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After forty years of communism, Prague, the capital of Czech Republic and one of Europe's most beautiful cities, has finally come into full bloom. After a period of political and economic crisis, which ended with the separation of the Czech and Slovak Republics, the Czech government pushed ahead with a program of economic reforms. But while Prague's rebirth has come with inflation, traffic jams (with new Western cars), and the ever-present pounding of construction crews, the stately spires of this living baroque and medieval museum rise above it all. Picturesquely sited on the banks of the Vltava (Moldau) River , the city of Prague has played an important part in the history of Europe. It is noted for some magnificent Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque, Belle Epoque/Art Nouveau and Cubist architecture and a cultural scene of elegance.
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| August 29, 2008 | | | UTC/GMT is 23:25
+0100 UTC
Prague is on GMT + 1 hour. |
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Prague's geographical location in the Northern part of Central Europe allows for some fairly extreme weather patterns. There are marked differences between the seasons with spring being warm and fairly dry; the summer, hot and sunny and also quite wet; autumn cool and wet and winter very cold with ice and snow. The average temperature in December and January is a very cold 5°C(41°F) the hottest months, June and July, the temperature usually hovers at around 30°C (86°F).
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- A firm handshake is viewed as a sign of honesty and open-minded spirit.
- At first meetings, business cards will be exchanged and a coffee or drinks are commonly offered.
- Always arrive for a business meeting or a meal on time, as punctuality is viewed as a sign of reliability and responsibility.
- A jacket and tie for men or smart suit for women is a good bet for first-time business visitors.
- For women travelers, remember that it is customary in the Czech Republic for a man to pay the bill at a restaurant. A Czech man would feel insulted, and the waiter embarrassed, if a woman tried to pay.
- Calling somebody by their first name, without being offered or asked first, is considered impolite.
- When visiting a home, bring a small gift such as flowers or chocolates for the lady of the house.
- It is common for the guests to remove their shoes when entering a host's home. If in doubt, ask the host.
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Economic Chamber of the Czech Republic Freyova 27, 190 00 Praha 9, Tel.:+420 2 2409 6111 American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic Dusni 10, 110 00 Praha 1, Tel. : + 420 2 2232 9430 French-Czech Chamber of Commerce IBC, Pobrezní 3 186 00 Praha 8, Tel.:+ 420 2 2483 3090 British Chamber of Commerce Pobrezni 8 186 000 Prague 8, Tel. : + 420 2 2483 5161 Netherlands Chamber of Commerce Zlatý And?l Nádra?ní 25 150 00 Praha 5, Tel.: +420) 224 222 336 or (+420) 257 473 740
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Canada Embassy , Muchova 6 160 00, Prague 6, Tél.: (+420) 27210 1800 People's Republic of China Embassy Pelléova 18; Tel.:+420 2 2431 1323 Embassy of the French Republic Velkop?evorské nám. 2, P.O.Box 102, Prague 1, 118 00, Tel. : + 420 251 171 711 German Embassy , Vlaäskŕ 19, Prague 1, 118 01 Ph: 420 2 57 113 111, 257 531 481 United Kingdom Embassy , Thunovskŕ 14, Prague 1, 118 00 Ph: 420 2 57 402 111 Italy Embassy , Nerudova 20, Prague 1 - Malŕ Strana, 118 00 Ph: 420 2 33 080 111 Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , Gotthardskŕ 6/27, Prague 6 - Bubenek, 160 00 Ph: 420 2 24 312 190 Japan Embassy , Maltézské nŕm. 6, Prague 1 - Malŕ Strana, 118 01 Ph: 420 2 57 533 546, 257 530 884, 257 011 011 South Korea Embassy , Slavickova 5, Prague 6 - Bubenec, 160 00 Ph: 420 2 34 090 411 United Mexican States , Nad Kazankou 8, Prague 7 - Troja, 171 00 Ph: 420 2 83 061 530, 2 83 061 540 United States Embassy Trziste 15, Prague 1, 118 01; Tel.:+ (420-2) 5753 0663
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The following hotels offer business centers : Corinthia Towers Hotel , Kongresova 1, 140 69 Praha 4. Tel.:+420 2 6119 1111 Dorint Don Giovanni Prague , Vinohradska street 157a, 130 20 Prague 3 - Vinohrady; Tel.:+420 226 201 910-13
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PEKO Expo Servis 5. kvetna 1252, Uvaly u Prahy, Tel. : + 420 2 8198 1128 The Prague Congress Center , Trida 5. Kvetna 65, 140 21 Prague 4, Tel.:+420 2 6117 1111 Prague Convention Bureau , Rytírská 26, 110 00 Prague 1; Tel.:+420 2 2423 5159 Municipal House , nám. Republiky 1090/5 Praha 1 111 21, Tel.:+420 222 002 132 Prague Castle Administration , Hrad, 119 08 Prague 1, Tel.: + 420 2 2437 3368 / 2437 2434 ZEPHYR spol , . s.r.o, Na Pankraci 30, 140 00 Prague 4, Tel.: + 420 2 6100 1152 Prague City Center , Klimentska 46, Tel: +420 222 191 111
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Agentura spa Nám?stí Na Santince 2, 160 00 Praha 6, Tel.:+420 2 3333 1 627/ 637 Confero s.r.o Balbínova 22 120 00 Praha 2, Tel: +420-222250296 Interlingua Service Spálená 17 Praha 1, Tel.:+ 420 224 930 967 Communication Humana Senovazne nam.20, Praha 1, Tel. : + 420 2 2422 3645 / 2423 2809 Euro Service Group Václavské nám?stí 21 Praha 1, Tel.:+420 2 2410 9224
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Fedex Olbrachtova 1, Praha 4,Tel.:+420 2 4400 2200 DHL Worldwide Express Aviaticka 1048, Praha 6, Tel.: +420 800 103 000 Cesky Kurýr/Interkurýr Na Mokrine 2798/37, Praha 3, Tel. : + 420 2 6121 6000 TNT Express Worldwide Na Radosti 413, 155 21 Praha 5 - Zlicín, Tel.: +420 2 5708 3333 or +420 2 57 083 888 UPS K Letisti 57/1049, 161 00 Praha 6 - Ruzyne, Tel. : + +420 800-18 11 11
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Internet Cafe SPIKA , Dlazdena 4, Prague. Tel.:+ 420 2 2421 1521 Inetpoint Internet Cafe , Jungmannova 32, Prague 1; Tel.: + 296 24 59 62 The Globe Bookstore, Cafe Internet Pstrossova 6, Praha 1, Tel. : + 420 2 2493 4203 Internet Cafe InterLogic , Budejovicka 13, Prague 4; Tel: (+420) 241 734 617
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A valid passport is required for all persons entering the Czech Republic. Citizens from France, Germany, USA, Japan, Italy and Mexico, visa is not required if your stay doesn't exceed three months. For UK, visa is not required if your stay doesn't exceed six months. For Canadians, a touristic visa is needed, valid for a three months period. Concerning Russia and South Korea, check with the embassy. Immigration requests that your passport should be valid for at least 7 months. Official allowances for importing duty-free goods are 200 cigarettes (or 250 grams of tobacco), 1 liter of alcohol (or 2 liters of wine), and 0,30 liter of perfume.
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To call Prague from another country, dial 420 (the area code for Czech Republic), then dial 2 (the area code for Prague), and dial your correspondent number. For locals calls, dial the 0, the area code (2 for Prague) and your correspondent number.
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Ambulance : 155 Fire : 150 City Police : 156 State Police : 158 Road Assistance : 210 54
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Most telephone numbers in Prague have eight digits. Older ones have seven and some only six digits. You can make calls from any public or private phone to anywhere in the world. To call a Prague number, simply dial the eight, seven or six-digit number. To call a cell dial the 10-digit number including the 0. To call another city in the Czech Republic dial 0, the appropriate area code and the subscriber's number. To call abroad dial the international access code 00, the country code, city code and the subscriber's number. Calling via the Internet or with a pre-paid card allows you massive savings.
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Cell phone numbers always have 10 digits starting with 0602, 0606, 0607, 0723, 0724 for Eurotel, 0603, 0604, 0605 for Paegas and 0608 for Oskar. If you choose to bring your cellular phone in the Czech Republic, check with your home cellular service provider the compatibility of your phone with systems abroad. It's also possible to rent a cell phone with calling cards in Prague.
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All major currencies can be exchanged easily in the main tourist centers. The unit of currency in the Czech Republic is the Czech crown ("koruna ceska"), which is divided into 100 hellers, or haleru. It comes in 5 000, 2 000, 1 000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 Kc notes. All major credit cards are generally accepted at upmarket hotels, restaurants and shops.
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Tips are not included in the price. You can leave a tip of any value at pubs, however in better restaurants of better category it is proper to leave a 10% tip.
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Prague is on GMT + 1 hour.
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Prices for goods in shops include the government's 22% value-added tax (VAT).
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The normal electricity supply is 220 v, 50 Hz.
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The Prague subway has three lines: A (Green), B (Yellow), and C (Red).The subway is easy to use and goes almost everywhere in the center and the suburbs. Trams and buses also have a wide coverage of the urban area. Stops are announced on trams, with the name of the stop as well as the following one. "Zastavka" means "a stop". It's possible to stop a taxi on the street, but it is advisable to order a taxi by phone from one of these reliable taxi companies: AAA Radio Taxi, Tel.: +420 2 2233 3222 Profi Taxi, Tel.: +420 2 6131 4151 City Taxi, Tel.: +420 2 3310 3310
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The Czech Republic is safe from all sanitation-related diseases. No specific immunizations are needed to enter.
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Independent Czech State : January 1 May Day : May 1 Liberation Day : May 8 Slavic Apostles St. Cyril and St. Methodius : July 5 Burning of Jan Hus : July 6 Czech Statehood Day : September 28 Independent Czechoslovakia Day : October 28 Fight for Freedom and Democracy : November 17 Christmas : December 25 Boxing Day : December 26
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Prague's finest restaurant for fresh seafood, the Alcron is a discreet semi-circular room in the Radisson Hotel, with a back wall consisting of a restored floor-to-ceiling Art Deco mural. With its 800-year-old stone interior, The Klub Architektu Betlemske offers great Czech, international and vegetarian cuisine. At the classy Kampa Park signature dishes include butter poached lobster served with creamy carrot purée, green peas and Jerusalem artichoke foam. Situated on the corner of a charming cobbled square, V Zatisi is as delicious for the menu as for the décor. U Radnice offers for lunch tasty Czech specialties such as goulash and beef in a cream sauce. To wind up the evening, Bugsy`s is the best cocktail-bar in town with a 90-page drinks menu including 217 cocktails. U Modré kachnicky is an intimate and esteemed restaurant, with a seasonal menu and a candlelit dining room.
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Prague is famous for its many antique shops. You'll also find a great choice of ceramics and jewelry and very attractive semi-precious stones.
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The most popular tourist attraction is the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad, or just Hrad to the Czechs), maybe the largest ancient castle in the world - 570m (1870ft) long, an average of 128m (420ft) wide and occupying 7.28 hectares (18 acres). Apart from the Castle, Prague offers several interesting places and monuments, including Hradcany Namesti, Loretanske Namesti, Bretfield Palace, St Nicholas Church, Petrin Tower, Old Town Square or the Old-New Synagogue.
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