Important note: I have never played an EPT event. But I’ve been to dozens as a staffer. So my perspective is really, “Which cities that host EPT events are your favorite?”
- Prague. The capital of the Czech Republic is an extraordinary town full of beauty and history, not least because it was one of the few eastern European cities not bombed flat during World War II. The Prague EPT is excellent because it’s a 20-minute walk from the host hotel (the Hilton on the outskirts of town) right into downtown Prague. Just as importantly, the EPT is gracious enough to host the Prague event in early December, when said downtown Prague is lit up with an extraordinary Christmas market. I can remember walking through that Christmas market, smelling the chickens and sugary pastries on the outdoor grills, admiring the giant Christmas trees, and marveling at the places poker had brought me.
Be sure to purchase some Bavarian lead crystal to take home to friends and family. - Barcelona. It’s Spain, only really Catalonia, hard on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The host casino is smack on the beach, and I remember one extraordinary EPT Player’s Party that featured beach-side sushi as the sun set behind us. I assume poker was played at some point during those days.
When there, be sure to see the Sagrada Família, even if you’re not a particularly church-y person (I’m not). It’s an architectural marvel not to be missed. If you go play on La Rambla, keep your wallet tucked into an interior zippered pocket, but don’t let that prevent you from enjoying one of the best cities in all of Europe. - Monte Carlo. Forgive me, but this is an anti-favorite. I mean, I suppose everybody should see it once. Maybe. The entire feel of the city is surreal – Maseratis and Ferraris parked along the streets, every woman looks like she stepped off the pages of Vogue. The barely passable €30 hamburgers at the casino are symptomatic. Monte Carlo is a place for people to whom money has simply become a number, rather than a meaningful component of their existence. It is the epitome of, “If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.” And this applies to housing, food, and, ah, escorts.
I understand the allure and “romance.” To that point, if you find yourselfstuckthere, do go see the main casino on the grand plaza. It’s been the setting for dozens of movies, and is the sui generis of the opulent European casino. Walk by the harbor, where people compete to see who has the most expensive yacht. But then head west into France, or east into Italy, and go to a real country.
