartment houses.

But in the early 20th century, residential development along the river gave way to industry. In 1918, about 70 percent of the Austro-Hungarian empire's industry was in the Czech regions, which had become a factory for textiles, glass, shoes, sugar, and porcelain. In the 1920s, Czechoslovakia had the 10th highest industrial output per capita in the world.

In addition, looming war clouds helped gin up arms production and mechanical engineering. "By World War II, numerous industrial buildings had appeared on the banks of the Vltava," said Pavel Benes, an architect in the city's planning office.

After World War II, industrial output skyrocketed. Many factories, with their attendant pollution, were located by rivers, including the Vltava.

"The Holesovice and Liben ports [downstream from central Prague] were especially important. They used the river as the Transport path to Germany and other countries," Benes said.

But as the communists gave way to the Velvet Revolution, so, too, did heavy industry give way to light industry and, increasingly, jobs in the service sector.

"The CKD [state engineering company] exported its large, heavy products such as cranes, locomotives, and trams on ships on the Vltava for decades. These days, boats aren't used as much for transportation, and the industry structure has transformed from heavy to lighter branches of industry. Thus, most companies like CKD cut production or went bankrupt," Benes said.

But that past emphasis on heavy industry left a legacy of contaminated rivers.

Jan Valek, laboratory director at the Prague office of Povodi Vltavy, a state river management company that has monitored the quality of the Vltava since the 1960s, said, "Under communism, the water was intensely polluted by heavy industry, which wasn't helped by the city's inefficient water treatment plants."

Meanwhile, the government was pouring money into tall, nondescript apartment complexes on the outskirts of the city and, along with subsequent governments, neglecting to invest in adequate flood protection. There was less and less reason to think of the Vltava as anything other than a channel for effluent or a barrier to be crossed on a bridge.

After 1989, that slowly began to change.

A NEW ERA

In the 1990s, the city made a major investment into a new water treatment system. That and the phase-out of heavy industry led to a dramatic improvement in water quality, although progress has slowed recently. "Lately, the improvement has not been that fast. I think we've hit our technological limit," Valek said. Still, he added, the Vltava is safe for swimming, and fishermen say new species are returning to the river.

But flood protection remained in the background, as was dramatically illustrated during the catastrophic flood of August 2002. Although mobile walls protected parts of the city's Old Town, there was no protection for the ancient Lesser Town, across the river, and for the city's many Underground spaces, including the Metro system.

For weeks afterward, neighborhoods along the river were no-go areas, blacked out and guarded from looters by police and soldiers.

Sprawling Stromovka park, usually full of joggers and families, was under several meters of water.

From that destruction, however, came a rebirth and a commitment by the city to protect its riverside areas – a project to be completed by the end of this year. The city estimates that the final price tag will top 3 billion crowns (120 million euros).

In the Karlin district, once home to factories and cheap workers' housing, old buildings have been renovated since the floods into offices and multi-use spaces. The Karlin theater, a large hall for musicals and operettas, was modernized after the 2002 flood, and about five years ago the city finished a flood barrier on the nearby riverbank. The system uses a combination of fixed walls and embankments as well as mobile walls.

These improvements, along with rising prosperity, have encouraged developers to take the riverside areas seriously once again, especially the heavily flood-damaged Districts of Karlin, Liben, and Holesovice.

Among major projects planned or under way are the 340-apartment Prague Marina, developed by the Lighthouse Group, a German, Polish, Israeli, and Czech consortium; from 150 to 200 apartments, along with shops and offices, on Rohansky Island, to be developed by the Prague-based Sekyra Group; and The Dock, which is being developed by Crestyl, a group of U.S., Czech, and U.K. investors.

Benes, from the planning office, said the value of riverside land shot upward as most of the flood barriers were completed between 2002 and 2005. "Also, you can barely find an area of similar size and infrastructure amenities in Prague anymore."

DREDGING UP THE PAST

Radim Sayed, project manager for The Dock, agrees. "We believe it's one of the few beautiful places left in Prague where construction on such a large scale is possible. The river makes it a very attractive area and it's close to the center," he said. "However, we only chose to build here because the flood protection had been finished."

Sayed's project will include about 350 flats, along with offices, shops, and restaurants on a tributary of the Vltava; Crestyl expects to sink about 7.5 billion crowns into the development.

Sales have been slow, but Sayed attributes that to potential buyers' reluctance during the downturn to pre-pay for flats, something hundreds of people – residents and foreign investors alike – were willing to do a few years ago in Prague.

The builders also must deal with the river's industrial heritage. "Because there used to be heavily active docks for decades here, we're expecting lots of scrap and probably also hazardous chemicals on the bottom of the river," Sayed said, noting that the mud on the riverbed will have to be dredged.

Not all locals are convinced.

"I come to the riverside regularly to relax and like it very much, but I wouldn't want to live right by the water," said Martina Brzkova, a Liben resident whose house, though not near the river, was flooded in 2002.

Likewise, Jindrich, an elderly former engineer, said, "I wonder what sort of happiness the rich people are expecting. It stinks here. The part of the Vltava in Prague is a hideous river full of rubbish and there are loads of rats here."

Apartments near Vltava River in Prague

To help alleviate the smell, Crestyl plans to dig a channel to keep water flowing in the tributary.

Sayed is banking that plenty of affluent people will disagree with Jindrich and Brzkova. He said most of his clients so far are professionals or executives. Flats in the docks sell for 80,000 to 85,000 crowns (3,200 to 3,400 euros) per square meter, compared with 50,000 to 60,000 crowns per square meter for a new flat in an area away from the water

Development of WheelTug Electric Aircraft Drive System Supported by Prague Airport

Prague-Ruzyne Airport has become the world's first airport to support development of a new technology enabling aircraft to use on-board electric motors to taxi between terminal gates and runways. The new WheelTug(R) system is expected to reduce aircraft emissions, fuel consumption, and noise at airports, and to improve safety, airlines' schedule reliability, and both airline and customer convenience at airports.

Prague-Ruzyne International Airport, named the Best Airport in Central and Eastern Europe will become WheelTug's Flagship Airport in Europe and will be a world leader in encouraging cleaner air, less noise, and greater fuel efficiency, safety and operating efficiency within airports. The WheelTug system is projected to reduce aircraft taxi-mode fuel consumption and CO2 emissions both by 66%, and to reduce hydrocarbon emissions by 75% per flight cycle.

An agreement between Letiste Praha, a. s., operator of the Prague Airport, and WheelTug plc, developer of the WheelTug system, states that Prague Airport will actively assist WheelTug with development support during testing and certification. "This support includes necessary airport assistance, as well as facilitation of smooth co-operation between WheelTug and other organizations at the airport including airport handling services and air navigation service provider," stated Jiri Pos, Member of the Board and Executive Director of Aviation, Operations and Property Management at Prague Airport and he added: "The team of Prague Airport Consulting will also be working with WheelTug to adapt existing operating procedures, checklists, and operating regulations to achieve maximum benefit from WheelTug systems at Prague and at other airports."

"Prague Airport is a wonderful addition to the WheelTug team," said Isaiah Cox, WheelTug's CEO. "As we move development from initial tests through to certification and product launch, we need to work closely with an airport to ensure that the WheelTug system is compatible with, and optimized for, airport operations. We are gratified to be working with such a forward-thinking and environmentally responsible airport as Prague."

Prague Apartments Rentals

Five free things to do in Prague

But that’s before I had the chance to visit the city in the company of a few special people – a former dissident, a monk, and a would-be prince – who each showed me that sometimes you just need to delve a little deeper to find something amazing and unexpected. Let me share a few examples.

Milos Curik is a pre-Revolution dissident and former postal worker who now is a location-spotter for movies and one of the country’s finest tour guides, with his own company, Arts & Music Travel. Milos adores cubist art, fiercely proud that Prague is the only city in the world that has cubist buildings in addition to artwork. Chattering away, he takes me directly to Old Town’s Museum Ceskeho Kubismu (Museum of Czech Cubism), housed in an earth-toned building designed in 1912-1913 by Josef Gocar—“a supreme example of how a modern building can be incorporated in a historic core,” Milos says.

I had seen the building before, but never noted its portal and capitals in fabulous cubist style. Inside, Milos runs from one masterful work to the next, pointing out his favourite ceramics and furniture, paintings and sculptures, including Otto Gutfreund’s celebrated “Anxiety” the first cubist sculpture. “And now I’m going to show you something truly special,” Milos says. We weave through ancient cobblestone streets, stopping in a small square, Jungmannovo namesti, off Wenceslas Square. In front of us stands a funky cubist lamp post, the only one in the world. “What’s fascinating about Prague,” Milos says, “is that it’s truly a city of history; you can find many different architectural styles right next to each other.” Sure enough, next to the cubist lamp post stands a Gothic church, a functionalist building, and a secession building – a theme that reverberates throughout all of Prague.

Prague Luxury Apartments

I meet Father Juan in the lobby of The Augustine hotel in Mala Strana, or Lesser Town, where I’m staying. He tells me that the Augustines had lived and prayed in this monastery since the 13th century, until the Soviets took it over in 1948. After the fall of communism in 1989, with their monastery in ruins, the few surviving monks forged a unique partnership with the Rocco Forte Collection, which converted some of the historic buildings into an upmarket hotel. The monks continue to work and live in their part of the cloistered complex—a new twist on a hotel’s pledge to provide peace and quiet.
Father Juan leads me through the cloisters to the lavishly baroque Church of St Augustine and St Thomas, whose dome I can see from my room. We creep up a tiny, spiral staircase and enter the ancient library, filled with hundreds of rare, dusty books. There are ancient choral books, medical books, and philosophy works, many with centuries-old pencil notations in the margins. Several tomes lie on a table in the middle of the room, and Father Juan flips through one, a geography of China, dating from the 1600s. There’s a beautiful painting at the front but other pictures are missing. “The Soviets,” he tsks.

And then I meet a prince. Well, he would have been one if the Communists hadn’t forced his family to flee the country in 1948. William Lobkowicz, a nobleman whose family line dates back to the 14th century, was born in the United States in 1961 but, upon the Soviets’ departure, he ventured to his ancestral homeland to track down family heirlooms and then restore the family palaces.
One of the palaces – Lobkowicz Palace – located within the walls of Prague Castle, Lobkowicz has opened as a private museum. I take time to explore the palace’s meticulously, artfully presented rooms, where there are priceless paintings (including “Haymaking” by Pieter Brueghel the Elder and two Canalettos); and music (Beethoven’s original scores for the 4th and 5th Symphonies, Mozart’s revisions of Handel’s Messiah).

William Lobkowicz takes me to the museum café, to its balcony overlooking Mala Strana’s red rooftops and all of Prague beyond. Leaning over the rail, he points out various landmarks related to his family history, including St Augustine and St Thomas church. “That’s our church. All of our ancestors are buried there,” he says.
Later, I walk through Old Town, past the astrological clock and its tourists in waiting, and by Municipal Hall (Prague’s most prominent art-nouveau building). A sign advertises a concert by the Prague Philharmonia, and, I think, “Why not?”
After the first mesmerising ensemble, the conductor, Kaspar Zehnder, mentions its famous composer, Jan Malek; he turns around and gesticulates to the audience. A man with wild grey hair finally totters up to the stage, and the crowd breaks into furious applause. It’s the famous composer himself.
At intermission I sip a glass of champagne, smiling to myself. I had really done it – I had discovered so much more than just the obvious sights in this multi layered, ever surprising city.

Romantic Feeling Around Charles Bridge in Prague

We join the tour by descending a polished wooden staircase from the quay to where a small motorised barge is moored under one of the 16 arches of the 650-year-old Charles Bridge. My husband, who has an uncanny knack for stating the obvious, comments how less crowded it is under the bridge. Yet, having battled the tourist hordes crossing the bridge, the 31 gesticulating statues of saints and the odd pickpocket, I think I can see where he is coming from.

Upon boarding we accept a free lager and, as we sit, a complimentary ice-cream, the combination of which makes for a novel touring experience in itself. As we coast away from the moorings on the Vltava River towards the Certovka Canal, the massive timber battens clamped to the bridge's stone pylons come into view. Designed to break the ice, they prevent the river from freezing over. Not since 1953 has the mighty Vltava, Prague's aptly named "wild river", been allowed to form ice. Only dog-eared postcards I find for sale in the Old Town attest to its glorious past as a skating playground.

On the right bank we see the black roof and golden crown of the Czech National Theatre, one of the symbols of national identity built from citizens' money contributed during the Revival, and famous for introducing works performed in the Czech language. The statue of the composer Smetana, best known for his symphonic poem Vtlava- Die Moldau, surveys us from the shore.

On the Hradcany bank, ancient red-roofed houses, hanging gardens and cobbled lanes ascend from the water's edge up to the walls of the imposing Prague Castle. Behind, the Gothic spire of St Vitus Cathedral soars. Aromas of goulash and garlic drift from waterside restaurants. "If you are rich, go there, very nice. If not so rich, don't go there," is the advice from our guide.

Apartments near Charles Bridge in the Mala Strana

We drift past the crimson umbrellas of Cafe Marnice, shaded by the lush green trees that occasionally drop pistachios on to its customers. Once a working mortuary, the cafe is popular with tourists but apparently less so with the more superstitious among the locals. "I hear the coffee is to die for," quips my husband.

While distracted by the visual feast of Prague's panorama -- the parapets, bridges, medieval towers and Baroque mansions -- we have slipped into a canal known as the Devil's Stream (Certovka), so-called because a notoriously villainous old woman once lived beside it. Flowing between Mala Strana and the emerald oasis of Kampa Island, the canal was originally built as a defensive moat around the monastery. It is as if we have glided into the Middle Ages: rows of burghers' houses are pressed together, a churning wooden mill wheel traverses the stream and ducks paddle by.

Emirates to Take Over Prague in July 2010   

Emirates is launching its new Dubai-Prague service on July 1.

The new service presents a 'crystal clear' opportunity - nearly a thirdof all exports from the Czech Republic to the UAE are glass products,which can be seen in chandeliers and other decorative features inhotels across Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE, said a spokesperson.

'Bohemian Glass is probably the best known of the glass to be producedin the Czech Republic and Emirates SkyCargo already carries this viaroad to connect with Emirates' Vienna flights,' said Ram Menen,Emirates' divisional senior vice president, Cargo.

As well as bringing glass products from the Czech Republic to Dubai,Emirates SkyCargo also ships them to other parts of the Middle East,the Indian sub-continent, Africa and the Far East.

In 1993, trade between the Czech Republic and the UAE stood at justunder USD 26 million (AED 95 million). In 2008, that figure had shot upto USD 678 million (AED 2.4 billion), according to figures from theCzech Foreign Ministry. A number of Czech companies have offices in theUAE. Other commodities being shipped include electrical equipment forthe construction industry, jewellery, electronics, computer components,beverages, data process machines, machine tools, cars and car parts.Car giants Hyundai and Toyota have both established production plantsin the Czech Republic.

Prague will be Emirates' 24th route into Europe and the second in theregion to be launched this year after Amsterdam, which started on May 1.

The Dubai-Prague route will be served by an Airbus A330-200, offering27 seats in Business Class and 251 seats in Economy. EK flight 139 willleave Dubai at 1030hrs and arrive in Prague at 1450hrs. EK 140 departsPrague at 1620hrs and gets into Dubai at 0010hrs the following day.

Emirates already employs more than 80 Czech nationals, most of whom are cabin crew, based at the airline's home base of Dubai.

On May 12, the airline held a major road show event at Zofin Palace inPrague, introducing hundreds of travel industry guests and VIPs toEmirates and Dubai - in readiness for the July 1 launch.

 Where to stay?

Try Prague Luxury apartments or also Charming Hotels in Prague 

The Last Prague Open, because of the Financial Crisis 

The Prague Open will not return to the WTA Tour schedule after thisyear's edition because of financial problems. Organizers lost its majorfinancial partner and will not be able to organize the event on clay atthe Stvanice stadium.

The last Prague Open is scheduled for July 12-18. The WTA tour returnedto the Czech capital after seven years in 2005, with Dinara Safina ofRussia winning the first edition. Sybille Bammer of Austria won lastyear.

Apartment Skalecka close to Prague Open 

The ECM Prague Open is a tennis tournament held in Prague, the capitalof the Czech Republic (note that the 1996 edition was held in KarlovyVary and the 1999 edition in Prostějov). Held since 1992 butinterrupted between 1999 and 2005, this WTA Tour event is a WTAInternational Tournaments and is played on outdoor clay courts. Thetournament also featured an ATP Challenger Series event from 1996 to2008.

Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report Published for 2009

Though there has been a slowdown in demand for vacation rental apartments and furnished apartments due to the recession, the long term trend for the Paris Furnished Apartment Market remains positive.
The 6th edition of the Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report was just published. The report contains a look at the vacation rental and furnished apartment markets in Paris during the 2nd half and full year of 2009. With nearly a decade of experience in the Paris apartment market and 1000’s of apartment rentals per year, ApartmentPlan.fr has the necessary information to provide the most up-to-date information in a timely manner.

The 2009 2nd half and full year Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report from New York Habitat contains the latest information about Furnished Rentals in Paris. The report provides information from 2007, 2008 and 2009 for comparison purposes. The report includes data on apartment prices, neighborhoods, types of rentals and more.

Some conclusions from the 2009 Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report include:
    
- The recession continued to affect the Paris market. Both prices and the number of rentals fell in 2009.
- A unpredictable euro conversion rate made people more cautious about traveling to Paris
- People were more prudent when booking accommodations and often chose less expensive studios over more expensive 1-bedroom apartments.

This report contains graphs, data and charts on the Paris vacation rental and Paris furnished apartment markets for the 2nd half and full year of 2007, 2008 and 2009. All Paris Furnished Apartment Market Reports can be found on the Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report website.
Some of the key information provided in this report includes:

- Average price of vacation rentals per night
- Average price of furnished apartments by month
- Average length of rental for vacation rental and furnished apartments
- And more
Average price of Paris Furnished Apartments in 2007, 2008 and 2009
The graph included in this release is an example of the information provided in the report. The graph seen here is average price of Furnished Apartments in Paris in 2007, 2008 and 2009. In the report there are many other graphs that help to explain the current Paris market.

“Paris remains the driving force in the tourism industry in France and as a result Paris is one of the top destinations for tourists in the world,” says market report creator Brian Lowenberg. He goes on to say, “Though there has been a slowdown in demand for vacation rental apartments and furnished apartments due to the recession, the long term trend for the Paris Furnished Apartment Market remains positive.”

The 2009 2nd half and full year market report as well as all previous reports are available in PDF format on the Paris Furnished Apartment Market Report webpage. The New York Habitat blog is a great location for the latest news and tips about the Paris apartment market and is update on a daily basis.

ApartmentPlan.fr has great experience in the furnished apartment rental market, specializing in vacation rentals, like this Paris 1-bedroom accommodation  and furnished apartments like this Paris 2-bedroom rental  Paris, London and the South of France. The company is a fully licensed real estate broker. The company has offered rentals in Paris since 1996. Though the recession has been tough on the Paris Furnished Apartment market, New York Habitat remains in a strong position to continue to grow. Our team of real estate professionals has weathered the storm of the recession and look forward to continuing to work with clients and apartment owners to rent apartments in Paris. Click here to view our Paris Apartment offerings.