Girl trips for me have, in the past, involved going to a spa in Phoenix, the beach in Miami followed by a trip to a spa, or Door County where the best thing to do after a weekend of tramping around in cool damp air is to go to the spa.

This summer’s girl trip was a little different. We explored the Czech Republic, with stops in Prague and smaller cities like Kutna Hora, Cesky Krumlov, Telc, Mikulov and Kyjov. No spa. And that was more than fine with me. 

Most of my blog post here is shown in pictures, but I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Prague
We started our trip with the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square, where crowds gather on the hour to watch the clock – Apostles circle through the top and the Turk, the Miser and Vanity do their thing. The view from the top of the clock tower is well worth the fairly easy hike and is even easier when riding the elevator up. A trumpet player in costume is available for cheesy photos if you want them, but his real reason for being there is his brief performance from the tower balcony after each hourly clock show.

North of the Old Town Square is Josefov, home to Prague’s Jewish community and some of the oldest synagogues in Europe. A single ticket will buy you entry to several sites including the Old New Synagogue, the cemetery and the Jewish Town Hall. The poignant displays are evidence that the Holocaust pretty much wiped out the community. I personally liked the humble Old New Synagogue, which had the special aura only very old and well-used places of worship have.

An easy walk over to the southwest brings you to the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge. Our guidebooks advised us to get there before the vendors set up shop. It was damp and drizzly, but the river, the bridge and the row of somber statues lining it were beautiful. It got crowded pretty quickly, so I’m very glad we got the chance to be there early.

Around the corner and up some hills that would do San Francisco proud is Prague Castle. The massive complex with the palace, the gothic cathedral of St. Vitus and layers of gardens are worth a full day. There are several options for admission, so you can choose what you want to see.

My favorite part of the castle was the garden that cascades down the hill. As original battlements of the castle lost their defensive purpose over time, they were converted into terraces. We found grapes, figs and plums on our way down (which we just had to taste!), along with several pretty follies with beautiful views.

Across the way are the pretty Summer Palace and the Ball Game Hall with more beautifully manicured gardens and an imposing view of the castle. Once at the bottom of the palace garden, a short walk takes you to the Wallenstein palace, home to the Senate and its weirdly compelling art/rock wall.

We also spent some time at Wenceslas Square, which while being a bit more commercialized than I generally like, has been the site for many of the country’s more significant events. The square is dominated by a statue of the Czech patron saint of the same name and the Narodni Museum. 

There were many other places we didn’t see, such as the numerous museums, theaters and music halls. There are also multiple sites honoring Prague’s unique way of disposing of dissenters: defenestration— the act of throwing someone out a window, usually through glass. The art of flinging people out of windows was fine-tuned here and each site seems to have a little placard noting such happenings. 

Next up: Travels through the Czech Republic: Kutna Hora, Krumlov and Mikulov