Six Days in the Czech Republic’s Most Captivating City: Prague

Lori Higgs: Prague, Czech Republic

Prague has always been on my bucket list, and although I’d been to the Czech Republic before,
I’d never visited Prague itself. People always talked about how gorgeous it was, and I had high
expectations going in. I have to say that Prague exceeded all of my expectations. In a word: it’s
magnificent. I feel like it’s the perfect European city to visit because it’s so historical, with a
beautiful Old Town, cobblestone streets, and castles and churches all around the hilly
landscape. People are welcoming, it’s completely walkable and easy to get around, and I loved
it. I would go back again in a heartbeat.

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Six Days in Prague, the Czech Republic

Day One

We arrived in the late afternoon and were pretty beat after the long journey from Dallas, so we
took a quick stroll around the neighborhood and relaxed in our hotel. We stayed in the five-star
luxury Aria Hotel Prague, with a charming boutique atmosphere and musically-themed decor.
Every room was styled to honor a different composer, and there were some great amenities like
a music library, gym, cinema, and rooftop terrace where you could see the entire city. I was so
impressed by the artwork and statues, too.

My room overlooked the Vrtba Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed in the
Baroque style and featuring manicured flower gardens and whimsical topiary. The views were
just astounding. The Aria Hotel Prague has airport shuttle service, and you can also take Ubers
in Prague, but I’d booked private transportation from the airport ahead of time. It took less than
half an hour to get to our hotel.

Day Two

On our first full day in Prague, we took a three-hour e-scooter tour of the city. I’ll admit, I was a
bit nervous about it at first, but it’s the best way to see everything in one go, like Lesser Town,
Old Town, and the Newtown Castle District. Our guide was really helpful, weaving in historical
stories and context over the course of the tour.

One of the best parts was visiting the Strahov Monastery Brewery, where they brew their own
beer. It was fantastic. You can take a tour of the complex and learn about its history as a
monastery and now as a brewery. I would highly recommend going, trying some beer, grabbing
a bite to eat, and seeing Prague spread out beneath you. We finished the day with dinner at
Coda, the Aria Hotel Prague’s restaurant, and it was my favorite meal of the trip. Overall, it was
an incredible day.

Day Three

The following day we visited Prague Castle and the Strahov Library. We were lucky enough to
catch the changing of the guards at noon and take a tour of the castle, including the Czech
crown jewels. Then, we saw the Strahov Library, which is so ornate. It has a curved, decorated
ceiling full of carvings and murals and is a fantastic example of Baroque-era architecture.

I should also mention the Charles Bridge, which separates Lesser Town from Old Town. We
went across that bridge several times during our trip, and it’s almost a destination in and of itself.
It’s very historical, lined with statues, and you’ll enjoy splendid views of the city from both sides
of the bridge.

Day Four

Our fourth day was all about experiencing Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. One of my
must-sees is the Astronomical Clock in Old Town, with information on where the sun, moon, and
stars are in the sky. It’s a truly stunning clock, right in the middle of Old Town Square, and every
hour on the hour little figures representing the apostles come out of panels near the top of it.

Later, we went to the Jewish Quarter, which included a tour of synagogues and an ancient
Jewish cemetery. We opted for audio guides, which gave us tons of context for what we were
seeing. Later we went to Baráčnická rychta and had these delicious heavy bread dumplings. I
also had a vegetarian dish with huge mushrooms, potatoes, and eggs with a creamy dill sauce. I
am a foodie, but I’ve never had anything like this. It was really, really good.

Day Five

On our fifth day we visited the National Museum and went to the Pilsner Urquell brewery to get
the original beer experience. It’s a bit of a touristy thing to do, but we were right there and just
decided to do it. I’m glad I did. We learned all about the history of Pilsner. I should say, I don’t
generally like beer, and never have. I’m normally more of a wine and cocktail person, but I
absolutely love Czech beer. It’s crisp, fresh, and phenomenal. Even if you don’t like beer
generally, I’d encourage people to be open-minded and check it out while in Prague. You might
be surprised.

Afterward, we went to another beer tasting at Pivovar U Supa, which is the oldest inn and
brewery in Prague. They brew their own beer right on site, and it was the perfect end to another
fun and food-filled day.

Day Six

We had all day to explore before we flew home from Prague because our flight was in the
evening. It started with a tour of the Vrtba Garden, the UNESCO site right below our hotel
windows. It had been closed for our entire trip but opened on the last day. Lucky us! We even
had our own private garden entrance and didn’t have to wait in line. Then, we went back to
Strahov Monastery Brewery because we loved their beer so much and visited a few more
churches. Basically, we spent the whole day hiking around, drinking beer, and seeing churches
before relaxing in our rooms and flying out. It was a great day.

Prague is such a walkable city, and since you can orient yourself with the river, it’s almost
impossible to get lost. Also, almost everyone speaks English, there’s English signage at the
airport and on menus, and if you ever run into an issue where something’s not in English, you
can use Google Translate without any problems. Initially we thought about taking a day trip
outside the city, but there were just so many amazing things to see and do in Prague. I’d advise
people to plan at least three or four days minimum to get the feel for it. Try all the food and beer,
see the fabulous architecture, and enjoy one of the best European cities on the planet.