Customer Reviews

Prague: Artel Style

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The changes in Prague since 1990, when we were last there, are utterly amazing and somewhat overwhelming, although not surprising -- Prague was fantastic to visit in 1990, even though it was not yet quite geared up to receiving visitors. We were fortunate on the second day of our second (2007) trip to find Karen Feldman's little guidebook. It is absolutely terrific! As a native of North America but a longtime resident of the city, she has an excellent sense of the kinds of things that "anti-tourist" tourists will find interesting. Her summaries and descriptions are well written, and the book is well laid out and easy to use. As a guidebook author myself, I think I know a good guide when I see one! I only wish we'd known about it before we got there. Buy it and enjoy -- it's the next best thing to an actual visit and indispensable for a real visit.

Do EVERYTHING Karen Feldman says. Go on a hunt for the best streudel in the world. Experience the Old Jewish Cemetary from the bathroom window at the Museum of Decoraive Arts. Ride the Pater Noster. Buy the coolest fashions direct from the designers for 1/10 the price in the US. You will never be the same again (isn't that the point of travel in the first place?)

I have to agree with the other reviewers...this book is a gem! One of the best guide books I've ever read. Useful, funny, and engaging style. Leaving for Prague in October, and this is the only guide book I'll need. Highly recommend!

This was the best guidebook I've ever bought, bar none. It was not just always in my bag during my stay in Prague - it was always in my hand! Other travelers, Prague natives - everyone was impressed by this wonderful little book.

Karen Feldman's guide is well-written and contains wonderful advice, even if a few of the places I tried to go to last weekend were no longer there. I do hope she provides an update soon - it is a terrific guide to mostly upscale sights and activities in Prague, and it should be at the top of the list for any visitor. Feldman is clear about where she is coming from and that the bulk of the information is on shopping - she is herself a retailer and appreciates luxury - but still I would have appreciated a few lower-ticket items, particularly in the accommodations section.

I hadn't realized how homogeneous the tone and style of the other guidebooks are until I had this one in hand - her utterly charming personality comes through in every entry! It is a very refreshing change of pace. If you follow her advice, you will do unique and fun things in Prague away from crowds (as much as you can be) that are not too grungy or funky. Enjoy!

I have lived in Prague for eight years and have found a goldmine of information in Karen Feldman's masterpiece, "Prague, Artel Style." For anyone new to Prague, you will be directed to the tried and true as well as to special places in the city few have seen. For those on their second, forth, or fiftieth visit, you will find new gems on pages filled with personal commentary and fabulous illustrations. For those Czechs and expats living in Prague, get yourself a copy and fall even further in love with Prague's magic.

We've visited Prague four times in four years, and are constantly buying more guide books. This one is clearly the best of the dozen or so Prague guides that we own.

If you plan to buy only one guide, this should be the one, even though the author says this book should be used as a supplement to more conventional guides. The Artel Guide will point you to more of "inside" Prague than any other guide.

If you plan to buy more than one, then there are a couple of ideas that may prove helpful. First, Prague is constantly changing. New guides are obviously going to cover those changes better than old ones. Keep publication dates in mind. Second, the book does not really try to cover the history of Prague. Consider one of the more 'traditional' guides from Lonely Planet, Frommer, or the like to plug this gap. Third, while Prague is eminently walkable, it is also an easy and wonderful place to get lost. The best map guide we've found, out of about four we've tried, is from Knopf. A new version came out in 2007.

Beyond that, we agree with all the others who've made this Amazon's top rated guide to Prague. Buy it.

This is the book for people who want to learn what the natives know: where to find the real character of the place, like the one-ring circus, the art house cinemas, model trains, the puppet museum, the best toys and antiques... I could go on! The author has found every single cool, offbeat thing to do in Prague and if she didn't have the personal expertise, she found an someone who did. There are concise, informative sections the local music scene, hipster bars and night clubs, Czech wines, etc. Of course, it also has all the major tourist attractions, including castles and museums, and a ton of tips on getting around and getting along. The gorgeous design and amazing vintage pictures are worth the price alone! This is the most fun I've ever had reading a travel guide.

An interesting thing about Karen Feldman's Prague guide is that it doesn't purport to be THE guidebook to Prague, but rather a quirky companion to the mainstream guides. But really, that's not quite on the mark. Much of "Prague: Artel Style" reads like notes from a mind-bogglingly well-informed friend about what to do, where to go, where to eat, etc. And that's just what you want for a city like Prague, whose out-of-the-way mysteries might otherwise take weeks, months or even years to discover.

The result is a guidebook that stands on its own. If you're a first-time tourist, you're likely to have a fantastic Prague experience even if you don't crack open another guidebook. In fact, you might do better reading this guide on its own rather than wasting your time with some of the ill-informed recommendations in other guides (Lonely Planet coming to mind).

This book is the antidote to the rote, formulaic advice offered by sea of practically identical guides for Prague. Most visitors to the Czech capital never have the opportunity to dip beneath the fairy-tale beautiful surface of the city, limiting themselves to Prague Castle and Charles Bridge. Ms Feldman's book provides a funny, quirky and supremely useful insider's look into the many oft-unseen charms of the place, with the kind of smart, detailed information on shopping, eating, sightseeing and accommodation that can make the difference between a run-of-the-mill holiday and a truly fabulous visit.