PRIVATE GUIDED WALKING TOURS OF PRAGUE
Why take a guided tour?
The best way to explore Prague is on foot. Why? Well, the historical core is a maze of narrow, one-way lanes in between pedestrian zones of all sorts and to navigate it by car is virtually impossible. Moreover, taking a walk with a knowledgeable, dedicated private guide is fun. It's fresh air. It's relaxed, environmentally friendly tourism, a series of stunning discoveries, an enchanting stroll through history, architecture and whatever else is of interest...simply the most memorable event of your visit to this truly Kafkaesque city! One more thing: I always try to steer away from the hordes of tourists and get off the beaten track as much as possible to show you the real Prague. It's my philosophy and my clients seem to agree...
STANDARD TOURS
Prague Intro – half day
Do you have only a half day to explore Prague? This exciting, carefully selected walk covers all the most important and glorious sights of the city in approximately 4 hours. We will reach the Strahov Monastery by public transportation or taxi and enjoy the most spectacular view of the historic center. Crooked lanes lead us past the Loreto and on to Prague Castle, one of the biggest fortresses in Europe, where we can marvel at the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, the presidential office and the treasure of the architecture of the St. Vitus Cathedral. Walking down the narrow streets of the Little Quarter, we will admire the old buildings, churches and palaces which have made Prague world famous. The Charles Bridge takes us across the Vltava River to the Old Town. We will stop in front of the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square and walk through the Jewish Quarter to the bottom of Wenceslas Square where our tour ends.
The Left Bank (Castle Area) – half day
Using public transportation, we will begin by touring the Strahov Monastery which overlooks the entire city. We will then explore the Loreto pilgrimage site and a picturesque neighborhood of the New World, discovered by Prague artists in the early 1900s. These narrow, cobbled lanes take us to the Archbishop`s Palace and, eventually, to the Prague Castle. This “city within the city” hides the St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, Basilica of St. George, Golden Lane and Royal Garden. Looking down from the Castle terrace, we cannot wait to visit all the sites below us: the dome of St. Nicholas Church and the Church of Our Lady Victorious where the statue of Infant Jesus of Prague is on display, the Wallenstein Garden with its mysterious grotto and peacocks walking around and the streets of the Little Quarter leading to the Charles Bridge.
The Right Bank (Old Town, Jewish Quarter, New Town Area) – half day
Old Town Square, the heart of Prague`s historic center, includes numerous memorable sites, most notably the famed Astronomical Clock, the pure Gothic Tyn Church and the Jan Hus memorial. From the square, we will head past the old building of Charles University, one of the oldest in Europe, to the Estates Theatre where Mozart`s opera Don Giovanni was first performed. The Jewish Quarter is situated between the river and the square and its well preserved synagogues, old cemetery and Franz Kafka`s birthplace make it one of the most interesting areas of the city. The New Town was founded in the 14th century but most of it was modernized. The main attraction here is Wenceslas Square, Prague`s former horse market. This historic boulevard with its numerous stalls, restaurants, Art Nouveau hotels as well as quaint parks and arcades in its vicinity is the very center of the modern city.
SPECIALTY TOURS
The Jewish Quarter
Walking tour Duration: 3 hrs.
Before the Holocaust, Prague was one of the most important centers of the European Diaspora. That's why the world`s largest museum of Jewish ritual articles and culture is here, even though the fate of Prague's Jewish community became grim and tragic. This walking tour takes you past the Jewish Quarter`s six synagogues, including the Old-New Synagogue (one of the oldest monuments of the European Jewish heritage), the Old Cemetery and its Ceremonial Hall, and the birthplace of Franz Kafka. You can visit the interiors of the monuments if you wish to do so, because your guide is licensed by the Prague Jewish Museum.
Please note: an optional visit to The Jewish Museum (five synagogues plus the old cemetery) requires a separate entrance fee of CZK 500/person.
1000 Years of Prague Architecture
Duration 4 hrs.
Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Cubism...sounds familiar? Do you know that Bohemia is the only region in the world where Cubism found its expression in architecture? No? Never mind, you'll be treated to the finest examples of all of the above ...and much more!
Prague Spring, Velvet Revolution
Duration 4 hrs.
Interested in the politics of the 20th century? This tour is for you!
Royal & Palace Gardens
Duration 4 hrs.
This pleasant scenic stroll that is full of unique views of the city, will take us through the surprisingly quiet surroundings of the Prague Castle. The Royal Garden is your doorway into the charming world of fairytale retreats of bygone times. The envy of Europe, the Palace Gardens are a tasteful blend of architecture and exotic trees, shrubs and flowers. The full renovation, completed in 2000, was funded by Charles, the Prince of Wales and Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic, and won the European Community Award in 1993. Can one ask for better references?
Prague Castle and Royal Route
Duration 5 hrs.
We'll walk in the footsteps of the coronation procession of Bohemian Kings, all the way from the Old Town Square to the St.Vitus Cathedral. Crossing the Charles Bridge, the open gallery under the sky, we come to the Lesser Town. As we make our way up to the Castle, we admire the palaces of the aristocracy, the shady courtyards and the cobbled lanes while soaking up the unique ambiance of the cultural and spiritual center of medieval Europe. If you miss this tour, you haven't been to Prague!
Prague Churches
Duration 4 hrs.
There is an astonishing number of them and they are the milestones of Prague's history: the rotundas and basilicas from the dawn of Christianity in this region, the bold Gothic cathedrals from the 14th century when Prague became one of the cultural and spiritual centers of Europe. Splendor, opulence and the awe-inspiring interplay of light and matter mark the famous Baroque churches, one of them housing a symbol of Catholicism, the Child of Prague, and all this in stark contrast to the austere lines of the Empire chapels.
Franz Kafka`s Prague
Duration 4 hrs.
"Prague is not mentioned in any of Franz Kafka`s major stories, yet it is the clearly implied location of most of them. Kafka was Prague and Prague was Kafka. Never had it been Prague so perfectly, so typically, as during Kafka`s lifetime, and never would it be so again. And we, his friends, `the happy few`..., we knew that the smallest elements of this Prague were distilled everywhere in Kafka`s work".
Johannes Urzidil in `The World of Franz Kafka`
If you – like myself – have read the brooding, unsettling, but at times absurdly hilarious stories and prose poems, you should pay homage to this great writer by taking this tour to see the places where he lived and the literary cafeshe frequented. Optional visit to Franz Kafka`s Muzeum at the end of the tour.
