After last week I realized that one article would not offer enough space to describe our four day independent trip to the city of Prague. There was just too much to do! Despite near record 36°C temperatures in June we spent the next two days walking around this very walkable city.
Prague is a big city, but most of what any tourist would want to see and do is within walking distance of the Old Town. From St. Wenceslas Square to the Castle District the city offers all of the museums, churches, galleries and architecture that defines “The City of 100 Spires”.
Last week we talked about our tour of Prague Castle followed by an evening of classical music.
The next morning we took the Metro one stop to the Municipal House in the city centre. Namesti Republiky Square offers a number of unique buildings and some fun people watching, however we were specifically there to see the exhibit of works by Alphonse Mucha. This interactive, animated and extensive collection of the work of one of our favourite Art Noveau artists featured the advertising and calendars that made up the bulk of his early work, and a video display of his best work, scenes of his Slav Epic. The Slav Epic, a series of 20 canvases, details the history of the Slav people and was painted between 1911 – 1926. The work, gifted to the city of Prague, will be on permanent display in 2026.
The next day we headed back to Namesti Republiky to wander across the famous Charles Bridge which traverses the Vltava River. From the Bridge we entered Lesser Town, saw the other St. Nicholas Church and had a clear view up the side of the hill to Prague Castle. The route is lined with shops and restaurants. Although not a Czech creation you need to try the rolled pastries, covered in cinnamon sugar and filled with ice cream or fruit.
We then doubled back to walk down cobbled side streets to the Old Town Square. The Square is filled with monuments, restaurants, the Old Town Hall and most importantly the Astronomical Clock, a destination all on its own. It is worth waiting among the crowds to see it strike the hour. While there we deferred to the heat and enjoyed a cold locally brewed beer on one of the patios. Sitting there allowed us to observe the other tourists enjoying the city as much as we were.
During our time in Prague we had booked two half day trips outside of the city. The first was to Kutna Hora, where we toured an Ossuary, a church filled with bones, and the breathtaking St. Barbara’s Cathedral. Although the architecture of both were worthwhile to see we did not have the best of guides and the trip fell flat. We would have liked more time to tour the Old Town which our research had indicated was worthwhile to see.
The next day we were supposed to visit Konopiste Castle, the hunting lodge of the
Archduke Ferdinand (his assassination was said to provoke the first World War) but our tour was canceled when the driver contacted covid. It was disappointing for sure and a grim reminder that we were not yet clear of the pandemic. (Luckily we had tested negative that morning so could continue our planned travels on a Baltic Cruise).
In hindsight we could have planned more to do with the extra time since Prague had not yet shown us all she had to offer. In the end it did not matter as we vowed to return. If you have not been to Prague yet be sure to put it on your bucket list. Perhaps we will see you there!