Menu
Menu
Prague Perusing – 2019 Backpacking Trip
Getting Situated in Prague
Prague was our third and final stop after The Viennese Way for the 2019 backpacking trip with the crew.
We thoroughly explored Old Town and the surrounding area during the winter festivities, took a day trip outside the city and engaged fully in the nightlife with our best friend – tank beer.
If you want to jump straight to something, use the links below.
- Prague Hostel Santini (and our breakfast spot)
- Old Town
- Walking Prague and Nightlife
- Day Trip to Kunta Hora
- Tank Beer!
Enjoy!
Prague Hostel Santini
On a map, our hostel was located to the west of the Vltava river, which is considered outside of Old Town. However, Prague is a very walk-able city, and we had the pleasure of crossing over the Charles Bridge each day to get into town. The walk is no more than 10 minutes. Hostel Santini ended up being a perfect spot for us, due to its closeness to our go-to late night restaurant.
Additionally, Hostel Santini was located right next to our favorite breakfast spot – GoodEats. Each morning, the restaurant displayed a Marvel superhero drawing outside with something clever written. The simple, yet filling food and coffee got us back in action each day, without fail.
Prague Old Town Square
Since our trip was during New Years / Holiday, the seasonal markets were still in full swing. Fortunately, we were able to catch the last few days of the festivities in Prague Old Town Square. Old Town is home to the famous Astronomical Clock, museums, restaurant & bars, and plenty more places of interest.
My favorite part about Old Town was the winter festival. It’s only during the holiday season, but if you are there during, the trdelnik and svařák combo has Christmas spirit written all over it. Plus, when it’s quite cold at night, this warms you right up. And if you’re feeling less basic touristy, there are plenty of other niche cuisine offerings to be had 🙂
Trdelnik and svařák
Trdelnik is like a cinnamon pastry made from dough wrapped around a stick and baked. Svařák is Christmas in a cup - mulled wine.
Walking Around and Nightlife
As mentioned, Prague is a very walk-able city where a lot of ground can be covered since everything is so close together. Because of this, we spent a few of our days simply walking wherever we could. The walking tours around Old Town were pretty solid, too. A few notable spots outside Old Town (west of the river) around Malá Strana and Letná areas included:
- Prague Castle (and St. Vitus Cathedral)
- Petrin Gardens
- Lennon Wall
- Prague Metronome
- Interesting Statues
Origin of the Metronome
This location was formerly occupied by a statue of the Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, before being demolished in 1962.
We were all over the place when it came to nightlife. To sum it up, the tank beer was the ultimate catalyst for all the late night antics. We joined in on an Old Town pub crawl where we shared our drinking games with the group. We got lost in a 5-story nightclub, took an Uber to some bowling alley and found comfort at the local Hooters. I could honestly type up an entire post for each event, but to spare my fingers and the dignity of others, here are some snippets.
How to lose all your money
Be aware of the very persistent street lurkers attempting to bribe you into entering a Seven Eleven corner alley type establishment. Unless, that's your thing...
Trip to Kunta Hora
Kunta Hora, known for its bone church, was one of the top rated tours outside of Prague. We booked the tour at an agency right in Old Town, and then hopped on a train to our destination. I would definitely recommend it for a day outside of Prague. During the tour, we visited another massive Gothic style Cathedral, St. Barbara’s, and stopped for a hearty lunch in town. Our guide was especially awesome. He even threw in a little bonus quiz at the end, where the correct answers earned you the prize of one cold snack.
Our Favorite Restaurant and Tank Beer
I would be doing this recap of Prague a major disservice if I failed to mention our #1 restaurant and hang out spot – Restaurace U Mlynáře. They have the tanks, they have the beer, and they were literally right next to the Hostel Santini. The reason why this place was so awesome was simple – the tank beer was cheap and plentiful. That, and the waiters continually targeted our good buddy Matt with an onslaught of jokes.
The waiters just understood each time we entered. Matt was the victim of multiple ices. A straw was given to him for his baby cup of beer. A high-chair, complete with a coloring book and toy animals was provided to keep him entertained. And when he threw a fuss, the waiters made sure to give him a bib to eat his kid-sized dessert. Impeccable service, would go again, 10/10.
And just like that, I am finally done writing on a long-overdue 2019 New Years. This year has been amazing so far, and full of travels with others. I’m super thankful and appreciate everyone who can join on these trips and make them what they are. Let’s keep it going!
Recap of Places
Want to share?
Want to share?
Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
All Posts »