"Czech-ing" Out Prague

Well, our first full day in Prague was very busy.  I have been here several times before but have never done a guided tour.  My sister is here for the first time.  So, when we arrived, it seemed to make sense to book a tour.  We booked one called "The Prague Tour All Inclusive".  It is and, believe me, it is one full day.  We were picked up at our hotel at 10:30 am and the tour, which was mostly walking, began at 11 am and finished at 5 pm.  There was a senior rate which worked out to about $60 pp and that price included lunch at a "medieval" restaurant and a 50 minute boat trip both with a "beverage"  (I chose wine and my sister naturally chose beer).  The tour covered most of Prague's old centre and was very interesting.

We started at Hradcany or the Castle District and there were only 10 people in our group – 2 Scottish couples, 2 American couples and us.  We started with an overview of the castle and its history.  From there we walked on to St. Vitus Cathedral.  It has a Gothic interior which is not ornate at all.  

Our walking tour continued by descending from the hill on the cobble stoned stairs and alley way.  At the top, there are magnificent views across Prague from the old town (UNESCO protected) to further where the modern buildings are.  

We stopped at St. Nicholas Church (Jesuit) and, new to me, the John Lennon Wall.  We also saw the building of the Knights of Malta with its distinctive Maltese Cross.  From there, we walked to Kampa Island where we boarded a boat for a 50 minute boat trip on the Vltava River.  As well as a drink, the ride included ice cream which was very welcome because it was hot and humid.  

The Certovka Canal and the Restaurant where we'd had dinner the previous evening

After the trip, we crossed over the Charles Bridge where all the vendors were scrambling to shut down their stalls before the storm which was obviously approaching hit the city.  The temperature plummeted about 8 degrees in about 5 minutes and a wind came up.  We walked to Old Town Square and heard about its history.  It is a lovely square, one of the loveliest in Europe in my opinion.

From there, we headed to a “medieval” restaurant for lunch.  Anita, our guide, timed it perfectly as we got in just before the rain hit.  We’d heard the thunder so knew it was coming.  Lunch was okay.  I had a mushroom potato soup that would have been good if it had been hotter.  I had opted for a salad which was okay; basically it was shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and crumbled feta cheese.  None of the "tour group meals" are ever that great.  The restaurant had an interesting interior but I wouldn't go back.

After lunch, we had the option of continuing on with the tour to the Jewish Quarter or leaving it.  The Scots left but we North Americans carried on.  We walked along a street likened to the Champs Elysee with all the big name stores (Breitling, Prada, Louis Vuitton, etc.) to the Jewish Quarter.  I had toured the area before but it was still interesting to see the cemetery and synagogues.  Apparently 80% of the Jews living in Prague perished during the Holocaust with most of them murdered in Auschwitz.  Then, our tour was over and we were totally bagged.

One of the Synagogues in the Jewish Quarter

For dinner, we wanted food less touristy than what is offered on the menus of restaurants around the Charles Bridge.  How many times do you want to eat roast duck leg, pork dumplings or sauerkraut?  So, we headed to a Mediterranean restaurant the hotel had recommended called Oliva Nera.  What a find!  I had beef ravioli and it was obviously made on site and delicious.  For dessert, I had pistachio semifreddo and it too was wonderful.  I figured I'd earned it with all the walking we'd done!  We chatted the waiter and he told us that waiters here get paid very little and have to rely on tips for their income.  He told us that, obviously, it works fine in the summertime when the restaurants are full but it is more of a challenge in the quieter months.  The kitchen staff are paid more he told us.

So, another day done and we both agreed that the tour, in spite of the mediocre lunch, was more than worth it.