Paris or Prague? For a short break with DM (80) and DD (10)

[AndCallMeNancy]

Hello, would love some feedback on this one please! Am hoping to book a Mon-Fri city break for the end of August. Paris and Prague are the shortlist. My mum is 80 but in pretty good nick and her mobility is ok, although obviously she can’t hike for miles! We want somewhere hopefully warm and sunny but not sweltering. We want to see and do some interesting things without it being too intense, and really just to spend some time together somewhere beautiful!

A bit vague I know but if anyone has any opinions on what might be the better option I’d love to hear it! 🙏

The batobus does look great. Similarly we were in London a couple of summers ago and used the Uber boat to get about on our main sightseeing day, so much easier and less sweaty/grimy that the tube! I’ve just looked on the website and it’s pretty reasonable too! I figure we could get a 48 hour pass and see quite a lot.

I’m no nearer really to deciding as I think we would have a great time in either city so I might ask the other two to choose!

I enjoy Paris more than I do Prague - it’s just a matter of taste, I actually found Prague ok but wouldn’t rush back and the food was extremely mediocre at best - I think Paris has far more for a 10 year old too - my only downer is an awful lot is shut in August

I’ve been to both and if you haven’t been to either then definitely Paris

Not sure how anyone could not love Paris

No one is really that rude to you unless you’re rude first or there’s a bit of a language barrier / miscommunication type of thing. And definitely not everyone that’s just ridiculous

Paris is a very walkable city and easy to navigate using public Transport

We loved the old city part of Prague, but the actual centre wasn't very inspiring if I'm honest. It was full of hawkers, segue tour sellers, and "tourist tat" shops. We found some lovely little cafe's and just sat people watching a lot of the time, and the tram's were great - but overall it was a little disappointing. We did 4 days there. I'd also add that the food was very hit and miss. We ended up using the hotel restaurant a lot as that was excellent.

If your mum struggles with stairs, the Paris Metro will be a nightmare for her.

I've been to both. Paris is hot in August and there will be places closed. I went to Prague at Easter and was hot. For Paris , as this is the one i know better, there used to be a hop on hop off bus- great way to see the sites. I would advise looking at official ticket providers where u buy tickets in advance- jump the queue etc. I've done this many times, u pay a bit more but it worth it. There are novelty things u can do such as hiring a 2cv to tour around Paris. There are coach trips that go to Versailles and Monet"s gardens.

Have a fantastic time

Re Metro, yes, some do not have escalators.

I’ve been to both. If you’ve never been to Paris then surely you have to choose Paris. There’s so much to see and do. If you’ve have been to Paris before and don’t want to revisit then go to Prague.

I used to live in Paris and still visit as it’s such a great city and the food so much better than Prague. However, I did like Prague but for me it’s not worth a revisit.

Have you thought about Krakow @op ? Similar vibe to Prague but bigger and not quite as crowded. I was thinking of going to Prague with my teenage son but have seen some photos of the main square and it’s rammed, same with Charles (sp ?) bridge. Krakow is fairly flat, loads of cafes, some great museums and beautiful architecture.

@Platosrevenge I much preferred krakow to Prague and food was way better’in my opinion’ the old Jewish quarter was fascinating too if depressing -

I prefer Paris to Prague, it just has so many iconic sights. Prague is lovely but not nearly as memorable IMO.

Krakow is on a different wish list as I know my DH also wants to go. So I need to save it for another trip!

I have been to Paris but more than half my lifetime ago when I was 21! So I think it’s def due a revisit ☺️

I’ve no idea what everyone has been doing in Paris? It’s one of the cities of the world! It’s fantastic. Neither is it hilly! Stay around the Seine! We found fantastic restaurants and went to LV Foundation, Alaia Atelier, and various other galleries around the Marais. You cannot go wrong with a boat trip and visiting Notre Dame either. Forget Monmartre - that is hilly. Choose to stay near any station that’s direct from Gare du Nord and decide what’s important to you. Opera Garnier is beautiful for example.

Prague is cheaper and definitely for group holidays. Has plenty to offer big it’s not Paris. If anyone doesn’t like Paris I think they’ve not attempted to see the best of it - don’t do the tourist bits!

I don’t think you could go wrong with either, personally. If you really exhausted Prague after two days, there are lots of amazing day trips, castles and so on. My 9 year old loved Paris last year. I did find Prague very crowded and that was some years ago; I think a PP who said there is more room in Paris for people to spread out may be onto something.

Have you been there since the Olympics? I went last summer and was amazed at how much it’s been cleaned up - sparkling streets, lots of pedestrianisation, cyclists everywhere, really clean, lots of newly planted street gardens. Drinking water taps everywhere to refill bottles. Tapas bars by the river serving craft ales! The Seine has been cleaned up to the point that they are now allowing swimming. Everyone outside in the evening having a great time. English and Italian food is very fashionable there atm, as are vegan and vegetarian salad restaurants. Lots of media in English now, public transport v good.

It was all light years away from the way Paris was even just a few years ago (I’ve visited regularly from the 90s-2010s, and my memories of Paris being a bit grubby and crowded were totally changed by visiting last year). It really was very different to the Paris I remember, in a really good way. We took 11 y o DD who also had to a fantastic time. It is however very hot anywhere in continental Europe at the moment.

And OP if you go to Paris do go to the Eiffel Tower - it’s all been redeveloped with gardens underneath and cocktails bars up on the upper levels - completely different to my memories of it as a kid, when it was just in a bare concrete plaza. We all including DD agreed that it was one of the best bits of the holiday - that, and a nighttime boat ride up and down the Seine where they time it so that you get to the Eiffel Tower just as the lights flash on the hour. Absolutely fantastic when it’s hot and a must-do.

We also did the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, a ride in a double-decker RER train, Sacré-Coeur, the Centre Pompidou (if you like modern art the permanent galleries are fantastic and much better curated than the Tate Modern), the Sainte-Chapelle, the Ile de la Cité plus a Berthillon ice cream (beware, the main Berthillon shop is closed in August, but there are other nearby shops that sell the ice cream). Also a walk and shopping in the Marais, drinks at a pop-up bar at the Musée Carnavalet. DD absolutely loved it. Loads of great food options of all sorts in the Marais and much more child-friendly nowadays.

Prague will be busy, use the tram for the castle and monastery. Like others have said do a boat trip or two.
Be mindful that walking on cobblestones is harder than regular pavements.

I asked my H what he thought too as he’s been to both a lot with work , I’ve been 5 times to Paris but twice to Prague . I honestly think Paris USA better bet with that age difference - far more to see and do , better food ( in my opinion) and crowds are spread out - August can be a bit dead as a fair bit is shut - but we’ve been inn August and didn’t struggle for things that were open . Prague is a not unattractive typical middle European city - but I didn’t find it spectacularly interesting, it has an awful lot of sleaze that’s hard to avoid in many parts due to size ( Paris does too but it’s way bigger) and thought the food was not great at all .- even at a reasonably high end . I wouldn’t pick it over many other places. Obviously others opinions may vary - but I don’t get the downer on Paris and wonder if people have been within last 3 or 4 years - it’s looking good!!

I’d avoid the Louvre! So much walking! Other galleries are more tightly curated. I’d look at personal interests and temp exhibitions. We saw Hockney at LV Foundation. Just wonderful and a great inhibition space. Pimms on the roof too.