Friday, February 17, 2012

Prague Tips: Mental Map of the City

Mental Mapping

In the everyday life, we usually walk through the streets of our city without following the saying: "one step at the time is a good walk". We hurry to reach our destination, taking the well known  little streets and shorcuts, and we often simply overlook the city itself, as a picture in the background.
According to Kevin Lynch, American professor anf urban planner, people understand their city in consistent and predictable ways, forming mental maps of the surroundings, which helps them navigate the urban landscape.There are five major elements, that we notice:
  • paths, the streets, sidewalks, trails, and other "people" channels
  • edges, perceived boundaries - walls, buildings, and shorelines
  • districts,  large sections of the city distinguished by some character
  • nodes, focal points, intersections or loci
  • landmarks, readily identifiable objects which serve as external reference points
With time, we get used to our mental maps and so we don't have to pay so much attention to the city itslef. If your city seems too well known to you, try out our tip how to refresh your picure of it and notice small deatils that you would not see on your daily walks! And if you are in a new city for a first time, try it afer a few days of your stay in an area that you think you know (or like) the best - you will be surprised, how many things you haven't noticed yet. Be sure to carry your map with you though!

Create Your City Algorithm

It's easy - simply pick your starting point and  write down an algorithm of your walk, eg.>
1. one turn to the right
2. second street to the left
3. 2x to the right  etc. 

Repeat at least one hour (or until you get totally lost) and don't forget to take your camera with you. Focus on small deatils, observe people around you and the rythm of the streets. We guarantee that you will see the city from a completely different perspective than before.
Sources & If you are interested to read more:
Lynch, Kevin, The Image of the City, MIT Press, Cambridge MA 1960
Lynch, Kevin, City Sense and City Design: Writings and Projects of Kevin Lynch
www.josephy.com
 


Saturday, February 11, 2012

Business Travellers

Many of our guests each week are returning clients - business travellers who choose to stay with us every time they are in town. We believe that we thought of everything you may need while working away from home on a bussines trip. Here are some of the key benefits which make PCA serviced apartments a better alternative to hotel rooms and keep our regular clients coming back.
  • Wi-fi comes free in every apartment
  •  Separate desk and working space in most of you apartments, which makes it so much easier to work in.
  •   Comfortable beds! A good night's sleep makes all the difference.
  •   Flexible check-in and check-out times
  •   24/7 Reception Desk  - booking taxis, restaurants, concerts etc. Great customer service is high on our priority list. We are trying to anticipate your needs and giving you all the basic tools to enjoy your stay with us – independently.
  • Conference rooms in our residences, suitable for bussines meetings (depending on where you are staying.)

    Do you have any more tips what to include in our services to make your business stays even easier? Share it in the comments or on our Facebook wall, we would love to hear your opinion.

Friday, February 10, 2012

PCA News: February 10% OFF


Prague City Apartments is offering discounts for all our Facebook fans staying at Residences Rybna or Masna up until the end of February 2010. Including Valentine's Day! Book your stay now and enjoy Prague in winter time for a great price.


Residence Rybna
Residence Rybna has seven stylish apartments varying in size from one-bedroom to thre-bedroom and is located just a stonethrow away from the Old Town square.As in all our residences, also in Rybna you can enjoy free wi-fi, daily maid service and all the space you need to relax.

Residence Masna
Residence Masna is a completely renovated 19th century building, minutes from the historical center of Prague.

This residence offers 21 comfortable studios and one-bedroom apartments. All of them are fully equiped and designed to make your stay easy. A conference room for business meetings is available there.

 Get the discount!

It's simple - to apply fo this offer, become our fan on Facebook and find your promo code in "promotion" section on our Welcome page. Mention this code with your booking (e-mail, phone). 

For more information:
Facebook Prague City Apartments
Residence Rybna
Residence Masna


Note: This offer is valid for new bookings only.



3Tips: Where to enjoy traditional Czech food in Prague

If you are looking for a place where to try traditional Czech kitchen, check out these restaurant tips where we like to eat our gulash or baked duck (if not at our grandma's).

# 1. LOKÁL
Address: Dlouhá 33, 110 00 Praha 1 Check the menu: http://www.ambi.cz/includes/menu/ambiente-lokal-menu-eng.pdf Contact: +420 222 316 265
Lokál, managed by Ambiente Group, has quickly become one of the most popular Czech restaurants in Prague. Main policy of this restaurant is to use local and fresh products and you will hardly find anything that is not "traditionally czech" on the menu. Not even Coca-Cola made it! The interior is furnished in retro style of Czech restaurants in70’s and 80’s. The crowd is usually mixed  and you can meet both czechs and foreigners there. Smoking & non smoking area. The food is simply great and you can enjoy two fresh menus a day.

# 2. KLÁŠTERNÍ ŠENK
Address: Markétská 1/28, 169 00  Praha 6 Check the menu: http://www.catering-praha.com/en/foodlist.php Contact: +420 220 406 294

The restaurant is located in the heart of Břevnov monanstery komplex, close to the area of Prague Castle (also the monanstery itself worths a vistit!).The interior is rustic with an open fire and you can enjoy a wide range of traditional Czech food. Both meat lovers and vegetarians will be happy here as the salads and vegetable dishes (unlike in many other Czech  restaurants) are fresh and creative. However, it would be a shame not to try many of the meat speacialities, like their delicious Marianated Pork Ribs. The service extremly kind and attentive. You can also enjoy a special draft beer, Klášter 11°. 


# 3.  SOKOLOVNA
Address: Slezská 22/821, 120 00 Praha 2
Check the menu: http://www.restaurantsokolovna.cz/?str=menu Contact: + 420 222 524 525
Traditional restaurant with authentic atmosphere -  local and always busy. Excellent food, great tank Pilsner Urquell beer and a wide choice of both local and international dishes. Reasonable prices and attentive service.. Don't forget to try their delicious Gulash Soup in bread!