Getting to Know Cisco Prague

In the center of one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, with a splendid view of the ancient Prague castle, just steps away from the Vltava River – sits our Cisco Office in Prague. Cisco occupies two floors in the Charles Square Center. There is a supermarket, stationary store, café, bank, flower shop, post office, organic food shop and gym all located conveniently under one roof.

When you get a chance to visit us, you will meet our research and development team, with over 100 team members coming from different backgrounds and experiences. We are always looking for the most talented and brightest people to join our team like Software Engineers, Malware Researchers or Machine Learning Scientist.

Want to learn more about our office vibe? Continue reading!

1. Where do most employees eat lunch? 

The majority of the team likes to enjoy lunch at local restaurants. We are located in the city center, so there are a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. We always have fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt and granola, along with many other healthy snacks on hand when you need a quick pick me up throughout the work day. Every Thursday, we organize a team breakfast with local Czech sandwiches – “obložené chlebíčky” and other sweet treats.

2. If you want to go offsite for lunch/snack, where do you go?

As we are located in the center of Prague, there are plenty of restaurants with different types of cuisine to choose from. You can go to the restaurant M’roll for Vietnamese Pho, or try Pakistani cuisine at Manni Kebabish located directly opposite to La Loca restaurant with a unique cuisine that combines luscious Mediterranean taste with mesmerizing aroma of Middle East. There is even a Poké Haus restaurant where you can have a healthy rice bowl with tofu or fish. There are many restaurants with classic Czech cuisine such as New Town Restaurant Brewery or Karlův sklep. Karluv sklep is very popular with our engineers.

3. Coffee fuels innovation. Where do I get some?

We have espresso machines in our office to get your daily caffeine fix. You can also have your cappuccino with lactose free, almond or coconut milk. If you’re looking for coffee outside of the office, Cross Café is located in the atrium of the office building or Costa Coffee is nearby.

In the summer, you can go to Karlovo Namesti park across the street from the office and grab a coffee from a mobile coffee truck called Kofi-Kofi. There is also a nice café down the street named I Need Coffee that has a lot of healthy raw food snacks. If you’re looking for a French café au lait, there is a French bakery named La Petite France.

4. Trick you need to know here (who to ask how the espresso machine works, should you enter a side door to get somewhere faster? Etc.)

When working on the 5^th floor, there is a nicer and quicker way to get to the 4^th floor and vice versa. There is a back stairwell that will lead you to the terrace. Don’t forget your badge or you will not be able to get in from outside! It is a nice way to get some fresh air throughout the day between meetings. Go through our patio with the beautiful view to the Prague Castle, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Prague.

5. Where is the coolest spot to sit? Window seat with a view?

Our office has many windows that allow for a lot of natural light.  There are many places with a great view of Prague’s red roof tops and of the Prague castle. In the summer, it’s great to enjoy lunch out on the spacious terrace.

6. Where is the secret spot that we should visit in the building? Nap pods? Scrabble room?

The Charles Square office has a small rock climbing wall room on the 4^th floor. You can also use it for exercise. There is a massage chair on the 5^th floor and also some large bean bag chairs to work from or take a break in a more relaxed position. You can also challenge your colleagues to a game of foosball.

7. Fun fact about your building/location/city. (Largest office, most employees, how many employees in the location, etc.)

The building is located in one of the largest European squares. It was founded by Charles IV, the Emperor and King of Bohemia. The square is now one of the main transport hubs of the city centre with Karlovo Namesti metro station and numerous tram lines and busy roads crossing it in all directions.

8. If you’re visiting from another Cisco location, or interviewing from out of town, what’s the best hotel to stay in?

The best hotels to stay in are the Hilton or Marriott located in the center of the beautiful old town of Prague. You can get to the office with a 20-minute walk, or on the metro or subway in 10 minutes.

9. If you’re staying an extra day or two, what’s the one tourist spot to hit?

If you want to stay and explore our city, let us know and we will be happy to show you all of its beauty, history and architecture. But the must-sees stops include: Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and Petrin Hill or Letna Park for a beautiful view. And don´t forget to taste the best beer in the world! In the summer, you can grab a beer on Náplavka which is a cobble stoned boulevard on the banks of the Vltava River. It has been named Prague’s “hipster hangout”. Or you can visit one of the many breweries around Prague.

10. What’s the dress code like? Jeans? Biz casual? (But remember, always look sharp if you’re interviewing!)

As we are an office of software engineers, the dress code is very casual and comfortable. Jeans and a t-shirt are usually the norm.

11. Is there a gym nearby? Trails to walk? How can you get your steps in to impress Fitbit?

There is a fitness center in the office building called John Reid Fitness. There are more than 40 different live or virtual workouts available. You can also go for a run or walk along the Vltava River at lunch, or walk through many of the beautiful trails that lead you to a great view on Petrin Hill.

The location, the design, and the people at Charles Square are what makes our office a wonderful place to work. The view of the castle from the terrace, the regular office gatherings, and the close proximity to many great restaurants, cafes, and shops is truly unique. Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and to have the office located right in the center of such a wonderful city makes it truly one of a kind!

Come visit the office to see how we are changing the world! We will be happy to show you around and introduce you to our  people and office culture. You will see for yourself why this is such a wonderful place to work. You may get lucky and join us on an employee’s birthday, where we celebrate with coffee and cake, or on a sunny day where we enjoy the terrace and the view.

Want to join us? You can! Apply now. Looking to join this team? Search keywords ‘Cognitive Intelligence’ or ‘Prague’