For Christmas last year, Adam and I decided to buy each other long weekends away rather than physical presents. This resulted in a weekend in Iceland in March and a trip to sunny Prague over the second May Bank Holiday Weekend.
How to spend a long weekend in Prague
Getting There
Flying from Birmingham, we flew to Prague on Jet2.com. It was the first time I’d flown with Jet2.com and I couldn’t fault them. While we were delayed an hour on takeoff, the flight was comfortable. We opted to not pay to be sat next to each other and on check in we were allocated seats next to each other (with the aisle in between us) but you’re obviously not guaranteed. The flight was around two hours and one and a half episodes of Game of Thrones made it go quick!
One thing I will mention is that Prague is a popular destination for stag and hen do’s and this can make the flight there a little lively (on the way home where they’re all suffering from a hangover… not so much ha!) We were really impressed at how the Jet2 cabin crew handled the lairy passengers amongst us and kept them in line whilst ensuring they had a great time.
Where to Stay in Prague
Whilst in Prague, we stayed in the Dancing House Hotel which is also a popular tourist attraction in Prague due to its unique design. The design is based on the silhouette of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing together. It attracts a lot of people to the hotel. Our room at the Dancing House Hotel was fantastic with views of Prague Castle and the River Vltava, which runs through the centre of Prague.
Breakfast was included with the room and is served in the Ginger and Fred Restaurant on the 7th floor that boasts beautiful views of the city. There’s a selection of hot food – think ‘full English breakfast’ and a full continental breakfast with various bread, cheeses, fruit and cereal etc.
If you’re not staying in the Dancing House Hotel, you can still take advantage of the spectacular views it has to offer by visiting the rooftop bar. You just need to take the lift to the 7th floor and then one set of stairs. Entrance is free when you buy a drink at the bar or 5 Euros.
Thing to do in Prague
Bus Tour
I’ll be completely honest and say that I didn’t do as much research into Prague before we got there. I love a bus tour and when I visit a new city I find them a great way to get your bearings quickly and they also allow you to tick off a lot of landmarks if you’re only there for a short amount of time.
The Prague Hop-On Hop-Off Tour by City Sightseeing Bus Tour offers two routes around the city; red and blue. The red route is the more extensive so if you only have time for one, make it that one! You can find out more about the bus tour on the City Sightseeing website but the highlights for me were Prague Castle, Malá Strana and Old Town Square (home to the Astronomical Clock).
Prague Castle
We hopped off our Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour to explore the grounds of Prague Castle. The Castle is located at the top of a hill so using the bus to get there isn’t a bad idea! There are two sops that serve the castle.
The grounds of the castle are free to explore and we spend some time in the gardens which offer a beautiful view over Prague. The winding streets that lead up to the castle are fun to explore and once you reach the castle at the top, the views are spectacular. You can see right over Prague and it’s easy to see why they call it the city of a hundred spires.
Within the grounds of Prague Castle sits St. Vitus Cathedral. Part of the Cathedral is free to enter with the other pay being a paid experience. We stuck to the free experience that allowed us into the cathedral to admire the stained glass window (my favourite part when it comes to looking around Churches)
Pedalo-ing on the River Vltava
One of my favourite activities while we were in Prague, was hiring a pedalo for an hour and working our way up and down the River Vltava. Not only is it a great way to see some of Prague’s stunning architecture, but it’s also hella fun! There are one or two different pedalo providers but a guide price is approximately 500CZK for an hour. You can get lots of different types of pedalos including ones shaped like cars and swans (these can cost a little more!)
Charles Bridge
Prague has a lot of bridges, the most famous being Charles Bridge. Completed in the 15th century, the bridge is home over 30 statues of Saint and while some of the originals have been taken away due to disrepair, the copies are still exceptional! Charles Bridge is bookended by two Bridge Towers that are an impressive feat in their own right.
Charles Bridge links Prague Castle to the Old Town and is a vibrant part of Prague with musicians playing all along it and local artists selling their art. It is, however, a major tourist attraction and busy most of the day. We found visiting in the evening s little less busy (but not much!)
Astronomical Clock/ Old Town Square
Just off Old Town Square, stands Old Town Hall, which is home to the Astronomical Clock; a medieval clock which attracts huge crowds on the hour. The reason for this is the little show that happens. On the stroke of each hour, the twelve Apostles start to appear at the windows above the clock.
Prague’s Astronomical Clock is the third oldest clock in the world and the oldest working clock. It recently underwent a huge restoration project to restore it to its former glory and I must say, it was one of Adam’s must-dos in Prague (he loves a good clock!) As I say, huge crowd gather from about quarter to, but are gone by five past!
John Lennon Wall
The John Lennon wall is always worth a visit when you head to Prague. Since the 1980’s it has been filled with John Lennon inspired graffiti and messages to support global causes.
When we visited, there was paint and pens available for you to add your own message to the wall. The wall has a great history with people trying to paint over the graffiti a few times but to no avail. The next day it reappears covered in messages of love and hope. It is now the only place you call legally graffiti in Prague and honestly, some of the art is incredible.
Where to Eat and Drink in Prague
My first tip about eating and drinking in Prague doesn’t send you towards a certain restaurant but rather a certain food item. When in Prague, you absolutely must try a ‘Trdelník’ also known as a chimney cake! Traditionally a Trdelnik is made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix. However with modern times comes modern toppings such as Nutella, or whipped cream and strawberries. The toppings go in the chimney of the cake making it a little tidier to eat (I said a little haha!). You can pick them up all over Prague and I wish we’d had more!
Kantyna
Burgers might not be traditional Czech food but Kantyna was too good to not visit. Popular with the locals and based down a quiet street, Kantyna is a burger lover’s heaven. They also do a huge variety of other beef meats. You order your burger from the meat counter and it’s delivered to your table. There’s also a counter service bar and a pork station. The burgers were cooked perfectly and the toppings (cheese and red onion) really made it. If we go back to Prague I absolutely want to try another variation of the burger!
Ristorante Botel Matylda
For dinner on our first night, we didn’t want to venture too far from our hotel so we ended up at Ristorante Botel Matylda – a restaurant that is, you guessed it, on a boat! There’s two boats actually and one of them is the hotel.
The food here was great and the view was excellent. While we didn’t have a river view seat, we could still appreciate it from across the restaurant as the sun shone through the window. I went for the Sea Bass which was lovely but Adam’s ‘Sea Food Rissoto’ stole the show – it was incredibly flavoursome. We also tried a Czech made Riesling which was very good. My only issue was the sides being extra! I hate that in restaurants.
AnonymouS
After putting the hit out on social media, I had so many people recommend AnonymouS and I can see why. The first thing to note is it’s not accessible directly off the street when you come to the entrance on google maps, you need to go through a little courtyard. What greets you inside is a dark, atmospheric bar with V for vendetta vibes – the bartenders and wait staff all wear the mask as they serve you adding to the mystique.
The cocktail list is also pretty impressive. When you first sit down you’re handed a menu but for your second drink you’re not handed the same menu but another and an ultraviolet light to shine over a secret menu.
The cocktails themselves were tasty and well themed. One of Adam’s came on fire as the waitress poured the fire between two cups in an elaborate table show. Another came with a postcard that we could send anywhere in the world. The bar posted it on our behalf and a month later it turned up at Adam’s sisters – with god knows what wrote on it might I add as I think we were about 5 cocktails deep at that point!)
So that is my guide to Prague. We really enjoyed our time in Prague and can see why it is so popular for a long weekend. Tourist attraction wise there was so much more we could have done but it gives us a good excuse to go back! If you want to see more of what we got up to, there’s a little vlog to watch!
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