Prague - Czechia

Itinerary

Nov 16

First Steps into a Living Fairytale Our Prague adventure began with a journey via Václav Havel Airport Prague. We arrived 25 minutes late due to a delayed takeoff in Amsterdam—a minor inconvenience that quickly faded as we stepped into the magical atmosphere of Central Europe's most preserved medieval city. The airport, named after the playwright, dissident, and former president Václav Havel, symbolizes the Czech Republic's transformation from Communist state to democratic nation.

A short walk from our perfectly positioned Airbnb brought us to Old Town Square, the beating heart of Prague for over 1,000 years. This magnificent square, established in the 10th century as a central marketplace, showcases an extraordinary collection of Gothic buildings that survived centuries of war, occupation, and political upheaval. The square's architectural diversity tells Prague's complete story—from medieval trading center to Habsburg imperial city to modern European capital.

The square's crown jewel, the Astronomical Clock (Orloj), installed in 1410, remains the world's third-oldest astronomical clock still in operation. Every hour, crowds gather to witness the medieval mechanical show, in which the Twelve Apostles appear in the upper windows while Death nods his head—a tradition that has continued uninterrupted for over 600 years, making it one of Europe's oldest continuously performed public spectacles.

Our first evening concluded at Pivnice U Kata, a traditional Czech restaurant specializing in authentic Bohemian cuisine. This introduction to Czech culinary culture revealed why Czechia boasts the highest beer consumption per capita globally—a tradition dating to medieval monasteries where monks perfected brewing techniques that created the pilsner style in nearby Plzen in 1842. The hearty traditional fare and perfectly served Czech lagers provided an ideal initiation into local customs that emphasize comfort, quality, and social gathering.

Nov 17

Freedom, Bridges, and Revolutionary History

Our second day began with extraordinary timing—November 17th marked Struggle for Freedom Day, a national Czech holiday commemorating the 1989 Velvet Revolution that peacefully ended Communist rule. We arrived at Cafe Slavia 15 minutes before opening to join a large group of Czechs waiting to dine together on this critical national commemoration day.

Cafe Slavia, a cultural institution since 1884, has served Prague's intellectual elite for nearly 140 years. This Art Deco masterpiece hosted famous patrons including writer Karel Čapek, composer Antonín Dvořák, and, notably, Václav Havel, who regularly met with fellow dissidents here during the Communist era. The cafe served as an unofficial headquarters for the peaceful resistance movement, making our breakfast a direct connection to Czech freedom struggles.

Experiencing this national holiday provided profound insights into Czech national identity and the reverence Czechs maintain for their struggle for freedom, exactly 34 years after the Velvet Revolution. The atmosphere in the cafe reflected the pride and historical consciousness that define modern Czech culture.

Charles Bridge provided our next magical experience, though this 14th-century Gothic masterpiece represents far more than scenic beauty. Construction began in 1357 under Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and finished in 1402, creating one of medieval Europe's greatest engineering achievements. The bridge's 16 arches span 621 meters, replacing an earlier structure destroyed by flooding.

The bridge's 30 baroque statues, added between 1683-1714, create an open-air gallery telling the story of Czech Catholic saints and martyrs. The most famous statue honors St. John of Nepomuk, who was tortured and thrown from this bridge in 1393 for refusing to reveal Queen Sophia's confession secrets. The bronze plaque tradition—touching it brings good luck and ensures return to Prague—connects millions of visitors to this medieval martyrdom story.

The colorful Lennon Wall offered powerful testimony to Prague's peaceful resistance traditions. After John Lennon's assassination in 1980, young Czechs began writing Beatles lyrics and peace messages on this ordinary wall in Kampa Island. Despite repeated Communist efforts to paint over the graffiti, new messages appeared overnight, making the wall a symbol of creative resistance against authoritarian rule.

The wall gained renewed significance during the 1988 Lennon Peace Club incident, when students gathered to sing Beatles songs, leading to clashes with police. Today, the wall continues evolving as visitors worldwide add peace messages, maintaining its role as a living monument to creative resistance and free expression.

Petřín Hill provided our afternoon's grand finale, with this historic rocky outcrop offering Prague's most spectacular panoramic views. The significance dates to ancient Celtic settlements, while medieval Prague used it for vineyards and defense. The iconic Petřín Lookout Tower, built for the 1891 Jubilee Exhibition, stands 63.5 meters tall and was inspired by Paris's Eiffel Tower, though it's actually taller relative to its surroundings.

From this elevated perspective, Prague's urban planning becomes apparent—medieval streets winding around hills and the Vltava River, different architectural periods creating distinct neighborhoods, and the remarkable preservation that has kept the city essentially unchanged since imperial times.

Our exploration of Hradčany concluded the day with visits to the world's largest ancient castle complex. Prague Castle, founded in the 9th century, has served as the seat of Bohemian kings, Holy Roman Emperors, and Czech presidents for over 1,000 years. The complex covers 70,000 square meters and includes Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral with its stunning stained-glass windows, Romanesque St. George's Basilica with its distinctive red facade, and the tiny colorful houses of Golden Lane that once housed castle guards and craftsmen.

Dinner at Restaurace U Mlynáře provided authentic Czech hospitality in cozy traditional quarters that epitomize Bohemian dining culture. This family establishment specializes in traditional Czech food paired with draft beers served at fantastic prices. It features cask beers prepared according to traditional Czech methods that demonstrate why Czech brewing culture remains uncompromised by international trends.

Nov 18

Art Nouveau Elegance and Historic Brewing Our third day explored Prague's early 20th-century cultural achievements, beginning at Lucerna Palace, a magnificent Art Nouveau entertainment and shopping complex completed in 1920. Designed by Václav Havel's grandfather (also named Václav Havel), this cultural center became Prague's first modern entertainment venue, featuring concert halls, cinemas, shops, and cafes. In 2017, it achieved recognition as a national cultural monument, honoring its architectural significance and cultural impact.

The palace's central passage, topped by a stunning glass dome, created Prague's first elegant shopping arcade, influencing later European commercial architecture. During the Communist era, it remained one of the few privately owned buildings in central Prague, symbolizing cultural continuity through political upheaval.

Wenceslas Square provided our next cultural immersion, though this 750-meter boulevard functions more as a grand avenue than a traditional square. Named after Saint Wenceslas, Bohemia's patron saint, the square has witnessed Prague's most significant historical moments, from the Czechoslovak independence declaration in 1918 to the Velvet Revolution demonstrations in 1989 that peacefully ended Communist rule.

The square serves as the center of business and cultural communities in Prague's New Town, with the busiest pedestrian traffic in the country. Its architectural diversity reflects Prague's tumultuous 20th century, featuring Art Nouveau, functionalist, and socialist realist buildings that create a timeline of European architectural movements.

The Dancing House offered a contemporary architectural contrast, with this deconstructivist building completed in 1996 by architects Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry. This curving modern office block, nicknamed "Fred and Ginger" for its dancing-like form, sparked controversy when proposed, but has become a symbol of Prague's successful democratic transition and market economy integration.

Our evening brought us to U Fleků, Prague's most famous brewery and one of Europe's oldest continuously operating breweries, founded in 1499. This remarkable institution has brewed beer for over 500 years, surviving wars, occupations, and political changes while maintaining traditional brewing methods that produce their signature dark lager exclusively for on-site consumption.

Our fabulous meal in this historic venue with 8 separate dining halls included a mixed meat plate, goulash with dumplings, traditional honey and herbal liquors, apple strudel, four 0.4-liter light lagers, and one dark lager, all while enjoying live traditional music. The Gothic and Renaissance buildings create an atmospheric setting where traditional Czech beer culture thrives unchanged by modern commercialization.

The evening continued at O'Che's Irish Bar in Old Town, where we watched a Euro 2024 qualifier match between Czechia and Poland. This establishment demonstrates Prague's successful integration of international influences while maintaining a distinct cultural identity, creating spaces where locals and visitors interact naturally around shared interests like football.

Nov 19

Jewish Heritage and Musical Traditions Our fourth day began at Café Louvre, an elegant 100-year-old establishment with large windows and separate Czech breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. This historic cafe represents Prague's cafe culture that flourished during the Habsburg era and survived Communist restrictions to remain an essential part of contemporary Prague's social life.

Our exploration of Prague's Jewish Quarter provided one of our most moving and educational experiences. It revealed centuries of Jewish heritage that survived persecution and near-destruction. Established in the 13th century, the Jewish Quarter became one of Europe's most important Jewish communities, producing scholars, artists, and merchants who contributed significantly to Prague's cultural development.

The Klausen Synagogue, the largest synagogue in the former Prague Jewish ghetto, represents the sole example of early Baroque synagogue architecture (17th century) in the area. This building demonstrates how Jewish communities adapted architectural styles while maintaining religious requirements, creating a unique synthesis of European and Jewish design traditions.

The Old Jewish Cemetery, among the world's oldest surviving Jewish burial grounds, contains approximately 12,000 visible tombstones representing over 100,000 burials in multiple layers due to space constraints and Jewish burial customs. Many tombstones feature animal and plant motifs that reflect both Jewish symbolic traditions and local Bohemian artistic influences. The cemetery includes graves of notable figures like Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the legendary creator of the Golem.

The Spanish Synagogue, built in Moorish Revival style, showcases the 19th-century architectural eclecticism that characterized Jewish community buildings across Europe. The small park between the synagogue and the Church of the Holy Spirit features a modern statue of Franz Kafka by Jaroslav Róna, connecting Prague's Jewish literary heritage to its architectural preservation.

Our afternoon refreshment at U Kunštátů, a craft beer hall in Old Town, demonstrated Prague's contemporary beer culture evolution while maintaining traditional brewing excellence. The establishment represents how Prague balances historical brewing traditions with modern craft beer innovations.

The day's cultural pinnacle was a Classical Spectacular concert in the Klementinum Mirror Chapel, a stunning Baroque venue that provided an authentic historical setting for classical chamber music. The program included masterworks by Charpentier, Mozart, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Verdi, Dvořák, Bach, Gounod, Smetana, and Beethoven—compositions that span European musical development while highlighting Czech contributions through Dvořák's Slavonic Dances and Smetana's "The Moldau" (Vltava).

The Klementinum, a vast Baroque complex originally built as a Jesuit college, houses one of the world's most beautiful libraries and represents Prague's role as a center of European learning. The Mirror Chapel, with its ornate decorative scheme, provides perfect acoustics and an atmospheric setting for classical performances that connect contemporary audiences to centuries of European musical tradition.

Our evening concluded at Beer Museum Prague, where we sampled local beers that demonstrated the breadth and quality of Czech brewing culture beyond the famous international brands. We experienced the diversity that makes the Czech Republic the world's beer capital.

Nov 20

Farewell to the Golden City Our final morning in Prague involved a Bolt ride to Prague's Florenc bus station, where we caught a FlixBus to Karlovy Vary, continuing our Czech adventure from medieval fairytale to imperial spa luxury.