YOUR ITINERARY:

PragueDay 1

On your arrival at Prague airport, meeting with your individual guide and transfer to your hotel.

Our introductory tour around Prague and first acquaintance with Czech pubs.

"From Strahov Monastery to Prague Castle"

We begin our walk at the Strahov Monastery, founded in 1140 by the Premonstratensian order. The frescoes on the ceilings and walls of its two libraries superbly set off an impressive collection of manuscripts dating from the 9th century. After sampling a beer from the monastery’s brewery, it is on to Loretanske Square and the Loreta – home of the Lesser Order of Capuchin Brothers. The edifice offers an extravagantly-detailed eighteenth century façade, the tower of magical bells tourists all over the world flock to hear, and within the cloister walls, the seventeenth-century Santa Casa, home to one of Europe’s legendary Black Madonnas. Leaving the square, we make our way along the winding street known as Nový Svet (the New World) – a true slice of medieval town life that remains one of Prague’s best-kept secrets. This historic gem captivates the spirit with its quiet, romantic atmosphere. Our final stop brings us to the grand structure known the world over as Prague Castle and the towering Gothic cathedral of Saint Vitus. Situated high above the Vltava River, the resplendent Prague Castle served for centuries as the residence of emperors and Czech kings; today the President of the Czech Republic calls it home. Within the castle’s monumental walls lies legendary Golden Lane, a miniscule alley lined with tiny cottages, where medieval alchemists labored to uncover the ancient secret of the philosopher’s stone…

Lunch in the Czech pub "U Hrocha"

Lunch at the traditional Czech pub U Hrocha is not a tourist attraction, but it is an honest-to-goodness treat for beer aficionados! U Hrocha serves up the best beer, hands down - Plzen! While you whet your whistle there are plenty of traditional Czech pub dishes to sample, such as the soft, pickled Hermelin cheese, and fried pork fillet with potato salad. If you are really hungry, nothing beats koleno, a huge pork knee with horseradish that you can easily share round with all your table companions!

PragueDay 2

Breakfast at your hotel.

Excursion "Old Town and Jewish Quarter"

For over 600 years a strange spectacle has unfolded at five minutes to the hour, every hour, high above Prague’s Old Town Square. The monumental Astrological Clock on Old Town Hall’s façade springs to life: a parade of the 12 Apostles creaks by, grossly stereotypical adversaries of the Holy Roman Empire such as the Jewish moneylender and the fearsome Turk pop out of other windows; a skeleton ominously shakes his hourglass, reminding of Death and the Plague. Many legends surround this monstrously beautiful timepiece, including the dire prediction that, should the clock ever stop, the ghosts of the 27 Czech nobles, beheaded here on the square in 1620, shall rise up in that instance, and demand an explanation! However, as legends go, the most fabulous occur just two hundred meters from Old Town Square. When we enter Josefov, the oldest and most-storied Jewish quarter in all Europe, we enter another time – literally! The hands on the Hebrew Clock on the sixteenth century Jewish Town Hall run counter-clockwise, just as the poet Apollinaire claimed. Many of the Jewish Quarter’s legends revolve around the renowned scholar and companion of Rudolf II, Rabbi Low. In one of Prague’s most enduring legends, Rabbi Low appears as a powerful alchemist who creates the notorious creature, The Golem, to protect the Jewish Quarter against the world’s evil forces.

Lunch in the traditional Czech restaurant "Kolkovna"

A large, gleaming copper beer vat looms large behind the barman as he pulls one more beer. Intriguing archive material from the Pilsner brewing giant creates a sense of history and sets the scene. Guests can sit at large tables or on bar stools near the entrance enjoying traditional Czech dishes such as pigs trotters, ribs or roast duck as well as lighter Italian salads. Its key corner location in the Old Town attracts a mixed crowd of locals and tourists. The cornerstone of the Kolkovna restaurant philosophy is the tradition and uniqueness of the Pilsner Urquell brand and Czech cuisine wed with modern gastronomy.

Prague — Špindleruv MlýnDays 3 - 8

Breakfast at your hotel.

Transfer to the mountain ski resort Špindlerùv Mlýn. Accommodation in the pension. Skiing.

The small town of Spindleruv Mlyn nestles in a picturesque valley of the Labe River, in the heart of the Krkonoše National Park. It is the largest and most popular ski center in the Czech Republic with three chair lifts and 15 tablet lifts. The trails are situated in the towering Krkonoše mountain range, with heights ranging from 715-1310 meters above sea level, and an average length of more than 30 kilometers.

Return to Prague in the evening of the 8th day.

PragueDay 9

Breakfast at your hotel.

Full day excursion to Karlovy Vary with the visit to Krušovice Brewery and the medieval castle Loket

Krušovice

On the way to Karlový Vary and Loket, we will stop off at the city famed for its world-class Krušovice beer, brewed here since 1581. Be forewarned: in 1583, when the Emperor Rudolph II stopped in Krušovice to taste the unique flavor of the brew, he ended up buying the brewery for the Royal Crown. Here, in the heart of the Krušny Mountains, amidst the pure spring waters and sweet scented hops of the fields surrounding Krušovice, you will experience what goes into making this fabled brew. Mother Nature and the skills of famed brewers combine to create this unique liquid gold. Our tour ends with a sampling of Krušovice’s three varieties of beer: dark, light and light ležak. Moreover, as at any taste testing, no one will limit your consumption!

 

Karlový Vary

In 1358, while out on an Imperial Hunt, Emperor Charles IV spied one of the deer mortally wounded by his party fall at a small spring in the woods. As he rode towards it, the deer roused, lapped at the spring waters and, to his amazement, leapt up and bounded away. The inexplicable curative powers of the spring so impressed the Emperor that he ordered his court architects to build a hunting lodge at its source. This is the legend behind the founding of the spa city, Karlovy Vary, and its city symbol is taken from the little deer “that got away” that day 600 years ago. Since then Karlovy Vary has been known as the cosmopolitan European spa with renowned curative energies – Goethe and Beethoven, as well as a few emperors, took “the cure” here. This graceful, ancient spa, surrounded by forested hills, with a rich history and Belle Epoch architecture, has long been considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. A wonderful walking tour around the city center awaits you in Karlovy Vary, where you will have the opportunity to visit the Moser Glass Factory with its famed souvenirs from local porcelain craftsmen.

 

Loket

The town of Loket sprang up around its unassailable fortress, founded during the Middle Ages on the very borders of the Czech lands by the Premyslids, the first Czech dynasty. Its hoary past speaks of glory and ruin - the vagaries of history. Wandering through this dreamy town, we pass through over a thousand years of history as we travel from the powerful walls of the old fortress to the fairytale Baroque houses rimming its market square.

Lunch in one of local restaurants of Karlový Vary.

PragueDay 10

Breakfast at your hotel. Free time for shopping.

Transfer to the airport with your guide, departure.