PRAGUE
Four Seasons Hotel, Veleslavínova 2a/1098, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic
+420 221 427 000
WHAT TO EXPECT - Tauck Plans
Breakfast
- 210 miles (5-1/2 hours) bus ride to Prague
Lunch
- 1:30PM at Four Seasons
- Food at Potrefená husa
- Bus tour to Hradcany Castle and then a short walk to Lesser Town
Prague Castle is a castle complex built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, occupying an area of almost 750,000 square feet, at about 1,870 feet in length and an average of about 430 feet wide. The castle is among the most visited tourist attractions in Prague attracting over 1.8 million visitors annually.
The Palace was built in years 1623-1630 by Albrecht von Wallenstein, Duke of Mecklenburg. After the Second World War, the palace became Czechoslovak state property and was renovated to house government offices. Today, the Senate of the Czech Republic operates out of the main palace buildings. The Riding School is used as a branch of the National Gallery in Prague.
Dinner
- At Four Seasons for some.
SECOND DAY
Breakfast
- Walk to Theater Estate (Stovovske Divadlo) and along the Old Town Square
The above website reports the Theater Estate is one of the most beautiful theaters in Europe. Built-in Classicist style, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart introduced here his opera Don Giovanni for the first time.
- One of two options:
- #1: Architectural tour of Prague or
- #2: Explore the Jewish Quarter (Josefov with the six Jewish Synagogues: High Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Klausen Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Old-New Synagogue.
One of the most unusual and impressive sights in Prague is the Old Jewish Cemetery:
The Josefov district was made part of Prague in 1850, and at the end of the nineteenth century, authorities restored the area completely, maintaining the synagogues, the cemetery, and the town hall built at the end of sixteenth century, the building has been renovated on several occasions, the last time being in 1908. The Convent of Saint Agnes is in the cloisters, visitors will find a small museum.
Lunch
- Nothing planned
Dinner
- At Four Seasons for those not picking Tauck-paid on the first night in Prague.
THIRD DAY
Breakfast
- Minibus to Strohov Monastery
The Strahov Monastery was founded in 1140 by Prince Vladislav II. and rebuilt multiple times since then. It is one of the Czech Republic’s most prominent architectural landmarks.
The main attraction at the Strahov monastery Library are the two halls that house about 200,000 volumes. Most visitors only pass by the entrance to protect the ceiling frescoes from rapid changes in humidity. These frescoes showcase figures representing Adam, Eve, and
numerous Greek philosophers. The Tauck group were able to walk amongst the book shelves.
Several catastrophes disrupted the building of the Prague Library Strahov, including a fire in 1258 and invasion by the Swedes in 1648. The current halls were established in the 17th-century to become the final home of the famous collection. Some of the volumes in this well-preserved collection date back to the 12th-century and the original founding of the monastery.
During the Communist era in the 1950s, most of the volumes became part of the Museum of Czech Literature. However, confiscated religious
property, including the Strahov Library collection, were returned to their original homes following the fall of communism after the 1989 “Velvet Revolution”. It once again belongs to the Premonstratensian Order, which has 75 members and is actively involved doing pastoral work.
- Farewell Reception at the Boccaccio Ballroom in Prague.
WHAT WE DID
We had another long bus ride for 5-1/2 hours. Our "coffee stop" was somewhat bizarre
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We arrived at Four Seasons around 1:30PM and had a late 2:00PM lunch. I am guessing Potrefená husa. It was across the street from the hotel.
While at the hotel, we shared it with the Nashville Predators and the Prince of Qatar. The hockey team and their fans stayed to themselves. (except Abbie spotted Nash on Charles Bridge and got a shared photo.)
The Prince had a security team of a couple dozen ear-poking guards in black suits wearing white shirts and ties standing on every hotel level, elevators, and dining rooms.
After finishing lunch, we had a minibus drive us for an excursion near the Prague Castle at the top of the hill. We were unable to enter the castle itself because of security for the European Political Community meeting.
On Thursday 6 October 2022, the first-ever meeting of a wider format of European countries, the so-called European Political Community, will be held at Prague Castle. A total of 44 countries have been put on the invitation list.
Inside as a weak second alternative, we walked around Waldenstein Garden with views of the Waldenstein Palace.
From there, we walked down to St. Nicholas in the Lesser Town and did a quick look inside. Another minibus loaded us and drove us back to the hotel.
For dinner, Neil gave us one of two choices: Tauck was paying the tab for tonight or the next night. David, Jim, John and their wives elected for the first night. They planned to go to a fancy restaurant Neil had selected for the second night. The others did the opposite, except no fancy restaurant and no dinner on our first night.
About 6:00 PM, Abbie was bored. She wanted to walk the Charles Bridge. It was lined with statues from centuries past, and was alive with street musicians, artists, craftspeople, and hundreds of people out for a stroll. It was wonderfully brightly lit at night. We walked it over to the Lesser Town.
On our way back on the bridge toward Old Town, Jeanne called on my cellphone and wanted to know where we were. She wanted to walk the bridge. I told her that Abbie and I would return to the hotel, find her and friends, and walk the bridge again. I have a wonderful photo collection of Prague lit at night.
On the next morning, we walked across the Old Town Square to the Theater Estate. We had the option for the Architectural tour or the Jewish tour. Almost all of us chose the former, but I don't remember what we were told. We did stop at the Astronomical Clock. It had a tower which John felt obligated to climb.
In the morning the minibus drove us back up to the Hradcany hill for a private showing of the Strahov Monastery Library. We took the long walk back down the hill, across Charles Bridge, and to Old Town for lunch. | . |  |
 | . | Back in Old Town Market, Debbie, Jeanne, and Abbie found a outside pizza shop. John had a better idea. Around the corner they were roasting pig. They chopped off chucks of meat, put it on a paper plate, and served us a beer on a plastic cup. John, Tom T, and I found a nearby picnic bench and enjoyed our meal. NOTHING WAS BETTER |
Our tour was over. On 4 AM, we boarded our minibus for the Prague Airport. Neil had prepared a breakfast box, but we weren't ready for food. Joy gave our packages to some hungry people on the airport.