Say “Czech”

“If you see someone smiling in Prague, they’re probably a tourist,” our tour guide remarks. Suddenly, I became aware of my big grin.

I suppose we did notice the lack of cheeriness in Prague but only in hindsight. However, though the locals may have a reputation for an emotion-less demeanor in public, their country is one of the most enchanting, inviting, and magical places you’ll ever visit (and the people are nicer than they look).

*Me and my apparently Czech-passing man*

When, Where, and At What Cost

With buildings designed with Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, and Renaissance architectural styles, you’ll feel like no time has passed since the Middle Ages. The squares and neighborhoods were especially gorgeous covered in the fluffy white snow of late November. Traveling in summer versus winter will be drastically different vibes - the summers are a hot paradise while the winters are an icy wonderland.

If you want to avoid suffocating crowds and don’t mind the cold, I’d recommend off-season. I often do this anyway to get cheaper round trip flights to/from Europe.

Since Prague is a relatively small city and easy to get around, you can see most of the main attractions in 2 days. However, if you plan to take longer tours, visit nearby towns and get a detailed lay of the land, staying 3-4 days is ideal.

Brennan and I stayed at the Mottl House by Adrez, a 4-star hotel in Wenceslas Square. Brennan and I would both recommend this hotel - it was stylish and great quality, had kind customer service and accommodations, and was located in a prime neighborhood. The area was a more affluent neighborhood with a mix of business and residential buildings. Because of our central location, we found it very easy to access public transit and get around.

A 3-night stay at Mottl House costs about $400 total, which is a great deal considering 4 nights in Rome was double that price. Excluding flights, our hotel, activities and tours and food costs averaged around $1,000.

Of the areas you should stay in, Staré Město, Malá Strana and Hradčany are highly recommended based on my research. Staré Město, or Old Town, is around where we stayed. It’s in the heart of Prague, packed with historical sights like Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, and the Jewish Quarter. It's a lively area, but can be crowded. Malá Strana, or Little Quarter, is a quieter yet charming tranquil district at the foot of Prague Castle. It’s pros include picturesque streets and a more romantic atmosphere. And lastly, Hradčany, the Castle District, is close to Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, and exceptionally stunning views. Ideal for those interested in history and those willing to walk a bit more.

Day 1: Lost in the Goulash

On our first day, we landed around noon in Prague. The winter air was brisk and freezing. We didn’t have much planned for our first day since we were still battling jet lag, but after dropping off our belongings at the hotel, we went to a popular eatery called Lokál Dlouhááá. This restaurant is known for it’s range of bona fide Czech cuisine. We were served a steaming bowl of goulash and dumplings as well as cabbage and sausage stew. Don’t be fooled by the name “dumplings” - that’s just what they call the potato bread.

Anthony Bourdain once said,“In Prague, pork is king. Welcome to Porkopolis, the land that vegetables forgot.” He wasn’t kidding, but if the whole stew and sausage scene doesn’t appeal to you, you can also sustain yourself on a selection pastries, subpar Asian food and lots of beer.

Some other must-try foods you should try in Prague are Svíčková (classic dish of sirloin beef in a root vegetable cream), Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (roast pork with bread dumplings and sauerkraut), Kulajda (creamy mushroom soup with a soft-boiled egg), and Tatarák (beef tartare).

If you save room for a sweet treat, try Trdelník, a Bohemian sweet pastry that features dough rolled into strips, wrapped around a cylindrical spit (aka “trdlo”), and baked. It’s then coated with sugar and cinnamon and filled with ice cream.

By 4 pm, it was already dark, but we navigated to the famous Astronomical Clock, a historical landmark and engineering wonder locate in Old Town Square. It towered above us with it’s 24 hours around the clock, astrology signs showcasing the year. It is third oldest astronomical clocks in the world, dating back to 1300-1400. The clock showcases Babylonian time, Old Bohemian time, German time and Sidereal time. It also shows the moons phases and the sun's journey across the constellations of the zodiac."

A grim tale recounts that after the clockmaker completed this, the Prague city councilors had him blinded with burning hot iron to prevent him from creating another equally beautiful clock. One of the interesting things about this place is their history dates back so long ago that there are plenty of lores and legends to entertain tourists.

With little on the agenda for our first day, we spontaneously visited the World of Banksy exhibit and the Sex Machine Museum. These were both Brennan’s idea (thanks for your contributions to the trip). Unfortunately, Brennan’s Love Test said his game was…warm.

One other thing I’ll mention: If you’re hoping to see the Christmas markets in Prague, they start on the last Saturday of November. Some smaller ones start a week earlier, but this year, the main markets ran from November 29, 2025 - Jan 6, 2026. We didn’t get to see the main Christmas market in Old Town Square (they were in the process of setting up), but many other street markets gave us the gist.

Day 2: Prague Castle and Beer Baths

In the morning, we hopped on a train toward the neighborhood of Malá Strana, which translates to “Lesser Town” or “Little Quarter.” It’s a gorgeous area with less crowds than Old Town. The public transit here was easy to use and seemingly free (idk, no one was paying). We got off at the Malá Strana and hopped out to see a lovely food market called Lesser Town Market. The vendors were already prepping stews and sausages, delicious strudels with various fruit fillings, and hot coffee. We grabbed a bite before heading to the Prague Castle for our small group tour.

Our tour guide as well as most locals would agree the Prague Castle is more of a palace complex, but it’s considered the largest castle in the world! Our tour included a visit to St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and Golden Lane. Visiting this UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the best opportunities for a deep dive on the history of Czech Republic.

One of my favorite parts of the tour was the Golden Lane. Funnily, this street of homes isn’t called the golden lane for any glamorous reason. It was actually given this title because the soldiers that once lived on this street would pee on the street, causing a golden stain to cobblestone road.

But don’t worry, the glistening gold streams are long gone, and now all that remains are the former soldiers’ tiny homes that have been transformed into mini museums of the living space or gift shops. One house belonged to the philosopher Franz Kafka, a novelist and short story writer. He also has a dedicated museum of his own that’d be worth visiting if you’re into philosophy, existentialism and topics of that nature.

If time permits, you should also visit the Prague National Museum. We didn’t have a chance to go, but it’s famous for it’s 14 million items that explain the natural history, history, arts, music, and librarianship of Prague. You could do a guided tour or just buy tickets and go at your own pace.

After the tour, we had lunch as Cafe Hrnek. The cafe was located in a grungy neighborhood just north of Old Town and across the river.

The snug cafe had bare concrete walls and cute vintage chairs. We shared the pumpkin toast with kale and crumblef cheese, blueberry pancakes with mascarpone, and scrambled eggs on toast. I would not hype this up if I didn’t mean it! SO GOOD. The chef elevated these typically basic dishes into more flavorful and experimental creations. An 11/10 from Brennan and I both (we sent our compliments to the chef).

Following brunch, we were ready for our beer spa. Yes, you read that right.

Prague is the #1 producer of beer, and they do more than just drink it. Although alcoholism might be a real concern here. With a surplus of hops, the country utilizes it for a unique experience at Beerland Spas. We paid about $110 total for a one hour couples appointment. The spa was fancier than expected, although I didn’t really know what to expect. A woman led us to our room which included a private bathroom and shower, a private room with 3 wooden tubs, and a bed filled with hay. It felt like a cottage home from Snow White snd the Seven Dwarves.

We only rented one wooden tub, which was plenty of space for 2 people. The boiling bath was made up of half water and half beer. The staff member tossed in some yeast and hops into the water, which apparently is very healthy and beneficial for your skin, then left us to our relaxation time. We enjoyed complimentary “beer bread” and unlimited beer on tap as we soaked in the bubbling bath - hmmmmmm. It was actually very relaxing and a great way to cozy up from the freezing snow outside. I enjoyed it more than Brennan did. I’d personally recommend this experience, because it’s a tradition stemming from German and Czech culture that you won’t find in many places.

Next on the itinerary was walking across the Charles Bridge and visiting the Lennon Wall. Even with the foggy weather obstructing our view, the Charles Bridge made for a lovely walk over the Vltava River.

Tall Gothic towers flank either end of the bridge, which connects the Old Town (where the busy square and astronomical clock is) to Malá Strana (where Prague Castle is).

The Lennon Wall was conveniently located right at the end of the bridge on the opposite side. Despite being a grand attraction, the wall unfortunately is covered in a lot of unintelligible and irrelevant graffiti that no longer aligns with its first purpose. Exhibit A being “MARRY ME PHIL?” plastered across the wall.

Once just a wall surrounding the Maltese Gardens, a mural of John Lennon appeared shortly after his death. This launched its symbolization for freedom and peace, and its ongoing use for political activism. As time went on, the wall was used by various artists to convey messages related to issues at that time, whether it be global warming or anti-war. During Czech’s fall under communism, the wall was painted over many times, but artists of the time prevailed. If you’re a fan of The Beatles like Brennan, you won’t want to miss it!

We ended the day with dinner at Cafe Platýz, a cozy cafe that serves a mix of Czech and other Central European cuisines. It’s popular among the community for it’s brunch and dinner menu and decorative cakes. It’s also a great place to stop in for coffee or tea. We shared a chicken salad, sausages, pumpkin soup and duck.

You’ll notice that in addition to Czech food, there are a lot of Italian and Indian restaurants in Prague. Some other restaurant recs I have are Eska Bakery & Restaurant, Matoka Georgian Bakery & Coffee, Restaurant Mlýnec and 420. And for a night out, our friends recommended Vzorkovna Dog Bar.

Day 3: Bakers, Bohemians and Beer Gods

The next morning, we were up by 7 am and walked a short way to Krusta Bakery before our trip to Český Krumlov. We got an apple strudel, ham and cheese pastry and cappuccino for breakfast. It was a pretty good bakery although I wasn’t particularly amazed.

If we’d stayed in Prague longer, I would’ve loved to try Kolacherie Celetná and Pekárna Praktika too. If there’s one thing the Czech people love more than their meat, it’s bread.

Our day tour to Český Krumlov (and make sure to pronounce it as CHET-sky, and not TET-sky which means titty) was the highlight of our trip. For $135 each, we had a full day of exploring ahead. The shuttle picked us up at 8 am and drove us about 2 hours to this town outside Prague. Our comedic guide, Andre, led us through the Český Krumlov Castle, through the charming town on the other side of it, and to a cozy lunch spot.

“Czech is the number one maker of beer in the world….and what else?” Andre asked. Our group glanced around with no answer, so Andre said, ”And atheists!”

And so he explained how Czech’s long years of being controlled by foreign powers and undergoing brutal violence by Catholics led to their growing animosity toward religion (or really any ideology). The country, being tired and sick of the Catholic rule, then Nazi rule, then Russian rule and so on, wanted little to do with violent matters.

Thus, many of its people decided that their God was beer.

Working up an appetite, our group ducked into a tavern called U Dwua Maryi for a traditional Bohemian feast. The restaurant was built between two town walls, just near an imposing roundabout moat. U Dwua Maryi has been opened since 1990 and created an atmosphere that reminded me of the pubs from The Hobbit. Despite the dark ages that this town survived, it now felt so idyllic and pleasant.

Our bohemian meal resembled a Thanksgiving plate, both in taste and appearance. We ate the interesting mix of millet, potato cake, dumplings, meat and pickled cabbage. It was actually quite good and healthier than most of the meals we’d had here.

We had about 1.5 hours following the guided tour to explore the town. Brennan and I ventured into a yummy chocolate shop for dessert and scoped out the vendors in the town’s Christmas market.

We also went to a jewelry store selling genuine muscovite and garnet jewelry - two jewels that are especially found in Czechia. Apparently fraudulent replicas are common, but the store Granat Turnov is reliable and certified. Fun fact: Obama bought Michelle a garnet jewelry piece and found out it was fake when he got back to the US. Though he was given a real, authentic gem, it left a bad rep for the Czech…

Brennan got me a pretty ring made with green muscovite, which is only found in the Czech Republic. Unfortunately no, it wasn’t an engagement - but that’s alright. I told him he isn’t allowed to propose on this trip anyway (since I planned everything).

Some other things to check out while in Český Krumlov include the blacksmith shops, leather shops, and delicious-smelling bakeries. Oh, and there’s no shortage of places to get handmade souvenirs for those back home.

Once it was time to start the journey home, our group packed into our warm grey Ford van. Most of us napped on the 2 hour drive back to Prague while the snow fell down heavily.

Brennan and I made a res at an upscale restaurant called 420 (no, it has nothing to do with your favorite Berkeley holiday). It actually gets it’s name from the number of birds decorating the ceiling. The ambience inside was modern, tasteful and chic, and the servers were obviously attentive. Besides it’s little birdies, the restaurant is regarded for it’s unique take on Czech cuisine which is fancier and more delicately curated than the pub food.

The Michelin-starred chef Radek Kašpárek prepared a delicious menu: spicy fallow deer, fresh bread with beef pate, pike perch with veal lung, and creamy cabbage soup with fish skewers.

We might not have order the best things on the menu (luck of the draw I guess), but it’s obvious that the chefs here elevated our European dishes with thought and precision. We’d highly suggest this for it’s culinary creativity and romantic ambience.

Conclusion

How would I describe the Czech Republic in a few words?

Beautiful, fascinating, charming, resilient and a real-like fairy tale. You shouldn’t expect to find the sort of “legacy empire” with “ruthless armies” like that of Rome or Spain, but you should go with curiosity and fascination about how the Czechs have formed a unique identity despite years of control under foreigners.

Although they were heavily and forcefully influenced by surrounding countries, the Czech Republic still stands out as a unique and attractive destination for tourists with it’s breathtaking architecture, fusion of cultures and engineering wonders.

Sincerely,

Hannah

TLDR

Best neighborhoods to stay in

Staré Město (Old Town): Considered the heart of Prague, this area is packed with historical sights like Old Town Square and Charles Bridge. It's a lively and more crowded neihgborhood.
Malá Strana (Little Quarter): A charming, peaceful area at the foot of Prague Castle. It has picturesque streets and a romantic ambience.
Hradčany (Castle District): Home to Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, and exceptional views. Best area for history buffs and those who like getting their steps in.

Hotel recommendations

Mosaic Design House

Must do or see

Visit the gorgeous Prague Castle (free; only pay for exhibitions and guided tours) and see panoramic views of the entire city
Explore all the shop and restaurants in the bustling Old Town
Visit the Prague National Museum for exhibits showcasing history, art, and science that shaped the Czech Republic
Visit the Jewish Quarter
Observe political art made by the public on the John Lennon Wall
Walk across the Charles Bridge and take in the scenic riverside view
Check out the Astronomical Clock, an incredible engineering masterpiece

Go on a guided tour of Český Krumlov, located just 2 hours outside of Prague. Visit Cesky Krumlov from Prague Full Day Tour for more details.
Get out of the city and explore the border between Switzerland and Prague! Visit Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland Full Day Tour from Prague for more details.

Restaurant, cafe and bar recommendations

Eat traditional Czech food at Lokál Dlouhááá, a hip Czech pub
Dine at Restaurant Mlýnec for elevated contemporary Czech food
Fill your belly at U Červeného Páva, another traditional food spot with raving customer reviews
Grab a burger at Sad Man's Tongue Bar & Bistro, a popular pub & grill
Have a cozy brunch or dinner at Café Platýz, which serves several Central European dishes
Have a special dinner date at 420, a high end restaurant with upscale Czech fusion dishes
In Český Krumlov, enjoy authentic bohemian food at U dwau Maryí
Have an elegant meal at the 100 year old Cafe Louvre
Get an afternoon espresso at 25, 2 rpm cafe or Acid Coffee
For a sweet treat, try Trdelník, a local dessert sold at various dessert cafes
Enjoy Prague’s night life with a drink at Vzorkovna Dog Bar, Hemingway Bar, L'Fleur or Anonymous Shrinks Office
You can also book a Prague Food Tour to try all the popular dishes with a guide

All Roads Lead to Pasta

Left my tart in Portugal

Kaja Girl