Expat Travel Mom

Prague!!! Our very first trip alone since having kids, Prague, for our 20th anniversary. My husband surprised me and planned this entire trip start to finish, and it showed from the very first hour.

Day One: Flowers and an Old Beer Hall

He knocked it out of the park on day one, when we checked in to a beautiful old hotel called Grand Hotel Praha, directly across from the astronomical clock. He had a bouquet of flowers waiting in the room. The hotel was so charming, full of special details and architectural elements. The staff were really friendly despite how busy they were! Our room was really large, as I feel all rooms are in these old buildings with high ceilings. 

After checking in, I wanted to hit the ground running. I've heard of Prague for years, I've wanted to visit since I saw my first travel show featuring it as a destination worth traveling to...a hidden gem. Sneakers on, we headed out and walked around the city. The architecture, color and attention to details can't be ignored. Even inside establishments...I may have peaked my head in to look at decor here and there. One thing I wasn't prepared for, and didn't fill my camera roll up with, were the number of tourist shops EVERYWHERE. I felt like there were rubber duckie shops on every block, CBD shops equally spaced, and Absinthe everywhere. (Although I will say, the absinthe bottles are so pretty that I may have brought one home). The city had a stark contrast in many areas between the building above and the shop below.

Walking any European city will work up an appetite, so following Zane Lamprey's footsteps in Three Sheets, we headed to Restaurace U Vejvodů where we had some traditional sausages and potato pancakes in an old beer hall. It was very cool, and massive! We then had some chimney cake...although not at all the birthplace of it, and actually quite touristy. It originated as kürtőskalács in Hungary and Transylvania, only arrived in Prague's tourist areas in the early 2000s, and locals rarely eat it. But, if sweets are your thing, then line, choose ice cream or whipped cream filled, and plain, chocolate or white chocolate coating inside and enjoy the experience!

Day Two: Charles Bridge and a Long-Awaited Beer Spa

Ok, so he surprised me again, this time with a rooftop breakfast looking over all of Prague, at Terasa U Prince. Absolutely delicious. The restaurant was on the rooftop which provided stunning views of the city. it was hard to eat when all I wanted to do was walk around and capture photos from every angle! 

After brunch we walked over Charles Bridge, because you have to. Take your time. It's seriously impressive. Look up, look out, admire statues, watch the boats pass by, enjoy the artists found along your walk. It's just...a moment.

Across the bridge, we window shopped, went to walk along Lennon Wall (and popped into the art gallery), saw the most adorable working water mill, found a record shop for hubby (against my approval, LOL).  

Back on the other side of the bridge, we headed toward our accommodation, but not before walking past where Mozart's symphony played, buying some fruit from a lovely market (we so miss markets and fruit like this), and then headed off to something we'd been waiting to do since watching Three Sheets back in 2007!

We'd waited since 2007 to experience this, way back when Zane Lamprey did an episode of Three Sheets here in Prague. It's our 20th anniversary, and we finally made it, and finally got to try the beer spa, Spa Beerland. We didn't have an original Pleepleus (IYKYK), but we found our own version to join us. We chose Beerland, asking for a private room because we really didn't want to be with others who were there more to party, and can't say enough good things about our experience. We worried it would be gimmicky, but it was so relaxing and well worth it. I'd definitely do it again.

Day Three: Antiques, Kielbasa, and Old Friends

We just wandered the streets today admiring all the buildings, found an antique shop that had EVERYTHING (30 years they've been collecting), and they have TWO locations, ate some more kielbasa (it's my favorite), and finished the night off having an amazing dinner at Bruxx Prague with friends "from" Singapore. We never actually met in Singapore when we all lived there, but instead connected in Valencia, of all places, and they now live here in Prague.

Day Four: A Lot of Art

We finished our time off with a lot of art. Starting at Central Gallery with the Dalí exhibit, photographed by Czech photographer Chochola, then Mucha (my favorite), a Czech Art Nouveau painter, and Warhol, son of Czech emigrants, which was really well done. Then the Banksy exhibition, also extremely well done.

More walking to admire more architecture, including churches and synagogues, and of course trying goulash and more Czech sausages. Twenty years, four days, one very well-planned surprise after another. Prague was worth every year we waited to get here.