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6 luxurious things to do on a weekend in Prague
Prague is one of the worlds most romantic destinations. It is situated in the Vltava River and it is the embodiment of scenic views and unique blend of history. The city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it has long been a favorite tourist destination. One of the stunning things about Prague is that it has a fine balance between the architecture and culture of the 1400s and the current modern amenities, thereby making a first time visitor feel like they have been transported back to a different century. The city boasts of a skyline dotted with over one hundred spires, charming and romantic hotels, buildings with rich history, and many more attractions. Prague has long been a first choice among travellers and people who appreciate the finer things of life and the number of lovers who go on romantic vacations to Prague is on a steady increase. There are a lot of places to visit when on a romantic trip to Prague but some things top the list and six of them will be mentioned as follows.
1. Stay in the romantic Mandarin Oriental Prague
The Hotel Mandarin Oriental is situated in a quiet street called Malá Strana. It is a magnificent hotel that combines the rich history of Prague with a contemporary décor. The hotel was once a Gothic church, then renaissance chapel and a Dominican monastery before being remodeled to become the present Mandarin Oriental. Evidence of the architectural styles of the early centuries can be seen all over the hotel which gives it character and charm. The 5 star hotel has 99 rooms and suits which are decorated and furnished differently and equipped with state of the art facilities. The views from the rooms are sampling amazing and guests can enjoy them from their rooms of take a brief walk to the 14th century Charles Bridge and the Prague castle which are just few minutes away. The Mandarin Oriental also has a spa which is one of the best in the world staffed by professional and well-trained masseuse who create a customized therapy plan for each individual during their sessions.
2. Visit the Strahov Monastery and its marvelous library
The Strahov Monastery is located behind the Prague Castle and the Petrin Hill. The monastery was established in 1143 by Bishop Jindřich Zdík, Bishop John of Prague, and Duke Vladislav II. The original building was destroyed in a fire and the impressive building of the present day was built in the 1800s. The monastery is located in a serene environment which makes it a great location to meditate and also take a time out from the boisterous daily activities. The most notable feature of the monastery is its library which holds 16,000 books, over 110,000 volumes and manuscripts. The high ceilings and the carefully arranged collections fill a visitor to the main library halls with a sense of awe and wonder. There is a wide variety of books, letters, manuscripts and incunabula in the library. The monastery also has an art gallery dotted with many original paintings and frescos from the 17th century. The Strahov Monastery is a must visit for every lover of books and history. The experience is better experienced than described.
3. Have dinner at Spices restaurant
The much acclaimed Spices restaurant is located in the Hotel Mandarin Oriental and it is known for the creatively prepared meals under the directive of the young Chef Jiří tift who has distinguished himself as a culinary wonder. Along with his team of other highly skilled chefs, they prepare Asian meals to the guest every time of the year. The restaurant serves their dishes in a family dinner style; that is the specialties are displayed on the table for everyone to try them. There is also the option of the classical French dinner style. The menu gives patrons the opportunity to sample different dishes from all over Asia including Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Madras. The waiters also dress in the traditional Asian attires and they are very attentive and helpful. The ambience of the Spices restaurant is warm, cozy and very relaxing and indicative of a true Asian setting. The service is impeccable and you will be glad you stopped by the restaurant.
4. Feel the spiritual vibes of the Jewish Prague
The Josefov is the Jewish Quarter in Prague and it has a history which dates back to the 13th century when the Jews had to move from their own homes and settle in another area. The Jewish Quarter has many important historical buildings including six synagogues, the Jewish Cemetery and the Jewish Ceremonial hall. These monuments are the best of their kind throughout all of Europe. You can take a guided trip to the Jewish Museum to see the various artifacts and monuments that have been preserved for centuries.
5. Have a coffee and cake at the Cafe Louvre
The establishment of the Café Louvre dates back to 1902 and it has served as a meeting point for various discussions among famous philosophers, writers and scientists including Frank Kafka, Karel Capek and Albert Einstein. The café has been remodeled a number of times, but it is still predominantly in its original form with the discussion rooms, coffee rooms and billiard rooms intact. Usually, the café is filled with early risers drinking their coffee while reading the newspapers while the lunch hour brings the business crowd who are mainly attracted by the freshly prepared pies and pastries on the menu. The conversation is usually very lively and the café is one of the best places to enjoy a typical Czech bread dumpling and cake.
The added advantage is that while taking your meal, you can actually imagine how it felt when the great philosophers and scientists were holding discussions on very important issues or just having friendly banter. That is something!
6. Visit the Prague Castle and the Charles bridge
The Charles Bridge offers a wonderful view of many of Pragues towers, palaces and churches. The bridge is famous for the many baroque statues of saints that line its length, although most of them are copies of the original. This does not lessen their magnificence or effect in anyway and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium Musuem. Another major sight to see is the Prague Castle which is the largest ancient castle in the world. The castle can be seen from the Charles Bridge and you can also go on a guided tour to the stunning castle. The Prague castle is home to many historic buildings and you will be surprised at how much there is to discover.
There are a lot of other places in Prague for you to visit on an extended stay, but for a romantic weekend these are six places you just have to visit for a truly memorable experience.
Olivier Templar-James is Chief Editor at Luxury Travelers Guide.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
2. Visit the Strahov Monastery and its marvelous library
The Strahov Monastery is located behind the Prague Castle and the Petrin Hill. The monastery was established in 1143 by Bishop Jindřich Zdík, Bishop John of Prague, and Duke Vladislav II. The original building was destroyed in a fire and the impressive building of the present day was built in the 1800s. The monastery is located in a serene environment which makes it a great location to meditate and also take a time out from the boisterous daily activities. The most notable feature of the monastery is its library which holds 16,000 books, over 110,000 volumes and manuscripts. The high ceilings and the carefully arranged collections fill a visitor to the main library halls with a sense of awe and wonder. There is a wide variety of books, letters, manuscripts and incunabula in the library. The monastery also has an art gallery dotted with many original paintings and frescos from the 17th century. The Strahov Monastery is a must visit for every lover of books and history. The experience is better experienced than described.
3. Have dinner at Spices restaurant
The much acclaimed Spices restaurant is located in the Hotel Mandarin Oriental and it is known for the creatively prepared meals under the directive of the young Chef Jiří tift who has distinguished himself as a culinary wonder. Along with his team of other highly skilled chefs, they prepare Asian meals to the guest every time of the year. The restaurant serves their dishes in a family dinner style; that is the specialties are displayed on the table for everyone to try them. There is also the option of the classical French dinner style. The menu gives patrons the opportunity to sample different dishes from all over Asia including Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China and Madras. The waiters also dress in the traditional Asian attires and they are very attentive and helpful. The ambience of the Spices restaurant is warm, cozy and very relaxing and indicative of a true Asian setting. The service is impeccable and you will be glad you stopped by the restaurant.
4. Feel the spiritual vibes of the Jewish Prague
The Josefov is the Jewish Quarter in Prague and it has a history which dates back to the 13th century when the Jews had to move from their own homes and settle in another area. The Jewish Quarter has many important historical buildings including six synagogues, the Jewish Cemetery and the Jewish Ceremonial hall. These monuments are the best of their kind throughout all of Europe. You can take a guided trip to the Jewish Museum to see the various artifacts and monuments that have been preserved for centuries.
5. Have a coffee and cake at the Cafe Louvre
The establishment of the Café Louvre dates back to 1902 and it has served as a meeting point for various discussions among famous philosophers, writers and scientists including Frank Kafka, Karel Capek and Albert Einstein. The café has been remodeled a number of times, but it is still predominantly in its original form with the discussion rooms, coffee rooms and billiard rooms intact. Usually, the café is filled with early risers drinking their coffee while reading the newspapers while the lunch hour brings the business crowd who are mainly attracted by the freshly prepared pies and pastries on the menu. The conversation is usually very lively and the café is one of the best places to enjoy a typical Czech bread dumpling and cake.
The added advantage is that while taking your meal, you can actually imagine how it felt when the great philosophers and scientists were holding discussions on very important issues or just having friendly banter. That is something!
6. Visit the Prague Castle and the Charles bridge
The Charles Bridge offers a wonderful view of many of Pragues towers, palaces and churches. The bridge is famous for the many baroque statues of saints that line its length, although most of them are copies of the original. This does not lessen their magnificence or effect in anyway and the originals can be seen in the Lapidarium Musuem. Another major sight to see is the Prague Castle which is the largest ancient castle in the world. The castle can be seen from the Charles Bridge and you can also go on a guided tour to the stunning castle. The Prague castle is home to many historic buildings and you will be surprised at how much there is to discover.
There are a lot of other places in Prague for you to visit on an extended stay, but for a romantic weekend these are six places you just have to visit for a truly memorable experience.
Olivier Templar-James is Chief Editor at Luxury Travelers Guide.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
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A girl I used to work with met the love of her life in Prague. He was part of a stag do, she was on the first night of a riotous hen weekend. They slipped away together. One whirlwind romance later, they are now married. I used to enjoy listening to her reminiscences of that weekend, the gothic spires and statues on the bridges, the amazing library they found in an old monastery, (the Strahov), the sense that they had been transported to another world of wonders.
If you visit Prague its worth exploring the local historical architecture.
For me walking through the streets of historical Prague, is like walking through a gallery of all major European architectural styles, spanning a thousand years of architectural history in enchanting colors and shapes and, it is interesting to discover how these splendid buildings shaped the history of the Czech Republic and in contrast, how history shaped the designs of many of these buildings and what they came to symbolize in an historical context.
In the historical center of Prague you can walk past the Municipal House, the Art Nouveau jewel of Prague, that is covered in floral motives, guilded wroth iron curved around beautifully shaded stain glass.
And continue through the Gothic and neo-Gothic styled powder tower going to the Celetna street , covered with Baroque palaces with Gothic interiors and Renaissance courts yards. On the way you encounter the unique Cubist house at the Black Madonna with its straight angular lines, then continues on to the medieval Ungelt compound with its Renaissance palace , past the heavily Baroque St.James Church and into the Old town Square with its legendary Astronomical clock. Which is followed by the Art Nouveau Jewish Quarters with its ancient synagogues.
Dear Rob, Prague is so nice indeed for the architecture with so different style including the Cubic houses.
I love your article! Strahov library is definitely a hidden gem!