There was a time, not so long ago, when this magnificent, historic city, full of architectural gems, was in danger of attracting what snobs would call the wrong kind of tourist. Cheap beer and stag parties tarnished its image as one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
I recently returned from a fantastic city break there with my wife Mary and our guide, a charming young man called Frankie, who could not have been clearer: ‘Those cheap buses from Germany and other places, full of backpackers, don’t come here anymore. Prague has moved on.’
All this happened for the best possible reason. When the Berlin Wall fell and political freedom spread like wildfire across Eastern Europe, it was young people who led the celebrations.
Many of them longed to travel to areas that had opened up. Frankie was a university student in Prague and has vivid memories of that time.
Czech authorities welcomed the tourists, and if they liked drinking large quantities of beer, the more the better. But 30 years later, the aim is to put their capital back where it belongs, as an inclusive tourist destination, where expensive wines are as much on the menu as cheap beer. Prague is getting classier.
Historical: John Sergeant celebrates his 80th birthday in Prague. Above, the city’s Old Town
As we were driven from the airport in a luxury car – provided by Kirker Holidays – the sun shone over the city of a hundred spires.
Mary and I were here shortly after the hated Soviet regime had been expelled. It was easy to imagine a new sense of freedom taking hold in this capital. The old buildings glittered in the sunlight and the streets were full of wealthy visitors.
We spent our three nights at Hotel Aria, in what is considered by many to be the most attractive district of Prague: the Mala Strana.
It has cobbled streets, grand palaces and secluded gardens. From here you can walk across the Charles Bridge into the centre. Although most of the main areas are pedestrianised, it is worth getting used to the trams and metro. Some tourists are not impressed by those little trains that run through the streets of many cities. We love them.
John and his wife Mary dine outside at a riverside restaurant overlooking Charles Bridge
There is a good one in Prague. It starts at Old Town Square and takes you across the river and up to the Castle District, then back to the centre.
Thanks to this experience and our guided walk with Frankie, you felt like you were getting to know the place.
Prague’s long and complicated history has often seen it occupied by foreign powers. Some are hated, including the Nazis and the Russians, and others have left a glorious legacy, most notably the Habsburgs when Prague was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The variety of different architectural styles dating back over a thousand years gives the city its fairytale quality.
But even today there is no escaping the grim influence of outside events.
John is staying at Hotel Aria (pictured above), in Prague’s ‘most attractive’ district, the Mala Strana
The Czechs have taken a strong stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and have been officially declared an enemy by the Kremlin.
There are many reminders of the capital’s troubled past. One of the most moving is a memorial to the 2,500 Czech pilots who died in the RAF during World War II.
The only popular remnant of the 30 years of Soviet rule that I could find is their metro.
Built by Russian engineers, it has high ceilings and goes deep underground. It is hardly an object of beauty, but about a million people use it every day.
John says Prague’s mix of buildings dating back thousands of years gives the city a “fairytale quality”
John attends a ‘great’ concert at the Mirror Chapel, pictured above
Prague has many interesting restaurants, such as the recently renovated Café Louvre, which was once home to Albert Einstein. Meanwhile, you don’t have to be a fan of classical music to enjoy Prague, but it helps.
Mozart traveled here many times and his work is revered. We went to a great concert in the Mirror Chapel.
Our musical highlight was a humorous version of the opera The Bartered Bride by the Czech composer Smetana.
Afterwards we ate outside at an expensive restaurant by the river, overlooking the Charles Bridge. Chic Prague at its best.
It was the perfect way to celebrate my 80th birthday.
