Prague: A Cultural Renaissance Beyond the Beer Halls
Beyond the beer halls, Prague reveals itself as a city of culture, history, and quiet surprises. Trying to see Prague in 48 hours is like attempting to read Ulysses on your lunch break. This is a city of soaring spires, cobbled medieval streets, and baroque architecture. Two days in the Czech capital isn’t nearly enough, but it’s plenty of time to discover why the city casts such a spell on its visitors.
Prague quickly became a popular budget weekend destination with the fall of the Iron Curtain and the rise of low-cost airlines. By the early 2000s, cheap beer, lively nightlife, and inexpensive accommodation made it a magnet for stag and hen parties. Although, in recent years, Prague has been keen to move beyond that reputation, promoting the city as a destination for culture, architecture, and food.
Friday
A good base for a whirlwind weekend is the elegant Hotel Paris Prague, a grand Art Nouveau landmark on the edge of the Old Town. With its polished wood, Art Nouveau interiors, and old-world elegance, checking in feels like stepping into a Wes Anderson film.
Lunch can be enjoyed at Červený Jelen, a stylish restaurant in a former bank hall, where the menu leans heavily towards grilled meats and hearty Czech-inspired dishes.
Prague is a city best explored on foot. Strolling the narrow lanes of the Old Town leads to the wide expanse of the Old Town Square, framed by pastel façades and gothic towers, including the famous Astronomical Clock.
Visitors gather beneath the tower waiting for the hour to strike, when the clock springs briefly to life and the apostles glide past a tiny window in a short mechanical performance. A guided tour of Old Town Hall is excellent, taking you beneath the building to dimly lit medieval cellars dating from the 12th century, revealing what Prague looked like centuries ago.
Climbing the tower above the Old Town Hall rewards visitors with panoramic views of Prague’s skyline, dotted with church towers and steeples, earning the city its nickname, the ‘City of a Hundred Spires.’
The lanes around the square offer souvenir shops, neon-lit cannabis shops, absinthe bars, and stalls selling chimney cake ice cream dusted with sugar, and cinnamon. While cannabis is decriminalized and widely available, Prague doesn’t have the open, organized culture found in Amsterdam.
Nearby is Charles University, where Stanislav Grof, a pioneering psychiatrist and creator of holotropic breathwork, studied medicine. The striking Franz Kafka Head, made up of dozens of rotating mirrored panels, slowly twists and shifts, eventually revealing the face of the city’s most famous literary son, Franz Kafka.
As the afternoon light softens, make your way towards the iconic Charles Bridge. Lined with baroque statues and spanning the Vltava River, it’s one of Prague’s most photographed landmarks. At sunset, the views across the rooftops and towers of the Old Town are spectacular.
Dinner at Kampa Park, a stylish riverside restaurant with front-row views of the illuminated Charles Bridge, is a perfect setting for a celebratory dinner and a fitting conclude to the first day.
Saturday
Day two begins with a ride on one of Prague’s charmingly rattly red-and-cream trams, climbing steadily towards Prague Castle. The castle, dating back to the 9th century, is often described as the largest ancient castle complex in the world. Arriving early or later in the afternoon helps avoid the crowds.
St. Vitus Cathedral is the showstopper, with its gothic detailing, royal tombs, and beautiful stained glass. Nearby, Golden Lane is a row of tiny, colorful houses that were once home to craftsmen and are now small museums and shops.
Also worth exploring are the Old Royal Palace and St. George’s Basilica, dating back to 920AD and one of the oldest surviving buildings in Prague.
The Starbucks in the centre of the castle complex feels jarring. Even amid Prague’s stunning history, an American chain has found a foothold.
A short walk from the castle is Kunsthalle Praha, a contemporary gallery housed in a former 1930s electrical station. It hosts rotating exhibitions of contemporary and modern art, with a focus on local artists. The current exhibition, All Things Digesting by Denisa Pohlava, is an immersive look into the physical reality of the body.
Crossing the Charles Bridge, weaving through street musicians and tourists, leads to Josefov, Prague’s Jewish Quarter. Security is tight, a reminder of the current geopolitical situation. It’s an essential and sobering stop.
Dinner at U Modré Kachničky, set inside a historic building, leads through a series of small, candlelit rooms that feel like someone’s home. Plates of rich, traditional Czech cuisine, including roasted duck with apricot, provide an indulgent end to a whirlwind 48 hours.
You can follow more of Deirdre’s travels on Instagram @deirdremullins