Czech, please
IT HAS A REPUTATION AS A STAG AND HEN HOTSPOT, BUT TAMLYN JONES DISCOVERS PLENTY FOR FOODIES TO ENJOY ON A CULINARY TOUR OF PRAGUE
ACOUPLE of generations have come and gone since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Czech capital Prague has emerged to become a frontrunner on the European must-see tourist trail.
Its wonderful, historic architecture has been preserved for the world to see and gives the sense of stepping back in time long before Communism ruled.
But this is married with the sweeping brush of western capitalism as Prague cements its place in a modern, global market clamouring for those all-important tourist dollars.
Given its size – Prague’s population is 1.2 million – it is surprisingly easy to get around, thanks to a regular and comprehensive tram system (£9.60 for three-day ticket) and the fact that cars are treated very much as second-class citizens on the main city centre streets.
The city’s reputation as a haven for stag and hen parties may be well founded, due in no small part to a strong pound against the koruna, but there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy the city away from the ‘L’ plates and the downing of shots like lives depend on it.
Staying at the Parkhotel Praha, which is around 15 minutes by tram from central Prague, our jam-packed agenda included a guided food walk with Eating Prague Tours.
The premise is pretty simple: put some comfortable shoes on, clear your diary for four hours and expect to feel right royally stuffed by the end of it.
And at all costs avoid the hotel breakfast buffet bar before you start.
Our knowledgeable guide Jan met us at the quaintest gingerbread shop you could image in downtown Prague and explained all the different outlets we would visit, what we would be sampling and the origins of some Czech food staples.
Open sandwiches are a national obsession, apparently.
We visited a series of different venues and sampled everything from ginger biscuits to spicy sausage and red wine, all finished off with that most Czech of meals... dumplings.
In between venues, we strolled through the various districts at a leisurely pace as Jan pointed out interesting buildings and art.
Among the venues we visited was Café Louvre, which opened in 1902 but was closed during Communist rule because the nation’s leaders declared it too fancy and bourgeois.
This is no frog march around Prague so it can be enjoyed whatever your fitness level or age. The tour, which costs around £70 per adult, is also very accommodating to vegetarians and those with food allergies, as long as some advance warning is given.
Walking really is the best way to get around the city centre, in part because it can be very crowded at peak season and trying to negotiate the narrow, cobbled streets on a hired bike, especially with kids in tow, will never be a picnic.
Our visit also included a three-hour guided walk starting at Prague Castle, which dates back to the 9th century and is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic.
Our guide took us via tram to the castle – a wise choice as it’s at the top of a mighty hill – and then led us on a leisurely, and crucially, downhill stroll via the city’s wonderfully old streets and back to arguably its most famous landmark, Charles Bridge.
A young pup compared to the castle, construction work on the bridge started in 1357 and took until the next century to complete. It now serves as the backdrop to a million selfies and more than a handful of Hollywood movies (Vin Diesel and Tom Cruise to name but two have filmed there).
Fans of history could do worse than to drop by the Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock tower in the Old Town Square. It dates back to the 1330s and now offers tours deep beneath the city’s streets into dungeons used for torturing and imprisoning criminals.
Due to its reputation for ghosts, our host even had the dubious honour of appearing in an episode of TV show Most Haunted last year while a short lift ride to the top of the clock tower will provide some wonderful photo opportunities.
Finally, no trip to Prague would be complete without a boat cruise along its majestic Vltava river. There are various offers available – see www.prague-boats.cz – and ours was a three-hour trip with buffet meal and live music. Unfortunately, there was no commentary so it is definitely worth shopping around if you want something more informative from your time on the river.
We visited a series of different venues and sampled everything from ginger biscuits to spicy sausage and red wine, all finished off with that most Czech of meals... dumplings.