This week we've been lucky enough to receive some wonderful Prague tips from jauntsetter reader Erin Ferretti Slattery, blogger extraordinaire for The Ghost in The Pantry, Culinary Travels Through Four Generations - a family tree of Czech, Irish, Italian, and American recipes and stories. Erin lived and worked in Prague at an international publishing company for the last two years, prior to moving to our beloved Big Apple.
She describes her Prague as "full of in-laws, classic Czech pubs, and walks up to the castle - but also with hidden delights like the twelfth-century Pruhonice castle (a twenty minute bus trip from city center), the hard-to find student cafe near Tyn Cathedral in the old town square, and the best place to sample Czech literature in translation."
We can't think of a better tour guide for this rich city - so read on for some of Erin's recommendations on how to spend your time here, and check back later this week for some more of Erin's tips on the best spots for food, drink, and dancing. Also feel free to add your own two cents in our comment section below!
xo,
your jauntsetter team
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Slattery's Prague
From Erin:
Like London and Paris, Prague sprang up on both sides of a river. The Vltava bisects a city of different faces: Staré Město (Old Town, founded in the 9th century) andNove Mesto (New Town, from the 14th century) form the city’s thriving eastern core, while the western Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) moves to a slower rhythm in its narrow, tenth-century streets.
As mentioned in the Trip Pick, late summer is a perfect time to visit Prague: the crowds begin to thin out while major cultural institutions like the National Theater, and various music festivals, swing back into action. Plus, the weather’s ideal, in August, for exploring the city on foot and getting to know its subtleties. (Bonus: the summer light lasts until around 9:00 pm.)
Don’t be mistaken, though: despite the lack of crowds, the city’s a buzzing metropolis. You can move as slowly or quickly here as you like, and there are options for every kind of budget and activity.
Some of the Czech capital’s best spots are hidden—as in many places—a short trip from the center of town, and scattered on opposite sides of the river. With trams and the metro crisscrossing the city, everything is within quick reach—and stepping back from the city, visiting neighborhoods like Vinohrady and Letna, can often give you an unexpected perspective on it.
Note: Trams, the Metro, and buses crisscross the city. That said, parts of Prague seem to be under permanent construction and restoration, so keep a map in hand. Whether you buy a three-day ticket or individual tickets, be sure to validate your ticket right at the beginning of your trip.
Top Prague To-Do's
- Beat jetlag by getting up early for a royal walk. Take the traditional coronation route of the Czech kings from the Prašná brána, the fifteenth-century powder tower in Namesti Republiky, through Celetna Street to Old Town Square. Go past the astronomical clock, across the Charles Bridge, and continue via Mostecká to Nerudova. At the end of Nerudova, walk up the long stone ramp to the top, and take in the view. Stop in Gothic-era St. Vitus Cathedral for a look at the stained-glass windows. This cuts a swath through the major historical sites, leaving you free to spend the day uncovering the city’s hidden treasures.
- Walk from Loretánské náměstí through Nový Svět, a neighborhood with quiet winding lanes and fourteenth-century origins, located behind the castle—but a world away from the tourist groups.
- Rent a paddleboat or rowboat and putter around the Vltava. Or, if you feel like having someone else play ship captain, take a boat ride. A ninety-minute trip offers the most value, swinging as far south as Vyšehrad (the spot from where Prague’s patron saint Libuše is said to have prophesied the rise of the city) before turning around for the trip back toward Charles Bridge and the castle. This is ideal for one of your last days in Prague, when your feet will refuse to go over another cobblestone. But bring your guidebook—unlike Pari’s Bateaux Mouches, these aren’t narrated.
- The Spanish Synagogue (Dušní 12, Prague 1) in Josefov, Prague’s Jewish quarter, with its intricate Moorish-inspired motifs, is unlike anything else you’ll see in this part of Europe. A walk down elegant the Pařížská boulevard, and side streets, is also a must if you’re in the neighborhood.
- For a taste of ninth-century city history, visit the Museum of the City of Prague (Na Porící 52, Prague 8), hosting an exhibit now through next spring on Prague’s archaeology and artifacts. If you like your museum-going short and sweet, this is for you.
- Climb Petřin Hill, or take the funicular up this hill, which offers great views of the city from across the river. (The funicular runs every 10 minutes, during summer months, from 9:30 am until 11:30. A three-day transport ticket, or a 26-crown ticket, gets you a ride.) From there, walk on Strahovská to Strahov Monastery, and pause for a beer in the garden pub across the square from the monastery.
- Rollerblade (yes, rollerblade!) in Letná Park on a weekday, for great views and a glimpse of Czech outdoor life. (It can get very crowded on the weekends.) A skate-rental place is across the street (Milady Horakove 98, Prague 7). Look for “půjčovna in-line” signs. Or just take a picnic lunch, walk through the park toward the river, and enjoy the sweeping views of Old Town.
- Walk from Loretánské náměstí through Nový Svět, a neighborhood with winding lanes and fourteenth-century origins, located behind the castle and a world away from the buzz of New Town.
- Ditch the throngs of music tourists and head to Villa Bertramka, the hilltop mansion of Mozart’s Czech patrons, the Dušeks. The eighteenth-century stately home (where Mozart finished composing Don Giovanni) hosts two to three classical concerts a week in the gardens.
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