City Break to Prague

Published in the Irish Daily Mail on Saturday 5th April 2025
It’s a crisp blue day in the Czech Republic and I’m visiting my daughter, Nicole, who has moved here to continue her studies. We are enjoying a sightseeing tour of Prague from the water as the waiter hands us each an Aperol Spritz. Prague Boats is one of the best ways to enjoy the city on the water. www.prague–boats.cz

Smetana’s most emotive piece of orchestral music plays in the background as we gracefully flow along the River Vlatava. In German, the music and river share the same name – the Moldau. On first hearing The Moldau, a decade ago, I was curious to find out who was the composer. Now gliding through the Czech capital the importance of the musician and the music all makes perfect sense. A little known fact is that Smetana, the father of Czech music, was in fact already deaf when he composed this beautiful suite. In 1939 Czech orchestras were banned from playing this music as it was considered an act of resistance to the Nazi Occupation.

This sense of passion and adversity is something etched into the architecture and soul of Prague and resurfaces as beauty. In fact strolling through the city we feel like we are wading through the pages of a fairy tale story book. At other times it feels more like a Harry Potter novel. And on occasion the pages of a glossy magazine. With a labyrinth of winding cobbled streets and lanes, each offers a magical glimpse of another story or time in Prague’s history.

We are staying at the Almanac X Alcron, an iconic hotel only a few steps away from Wenceslas square. Steeped in history since its opening in 1902, the walls hold hundreds of fascinating tales. These stories are creatively told through the delicious beverages on the cocktail menu and served in the smooth Alcron jazz bar. I order a ‘Blond Cocktail’ and am told the history of the actress who was dumped by her movie producer boyfriend and how she’d sit at the bar sipping this luscious tequila based cocktail night after night.

Our bedroom looks over at the chic Lucerne Mall filled with bespoke shops of vintage paraphernalia and delicate pastries. The décor inside our room is a classic charcoal grey with updated charging points and generous en suite. Supporting local artists is another mission at the hotel with a stunning exhibition of paintings and sculptures filling the reception and lobby.

Staff at the Almanac X Alcron go out of their way to ensure we enjoy a comfortable stay. Martin the concierge organises our trip to Beerland Spa. I wasn’t sure what to except but I’d packed my swimsuit and hoped I wouldn’t be swimming in beer. On arrival we are brought to a room with wooden hot tubs filled with hops and nourishing herbs. We are assured that our skin is going to feel better afterwards.

Glasses come in two sizes and beer options. After our hostess shows us how to pull the beer we are off in a giddy spree with smooth piano music playing in the background. Two huge straw beds with white linen sheets are prepared for our relaxation when the bubbles stop in the tub. Afterwards we shower and finish our drinks in the cosy room upstairs that is part of a vintage hotel. Nicole and I love our spa trips but this was something completely novel and fun. An hour at the spa is €80 and includes unlimited beer, slippers, bathrobes and fancy beer shampoos. www.beerspa-beerland.com

Prague is set up for tourism with bars and restaurants and museums on every corner. One of the quirkiest is the Illusion Art Museum Centrally located in Prague 1. Our minds bent in all directions as we tried to figure out the various exhibits and interactive art. We watched square cylinders turn into round ones before our eyes, as our brains battled with the optical illusions that resembled magic. Nicola Tesla is recreated from old electrical equipment and will question your sense of what is considered sculpture. www.iamprague.eu

The Town Hall tower offers resplendent views of this fairytale city. Serviced by two lifts if you don’t want to walk the steps, it’s a chance to be inside the building that’s also home to the famous astronomical clock. Bystanders wait patiently on the hour throughout the day and night to watch the characters appear and disks spin in a mesmerizing spectacle that has been playing out for centuries.

Nearby we stop off to try traditional hunks of ham on a spit and potato pancake in a corner of the square but be warned price is per weight not item. Frankly this greasy food was not for us and we found the local Italian restaurants much tastier. As Nicole has been in the city a couple of weeks she recommends two in particular. Excellent for pizza Gambero Rosso is only a stone’s throw from the Town Hall. The next day we enjoyed delicious homemade pasta at Pasta Fresca and considering its location it was reasonably priced too. Prague is relatively inexpensive as European capitals go and with happy hours and eateries off the beaten track it’s no wonder that it’s so popular with group. A pint of beer should cost around €3 in most bars but of course expect to pay more in the tourist traps.

Prague is bursting with quirky and fun museums to visit. One of our favourites was The World of Banksy Museum, located a short walk from the Astronomical Clock. It’s reasonably priced with concessions for students and we spent a fun filled afternoon exploring the aw-inspired artwork that makes the viewers really think. It’s great for all ages and Nicole decided she’ll definitely go back with her friends when they come to visit her, http://www.theworldofbanksy.cz/

We dined in Alcron Restaurant on my last night and met with Head Chef Richard Bielik who honed his craft at various Michelin star restaurants before taking over at the Almanac X Hotel. The menu and presentation is certainly heading in the Michelin Star direction without the outrageous prices. Dishes fuse traditional Czech produce with a modern twist that delighted our palettes.

Don’t leave Prague before taking a ride on Tram 42. This is a novel way of exploring the city in a vintage carriage that will take you back in time. It operates on a hop-on hop-off system and you can pop into the splendid Prague Castle en route. I didn’t get to see the home of novelist Franz Kafka’s on this occasion but I had to leave something for next time. I’ll be back to visit Nicole sooner than she thinks and possibly sooner than she would like!