It’s the Easter long weekend and we usually go away, but this year we won’t be going anywhere more exotic than The Back Yard. So I’m thinking wistfully of last Easter’s trip to Prague. I first visited Prague back in 1991 when I was living in Vienna. The Velvet Revolution which overthrew Communist rule had taken place at the end of 1989 so it was early days for visitors being allowed entry, but it was just a few hours by train, so why not give it a go? It was a bit of a strange city back then. There weren’t many shops, actually there wasn’t anything decent to buy – although I did get my Dad a packet of ‘Disco’ cigarettes for 5p as a joke and I think he quite enjoyed them. Although the buildings were beautiful, I remember it being a bit of a grey and dirty place, and full of pickpockets. It felt drab and depressing, and I was quite glad to get back to blingy Vienna.
As students, my friend Rachel and I were in cost-cutting mode, so we jumped off the train from Vienna and accepted the offer of a cheap room from a random bloke at the station. It was the done thing back then, but my Mum would have had a fit had I told her. Our evenings were spent in empty restaurants eating unmemorable food, and when we went back to the flat, our host would be watching porn and offering us very strong Czech spirits. Being British, we politely sat down, prayed the drinks weren’t spiked, and counted the minutes until we could withdraw and barricade our door! Ah, what fun we had back then…
Fast forward to 2019 and Prague is now classed as an ‘alpha global city’ with more than 8 million visitors annually. Tony has never been. I decide to give it a second chance – all those people can’t be wrong, and surely they’ve cleaned it up a bit by now. This time, we will not be renting a room from a dodgy stranger. We’ll be staying at the swish Art Deco Imperial Hotel in the New Town. Thank goodness for that.
As usual in Europe the terms new and old are relative – the New Town was founded in 1348! The hotel itself could be seen as new in Prague terms, it dates from 1914. The Imperial Cafe on the ground floor is famous for its amazing ceramic tiles and for being a hangout of the intelligentsia back in Communist times. Franz Kafka used to come here, and now the head chef, Zdenĕk Pohlreich, is the Czech equivalent of Gordon Ramsay. There are definitely worse places to have breakfast.
So, you arrive in Prague, and the natural thing to do is stroll along the gorgeous cobbled streets of the Royal Way that runs from the Gothic Powder Gate on Republic Square to the Old Town Square with its Astronomical Clock, then across 14th century Charles Bridge and up to Prague Castle. All the highlights of this medieval city in one lovely walk, sounds perfect. Er, no, don’t do it! Basically all the thousands of tourists who are in Prague at any time are all doing this identical walk, which make it a squishy nightmare. As it was a Bank Holiday, all of the locals were out too – you literally couldn’t move. Halfway through the walk, we looked at each other in panic and thought ‘why did we come here again?’
Walking across the (admittedly lovely) Charles Bridge on a sunny afternoon reminded me of trying to get to the bar in a Wakefield nightclub back in the late 80s. It was rammed from end to end with buskers, stalls selling tourist tat, tourists stopping every few minutes without warning to pose in front of their selfie sticks. Not my idea of fun, in other words, and Tony was starting to turn purple! The bridge was built in 1390 and the statues that line the parapets were gradually added over the years, but you just can’t appreciate the beauty of the bridge itself or the lovely views to either side when you are in the middle of a heaving throng. Maybe get up early and you could have the bridge to yourself?
Luckily (and I’ve said this before) most tourists seem to be quite lazy and lacking in imagination. It never ceases to amaze me how many people spend their precious holidays being herded around in huge crowds, never really seeing anything different because they don’t want to walk any further than is strictly necessary. I am prepared to walk for miles to get away from tour groups following people carrying umbrellas and shouting very loudly. Just as I was starting to lose the will to live on Charles Bridge, I spotted a staircase to the left and we headed down to find ourselves in a gorgeous square full of outdoor tables, where we could actually breathe. The crowds disappeared. Oh, and we could get a drink, even better.
We were in Mala Strana, which is a very pretty and quite peaceful area of Prague that runs along the river below the Castle, full of gardens, squares, bridges and alleyways. Amazing though it seems, walk just a few hundred yards and you find a completely different city where you can relax and walk at a normal pace. Phew! The weekend wasn’t a total wash-out then.
We happily strolled around the Kampa park towards the Legion Bridge, where we found a great pop-up cafe bar perched on the river’s edge – the perfect spot to while away a few hours watching the world go by. The River Vlatava is one of Prague’s best assets, with impressive architecture and fantastic views along the banks, as well as some lovely green islands.
By the way, the Legion Bridge (or alternatively the Manes Bridge further north) is very useful if you want to cross the river at normal speed rather than shuffling! In fact, provided you stay away from the Royal Way, Prague is perfect for exploring on foot, as you never know what’s around the next corner. The city wasn’t planned, it grew organically from its medieval beginnings, and it’s full of unexpected nooks and crannies – courtyards, arcades and passageways.
If you want to go to Prague Castle (and I do recommend it, it’s very impressive) go as early as you can and head there via the very steep set of steps to the Eastern Gate, which has great views over the city. It won’t be too crowded – see my comments before on lazy tourists – whereas the Main Gate via the souvenir shops of Nerudova will be a slow crawl at most times of day.
The Castle, in the Hradcany district, is Prague’s most popular attraction. Sitting up on a hill above Mala Strana, it dominates the skyline with its halo of towers and spires. It’s the largest ancient castle in the world and the walls contain a collection of palaces, courtyards, gardens, bridges and towers, together with the Cathedral of St Vitus, which holds tombs of saints and rulers, and the Bohemian crown jewels. The Cathedral was founded in 1344 but took almost 600 years to finish.
We managed a circuit of the main sights in the morning before the umbrella-touting, shouty-voiced tour guides turned up with their dutiful crocodiles of followers and we had to flee.
Even nicer than the Castle in my humble opinion, is a trip south along the Vltava River to Yysehrad Citadel. This abandoned hilltop fortress is where Prague was founded in the 7th century, or so legend says. Amazingly, it seems to be off the radar, despite being hugely atmospheric with lots of old buildings and amazing views from the walls.
Take your time and wander for a few hours underneath the trees in peace and quiet just soaking up the ambience. You can get the tram there, but if you fancy a bit of a hike it’s a pleasant hour’s flat walk along the riverbanks, which you’ll mostly have to yourself.
We made a day of it by crossing over the river to the Smichov neighbourhood on our way back towards the city and visiting the Staropramen brewery which has been refreshing the folk of Prague for over 100 years.
It was almost deserted, so we could sit in the lovely cool bar (it was a hot day so this was very welcome) and enjoy a nice cold beer – don’t ask for anything else, it’s beer or beer I’m afraid.
Prague city centre in the evenings is much less frenetic than by day, I’m pleased to report. After dark is the time to wonder along the Royal Way and across the famous bridge, when there are fewer people about and the ancient buildings are floodlit and spectacular.
We were expecting the nightlife to be a bit rowdy, given Prague’s reputation now as a stag-and-hen-do hot spot, but we were pleasantly surprised. Yes, there were a few large groups swigging beers during the day, but no riotous behaviour – it was all very civilised. And I’ve no idea where they went in the evenings, it was all very civilised.
The restaurants were full, so we were glad we’d booked ahead for dinner. Everywhere we tried was good quality and service was friendly – no complaints at all. We had traditional Czech at Pod Vezi, tucked away at the western end of Charles Bridge. Despite being right in the heart of tourist territory, the food was delicious and the outdoor terrace was great for people watching. As always, there was a curry in the mix. We tried “K” – the Two Brothers just a short walk from our hotel in the New Town. The rave reviews were accurate – it was full of locals and the food was amazing. We also had a tasty Italian meal at Green Tomato near Wenceslas Square.
My recommendations for an atmospheric drink or two: Vinograf wine bar in the New Town is modern and fun, with a dizzying selections of wine (hence the name) which you order using an I-pad. Ordering could take some time if you’re (a) indecisive or (b) a technophobe! The American Bar in the Municipal House on Republic Square is said to be the oldest bar in Prague and the interior is stunning with lots of glass and chandeliers – perfect for cocktails in old-world style.
If you like somewhere dark and cosy, try the Hemingway Bar, hidden down a backstreet near the river in the Old Town. Dim lighting is atmospheric, I know, but they take it to extremes here – I needed both my glasses and the torch on my phone to read the cocktail menu! Oh well, I’ve never claimed to be cool…The Old Town also has lots of vaulted beer cellars which provide some welcome shade if the weather is as hot as we had it. Anyway, Prague has many watering holes, so I’m sure you’ll be able to find whatever kind of venue you prefer.
That brings me to the end of my latest coronavirus escape, after a difficult week when I didn’t really have the heart to write about travel at all. I tried, but it made the forced confinement feel worse – I’m just not one of those people who likes staying at home. Hopefully next Easter I’ll be able to tell you about a trip I’m actually doing, but for now, another voyage to The Back Garden it is!
Steph's Travels 