Bon Voyage: Visiting the Golden City Prague
Because one annual vacation isn't enough for our author Isabel, she usually packs her bags every few weeks to discover new places. Sometimes just for one night – no matter. That's how you can quite well satisfy wanderlust. Where she went last, what’s worth it and what’s not, she reveals in “Bon Voyage.” This time she was in Prague for SoSUE.
By Isabel Sophie Möller
Hello again: The first months of 2023 hit hard. Even December 31st didn't go smoothly, quite the opposite. Accordingly, there was hardly any time for travel excitement and packing. But: I'm back in the game and on the road again.
Booked a spontaneous break, checked the weather, and off I went: The early April weather couldn't deter me, so I drove bundled up in layers into the unknown. After - drumroll - Prague! The first place that came to mind - no joke.
The east wind called me again – and I followed. The last time I visited Prague was in 2015 – on New Year's Eve. Accordingly, I saw very little of the city... without going into too much detail now. We can imagine it.
This time, I'm embracing a slowed-down version of Prague. The plan is: To have no plan.
Usually, I'm the one who schedules everything down to the minute. Hotel, restaurants, shops, museums – all thoroughly researched in advance and entered into the to-do list. That works for me; organizing and enjoying are not mutually exclusive. But this little trip is a self-imposed spontaneity challenge... which started with parking.
Arriving in Prague: Hospitality next level.
Since I hadn't planned anything, I simply drove to the city center first, more precisely: to the Old Town Square. Completely overwhelmed, I tried to operate the parking meter, but my clumsy attempts were repeatedly interrupted as very helpful locals assisted me. I would come to enjoy Prague's hospitality many more times.
Safe and cheap parking: Check. Next: Breakfast. For those who don't know yet: Czech cuisine and baking are spectacular - and calorie-rich, but honestly? So what. Calories don't count on short trips.
Culinary: Hearty and robust in the historic center
My very strong recommendation: The patisserie “Au Gourmand” in Prague's Old Town. Oh, what am I saying: Strike recommendation - it is an absolute must! Fine tarts, juicy-sweet lard pastries, and the best coffee with a kick. And what a kick! Slightly tipsy in the morning, it's wonderful to start a vacation, even though I don't want to glorify drinking at this point (she wrote with a smile…).
Let's stay directly with food and fast forward a bit to dinner: The Czechs like meat, that much is clear. Dumplings with goulash or sausages... anyone who enjoys hearty dishes should definitely make a detour to the food hall “Gurmet Pasáž Dlouhá” . Here you will find everything the culinary heart desires. Whether sweet, savory, meat, fish, cheese, oysters, beer, or champagne: all ultra-fresh and of high taste quality. Plus: From early morning until evening, there is live musical accompaniment by talented street artists.
Something more down-to-earth, but highly authentic, is going on at the family-run “Restaurant zur Müllerin” on Nerudova Street. Here, genuine Czech cuisine is served in a rustic setting. Allegedly, as I was told, they still cook according to grandmother's old recipes. And it tastes just like that! Vegetarians also get their money's worth. I can recommend the goat cheese sautéed in honey. Served with good Czech beer, of course!
By the way: The Czech cuisine has some German influences, especially regarding meat dishes. This is the “Czech-German sausage friendship,” as the owner of “Müllerin” laughingly confided to me.
Must-Do’s in the Golden City
With a full stomach, I strolled from the “Restaurant Müllerin” directly into the nightly hustle and bustle of Prague. The gastronomy is only a few meters from the Vltava River. And that’s where the city pulses. At temperatures below zero degrees (in March!), locals invited me to a campfire and Becherovka by the water. Is this the Czech soul? I like it!
For all those visiting Prague for the first time, here is a brief summary of the absolute highlights of the city: Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and the Town Hall with the famous Prague Astronomical Clock. The best part: everything is close together, getting lost is practically impossible.
For advanced Prague visitors, I recommend a visit to the Prague Barrandov Film Studios – one of the largest and oldest film studios in Europe. Classics like “Mission: Impossible” and “Three Nuts for Cinderella” were filmed here. Wow…what a mix.
Art and culture in “Josefov” – the Jewish Quarter
Who says Prague must also read Kafka – my German teacher already said that. So off to “Josefov,” the Jewish quarter of the city. It is exclusive, sophisticated, and a true architectural highlight. Unlike comparably venerable cities, it was rebuilt in elegant Art Nouveau style from 1893 onwards. The Jewish residents already lived outside the ghetto throughout the city back then, but a few old synagogues were preserved in the quarter.
My tip: Visit the Altneu Synagogue – the oldest active synagogue in Europe (entry around eight euros per person). It was built in 1270 (!!!). Legend has it that angels brought stones from the destroyed temple in Jerusalem to Prague and built the synagogue from them. Hence the name “Altneu,” Hebrew “Al Tenai.”
Bye bye tourists: Holešovice, the old working-class district of Prague
Contrast program: Converted factories, trendy cafés, art galleries, and pop-up stores – Holešovice used to be an industrial area. Today it is THE hip district of young Prague. Tourists are rather rare here. Admittedly: you have to like it. You don't really feel the old glory of Prague here. Still, it was worth a visit.
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Prague's New Town
Many visitors focus only on Prague's Old Town. Understandable: the architectural beauty is obvious, but in my opinion, it's a big mistake to simply ignore the other districts. I have rarely visited such a diverse and thoroughly exciting city.
That's why I warmly recommend “Miss Sophie’s Hotel” in the New Town for a short trip. Without breakfast, you can stay here for as little as 85 euros per night. The rooms are girlishly playful, apparently called “Bohemian vintage style.” Lots of lace and bright restored furniture.
Culture Club: Reading and Streaming Recommendations
Coincidence or not: During my reading sessions, I keep coming across books set in Prague. On the one hand, understandable, because the city's eventful history offers plenty of inspiration. Here are my recommendations to get you in the mood for your next trip to the Czech capital:
● “The Prague Cemetery” by Umberto Eco
● “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay" by Michael Chabon
● “Praga magica” by Angelo Maria Ripellino
A Netflix recommendation: By chance, I discovered the German-Czech film “Die Geliebte des Teufels” (The Devil's Mistress). The film is about the relationship between the Czechoslovak actress Lída Baarová (who began her career in the Prague film studios) and Joseph Goebbels. In flashbacks, the now very elderly Baarová tells a young journalist her life story.
So... that was a little marathon. My fingers are tired, my thoughts are still swirling – but before this column gets any longer, I wish you as always: Bon Voyage – and off to Prague!
Yours, Isabel
Isabel Sophie Möller is a journalist for TV, print, and online. Just as unwillingly as she chooses a platform for her creative output, she refuses to be pinned down to one topic to write about. Fashion or beauty? VIPs or royals? Books or Netflix? Food or travel? You can give your heart and thoughts to everything. That's exactly what she does – preferably in her travel-slash-lifestyle column “Bon Voyage,” where she takes her readers along on one of her discovery tours every month. More from Isabel can be found on her Instagram account @the_italian_bazaar