Visit our NYU in Prague photo gallery to see images of the program and city.

The City

The city of Prague, magical and haunting, medieval yet modern, provides unparalleled opportunities to supplement classroom study with its museums, galleries, castles, and churches. Located on the river Vltava, Prague is a remarkably preserved city, and its thousand years of architectural and artistic history are reflected in its stone facades and cobblestone streets. Standing in the middle of the Charles Bridge above the rippling reflections of turrets and domes and seeing the spires, steeples, and the great Prague Castle rising above the city, you sense at once the spirit of this remarkable site. Walk across the bridge, and you discover the legacy of three distinct cultures—Czech, German, and Jewish.

Although an international city, Prague maintains the feeling of a village. Most places of interest are within walking distance. Students can stroll through the streets of Prague and admire the many statues and building ornaments that present the city's history; walk up the Golden Lane in Prague Castle and discover the history behind the street names, the placement of the buildings, and the extraordinary gardens of Prague; and explore the many different neighborhoods beyond the center of the city. Evening concerts at one of the city's many churches are available for a few dollars every night of the week.

Climate

The climate in Prague is similar to that in New York City. Summers are pleasantly warm but can be extremely hot at times; winters are cold but usually not bitter. Spring and fall are usually moderate and lovely, though springtime can be rainy.

Customs

On first impression, Czech people can seem intimidating. Service in shops or restaurants is stereotypically abrupt, people rarely smile at strangers, and public areas such as the metro are often eerily quiet. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and you'll get a very different impression. For the most part, Czechs are quiet, polite, reserved people—at least until they hit the pub. In general, Czechs also value displays of modesty over showy self-confidence.

But a good sense of humor is valued—and sometimes necessary—in the Czech Republic.  As you'll find, Czechs are rarely aggressive or confrontational.

When a couple enters a pub or restaurant, it's customary for the man to go in first. At more traditional Czech pubs and restaurants, it's acceptable to share a table with other people—and for other people to join you, if space is available. If you've finished eating, and want the waiter to take your plate away, put your knife and fork together. Leave them crossed if you want to carry on eating. Table water is not normally provided in restaurants but is usually available on request. (But in traditional places, iced water is much less common.)

Tip wait staff, hairdressers and taxi drivers. It's common Czech practice to round your bill up from, for instance, 54 Kc to 60 Kc. In Prague, however, wait staff in Western-style establishments increasingly expect Western-style tipping. If in doubt, tip between 10% and 15%, unless there's a cover charge ("couvert"). Normally, you should tell the waiter or waitress how much you're tipping as they prepare to give you your change. If your Czech isn't up to it, however, it's acceptable to leave your tip on the table after paying.

When ordering drinks at a bar, it's useful to remember that Czechs use their thumbs when counting on their hands, so to order two drinks, for instance, hold up your thumb and your index finger. For three drinks, hold up your thumb, your index finger and your middle finger.

It might seem like a bad idea in a country with the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world, but Czechs tend to get up very early. Traditionally, the working day starts at around 7am and ends at around 3pm. In Prague, however, people are shifting rapidly to a Western-style 9am-5pm routine.