Prague – Hot Days, Cold Folks

I didn’t know what to expect from Prague before my best friend and I visited in the summer of 2018. All I’d heard is that it’s the most beautiful city on the planet. One would *think* this is the most alluring part. But truthfully, the promise of beer being cheaper than water lured me in like a mermaid’s siren song.

Prague is a city of contradictions. It’s a place that I’m still not sure I understand entirely. Certain aspects of the city are undoubtedly modern. Mostly, it’s a city that recognizes its strength lays in proudly displaying its relics of the past – a past some folks cling desperately to. One such man was our cab driver. He was appalled that we would visit his city without learning a word of Czech in advance.

Cool Things To Do in Prague This Summer.

Visit the Museum of Communism.

I’ll start here, as it will anger a lot of my right-winged, close-minded readers and friends. My husband emigrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union. His stories of life in a communist society are interesting, to say the least, and have stoked interest in communism for me. That is, in a history-nerd type of way. Not in a take my cows, government, and do with them what you will, way. The museum aims to demonstrate what Czech life was like under a Communist regime.

It also discusses the history and impact of communism in other parts of the world. The exhibits explain the ideas behind communism and how it evolved from a manifesto to a way of life.

The biggest criticism for this museum is that it’s text-heavy. As in, there are paragraphs of reading EVERYWHERE and they are LONG. However, I know how to read, so this wasn’t a problem for me personally.

Beyond the novels posted everywhere, the museum does a great job of immersing visitors in the communist experience You can see re-creations of a corner store, workroom, schoolroom, and interrogation room during these times. I felt that I could have spent half a day in the museum, but I am someone who genuinely likes to learn about such things.

This museum is fascinating, to say the least. It satisfied my intellectual curiosity as well as provided an excellent understanding of a piece of the Czech Republic’s history. If you are someone who likes to learn or enjoys unique experiences, I definitely recommend adding this to your personal list of things to do in Prague.

Enjoy a Prague Riverside Party.

I’d like an award for pretty much being awake for 24 hours, please. The night before this event we returned to our hotel in Amsterdam at 5 am, slept for 45 minutes, and then ran to the airport. After we touched down in Prague, we checked into our hostel and shot straight over to the best tour I’ve ever taken. If you are looking for one of the most unique and entertaining things to do in Prague, here it is.

The night starts at the company’s tour office-slash-party central, where sangria and beer are unlimited. When we arrive, we’re met with a 20 or so person sausage party who looks at us hungrily. While off-putting at first, your guard eases once you realize that their house punch isn’t spiked. We’re given the chance to meet our fellow party-goers and the alcohol helps everyone find the courage to mingle. Some of the more interesting folks we met are young men on vacation from Paris and two men who are performers in London’s The Lion King.

The best part about this bar crawl is the age range. Many bar crawls include people who may as well be toddlers. They say things like, “what’s it like to have a job and own a home? I can’t wait to move out.” Or, “Ugh, I peed in my diaper, let me go change it, I’ll be right back.”

If I mention I’m married, forget it. They applaud me for doing the bar crawl without the use of my cane or walker. This event had some young people who were very agreeable, but most people were in their mid 20’s to mid 30’s. They had lives I could relate to, which involved paying bills, and having a career, crippling college debt and anxiety about life. This, along with the booze, made it extremely easy to meet new friends.

Our guide told us a story of an elderly man who took the tour and tried to drink all the young folks under the table. So, it truly is an experience for all ages.

Our tour guide is an exceptionally funny and laid back transplant from Australia. He enjoyed making fun of all of us, which some people I’m sure take offense to. However, his wit is genuinely impressive and his jokes are harmless. I am incredibly sensitive to being made fun of and I never felt uncomfortable with his way of joking. He’s one of those people who keeps an entirely straight face when he cracks a joke. After going over some ground rules (more like funny stories) the group gets ready to hit the road.

The Party Begins.

While he leads the tour, another guide pushes the traveling party cart around behind us. We are free to grab booze and enjoy the tunes blasting from the music system along the way. A third guide takes photographs, so you don’t feel obligated to keep your phone in your hands the entire time. Together, this makes for an extremely relaxing night out. We stop by various unique sculptures, works of art, and sites in Prague. The tour guide gives us the history of each stop, which may or may not be made up. I didn’t care, as I hadn’t slept in nearly 24 hours and couldn’t see straight from too much sangria.

Beyond drinking and meeting new friends, there were several highlights. Firstly, we sat in a park and ate Aussie meat pies for dinner, which were delicious. We created our own stencils, which we used to spray paint the John Lennon wall – a truly memorable experience in and of itself. We didn’t stay for the after-party as we were completely shot. I laughed and drank so much on the tour and feel it’s a really good way to get your bearings of the city. A unique, fun, and relaxing way to spend my first night in the city, for sure!

Explore Zizkov.

It may be a little far from the center of the city, but I’m glad we stayed at a hostel in this area. Staying in Zizkov gave us the chance to interact with local people and to experience travel without being catered to due to our American nationality. I recall one day when we tried desperately to ask for help catching the tram. People in the neighborhood we asked for help did not speak English. Quite frankly, they did not give a shit that they didn’t or couldn’t. It was a humbling experience.

In most places I visit, people will cater to my English language needs. If they cannot they will inevitably become distraught and try desperately to throw together the few English words they know or frantically make gestures or draw pictures. Not the fine people of Zizkov.

Amanda and I would run into stores or approach people on the street desperate for information relating to public transportation. Folks would either just stare at us looking incredibly bored and shrug, or ignore us altogether. This was a good lesson to learn. The world does not revolve around my language or culture. I did not speak the Czech language, they did not speak my language, and that was that.

Bar Hopping in Zizkov.

On a more positive note, we spent an evening doing some casual bar hopping and got to meet people who live in the area. Being further away from Prague city center, we didn’t exclusively rub elbows with other tourists. We were able to learn about some locals’ everyday lives. We heard about their children, partners, and careers, as well as their attitudes toward their government and our American government.

The variety of bars on offer range from a Tiki bar (Tiki Taky), which offers a variety of flaming cocktails and pretty good frozen pizza. Then there’s Bukowski Bar, a dimly lit Eastern European saloon. While I enjoy the nightlife, I’m way over the days of the mayhem and madness of crowded bars with music blasting and pretentious nightclubs. The bars in Zizkov are more appropriate to my interests.

The atmosphere is cheerful and it’s even possible to make conversation. These are not the “all the bottom shelf liquor you can handle” joints that once wooed me in my early 20’s. By the way, it took me pretty long to learn that “all you can drink” doesn’t necessarily mean “drink all you can”. But I challenged myself and preserved every weekend of my early 20’s nonetheless and I’m all the worse for it. If you are looking for a place where adults can drink without the noise and amateur hour feel, try Zizkov!

Visit Charles Bridge.

A drunk rando once sidled up next to us to whisper, “Prague is Disney World for adults”. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Charles Bridge. In my opinion, it is most beautiful at night when the lights are on. Then, it is truly a sight to behold. The feeling of magic and standing right in the middle of history is unequivocal. There are TONS of tourists on the bridge, with many taking photos. I recommend pulling off to the side and taking it all in as opposed to rushing from one side to the other with the masses.

Enjoy a Thai Foot Massage Experience.

Travel is different than a vacation because it wears you out. It’s physically exhausting and despite all of my solid travel memories, I don’t recall having a single trip where my feet didn’t feel like I’d rather amputate them than withstand the pain of having walked SO MUCH. My feet and legs were throbbing after walking around the city all day, and then I saw it…too good to be true…a Thai foot massage salon.

Warm memories of my first Thai foot massage in Bangkok came flooding back, so I force my best friend to experience the magic with me. This experience truly allowed me to wax nostalgic, minus the price. In Bangkok, I paid something like five dollars with tip. Here, I’m pretty sure we pay $60 USD each, but the sheer joy of the massage is worth it (at least to me.) Fact: a Thai foot massage inspired John Mellencamp’s “Hurt So Good.”

The Magic of a Thai Foot Massage.

For those unfamiliar, a warm blanket covers your body as the action begins and you nearly always fall asleep. A masseuse works the FUCK out of every inch of your feet, rubbing out every knot and pain. If there is a knot in your foot, the masseuse will find it. What makes it unique? Something I dreamily refer to as…the stick. The masseuse takes a polished wooden stick and prods it into various pressure points of your feet. It relieves pent-up pressure and alleviates tightness in particular areas. If you think sex is great…try this. Afterward, your shoulders, neck, and scalp get plenty of TLC.

There are at least two Thai massage parlors in the middle of the town square and although they are not what you think of when you imagine flying to Prague, it’s an experience well worthwhile. Beforehand, my bestie’s shoes were incredibly tight on her feet. However, after the massage, the swelling went down and she was able to put them on with ease! I don’t know, I keep calling Prague magic and this fits right in with the magic of Prague to me! Definitely try a Thai foot massage if you’re looking for unique things to do in Prague.

Stroll Old Town Square.

The Old Town Square is the pulse of the city of Prague. It’s where both old and new Prague harmoniously join together. The view of the crude fairytale-esque Church of Our Lady of Tyn surrounded by orange roofed buildings is the city’s iconic “Hallmark” picture. On the day we visit, a band is playing and all came to gather on the cobblestone streets. Visitors are sitting and enjoying the sun while drinking beer and eating snacks from the numerous stands set up around the square’s perimeter. It’s impossible not to have a “how lucky am I?” feeling, as you relax amid the unfamiliar city center’s history while enjoying something as comforting and familiar as a good weather festival.

Have a Beer.

In Prague, beer is said to be cheaper than water. It is also more delicious, less disappointing, and generally makes me a happier human being. Drinking beer is undoubtedly one of the top things to do in Prague. Get yourself a nice-sized beer, eat some pretzels, and have yourself a moment. Wherever beer and snacks are part of the culture, I can make myself at home.

Things to Know About Prague.

Ice, Ice, Baby.

As my bestie and I relax in our hostel with our two new roommates, one of them poses a question about a topic that we think only we had noticed. “Is it us, or are the people here…very unfriendly?” I’m a literal stereotype of a New Yorker in so many ways. However, I am also, as far as I can tell, an incredibly friendly and kind person. A habit both myself and my bestie have is smiling at people that you pass on the street.

I told my tour guide that this was something I often did [smiling at others], and he replied that Eastern Europeans have a quote about such a thing. “He who wastes a smile is a fool.” If you think that sounds harsh on its surface, check this out. It actually means, “A person who smiles at strangers is mentally inept or intellectually challenged.” Quite a harsh indictment for trying to brighten someone’s day or demonstrate politeness and friendliness.

If you have a friendly disposition, bear in mind that actions normally reciprocated at home will most likely not be here. I found it very difficult to engage locals in conversation for the most part. Smiles were not reciprocated and many of our attempts to speak with locals or joke around were straight-up ignored!

I’ll never forget thanking cab drivers for the lift and them proceeding to stared with annoyance until I shut the car door. When leaving the airport, my best friend was screamed at by a Czech employee for asking a question regarding her luggage. In not so many words, she was called stupid for asking.

As I’ve already emphasized, I’m a true New Yorker. But in New York, it’s not unheard of to respond to “thank you” with “you’re welcome”, or to raise my hand to acknowledge that I’ve heard you and that it’s not a problem. Culture shock can happen anywhere, apparently!

Public Transportation in Prague.

It could be us, it could be the city. I’m going to blame the city because I’m a bitch and because I’m still bitter. We could not figure out Prague’s public transportation system for the life of us. We spent nearly four hours trying desperately to find a way to take it from Zizkov to the city center. Everyone we asked pointed us in a different direction – none of which were intuitive or made sense. For that, I was pretty pissed. Thankfully, Uber is extremely cheap. I’ll never say no to Uber or a cab!

Where I Crashed in Prague.

This has been my third experience at hostels and the jury is still out. I like the idea of staying in a hostel, but some aspects deter me. In some ways, I feel like I’ve surpassed the age which is appropriate to stay in a hostel. I’m a working professional making a decent salary staying in an $18 a night bunk bed when I could probably very well afford an AirBnB or cheap hotel.

However, I was late to the traveling game. I feel that if I don’t experience hostel life in my 20’s, it will only continue to become even more inappropriate for me to stay there. Certain unavoidable aspects skeeve me out, such as the number of people who sit on the communal furniture (like couches) with their bare feet and sweaty legs in a single day. Bed sheets get changed, but the soft couches? Yuck.

The kitchens tend to skeeve me out. This is thanks to the pungent mix of different types of food filling the air and the fact so many people use the counter space that they are sticky, dull, and have that “never going away” film on them. I need to stress that these are things I find fault with at all hostels, not just Brix. This is one the cleanest hostels I’ve stayed at and I happily recommend staying here.

Brix Hostel in Prague.

Brix Hostel provides an excellent experience and I have very fond memories of my stay there. As previously mentioned, it’s in the Zizkov district. While not very central, we had a good experience. The check-in process is thorough and the receptionist very friendly.  Thankfully, the hostel seems to host a variety of ages, so I didn’t feel like the creepy, nearly 30-year-old auntie watching over everyone.

We stayed in a women’s dorm in which there were six beds in total. The room next to ours was filled with many beds and you had to journey through this room to get to ours, so I’m happy that we were sectioned off in a way. There’s ample storage under the beds, which comfortably fits an entire backpack. Bring a lock or rent one from the front desk just to be safe.

The variety of roommates we had was easy to get along with. However, we didn’t get much time to really get to know anyone as each night the guests changed.

We stayed in the midst of a heat wave and to say our room was sweltering at night would be an understatement. With no fan or air conditioning, we had to completely soak our towels and drape them over our bodies to keep cool!  We literally spent the night waking up every hour to soak our towels in cold water and drape them over us. Talk about a memory! (There was only one night where there was wind outside the window, and then it was much easier to fall asleep!) 

The hostel has a bar and courtyard, which can become very crowded depending on the day and time of day. Our last night in Prague, I oddly have happy memories of waking up every so often to the sound of partying in the courtyard until all hours of the night. Although we weren’t participating, the cool air and lively sounds of others having a good time made me smile.

They weren’t too rowdy and the sound was reminiscent of those summer nights at home when friends and I could kill hours in a backyard sitting around a firepit drinking beer. When we left early in the morning, people were just leaving the revelry. I recognized one of the attendees as one of our tour guides from the riverside party. Small world.

The showers and bathroom we used overall were also IMMACULATELY clean (probably cleaner than my bathroom at home).

The Take-Away.

Prague is a real-life fairytale that meets near-perfect medieval preservation. It’s beautiful, historic, and magical, and reminds me very much of Hansel and Gretel or Shrek. My first look at Eastern Europe, there are a lot of cultural aspects that differ immensely from anywhere that I’ve ever been to. I’m incredibly grateful for my Prague experience.

My best friend is an exceptional travel partner, probably the best. Many of the positive memories I have from this trip are because she was by my side and together we can turn nearly any experience into a fun opportunity. I’ve never disliked anywhere that I’ve traveled to, but I need to be honest in saying that Prague was not a city I would feel the need to re-visit. It’s hard.

Looking back at this trip as I rehash all of the experiences I’ve had, I’m remembering Prague as a beautiful and convivial place. However, I truly remember that both of us feel our friends had overrated it. We both feel a bit disappointed for the most part by our overall Prague experience.

The people I encountered for the most part seemed to realize that tourism brings money to the economy. However, they also seemed to despise and resent the tourists. This is palpable from nearly the moment we arrive. I can’t blame them. Despite the beautiful streets and architecture, there’s an ensconced sense of desolation, bleakness, and a hollow feel to the city.