Prague Travel Information

Prague Travel Information

The golden city of Prague is one of Europe’s most popular tourism destinations and one of the cultural centers of Europe. The historical center of the city has remained undamaged and is now the main attraction of Prague. The Medieval buildings, cobblestone streets, countless museums, bridges, and churches of the hometown of Franz Kafka offer a visitor a great deal to explore in Prague. The city’s pubs, quality restaurants, and cafes wait for visitors interested in the famous Czech beer as well as culinary treats.

A famous clock in Prague

The famous capital of Czech Republic, Prague lies along the Vltava River plain in central part of the country. Founded already in the 9th century, Prague has seen a myriad of different rulers and historic periods that have all left their mark on this beautiful Bohemian city. Today, Prague is a large cosmopolitan city full of history, music, art and culture, receiving a large number of visitors from abroad throughout the year.

Sights & activities Prague: from historical & cultural attractions to nightlife & shopping

There are activities in Prague to attract every type of visitor.Sightseeing in Prague is by far the most popular activity in the golden city. Stare Mesto, Prague’s World Heritage -listed Gothic-style old town, is the center of the city’s historic and cultural attractions, including several museums, churches and historical attractions such as the astronomical clock and the writer Franz Kafka’s birthplace. The city’s famous medieval castle and the Charles Bridge are must sees for visitors, but you should also visit the fortress area of Vysehrad and the Mala Strana quarter next to the Prague castle. If you don’t feel like walking around, you can go to see theater or opera or hop on a sightseeing cruise on the Vltava River that runs through Prague.

A city view of Prague

Entertainment & culture. Many people visit the city also because of the vivid nightlife in Prague, offering options from opera to pubs and from concerts to nightclubs and bars. You can find a large number of bars and clubs in Prague that are open very late. There are also many popular venues for concerts in Prague, ranging from classical to popular music. There are plenty of opportunities for shopping in Prague. The capital of the Czech Republic is an excellent place for buying for example jewelry and crystal. The Prague Zoo is one of the best zoos in Europe.

Prague travel tips and practical information

Prague has a temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons. The winters from November to March are cold and sometimes also snowy, while the summers from June to August are generally pleasant, often offering sunny and warm weather.

As the city has plenty of sights and activities for visitors, visiting Prague is good at any time of the year.

Prague skyline with the castle

Traveling to Prague is easy: The city is home to a busy international airport with plenty of flights to Prague from around Europe and beyond. Prague is also well connected to the other European cities by international train and bus network, and most visitors to this city of 1,2 million inhabitants actually arrive to Prague by land transport. The best way to get around in the historic center of Prague is by foot, but the public transportation in the city introduces yet more choices offered by trams, an effective underground system, local trains, and buses. Driving in Prague is not easy because of the often narrow streets, but renting a car in Prague is a good option if you want to visit the Czech Republic beyond the capital.

People admiring the Prague skyline

Services & safety. There is a large variety of restaurants in Prague, offering a multitude of cuisines. The ones in the crowded main streets and squares of the old town tend to be more expensive than the others. Hotels in Prague also offer a wide variety of choice suitable to every taste and budget, and are available in great numbers. Prague is generally a safe destination although some problems with petty crime such as pick-pocketing and scams do exist. Watch out for your belongings in crowded tourist areas and public transport. English is spoken by many local people in Prague.

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

LAS VEGAS — The prospect of an imploding hotel tower on the Las Vegas Strip conjures images of Hollywood blockbusters — lots of dynamite, a dramatic fall and billowing clouds of dust.

But the owners of the never-opened Harmon near the Strip’s midpoint are convinced that bringing down the 26-story structure can be done safely, with minimal disruption to neighboring buildings and nearby traffic.

Seems tough to fathom given where the stylish oval cylinder sits, but demolition experts say it shouldn’t be too tough thanks to the building’s size and the pedigree of those running the job.

New Vegas hotel may be demolished

“They have to be careful, they have to clean all around it, and they have to make sure there’s an area where the building comes down if it spreads out,” said Herb Duane, a demolition consultant based in New Hampshire who has worked in the industry more than 30 years.

“Twenty-six stories is very doable,” Duane told The Associated Press.

MGM Resorts International, the casino company that owns the Harmon as part of its $8.5 billion CityCenter joint venture, said as it proposed demolition to the county that implosion is the best option for a building that they say wouldn’t be able to support its own weight in a strong earthquake. County building officials had asked the company to propose a plan to fix the building they call a public health hazard.

The Harmon was originally envisioned as a boutique hotel and condominium tower to open in December 2009 with the rest of the 67-acre complex of hotels, entertainment and a casino. But problems with reinforcing steel in the construction led MGM Resorts to shorten the tower in half and put off its opening at least a year. It never opened.

Now, plans call for an implosion in six months, followed by four months of cleanup.

Company spokesman Alan Feldman declined comment Tuesday, saying the company was waiting for all necessary approvals from the county and court officials handling a separate legal case involving MGM Resorts and Tutor Perini Corp., the main contractor for CityCenter. A county spokesman declined comment.

Perini contends the building is structurally sound, and that MGM Resorts is pushing for demolition to bolster its legal case because it’s more economically wise than having to fill more rooms on the Strip. No matter what happens to the Harmon, MGM Resorts and Perini are likely to still have a dispute over unpaid construction bills.

Representatives for LVI Services, Inc., the demolition company that would run the job, and Controlled Demolition, Inc., the subcontractor in charge of the implosion itself, declined comment, referring questions to MGM Resorts.

Greenland Travel Information

Greenland Travel Information

The rugged Arctic island of icebergs and stunning glacier landscapes, Greenland is a unique place to visit. This world’s biggest island set between Europe and North America is the home of interesting Inuit culture, arctic wildlife such as polar bears, whales and seals, and the midnight sun. The remote Greenland is a nature paradise suitable for the adventurous and well-prepared visitors.

Arctic island with glaciers and Inuit culture: Greenland

Located mostly beyond the Arctic Circle, 84% of Greenland is covered with ice. Much of the ice-free area in located along the coast as the mountainous inland of Greenland consists mostly of glaciers. The main attractions on this icy island are the many stunning glaciers shining in rich shades of blue, the Arctic wildlife of the coastal regions, and the attractive capital Nuuk, which is a showroom of Greenland’s culture and a destination full of breathtaking natural beauty and interesting wildlife.

Arctic nature wonders The most famous of Greenland’s incredible icebergs is Ilulissat, which is floating in coastal waters of a small fishing village. The midnight sun lightens the stunning landscapes of Greenland non-stop for weeks in the summer and offers an adventurous wonderland for outdoor sports such as dog-sled tours or trekking in Greenland, kayaking or climbing, not to mention the art of landscape photography. In another words, Greenland is an amazing and wild outdoor park waiting for the active visitor.

Colorful houses on the coast of Greenland

Infrastructure and services. A prehistoric home of Inuit people that has seen the influence of both Norwegian and Danish culture, contemporary Greenland is a home of Inuit fishermen and an autonomous province of the Kingdom of Denmark. Although Greenland is an island with small towns only, tourist services (where there are any) are quite good and tourism is a growing industry in this Arctic destination.Hotels in Greenland offer convenient accommodation, and some restaurants in Greenland that are suitable to most tastes are also available.

Shopping facilities Although shopping is not one of the major attractions of expensive Greenland, some interesting opportunities for shopping are offered especially in Nuuk. The most popular shopping items of Greenland are Inuit arts and crafts and sealskin. In addition to these, duty-free goods are available at the airport for international air passengers.

A view of Glacier in Greenland

Greenland – the home of the midnight sun

Greenland has an arctic climate with highly changeable weather and average monthly high temperatures only occasionally rising above 10 degrees. During the cold and icy winter of this northern island, average monthly high temperatures are usually below zero from October to April.

The best time to travel to Greenland is between June and August for summer activities, and between December and March for winter activities. If you arrive in summer, you will see the magical midnight sun, which means the sun never gets below the horizon for weeks.

Northern lights in above Greenland

Safety. No matter which time you plan to travel, Greenland is a safe destination where crime is practically an unknown matter. However, the presence of polar bears and other representatives of Greenland’s wild but interesting nature, and the challenges set by the Arctic weather make outdoor activities in Greenland potentially dangerous if not done with a professional guide.

How to get there. Flights to Greenland are best available from Denmark and Iceland. Cruises to Greenland are available from both Europe and North America. The adventurous nature of Greenland is boosted by the fact that this large arctic island lacks train and road network, which is why best opportunity to travel around in Greenland is by internal air connections. Unless of course you want to use more sportive means of transport such as for instance those offered in husky safaris. Rental cars in Greenland can be hard to find.

A view of glaciers in Greenland

Finding your way. Note that all places in Greenland have two names, of which one is in Greenlandic and the other in Danish that used to be the major language of Greenland, but has today been put aside by Greenlandic. Another interesting thing is that most places are so small no one has bothered to put a road sign visible. Therefore, if you have problems finding your way in Greenland, ask locals, and they can most likely help you.