In Olomouc on a low budget

Stylish accommodation for 300 hundred crowns is not fiction.

Let's start with the essentials - accommodation. The cheapest and the most stylish overnight stay in the city center can be found at Long Story Short. They also have private rooms, but to stay on the budget we suggest the shared dormitories, which cost around 300 CZK (approx. 12 €) per bed per night. Women can pay an extra 50 CZK (2 €) for a bed in an all-female dorm. If you've had a bad experience with hostels, the Long Story Short experience will make that up! Designer ambience, clean, well-equipped bathrooms, a café with a terrace where all kinds of music sessions and dance evenings are regularly organized in the summer... in addition, the friendly staff will offer you a Free City Tour or a tasting of regional famous cheese curds "Tvarůžky" in 3 different ways. You can meet people from different parts of the world, you are a few steps away from the city centre and the park, you can eat and drink well, and have fun... For three hundred a night it's great!

A tour of the city for a few bucks

After checking in, you'll probably want to go sightseeing around the city. So either arrange the already mentioned Free City Tour at the hostel reception or go to the information center (in the arch of the town hall on the Upper Square) to get an audio guide. The price for the loan is 100 CZK (approx. 4 €) and an additional refundable deposit of 300 CZK (12 €). For that, you get 90 minutes of the most interesting of Olomouc's history and monuments (in Czech, English, German, French, Italian, Russian, or Polish). But watch out, you can also enjoy the tour for free - just download the guide to your phone! But maybe sightseeing is something you want to save the least on. In that case, we've got 2 great tips for unconventional tours - a river cruise with a talk about the city for 220 CZK (9 €) or a slightly cheaper beer bike ride (200 CZK/8 €).

When you walk through the Upper and Lower Squares, the romantic streets around, and climb to the observation tower of the Church of St. Moritz, walk towards the hostel, and continue a bit further. You will reach the Cathedral of St. Wenceslas (which, by the way, looks quite similar to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York) and the neighboring Archdiocesan Museum. Even if you don't love museums, this one is a must-see! It is not just the fact that it is the only museum in the Czech Republic with the prestigious European Heritage Label but it's also the premises themselves. Once upon a time, the Czech, Polish, and Hungarian King Wenceslaus III of Bohemia walked through the grounds, as did young Mozart. The ticket will cost you 100 CZK (4 €) and there's an option to borrow a tablet that serves as a guide to the exhibition, for an additional 20 CZK (0.8 €). If you plan to continue to the Museum of Modern Art or the Archbishop's Palace, buy a discounted combined ticket (CZK 190/€8 or CZK 130/€5.5).

Pick the lunch menu in the center of Olomouc

Are you hungry yet? If we don't count kebabs and fast food, you can also find the lunch menus relatively cheaply. It is not so hard to choose the right restaurant, because normally the daily menu (even in the city center) ranges up to 150 CZK (6 €). But bear in mind that the discounted menu (soup + main course) is usually only available until 2 p.m. Maybe you're not that hungry and would just like a soup or a sandwich? So try CrossCafé in Riegrova street, where they prepare thick vegetable soup, sandwiches, and something sweet to eat every day for a good price. And if you still crave a burger (or salad?) from a fast food chain, you can find McDonald's on the National Heroes Square in the center and many other establishments nearby Šantovka Gallery. For Asian food, head to the Banyan bistro in Moritz Gallery, where you can get a decent Pho soup for 135 CZK (5.6 €) and a proper portion of Pad Thai or other rice and noodle specialties for 130 CZK (5.4 €).

How about an evening beer?

Going out for at least one evening beer is basically a must (if you're a teetotaler, you're excused). You have an abundance of options in Olomouc. In the centre, the prices of a pint are around 43 CZK (1.8 €), unless it's some sort of fancy special. You might not want to spend money on dinner, but an honest, thick soup like this will only cost you a few crowns more than a beer. Beer, however, probably goes better with pub classics like spreads and pâtés with bread or pickled cheeses. It will fill you up and fit under one hundred crowns (€4). If you feel like splurging for at least an evening, go to Morgan's restaurant or Hanácká hospoda (a traditional-style regional pub) in the center. In both establishments, you can enjoy proper Czech cuisine for up to 200 CZK (8 €), typical Czech fried cheese with fries for 150 CZK (6 €), salads, and a few vegetarian dishes, including tank beer.

Average spending for 1 eventful day (and night) in Olomouc (with accommodation, two tours, lunch, dinner, and 2 beers): approx. 900 CZK (37 €)