tour Czech Republic
Czech Republic Travel Information
A leader's perspective...
I was fortunate enough to lead trips through this diverse country, visiting the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov, Teplice with its impressive rock formations and my favourite, Mikulov, a gorgeous town in Moravia where you can enjoy the local wines or try Absinth the local way! Prague too is an exciting city with lots to offer. It's full of history and culture and is worth a visit for its nightlife alone. View of the Prague Castle while walking across the Charles Bridge early in the morning is wonderful, but to then wake up and see it covered with a blanket of fresh snow is a memory I will never forget.
Czech Republic Travel Information
real life experiences...
Charles Bridge at sunrise
While everyone who goes to Prague crosses Charles Bridge at some point - you know the famous bridge that was used in the films Mission Impossible and XXX - well when I lead trips in Prague I get my passengers up at 6:30 in the morning and we go to see the bridge before anyone else arrives. I even have photographs of Charles Bridge with no-one on it! It's great to visit during the day when it's covered with people, craft and souvenir stands and buskers but there is something special about the bridge in the early morning.
Marionettes in Prague
There's a tradition of Marionette theatre and puppet making in the Czech republic and a handmade puppet is a great souvenir to take home. My favourite shop in Prague is one that not only sells these handcrafted and detailed marionettes, but has a craftsman making them in the workshop at the back of the shop. It is so much better to have a memento you know it is not just mass-produced by a machine in a factory. Now whenever anyone comments on my marionette that hangs in my lounge room, I can also tell them the story about the shop.
Moving to the suburbs
Prague was recently named the third most visited city in Europe after Paris and Rome. So the streets can get a little crowded. And dining can be expensive, especially in the tourist areas - so I like to get on the Metro and get off a few stops out of the city centre and eat at a local restaurant. There are no English menus, no tourists and the waitress does not speak English. Armed with a phrase book, I always get a fantastic meal. I can usually eat a huge main course with 2-3 beers for less than 3EUR. And I get the chance to meet some locals who are pleased I made the journey out of the old town area to meet them.
Eating out in Prague
Of all the cities in the world Prague has to be my favourite for eating out: I found the best restaurant by chance after walking across the Charles Bridge. I went downstairs into this dark little dining area all enclosed in stone. The interior was excellent and so was the food: I had the apricot chicken with mashed potatoes that were amazing. There are so many great places to eat in this beautiful city. We were even treated to an old man singing traditional songs and a unique version of 'Hey Jude' with his piano-accordion when we finished our meal.
Charles Bridge
In Prague I managed to get two antique soldier puppets from a stall on the Charles Bridge - quite a remarkable find. The photographs I took were unbelievable. The clock tower is the only thing that measures up to the beautiful statues along the bridge, which is my favourite part of the city by far. I also bought a fantastic pen and ink painting of the bridge. I must have walked across it five times that day! There is music and plenty of stalls, a brilliant contrast to night-time when it is completely beautiful and still. My favourite part of the bridge is touching the gold on one of the statues for good luck.
The Devil in Prague
Prague is a beautiful city with architecture everywhere you look, none more so than on the Charles Bridge, which the statues of the saints are quite superb. I never found something short of to buy, especially on the bridge where I got lots of little gifts for back home: from postcards to paintings by traditional artists. I got quite a find from an old man with red devil horns on who paints the bridge but with himself and his horns in the painting. Apparently he has been there for years and is a very eccentric character. It is really quite a unique picture and one that hangs on my wall at home now.
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