There was a time, not so long ago, when this grand, historic city, full of architectural wonders, was in danger of attracting what snobs might call the wrong kind of tourist. Cheap beer and stag parties tarnished its image as one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
I recently returned from a wonderful holiday in Prague with my wife, Mary, and our guide, a charming young man called Frankie, who could not have been more adamant: “Those cheap buses from Germany and elsewhere, full of backpackers, don’t come here any more. 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 the areas that had been opened up. Frankie was a university student in Prague and has vivid memories of that time.
Czech authorities welcomed tourists, and if they liked drinking large quantities of beer, the more the better. But thirty years on, the aim is to restore the capital to its rightful place as an inclusive tourist destination where expensive wines are just as likely to be on the menu as cheap beer. Prague is becoming more upmarket.
Historic: John Sergeant celebrates his 80th birthday in Prague. Above, the city’s Old Town
As we were transferred from the airport in a luxury car (courtesy of Kirker Holidays), the sun shone down on the city of a hundred spires.
Mary and I arrived here shortly after the hated Soviet regime was ousted. It was easy to imagine how a new sense of freedom had settled in this capital. The old buildings gleamed in the sunlight and the streets were filled with wealthy visitors.
We spent our three nights at the Aria Hotel, in what many consider Prague’s most attractive neighborhood, Mala Strana.
It has cobbled streets, grand palaces and secluded gardens. From here you can walk across Charles Bridge into the centre. Although most key areas are pedestrianised, it’s worth getting used to the trams and metro. Some tourists aren’t impressed by the little trains that run through the streets of many cities. We love them.
John and his wife Mary dine al fresco at a riverside restaurant, looking out towards Charles Bridge.
There’s a great one in Prague, which starts in Old Town Square and takes you across the river to the Castle District, before heading back into the centre.
With that and our guided walking tour with Frankie, it was easy to feel like we were getting familiar with the place.
Prague’s long and complicated history has been marked by occupation by foreign powers. Some of these have been hated, such as the Nazis and the Russians, and others have left a glorious legacy, notably the Habsburgs, when Prague was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The variety of architectural styles dating back more than a thousand years gives the city its fairy-tale quality.
But even today there is no way to escape the sinister influence of external events.
John is staying at the Aria Hotel (see above), in Prague’s “most attractive” district, Mala Strana.
The Czechs have taken a firm stance against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have been officially labelled an enemy by the Kremlin.
There are many reminders of the capital’s turbulent past. One of the most poignant is the memorial to the 2,500 Czech airmen who died in the RAF during World War II.
The only popular legacy of the 30 years of Soviet rule that I could find is its metro.
Built by Russian engineers, it has high ceilings and extends deep underground. It is not exactly a thing of beauty, but nearly a million people use it every day.
John says Prague’s mix of buildings dating back thousands of years gives the city its “fairytale quality.”
John attends a ‘fantastic’ concert at the Mirror Chapel, pictured above
Prague has plenty of interesting restaurants, including the recently renovated Café Louvre, once Albert Einstein’s hangout. You don’t have to be a classical music fan to enjoy Prague, but it helps.
Mozart enjoyed several trips here and his work is adored. We went to a fantastic concert in the Chapel of Mirrors.
Our musical highlight was a humorous version of the opera The Bartered Bride by Czech composer Smetana.
Afterwards we had dinner al fresco at an expensive riverside restaurant, overlooking the Charles Bridge. Elegant Prague at its finest.
It was the perfect way to celebrate my 80th birthday.