There are 14 political regions which are subdivided into districts.
These are just '''nine''' interesting cities selected to represent variety of Czech urban areas. For more exciting destinations, see the individual regions.
In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face". Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression and conservatism within the party ranks. In November 1989, the Communist government was deposed in a peaceful "Velvet Revolution".
On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO (since 1999) and EU (since 2004), the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks.
The Czech Republic is not a large country but has a rich and eventful history. From time immemorial Czechs, Germans, Jews and Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon_fs army have all lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works, the majority of which still command our respect and admiration today. It is thanks to their inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artifacts.
The Czech flag (see above) is the same one formerly used by Czechoslovakia, having been readopted in 1993.
Specific details for all countries can be found at Ministry of Foreign Affairs [http://www.mzv.cz]. Check czechembassy.org [http://www.czechembassy.org] for more current information.
Keep in mind that the ninety-day counter starts once you enter the Schengen Area, no matter where, and that normally citizens of non-EU countries are not permitted a stay of more than 90 days in a 6-month period without a visa.
Other international airports are in Brno (with flights to London, Moscow, Barcelona and Prague), Ostrava (flights to Vienna and Prague), Pardubice, Karlovy Vary (flights to Moscow and Uherske Hradi?t?).
There are dozens of low-cost airlines going to/from Prague. Ryanair flies to Brno from London and Girona and to Prague from Dublin. Other nearby airports are Nuremberg (200 km) and Munich (320 km) in Germany, Vienna having a bus shuttle to Brno city (260 km to Prague, 110 km to Brno) in Austria, Wroclaw (200 km) in Poland (might be a good idea if you want to go to the Giant Mountains) and Bratislava – hub for SkyEurope Airlines but without shuttle (280 km to Prague, only 120 km to Brno) in Slovakia.
The easiest way to get to your hotel from the airport is praguetransfer.net [http://www.praguetransfer.net], a minibus company that provides a cheap door to door service. Book your shuttle in advance at their website. If you need to get to another city from the airport, you can book at the same company's website specialized in long distance transfers to all cities in the Czech Republic. It is easy and quick to book at airportshuttle.cz [http://www.airportshuttle.cz]
The first thing is that the Czech Republic is a '''zero tolerance''' country. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of any amount of alcohol, and violations are very heavily punished.
The people in the Czech Republic drive sometimes aggressively, but it is not same "madness" like in southern Europe countries for instance.
In order to drive on the well-kept motorways, however, you need to purchase a toll sticker. These stickers cost about CZK 220 for seven days (for vehicles lighter than 3.5 tonnes), but can be purchased for longer periods of time (1 month or a year). If you do not have a toll sticker on your car when you drive on the motorways, the fines can be very steep (CZK 5000 minimum).
Make certain that you purchase the correct toll sticker: there are those for vehicles under 3.5 tonnes in weight and those for vehicles between 3.5 and 12 tonnes. Vehicles larger than 12 tonnes in weight must use an on-board unit ("premid" unit) to pay tolls based on distance.
The condition of many roads is improving, but to be safe, drive on the motorways as much as possible, although if you want to get the remote parts of the country you will be forced to take bumpy side-roads sometimes.
Speed limits in the Czech Republic are usually 130 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h off of motorways, and 50 km/h in towns. Petrol is inexpensive compared to the rest of Europe (CZK 31 / 1,35?), but it is expensive compared to the United States.
Traffic fines can usually be paid on the spot.
Due to the complicated discount policy of the Czech Railways [http://www.cd.cz/static/eng] (especially for foreign travellers), the standard one-way tickets are twice as expensive as the bus. However, you can get a discount for a return ticket, for group tickets (two travellers are considered as a "group") or with a special "customer" card. Especially the group discount is very useful, because you get the same fare as using the customer card (75% of standard ticket price) even for two people and from the third traveller on you pay half of the standard price.
The customer card (In-karta) costs 990 K? and is valid for three years. This makes the trains much more useful, sometimes even cheaper than buses. Its price can be recovered quickly but it takes some time (about one month) to issue the card and you need a photograph. You have to fill in a form and add a passport photo. You will get a paper card. After one month you will get a chip card. With this card you can use the "electronic wallet". This "wallet" may be very useful. For the complete list of discounts in English visit Czech Railways' website [http://www.cd.cz/static/eng/pricereduction.htm]. If you are under 26 years, you can have a "junior-card". The card costs 330 K? for '''three''' years. With this card you will get a discount of 25%.
Categories of trains:
If you take Supercity (SC) Pendolino, you have to tell at the counter when you buy tickets because they do not know what kind of train you will travel with. There are extra charges for these trains mentioned above. If you are not sure, try to ask for help some younger people waiting in the queue as they should speak some English.
Although many train stations were repaired and modernized, the rest is still like a trip back in time to the communist era including the main station in Prague (main station in Czech is abbreviated as '''hl.n.'''). There is no need to be afraid but try to avoid them in the late night hours. Trains are generally safe (there are regular police guards assigned for fast trains) and very popular mean of transport and they are widely used both by students and commuters. Especially Prague has pretty good network of local trains connecting it with suburbs and surrounding cities and the tickets bought for these trains are valid for municipal transport. Check Prague integrated transport (PID) [http://www.dp-praha.cz/index.php?q=cs/zakladni-udaje-o-pid] (in Czech only).
Also border mountains (Krkono?e, ?umava, Jeseniky etc.) are more and more popular among mountain-bikers. There are usually no fences along the trails but always keep to the marked paths here as these mountains are "CHKO" (i.e. protected as national natural heritage) and you can be fined if you cycle "off the beaten track".
CzechCycling.info [http://czechcycling.info/] is a non-profit website with cycling information for Prague and surrounding areas.
Take care to use very a clear gesture with the thumb pointing upwards. A gesture looking like you are pointing to the ground may be mistaken for prostitution solicitation.
As a word of advice, if you are hitch-hiking through the Czech Republic from the south to the German town of Dresden, ''never'' go to or past Prague unless you are in a ride going all the way to Dresden. Prague itself has no major and continuous beltway, so residents of the area must maneuver a ring of major and local roads to get around the city from south to north. Therefore the great majority of traffic you will encounter is going into the city. Past Prague, the previously major highway turns into a two-lane mountain road through local villages, in which again, the ''great'' majority of traffic is local and international travelers are hesitant to stop.
Try a letter-sized (A4) piece of paper with the destination written on it so it is clearly visible where you would like to go. See some other Tips for hitchhiking.
Most Czechs speak a second and often a third language. English is the most widely known, especially among younger people. German is probably the most widely spoken second language among older people. Russian was taught very extensively under communist rule, so most people born before c. 1975 speak at least some Russian (and often pretty well). However the connection with the communist era and the Soviet led invasion in 1968 (as well as today's Russian-speaking criminal gangs) has given this language some negative connotations. It is also not very useful with younger people, as it is not, despite the common misconception, mutually intelligible with Czech (beyond some similar words and simple sentences). Other languages, like German, French or Spanish, are also taught in some schools, but you should not count on it. People may also understand some basic words or simple sentences in other Slavic languages (Polish, Serbo-Croatian, etc).
The Czech and Slovak languages are very difficult for English-speakers to grasp, as they, like their sisters, can be tongue-twisting languages to learn (especially Czech) and take time and practice to master, especially if you're not really familiar with the other Slavic languages, including Russian. However, if you can learn the alphabet (and the corresponding letters with accents), then pronunciation is easy as it is always the same - Czechs and Slovaks pronounce every letter of a word, with the stress falling on the first syllable. The combination of consonants in some words may seem mind-bogglingly hard, but it is worth the effort!
The Czech language has many local dialects, especially in Moravia. Some dialects are so different that they can be sometimes misunderstood even by a native Czech speaker from a different region. However all Czech people understand the standard Czech (as spoken in TV, written in newspapers and taught in schools) and should be able to speak it (but some are too proud to stop using their local dialect).
''See also'': Czech phrasebook, Slovak phrasebook
The exchange rate is approximately 25K? = ?1, 30K? = __1 GBP, 20K? = $1 (US), or 16K? = $1 (Canadian). As of 6 Nov 2008, ?1 = 24.39K? (Google)
Coins are issued in 1K?, 2K?, 5K? (all stainless steel), 10K? (copper-colored), 20K? (brass-colored) and 50 K? (copper-colored ring, brass-colored center; somewhat rare). Notes are issued in 50K? (pink), 100K? (aqua), 200K? (orange), 500K? (red), 1000K? (purple), 2000K? (olive green) and 5000K? (green-purple). See some banknote samples [http://www.cnb.cz/en/czech_legal_tender/banknotes/index.html]. Be aware that all 20K? banknotes, hale? coins, and older-style 1000K? and 5000K? banknotes from 1993 are NOT legal tender.
Some major stores (mainly bigger chains) will accept Euros, and it's also fairly common for accommodation providers to quote the price in Euros.
'''Never''' exchange money on the street. There is no "black market" with better rates, but there is a good chance you'll end up with a roll of worthless paper. Be very careful when you are exchanging money at a small exchange kiosk. They try to use tricks in order to give you a bad exchange rate. Ask for the total amount you will get and recompute it by yourself. Do not trust "0% commission" in big letters signs (usually there is "only on CZK buy" amendment in small letters). On this [http://kurzy.fin.cz/kurzy/kurzy.asp?A=P] website you can get good overview of reliable exchange places and rates.
Major stores throughout the country accept Visa and EC/MC, as do all the tourist stores in Prague.
If you end up in Panelaks be aware that the elevators are not likely to be kept up and may be prone to missing a door, or to stopping at the designated floor but will not open to let you out. If a door is missing there may be some minimal caution exercised by the residents in the form of a baby gate placed inside the elevator. If the elevator looks shifty, take the stairs. Yes, even if your friend lives up on the 15th floor.
Alternatively though the Panelaks in contrast to what one finds in Western European or American housing projects, are relatively safe and friendly places albeit it bland. The dark exterior shell hides a generally quite nice internal environment that is usually well maintained by the inhabitants living inside. The majority of people who live there are a cross section of the lower to middle classes of Czech society (including a large number of students and retired elderly people). Haje in Prague at the end of the red (C) metro line is well worth the half hour metro trip to experience a real live communist 'settlement.'
On the bright side, recently more flats in these panelaks have been being bought, changing these developments from Communist compartments into owned and cared-for properties. Unlike in Western Europe, panelaks in the Czech Republic are being lived-in and owned increasingly by the middle class, which tries to paint them lively colours and individualize their appearance inside and out. Some residents in such buildings don't find them isolating at all, and on the contrary feel that they foster a communal atmosphere.
'''Tipping''' is a standard 10%, and is not normally added to the bill. Don't be confused by the percentage figures listed at the bottom of the bill - by Czech law, a receipt must show the VAT paid (19% in most cases) - the VAT is already included in the final amount, and you should add 10% to this. It is normal practice to give the waiter the tip '''before''' you leave the table. Tip is ''not'' obligatory - if you weren't satisfied with services offered, don't bother tipping.
In a vast majority of better restaurants located in major cities you can pay by credit card (EC/MC, VISA), but don't be surprised if a few will not accept them. Make sure to check the door for respective card logos when entering the restaurant or ask the waiter before ordering. Czechs sometimes use special tickets (''stravenky'') to pay in some restaurants - these are tax-preferred and subsidised by employers. You won't get these tickets unless you get a job in the Czech Republic, just don't be surprised when you see them.
A traditional main meal of a day (usually lunch) consists of two or three dishes. The first dish is hot soup (polevka). The second dish is the most important part, very often based on some meat and side-dish (both served on the same plate). The third, optional part is either something sweet (and coffee) or small vegetable salad or something similar.
The Czech cuisine knows many different kinds of '''soup (polevka)'''. The most common are '''brambora?ka''' - potato soup (sometimes with forest mushrooms), '''hov?zi vyvar''' - clear beef soup (sometimes '''s jatrovymi knedli?ky''' - with liver dumplings), '''gula?ovka''' - thick goulash soup, '''zel?a?ka''' - thick and sour cabbage soup, '''?esne?ka''' (strong garlic soup, very healthy and tasty, but do not eat this before kissing), '''kulajda''' - thick soup with forest mushrooms and milk, '''hra?kova polevka''' from young green peas, '''?o?kova polevka''' from lentils, '''fazola?ka''' from beans, '''rajska polevka''' - tomato soup, and many others. A special case not to everyone's tastes is '''dr?kova polevka''' made from cow stomach. '''Rybi polevka''' - thick fish soup made from carps (including its head, some innards, roe and sperm) is the traditional soup of the Christmas Dinner.
Some soups are eaten with piece of bread or rolls, sometimes small roasted pieces of white bread are put inside the soup just in time before eating. Soup can be also eaten as the only dish, especially for a smaller dinner.
The second dish (main course, hlavni jidlo) of a lunch is (in the traditional cuisine) often the famous heavy and fatty part, very often based on '''pork''', but also '''beef''', '''chicken''', '''duck''', or other meat. Important part of most main courses is side-dish (the whole dish including the side-dish is served on one plate) - usually cooked or baked potatoes, fries, rice, pasta or the most typical side-dish of the Czech cuisine - '''knedliky'''.
Knedliky (usually translated as ''dumplings'') come in many different kinds. Most kinds are used as side-dish, however some kinds with filling are used as dish by itself. The most common type, always used as side-dish, are '''houskove knedliky''' (''roll dumplings''). These are cooked in a shape of a cylinder, which is then cut into round slices about 8 cm in diameter remotely resembling white bread. Houskove knedliky are served with Czech classics such as '''gula?''', similar to Hungarian goulash but with a thinner sauce and less spicy; '''Svi?kova na smetan?''', beef sirloin with a creamy root vegetable (carrot, celeriac, parsnip) sauce, served with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce, a slice of orange and whipped cream; '''Vep?ova pe?en? se zelim a knedlikem locally named as Vep?o-knedlo-zelo''', the combination of roast pork, knedliky and sauerkraut. The latter combines very well with the world-famous Czech beer, the major brands being Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Budvar, Staropramen, Velkopopovicky Kozel and Kru?ovice.
Another common kind is '''bramborove knedliky''' (''potato dumplings''), the slices are smaller, more yellow in color, and are also always served as a side-dish. A typical combination is roasted meet (pork or lamb for example) with spinach and bramborove knedliky or duck with sauerkraut and bramborove knedliky (or combination of bramborove and houskove knedliky). Less common are '''chlupate knedliky''' ('''hairy dumplings''', but there are no hairs, don't panic), which are not sliced but cooked in shape of balls. They are also usually served with roasted meat and either sauerkraut or spinach.
Other Czech dishes include '''pe?ena kachna''', roast duck again served with bread or potato dumplings, and red and white sauerkraut; '''moravsky vrabec''', known as 'Moravian Sparrow', but which is in fact pork cooked in garlic and onions; '''sma?eny kapr''', fried carp breaded and served with a very rich potato salad and eaten on Christmas Eve; '''pe?ene vep?ove koleno''', roast pork knee, served with mustard and fresh horseradish; '''bramborak''', garlicky potato pancakes; '''sma?eny syr''', breaded deep-fried edam (the most popular cheese in the Czech Republic) served with boiled potatoes or french fries and tartar sauce; '''parek v rohliku''', long, thin hot dogs with crusty rolls and mustard or ketchup. If you must, you can always get '''hranolky''' - french fries. And of course, the ubiquitous <b>zeli</b> (raw cabbage), which is served with absolutely everything. Game is also very good, and includes dishes such as '''kan?i''', wild boar, '''ba?ant''', pheasant and '''jeleni''' or '''da??i''', both types of venison. These are almost always served either with dumplings and red and white cabbage, or as gula?.
Don't expect a wide selection of '''zelenina''', vegetables, unless in the countryside - peppers, tomatoes and cabbage are the most commonly-seen side dishes, often served as a small garnish.
US-citizens may be surprised when they find "American potatoes" in the menu. These are like fried or baked potatoes, usually spiced.
Generally, probably the best place to really try the Czech cuisine is to be invited for such a meal to somebody's home. However, it is not so easy, because people today tend to prepare simpler and more international foods. Traditional Czech cuisine is often reserved to Sundays or some holidays or prepared by old grandma when her children visit her. This is not a rule, but it is a common situation. In common restaurants, even the better ones, the traditional Czech food usually does not match what the old grandma serves. This does not mean that the food is bad or not tasty, but it is missing something that the home preparation can provide. In luxurious restaurants specialized in Czech cuisine, the food can be excellent, but the luxurious style and creative improvements by the chef often do not match the style of the traditional folk cuisine. Again, this is not a hard rule. Sometimes you can compliment the food in a restaurant "As if my grandma prepared it."
There are some dishes that are usually not served in any restaurants or pubs, are usually made at home and are worth trying if you have the opportunity. '''Brambory na loupa?ku''' ("potatoes to be peeled") is a cheap and simple meal usually made in the countryside. Whole unpeeled potatoes are cooked in a big pot and put in the pot itself or a bowl on the table. You just take a hot potato from the pot, peel it yourself, put some salt, butter, and/or curd (tvaroh) on it and eat it. Drink it down with lot of cold milk. For such a simply meal it can be incredibly tasty, especially when eaten in the countryside after a day spent outside and chatting over it.
Picking mushrooms in forests is a very popular activity in the Czech Republic. Probably not surprisingly, collected mushrooms are eaten then. In restaurants, usually only cultivated mushrooms are used. If forest mushrooms are served in a restaurant, then usually only as a minor addition to a meal. Homemade mushroom meals are a completely different story. A classic example is '''Sma?enice''' (the name is based on the verb 'sma?it' - to fry), also known as michanice (to mix) - forest mushrooms, the more kinds the better, are sliced to small pieces, mixed and stewed (with some fat, onion, and caraway). Later, eggs are added to the mixture. Sma?enice is served with bread. '''Sma?ene bedly''' are whole caps of parasol mushrooms coated in breadcrumbs and fried. '''?erny kuba''' (literally ''black jimmy'') is a traditional Christmas fasting meal made from dried mushrooms and peeled barley. '''Houbova oma?ka''' (mushroom sauce), served with meat and bread dumplings is also popular. Fresh or dried mushrooms make also a nice addition to '''brambora?ka s houbami''' (potato soup with mushrooms). '''Kulajda''' is a soup from mushrooms and cream. Soups and sauces are the most likely forest mushroom meals to find in a restaurant, because they contain relatively small amount of mushrooms.
If you want to pick mushrooms by yourself, be careful. There are hundreds of species, some of them very tasty, some merely edible, but some poisonous or even deadly. There is also a species used as a hallucinogenic drug. A tasty and edible species may look very similar to a deadly species. If you do not know mushrooms very well, you should be accompanied by an experienced mushroom-picker.
Also try traditional beer snacks, often the only food served in some pubs (hospoda, pivnice), and designed to be washed down by a good beer:
If you want a warm, bigger, and more complicated meal which goes excellently with beer, get some of the typical Czech meals based on fatty meat (pork, duck, or goose) with sauerkraut and knedliky (dumplings). Another excellent option is a whole pork knee with horseradish and bread ('''ovarove koleno s k?enem''').
The best-known export brands are '''Pilsner Urquell''' (Plze?sky Prazdroj), '''Budweiser Budvar''' (Bud?jovicky Budvar) and '''Staropramen'''. Other major brands which are popular domestically include '''Gambrinus''', '''Kozel''', '''Bernard''' (a small traditional brewery, with very high quality beer), '''Radegast''', and '''Starobrno''' (made in Brno, the capital of Moravia). Other fantastic beers worth tasting are '''Svijany''' and '''Dob?anska Hv?zda'''. Although many Czechs tend to be very selective about beer brands, tourists usually don't find a significant difference. And remember, real Czech beer is only served on tap – bottled beer is a completely different experience. High-quality beer can almost certainly be found in a ''hospoda'' or ''hostinec'', very basic pubs which serve only beer and light snacks. Take a seat and order your drinks when the waiter comes to you - going to the bar to order your drinks is a British custom! But beware, the handling of the beer is even more important than its brand. A bad bartender can completely ruin even excellent beer. Best bet is to ask local beer connoiseurs about a good pub or just join them.
Beers are sometimes listed by their original sugar content, which is measured in degrees Plato (P/__). The difference is generally apparent in the final alcohol content. Normal beer is about 10__ (such as Gambrinus and Staropramen, which results in 4% ABV), lager 12__ (such as Pilsner Urquell, which results in about 4.75% ABV). The latter is stronger and more expensive, so you should specify which one you want when you order.
Czech lager is nothing like the fizzy lagers found in many other countries. Instead, it has a very strong, hoppy, almost bitter flavour, and goes very well with heavy dishes like duck or pork and dumplings or strong cheeses. It always has a thick skim on the top when it is served, but do not be afraid to drink "through" it, it is fun and it slowly disappears anyway, nevertheless do not drink the beer too slowly as the fresh cold taste (especially in hot summers) quickly fades – the "true" Czech connoisseurs do not even finish this "tepid goat," as they call it.
Try also '''sva?ak''', hot mulled wine served in all pubs, and outdoors at Christmas markets, '''grog''', hot rum and water served with a slice of lemon - add sugar to taste, and '''medovina''', mead, again usually served hot, and particularly good for warming up at a cold winter market. Finally, if you are heading into Moravia, try '''bur?ak''', a speciality found only around the end of the summer, or early autumn. It is extremely young wine, usually white, and is the cloudy, still fermenting stage in wine production when the wine is very sweet, and very smooth to drink. It continues to ferment in the stomach, so the alcohol content at the time of drinking it is unknown, but it is usually high, creeps up on you, and it is very moreish. Czechs say that it should only be drunk fresh from the vineyard, and many small private wine makers are passionate about it, waiting up into the night for the moment when the wine reaches the ''"bur?ak"'' stage. You can see it at wine festivals around the country, and sometimes in markets or wine bars too.
'''Tap water''' is good, although the chlorine can be quite strong.
A reputable hospital in Prague is '''Nemocnice na Homolce''', Address: Roentgenova 37/2, Prague 5 (tel 257 272 350). There is a foreigners' clinic (Cizinecke odd?leni) there with English-speaking receptionists who can make appointments for you. Most doctors speak some English, and the level of care is of a very high standard.
Central Europe and parts of the Czech Republic have '''ticks''' (''Ixodes ricinus'') which can carry Encephalitis or Lyme Borreliosis. Ticks hide in grass and bushes, so try to stay on trails and inspect exposed areas of skin after a hike. Vaccination against Encephalitis is available and recommended. If you want to bushwhack, make sure you have the vaccination and wear long trousers. A good insect repellent (which contains DEET), might be helpful, too. Ticks like to cling to any soft, warm, well-perfused areas of your body (undersides of knees and elbows, skin around ankles, groins, neck area, behind your ears etc.) and if not removed, they'll suck your blood until they grow about 1 cm big. Never try to scratch a tick off or pull it out, because damaging it can cause you a serious infection. The sooner the tick is removed, the smaller the chance of infection. Either ask a physician to remove a tick for you, or try to remove it by yourself: lubricate your finger with any greasy lotion and gently wag a tick from side to side until it wobbles free. Then burn it - never crush it to avoid infection. Watch the affected spot: if you see a growing red spot developing there anytime during next several months, immediately visit your physician and tell him about that - you might have contracted Borreliosis. It is dangerous, but it can be easily treated with antibiotics during early stage. Be wary that American vaccination against Borreliosis most probably won't work against European strains (''B. afzelii'' and ''B. garini''). Note that ticks are sometimes present even in city parks, including Prague.
Czechs don't appreciate when foreigners incorrectly assume that Czechoslovakia still exists, or that it was part of the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire -- both definitely false -- although it was part of the Soviet Bloc and, until 1918, an Austro-Hungarian territory. Commenting about how "everything is quite cheap here" comes across as condescending about the country's economic status, and in any case is no longer true (other than beer).
If you are knowledgable about the Czechoslovakian communist regime following the second world war, bear in mind that this is still a sensitive issue for many and that it is easy to upset people in discussions on the subject.
Czechs are one of the most atheist people in the world, and are very proud of it. This is true especially in large Bohemian cities. Don't assume that anyone you do not know believes in God or has a passion for Christianity. Respect that and your religion will also be respected.
Always say hello (''Dobry den'') and goodbye (''Na shledanou'') when you enter and leave a small shop as it is polite.
While dining at a restaurant with a host's family it is customary for THEM to pick up the bill, the opposite of most Western standards. However don't assume they will - but also don't be surprised if they do.
There are three main mobile phone operators using the '''GSM standard''', their coverage is very good (except in some remote, mostly uninhabited areas). If you find using roaming with your own operator too expensive or you want to have a Czech phone number, you can buy an '''anonymous prepaid card''' from any of the three main operators. However, the pricing schemes are usually quite complicated and some investigation may be necessary to find the ideal solution (even with the prepaid cards, operators offer various schemes including various additional 'packages'). GPRS and EDGE is widely supported, however 3G networks are almost nonexistent. The fourth operator (U:fon) uses some custom standards and you have to buy special hardware from them.
There are still some '''telephone boxes''' available, but they are gradually vanishing since the advent of mobile phones. Some still accept coins, but most of them require special prepaid telephone card.
You can call '''emergency numbers''' from any phone for free (even without any card). The universal emergency number ''112'' is functional and you can use it, however you will reach only a telephone operator who will need to contact the real emergency service for you. To save precious time, it is best to call directly the service you need: 150 for firefighters, 155 for medical emergency, and 158 for state police.
'''Wifi''' is available in many restaurants, especially in larger cities. You may need to ask a waiter for the passphrase. There are also some hotspots available on the streets and some city quarters (for example in Prague) offer free wifi coverage for everyone. However such coverage is usually very slow and unreliable and you may need to create an account (using a web browser and the page it is automatically redirected to) to be able to use it. In most larger cities, there are also several '''internet cafes''' available.