Basic necessities
by katmag
Comfortable shoes of course! Bring an umbrella too, because it tends to rain unexpectedly out of the blue sky, and you don't want to waste an entire day in your hotel room. Also, bring your MAC card (best to stick with the big ones - Visa and MC) instead of traveler's checks. You will get a much better exchange rate, and this is so much more convienient! If you want to have one less worry on your head, invest in some kind of money belt. This will come in useful everywhere in Central and Eastern Europe, as there are lots of pick-pockets in the big cities. It's also good to hide your money and passport on the overnight trains. I didn't have a money belt, so I just stuck all my money and passport into the pillow case on which I was sleeping. No one was getting in there without my knowing about it.
another Cerny that's easy to miss
by jglsongs
"Viselec" is the official name of David Cerny's sculpture of the hanging man above the streets of the Old Town. He's not hanging as in noose and gallows, he's hanging on to a beam.
This work is very easy to miss, but just remember to occasionally look up while walking around the Old Town.
Bertramka Villa - Mozart's Prague home
by hundwalder
Mozart resided in Bertramka villa when he visited Prague in 1787 and in 1791, just a few months before his death. He composed some his greatest music during his stays there. He described his stays in this villa as the most beautiful moments in his life, and he often stated that Prague was his second favorite city to Vienna.
Bertramka is an early 17th. century Renaissance style villla. Mozart and his wife stayed there as the guest of composer / pianist Frantisek Dusek and his wife, singer Josefina Duskova. The beautiful upper level three room apartment that the Mozarts occupied is now a small Mozart museum. The museum collection includes the grand piano shown in photo #3, and a beautiful harpischord in mint condition. Mozart not only played these instruments, but used these them in the compostion of much of his work, including the composition of his great opera, Don Giovanni. The museum contains paintings, sketches, music scores, and even a locket of Wolfgang's hair. Most of the items presently contained in the apartment were there during the Mozart's stays. Photo #4 shows the front of the house. The apartment behind the balcony is where the Mozarts resided.
From April through October concerts are staged in the villa garden. The garden was built in the shape of an ampitheater to provide excellent acoustics. This is the reason why the villa has always been owned by professional musicians throughout its 400 year history. Admission price to the museum is 110 koruna, while a combined ticket for concert and museum is 390 koruna. The museum is open daily from 0930-1800.
Photo #2 is of the outside of the villa, with the rooftop of the house shown on the left. The shear limestone formation shown serves as the natural outer wall to the garden wall. The steep hill shown rises adruptly from the rear of the villa. A handrail is provided along the steep walkway.
Located at Mozartova St. 169, in Smichov district, a little southwest of old town. Take the Metro B line to station Andel, then tram #4, 7, 9, or 10.