Czech Diary: Day 1 - Prague🇨🇿
Updated: Jun 25
If you have read any of my travel stories before, you would know that I love to plan my trips in advance. I love to do my research and know what are the places that I want to visit/see, and then decide how many days I will stay based on what I want to do. This is important to know as a solo female traveler and I share why in details in another blog post - Travel Safety: 9 Mistakes Every Solo Traveler Should Avoid.
Check Why You Should Visit the Czech Republic: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit the Czech Republic
Chapters
1. How to Get Your Visa for the Czech Republic | 5. Best Time to Visit Prague |
2. Day 1 Diary | 6. Accommodations in Prague |
3. How to Get to Prague | 7. Best Cafes & Restaurants in Prague |
4. How to Move Around in Prague | |
How to Get Your Visa for the Czech Republic
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So, I did my research and decided on what I want to do for my trip to the Czech Republic. My plane was on Monday night to Prague and had already arranged a ride from the airport to the Airbnb. On Tuesday I would go on a guided day trip to Český Krumlov, on Wednesday I would go on another guided day trip to Kutna Hora, on Thursday I would go on another guided day trip to Brno, and then on Friday I would explore Prague and leave at night.
Check 10 Top Things to Know Before Traveling to the Czech Republic + Cultural Do’s & Don’ts
I arrived on Monday night and made it to the Airbnb, then on Tuesday morning I went to the tour company's office to go to Český Krumlov. I made it to the office for them to inform me that the trip was canceled because the others who were going with me on that trip had canceled and of course I can't be on my own. Now that was one thing ruined from my plan but I was fine with it since I would have more time to spend in Prague. As they I was getting the refund of Český Krumlov's trip, they inform me that they other two trips to both Brno and Kutna Hora were canceled as well because the others weren't coming. I asked if I can go on my own but they said that they can't do that and that it has to be a group tour.
Check Prague Travel Guide: The Best 2 Days Travel Itinerary
At that point my trip was ruined and I had 4 days to spend in Prague. I tried to book other trips to other places in Czech but due to COVID I couldn't do so. I got a refund for all three trips, and then they inform me that there is a free guided tour around Prague that would begin after 5 minutes, and since I had nothing to do I decided to go on that tour. I was pissed at that point as I was excited for my trip in Czech and then all my plans were canceled in a matter of minutes.
Check Prague Travel Guide: 12 Top Things to do in Prague, Czech Republic
I got out of the office to join the tour, there was a decent amount of people on that tour which was nice and the tour guide was also nice and friendly. I had a few conversations with the people on tour, and then I met a fellow Arab on that tour which was nice. After the tour ended, people were of course tipping the tour guide, by the time I got my wallet out of my bag and opened it; everyone had already left and it was just me and the guide and the Arab guy I met. The Arab guy needed to withdraw cash so all three of us went to the nearest place for him to do so. After he tipped the guide and we talked for a bit, the guide left, me and the Arab guy talked for a bit then we decided to go grab something to eat since we both had nothing to do.
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We walked for a bit until we found a place to eat and then sat there and had lunch. We talked and got to know each there and then he was going to hang out with people he met from the hostel he was staying in and invited me to join them, and of course since I literally have nothing to do I agreed. We finished eating and then we walked to the Jewish quarter to book tickets for the places to visit there. At that point, the people from the hostels were doing other things, and only one guy ended up coming.
All three of us booked tickets for the Jewish quarter's Museum which had 8 sites to visit with one of them closed for constructions, so we were left with 7 places to visit. It started raining for hours and it got a bit chilly, but luckily most of the places we would visit would help us escape the rain with only one place which was in the open. We ended up visiting 5 sites, 3 synagogues, a cemetery, and a ceremonial hall. It took us a few hours to visit these 5 sites, so by the time we were done with them, we got tired and needed to eat.
Check Czech Diary: Day 2 - Prague
One of the guys still hadn't checked into the hostel yet and needed to do, so we went there. As we were in the hostel, we asked the receptionist about the best places to eat at and he recommended a few. We left the hostel and walked for a bit until we found one of the restaurants recommended to us and sat there to eat. We enjoyed our meals and then left the restaurant not really knowing what to do next. We walked for a bit until we reached Vltava River and walked by it, at that point the sun had already set and we enjoyed the views. As we were walking we found a concert that was about to start at a park by the river, we decided to go and see if we can get in, but it turned out that we had to purchase tickets and we didn't really know the band that would play at the concert and also they were going to be singing in the Czech language so we wouldn't understand anything.
Check Prague Travel Guide: 24 Hours in Prague, Czech Republic - A Complete 1 Day Itinerary
We continued our walk and then decided to get ice cream and then go on the paddle boats. We walked for a while but only found two ice cream shops that were closed as it was already night time by then, so we decided to just go on the paddle boats. As we were walking; we found two people walking towards us and one of them was eating ice cream. I told one of the guys to ask them where did they get the ice cream from, and he did and then they told us the name of the ice cream place and where it was, and they also said that it would be the best ice cream we would eat in Prague.
Check Czech Diary: Day 1 - Prague
We Googled the name of the place and it said that it would close in an hour, so we decided to on the paddle boats for 30 minutes and then go get ice cream. As we got onto the paddle boats, we were actually able to get close to the concert we tried to go to earlier and we just chilled for a bit watching it. I have to say the weather was nice at that point and the views were amazing. After 30 minutes we got off the paddle boats and then headed for the ice cream place, we had about 15 minutes until they close, so we had to hurry.
We made to the ice cream shop in time and I have to say, that was the best ice cream I have ever had in my life! No joke honestly it was so good that one of the guys went in again to get another. At that point it was really late and there was nothing left to do on that day, so we walked for a bit and then said our goodbyes. One of the guys was leaving the next morning and then me and the other guy decided to hang out the next day.
Check Why You Should Visit Prague: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Prague, Czech Republic
I left them and then walked back to my Airbnb really tired after a long day. At the beginning of the day I thought that my trip was ruined and that I won't enjoy it, but then the day got better, and I have to say that this was the most fun I had on any trip. I went to bed and decided to wake up early the next day as I wanted to start the day early the next day.
How to Get to Prague
It is easy to get to Prague as Václav Havel International Airport is a well connected airport, you can also reach Prague by train from cities such as Berlin, Budapest or Vienna. Buses can be found as well from other cities to Prague, I like to use Omio to find either buses or trains. If you are looking for cheap flights to get to Prague, then your best option would be to use WayAway. You can also use this promo code - TP-385219 - for WayAway Plus or you can directly visit this link! (You will get 10% off WayAway Plus subscription!)
Check Prague Travel Guide: 10 Hidden Gems to Visit in Prague, Czech Republic
How to Move Around Prague
Prague has great and affordable transportations spread across the city, you can take the tram, the metro, or the bus. Tickets need to be purchased according to the length of the journey, If you are staying in Prague for a few days; then a 3-day ticket is the best option, it costs 310 CZK or €11.5. If you will be using transportation just once then a 30 minute ticket is great and it costs 24 CZK or €0.90.
You can skip the transportation and explore Prague on foot, this is what I did and it was easy as most places are located near each other. You can also use Lime scooters to explore the city, this will be a fun way to do so.
I did a walking tour with a local that took 1.5 hours, and it was one of the best things! I really enjoyed it and it was really fun exploring Prague while being with a local that would tell you all these small details that you probably wouldn’t hear about. I booked this tour through GetYourGuide, and I highly recommend you start your trip to Prague with this tour, it’s a great starter.
Best Time to Visit Prague
The best time to visit the Czech Republic is between April and October, at that time the weather is nice, but be aware that it will be crowded during that time.
Accommodations in Prague
Prague offers accommodation for different budgets, so it will be easy to find a hotel, a hostel, or an Airbnb that suits your budget. The best area in Prague is Prague 1.
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Best Cafes & Restaurants in Prague
MyRaw Cafe (A cosy raw vegan cafe and restaurant)
Crème de la Crème (The best ice cream & gelato, they have vegan options)
Forky’s (Vegan fast food)
Bistro Monk (A cute lunch spot)
Restaurace Mincovna (Old fashioned restaurant with delicious food in Old Town Square)
Da Antonio Dittrichova pizzeria (The best pizza in Prague)
Maitrea restaurace (Vegetarian restaurant)