The Christmas tree on Prague's Old Town Square
If you’re asking Santa for a trip to Prague next year, or if you’ve got a traveler on your holiday shopping list, you might want to add these items to your list, as well!
(Note: The products featured here link to an Amazon Affiliates account, which helps support this page. So it is greatly appreciated if you buy any featured products on Amazon through the links on this page. Thank you!)
The Coronavirus pandemic grounded planes and closed borders for most of 2020, but we all hope to be be able to travel – or at least begin to travel again – in 2021. Prague is hoping for the return of visitors from Europe for a greater part of 2021 than was possible this year, and we hope that Americans will be able to enter the EU again, too! I already have a few clients from the U.S. who have booked tours for next year. So if travel is on your mind for the New Year, here are some gift ideas for you.
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Christmas decorations and the Tyn Church on Old Town Square in Prague.
Greetings from Prague as we move into the Holiday Season!
Another Spike in the Autumn
In Prague and throughout the Czech Republic, we had another outbreak of the Coronavirus when children returned to school (and locals returned from their summer travels elsewhere in Europe). This caused the government to again enact strict measures to contain the virus, with eventually everything closed except for grocery stores, pharmacies and medical facilities. This time around we even had a curfew imposed from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., and unlike the first shutdown in March, ALL shops were closed on Sundays.
 Prelate's residence at the monastery in Zdar nad Sazavou If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that this summer I spent a lot more time traveling than I usually do. As a tour guide, my summers are usually spent working – a lot – so the tourist season is normally not that for me! Sadly, due to the Coronavirus, my tour business was virtually nonexistent this year, so I decided to hit the road. But the pandemic also made travel outside of one’s country a bit difficult or impossible – so I did something I hadn’t done since I first moved to Prague: I traveled around the Czech Republic. 
View from the castle in Český Krumlov
I mentioned in my last blog post that I’ve been using my free time - resulting from (sadly) the lack of tourists - to travel around the Czech Republic. My first stop was Hluboka Chateau, next was the fairy tale-like town of Český Krumlov.
Český Krumlov is one of my favorite places – not just in the Czech Republic, but in the world. In fact, though it had been more than a decade since my last visit, I realized that this was my 11th visit to the town, and with the exception of one business trip, all were for pleasure. It’s a great weekend escape from Prague.
Austrian charm
Located in Southern Bohemia near the Austrian border, you’ll notice an Austrian feel in Český Krumlov (Krumlau in German). With a castle that sits atop a bluff overlooking a hairpin turn in the Vltava river, sloping medieval rooftops and a Rumpelstiltskin tower, this medieval town is dripping with charm. And the views from the castle are simply stunning. No matter where you’re perched on it, each view offers a picture-perfect photo op – or plein air site for the artists among you.
Hluboka Chateau in South Bohemia
There are many places in the Czech Republic beyond Prague that are well worth a visit. And due to the Coronavirus and related travel restrictions, I don't have a lot of tour clients at the moment, unfortunately. But that means I have a lot more time on my hands in the summer than I usually do, so once we eased restrictions earlier this month, I hit the road!
The View from Prague Castle
While Prague continues to open up from its strict Coronavirus lockdown, it still has not fully opened to foreign travel – for either visitors coming in or Czechs wishing to go abroad. So for the first time since the days of communism, really, locals are having their city to themselves.
In efforts to promote domestic travel & tourism, hotels & tourists sites are offering all manner of discounts & coupons, with some luxury brands that previously catered almost solely to foreigners, such as the Four Seasons, offering special packages to suit a local budget. The government has also issued coupons for hotels to give to guests that provide reduced entry into various sites.
After two months in COVID lockdown, Prague is opening up!
And things are happening quickly.
Just this month we’ve seen:
In my last blog post, I reported that the Czech Republic had begun to ease Coronavirus restrictions. This decision was made after we had good results from a five-week strict lockdown.
So Far, so good
Naturally, there was some concern about whether easing too soon might tempt people to let down their guard completely, given that we had all been indoors isolating for so long and the spring weather was beautiful.
Masks are still required, and even the TV anchors wear them!
If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve been documenting the Czech Republic’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak. You will also know that the results have been pretty good, and that continues to be the case.
For more on the steps that have been taken since the beginning of the outbreak, see my earlier blog posts: March 4, 2020 March 9, 2020 March 12, 2020 March 13, 2020 March 16, 2020 March 20, 2020 March 23, 2020 March 31, 2020 
I’d like to give you another update on the Coronavirus outbreak in the Czech Republic.
The Results Continue to be Positive
As I reported in my last post, the strict measures that were enacted by the Czech government when it realized that: a) Italy’s infection rates were exploding and its hospitals were overwhelmed, and b) lots of Czechs were in Italy on skiing holidays for the winter school break have been paying off.
From our first three cases diagnosed on March 2nd to March 30th, we now have 3,001 confirmed cases of COVID in the Czech Republic. Although that's a big increase, we've not seen exponential growth, and our hospitals still have the capacity to treat the sick. Sadly, since my last post, we’ve now had our first deaths – the number is now 23. Almost all deaths were people over 70 and/or with underlying health issues. Twenty-five people have recovered from the disease. 
Finally! ... A coherent narrative about the origins of the Great War.
Many of you know that I have written several guidebooks about Prague. But you might not know that last year I participated in the publication of a book in a different way. I had the pleasure of helping friend and fellow author, Maggie Ledford Lawson, format and publish her great work, Passage to Byzantium: The Romanov-Habsburg Feud that Led to World War I. A life's work
This book is a life's work for Maggie, who spend most of her career as a journalist in Washington, DC, and later Prague. She spent more than a decade researching for this book.
 strict measures appear to be paying off As you know if you've followed my recent posts, the Czech Government has enacted strict measures in an attempt to "flatten the curve" (a phrase we are all very familiar with now) of the Coronavirus outbreak here. And I'm happy to say that it appears that it might be paying off. On Sunday we passed the 1,000 mark in terms of the number of infected people, but so far, we have had NO deaths due to the disease, and 6 people have recovered. That is certainly wonderful news!
I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but things continue to change by the hour here in Prague. In my last post, I reported that the whole Czech Republic went into full quarantine on Monday. That meant:
 Things are still moving quickly here in the Czech Republic. Friday I posted that restaurants and bars were required to close at 8:00 p.m., but by the time Friday was over, that was tightened to where restaurants and bars had to close altogether except to serve food or coffee to go through windows. Furthermore, all shops other than grocery stores and pharmacies were ordered to close. As you can see from the photo above, the weather was very nice on the weekend, so after staying in as recommended most of the week, I went out for a walk on both Saturday and Sunday. I was surprised to see so many people out and about. While most shops were closed, cafes and restaurants at least had personnel inside with signs posted saying they will serve food and drinks through a window. Some were selling their unprepared food supplies, as the order to close came suddenly and they were fully stocked. I bought some (overpriced) vegetables from an Italian restaurant (some beautiful imported eggplant) just to help them out. But otherwise, because it was warm and sunny, I guess, lots of people were out and about drinking coffee and eating pastries, so in some respects it looked almost like a normal weekend in the neighborhood.  I began yesterday's post by saying that things are moving quickly here as facts change on the ground. And that is still the case. more restrictions from the czech authorities Yesterday I posted that events with attendees of more than 100 people are canceled, but within a few hours, that was changed to events with more than 30 people. In addition, the government ordered all restaurants to limit patrons to 30 maximum, and restaurants must close at 8:00 p.m. from today.  Here’s the latest update on the Coronavirus outbreak in the Czech Republic. Things are happening quickly, as they are in the U.S. and other countries around the globe. Since my last update on March 9th, confirmed cases have gone from 29 to 32 the next day to 94 as of last night (March 11th). This is expected, given how contagious the virus is and, as I mentioned in my last post, the return of so many Czech citizens and residents from Italy, one of the most highly affected areas, over the weekend. As I also mentioned at that time, the government had begun to take measures designed to curb the spread in an attempt to prevent what has happened in Italy. school closings and other new measures Since then, more measures have been taken. On Tuesday, it was announced that all schools would close from the following day through the beginning of April, and events with more than 100 attendees were cancelled. Yesterday, the government announced that all museums and galleries would close, followed by an announcement that castles and other historic sites would also close.
 Last week I reported that Prague had its first cases of Coronavirus. From those initial 3 cases, we are now up to 29 as of yesterday. For those of you who have a trip planned here or are considering a trip, I'd like to provide another update on what is happening currently. coronavirus update as of March 9, 2020: As you probably know, northern Italy virtually shut down over the weekend. That means that Czech citizens who were on holiday there are returning en masse currently (and there are quite a lot of people in this category because it’s the first spring break here, and many Czechs go to northern Italy to ski at this time of year, but the Italian ski resorts are closing all at once).
It is still the case (as it was last week), that so far, all cases of Corornavirus in the Czech Republic (29 now) are people who were in Italy or people connected to those who were in Italy. I know that most of you who are considering a trip to Prague this year are concerned about the #coronavirus and are not sure what to do. We are all in the same boat, & at the moment the best thing to do is to stay informed, follow healthcare professionals' advice and track government travel warnings and restrictions. Here in #Prague, we had our first cases confirmed this past Sunday (3 people). All of them had been to Italy just a few days prior, which has been hit very hard with the virus. Since then, another two cases were confirmed today, and both of those people had been either in contact with the previously identified cases or had stayed at the same hotel in Italy. So far, we do not have community spread or clusters. However, this virus seems to be highly contagious, so my guess is it's just a matter of time before more cases appear, as one of the infected persons was a tourist who had been out and about before becoming ill. 
Prague trams - old and new
The envy of the world?
Anyone who has ever lived in Prague or has spent a significant amount of time here knows that the city’s public transport system is world class. In fact, on the whole it is probably one of the best public transport networks in the world. It has everything you want in public transport - it’s:
prague's trams are great for sightseeing
And not only is Prague’s system wonderful n a practical sense, its tram network is a great way to see the city, including the historical parts that you’ll want to see on your visit. As I mention in my guidebook, “Prague Travel Tips: An American’s Guide to Her Adopted City,” certain tram routes are especially beautiful, such as the 17 and 18 along the river and the 22 up to Prague Castle and out to beautiful Náměstí Míru in the trendy Vinohrady neighborhood.
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 Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search for Her Mother's History by Helen EpsteinMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This is one of the best Holocaust memoirs I've read. In it, Helen Epstein traces her mother's roots to find out more about the life of both her mother and maternal grandmother back in the author's birth country of former Czechoslovakia, a place the author spent only the first year of her life before she and her parents emigrated to the United States. But she goes even further back in time to discover much about the history and culture of Czech Jews many generations prior to her grandmother's. One of the best things about this book at the time I read it is that it was the best source I had found on the history and lives of Czech Jewry. The author states that she found her mother an utterly amazing person, and that fact inspired her to learn more about her mother and "where she came from;" hence, the title. And I think that if you read this book, you'll think that her mother was amazing, too! View all my reviews
Public Transport
Not only is Prague a relatively small city (1.2 million people), but the fact that its amazingly efficient public transport system is fast, dense, punctual, and dirt cheap makes the city that much easier to navigate and explore. This means not having to stress about not having enough reading material for the ride or about getting places on time, and it’s also easy to make quick stops (the system does not require you to swipe every time you get on) and to venture outside of the city center.
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Prague is a fairy tale-like city, and with its Baroque palaces, gardens and châteaus, it's no wonder that it has become one of the world's top wedding destinations in recent years.
Prague - a great wedding destination
These weddings and related activities typically fall into four categories: 1) People from abroad who choose Prague as the site of their nuptials simply for no other reason than its overwhelming beauty, 2) International couples with one Czech partner and one partner from another land who live here or who live abroad but choose to have the wedding in the Czech partner's home country, 3) Couples who come here weeks or months after their ceremonies just to do photo shoots, and 4) Fashion photo shoots of brides and grooms who are not actually married at all!
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Blending czech and american wedding traditions
This year I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help plan a wedding for a couple in category 2. The bride was from North Carolina and the groom was from Moravia - the eastern part of the what is now the Czech Republic. This provided the opportunity to combine various traditions, such as a resounding "Na Zdravi Y'all!" printed on the cornhole board, as well as on small bottles of homemade slivovice (plum brandy), which was distilled by the groom's father and handed out to guests (and plenty of it was imbibed at the wedding reception, too!).
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Prague's gardens - perfect for weddings
Given that Prague is such a fairy tale-like city, there are plenty of places to hold a fairy tale-like wedding. The most popular locations are the city's beautiful Baroque gardens. The Vrtba Garden is one of Prague's top spots for weddings, and you can see why from the picture below.
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Plan your fairy tale prague wedding
In addition to Prague wedding venues, there are plenty of castles and palaces outside of Prague that host weddings, like Chateau Trebesice near the town of Kutna Hora, where the wedding I helped plan was held.
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So if you've got wedding bells in your future, or if you need a perfect destination for a destination wedding or photo shoot, consider Prague! And if you need any help with picking a perfect location or planning the event, contact me about my Concierge Services.
Happy wedding planning!
Tombstones in Jewish Cemetery in Zizkov
All photos in this blog post are by the author. Also, this blog post contains affiliate links to help support it.
Yesterday I visited the Old Jewish Cemetery in the Zizkov neighborhood of Prague for the first time. Prague actually has several Jewish cemeteries, only one of which is still in use, and some of which are only remnants of what they once were.
When most visitors come to Prague, they tour the Old Jewish Cemetery, which is located in Prague’s historic Jewish Quarter. However, there are others that are worth a visit, and the Old Jewish Cemetery in Zizkov, though a bit out of the city center, is one of them.  In my Prague Restaurant Guide, I talk about Prague's "food revolution." I also mention several of what can be called "mini-revolutions" within the broader food revolution. One has been in the area of coffee. And a recent one has been in the area of burgers. Every corner now seems to have a "burger joint" in hot pursuit of the perfect real (American) hamburger. These food "mini-revolutions" are happening at such a pace that I find it hard to keep up, let alone try all the new things on offer. But I have had no trouble finding time to explore the subject of Prague's latest revolution: gelato! That's because, along with the French fry, I suppose ice cream is my favorite food. Angelato has competition... And I'm glad!If you've followed me on Facebook or other social media, you know that I am a hugely devoted fan of Angelato, one of Prague's first gourmet gelato spots, and certainly the first to offer unusual seasonal concoctions such as poppyseed, jasmine rice and other inventive flavors. Angelato will always have a special place in my heart, and I will always visit it several times every spring and summer. But earlier this year, Creme de la Creme appeared on the scene, and I have a new ice cream love. Its owner apparently spent years in Italy learning the traditional art of gelato-making, and if he happens to be in the shop when you visit, he will gladly explain the differences between his product and Angelato's (and why his is superior, of course). Creme de la creme Creme de la Creme has a lot of the same favorite flavors that Angelato has, like salty caramel (and Creme de la Creme has salty peanut, also) and many seasonal flavors, too. In my view, the consistency of Creme de la Creme's gelato is creamier than Angelato's, and the flavors are a bit more intense. And they also have a few vegan choices. Let's just say that Creme de la Creme is my new favorite (sorry Angelato!). And then there's puro... And there's another local gelato on the scene. Actually, Puro has been around in its first location out in the 'burbs for a few years, but this week they opened a long-awaited shop right in the middle of Old Town, near Old Town Square. It's located on Kaprova Street, and I can't wait to try it.
 You might know that in recent years Prague has become one of the top tourist destinations. That's because it's filled with architectural wonders and has centuries of rich history. But you might not know that Czech beer is also one of the country's national treasures. Czech beer is simply delicious, and the Czechs drink more beer per capita than any nation on earth. Don’t be surprised if you spot a few construction workers drinking it on their morning breaks! And Czech doctors routinely prescribe Pilsner Urquell to treat certain digestive disorders. As Gene Dietze points out in his popular memoir, “For the Love of Prague,” a Czech doctor insisted to him that a pint of beer or less per day is not considered alcohol, scientifically speaking. 
Pilsner urquell - king of Czech beers Many people (not just doctors) consider Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj) to be the best Czech beer, or even the best beer in the world. It originates in the town of Pilsen, which is where we get the name "pilsner" from. Technically speaking, only beers brewed in Pilsen are allowed to call themselves pilsners, but the brewery gave up that loosing battle long ago. But they have not given up their time-honored tradition of brewing delicious beer. When you visit Prague (and most places in the Czech Republic), you will find Pilsner Urquell everywhere.  this bud's for you!Another famous – and probably one of the best – Czech beer brands is Budweiser (Budvar). Yes, you read that right – Budweiser originated here in the town of České Budějovice (Budweis in German). This Czech brewery alone among all others is still state owned – the government doesn’t want Anheuser-Busch to get its hands on this national treasure. For this reason (that is, the limited amount of funds a state-run enterprise has for things like distribution), it is relatively difficult to find a Budweiser here unless you’re close to the town of České Budějovice where it is brewed. But if you do find it, try it! It is very different from (and much better than) the American Bud.  Book a day trip to the pilsner urquell brewery in pilsen And Czech Budweiser is also very different from its main rival, Pilsner Urquell. The storied history of Pilsner Urquell is worth a trip to the town of Pilsen for a brewery tour. Because of its special fermentation process, this beer takes longer and costs more to make than other Czech beers. That’s also why it costs more than other beers. Still, given its amazing quality and taste, it is incredibly cheap by “western” standards (cheaper than bottled water – the Czechs would have it no other way). In any case, you’ll taste the difference. Czech microbrews? Yes, the microbrew trend has hit the Czech Republic, too, with great results. I'll tell you more in a future blog post, or you can learn more about this trend and all Czech beers in my Prague Restaurant Guide! It's available in both paperback and Kindle formats.  |
AuthorI'm an American who's called Prague home for decades—tour guide by day, writer by passion. With several guidebooks to my name, this blog is where I dive into the city’s stories, culture, and hidden corners you won’t find in typical tourist guides. YOUR DONATION HELPS ME KEEP THIS BLOG GOING.
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