Day 1: Arrival in Prague
Václav
Havel International Airport Prague is named after Václav Havel (1936-2011), the
last president of Czechoslovakia and the first of the Czech Republic; it is
located northwest of the city (just 10 km from its famous castle). It was
inaugurated on 5 April 1937 and in that year he won the Diploma and Gold Medal
at the International Art and Technology Fair in Paris for the design and
architecture of the airport and check-in area (today known as South Terminal
1). Other awards were received for modernity during its expansion phases.
Arrival in the
afternoon. Accommodation at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Prague (Malá Strana)
Prague
is the capital (since 1993) and the largest city in the Czech Republic. The
political and cultural center of Bohemia, it was also the capital of the Holy
Roman Empire. Its nicknames include "The Mother of Cities". (Praha
matka měst), "City of a hundred towers" (Stověžatá Praha) and
"City of gold" (Zlaté město). Prague is a world-famous tourist
destination and its historic center has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
Full day tour of the small city, Malá Strana, one of Prague's historical
districts at the foot of Hradčany (the Castle district), separated from Staré
Město by the famous Charles Bridge. In the morning we will see the panorama of
Prague seen from Strahov Monastery, followed by the Prague Castle complex
overlooking the city, with St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica and the
famous Golden Lane. Crossing the narrow streets of the Small Town we will
arrive at the restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon we continue the visit in
the company of the local guide and admire Kampa Island, also called "Prague's
Little Venice", which is washed by the Vltava River and its tributary
Čertovka, whose name means "Devil's River". Apart from being the
island where women washed their clothes, Kampa was also known for its mills.
Visit of the Grand Prior's Mill, with its 8-metre diameter wheel.
Typical dinner with aperitif based on herbs and tasting of Czech beer.
Folklore show with dancing and singing in Czech costumes. Overnight stay in
hotel.
Typical
costumes: Czech folklore costumes are characterized by colors, embroidery. They
are worn on special occasions together with accessories (scarves, ribbons,
hats, belts). In some families, costumes
are handed down from generation to generation to preserve the tradition.
Day 3: Prague (Nové Město - Staré
Město - Josefov)
After
breakfast, a day dedicated to the ancient heart of the city, together with the
local guide visit of the New Town (Nové Město) with Wenceslas Square, the most
famous place in this rich district. In the middle of the square stands the
equestrian monument to St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia; this is
where the Prague people usually gather for public events, such as the one held
on October 28, 1918, when Czechoslovakia declared independence. The National
Museum (Národní muzeum) is located on the square and on the border with the Old
Town, along the banks of the Vltava River, is the National Theater of Prague
(Národní Divadlo), a magnificent building with a golden frieze on the roof, a
symbol of the Czech cultural revival. Visit of the Old Town (Staré Město) with
the Clock Square, the Town Hall with a 70-metre-high tower, a charming chapel
and, above all, the famous Astronomical Clock which measures time, lunar cycles
and planetary layout. Arrival on foot to Charles Bridge (Karluv Most): it is
515.76 meters long and 9.5 meters wide. It rests on 16 arches measuring between
16 and 24 metres, and has 30 statues and 2 towers at the ends, one on the side
of Malá Strana, and one on the side of Staré Město.
After
lunch visit to the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), one of the most beautiful in
Prague, named after Emperor Joseph II who in 1781 decided to abolish the
restrictive laws limiting the lives of Czech Jews. The Jewish Museum, with more
than 100,000 books and 40,000 precious objects, is a complex that includes the
Old Cemetery, the Robert Guttmann Gallery, the Ceremonial Hall and all the
synagogues except the Old-New Synagogue (Staronová), the oldest in Europe.
According to a legend, the Golem, the mythological clay monster of the Jewish
tradition that protects the neighborhood from anti-Semitic threats, is hidden
in the attic of the synagogue.
Time for shopping, with the famous Bohemian crystal and the local herbal
liqueur "Becherovka". Dinner and overnight at the hotel. Free evening
to enjoy Prague by night.
Day 4: Prague (Vysehrad)
Morning visit to the
Vysehrad Fortress (High Castle), also called "Prague's second
castle". Pass through the beautiful park, in the National Cemetery (called
Casemates), where the remains of 600 illustrious personalities from the world
of arts, science, literature but also music, medicine and theater are buried.
The Casemates intertwine a dense system of underground tunnels seemingly narrow
(they are only 2 meters high) but equipped with loopholes, where soldiers of
the army were gathered together and food was packed. The Gorlice is located
here, an environment that preserves no less than most of the original statues
of Charles Bridge, collected in an absolutely fantastic exhibition.
Return
to the city center for lunch in a restaurant.
Among
the ancient palaces, there is something extremely fascinating about the modern
Casa Danzante, situated on the corner of Rasinovo Nabrezi and via Resslova,
along the banks of the Vltava River. Many have associated this "motionless
dance" with the liveliness of the dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers,
so much so that they have nicknamed the Ginger & Fred building, blazoned
names attributed to the glass building and the stone building respectively.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5: Return
After
breakfast departure for the return home.