Strolling Through the Magic City of Prague

Once you arrive in Prague, try to find parking at this spot where you can leave your car for more than 24 hours at a cheap price.

Before you start sightseeing, go to the hostel you have booked for this night.
Check in is from 2 PM, in the meantime you can take advantage of the kindness of the staff at reception to leave your bags in their care.

The Jewish quarter is one of the most interesting in the history of this city.
I recommend that you book an audio guide in advance, which you can pick up here and which will accompany you on your tour of the district.
Book it on this website. The tour includes 4 synagogues, including the museum part made of the permanent exhibitions you will find in some of them, and the Jewish cemetery.
The booking office takes a lunch break from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM.
The offices and all the synagogs are open from April to October from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and from November to March from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Everything is closed on Saturdays.

This synagogue has undergone several renovations considering that it was built at the end of the 16th century, and was originally a Renaissance temple with three naves, later rebuilt in its current neo-Gothic style.
During the Nazi occupation, many possessions belonging to the Jewish community were stored in this synagogue, which was later used as a storage facility for the Jewish museum from which the first exhibition was born.
This exhibition has got the same topic: the Jewish history in the Czech Republic from the beginning of the ninth century to the Enlightenment.
You will see a collection of rare objects and you will be able to look through old Hebrew manuscripts thanks to the touch screen displays.

As you will notice upon entering this synagogue, the second oldest preserved synagogue in Prague and built in the Gothic style, the walls inside are full of names.
Since the mid-1990s it has been used as a Memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Their names are inscribed on the walls inside the synagogue and are divided by groups from the pre-deportation residence.
The names are so many and the impact is very strong, it is important to experience it so as not to forget.
Continue to the first floor where you will find some permanent exhibitions including one of the children's drawings from the Terezín Ghetto.

Before starting this tour of the neighbourhood, stop for a bite to eat at this quaint Czech restaurant that is sure to amuse you by being a bit chic.
The entire interior walls are covered with scribbles and ironic paintings. It will be hard to hold back laughter, but why should you?! Even the waiters are very nice and smiles are the norm.
I recommend trying one of the typical Czech dishes, or if you are a vegetarian, opt for a salad with camambert cheese and homemade chips with garlic sauce.
The restaurant is open daily from 11:30 AM to 11:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM.

This synagogue, as you will notice on entering, is of considerable size; in fact, it is one of the largest in the Czech Republic.
On the upper floor you can visit the first part of the interesting exhibition on Jewish customs and traditions.
The second part of the exhibition on the history of the Prague Burial Society is located in the adjacent building, the Ceremonial Hall, once used as a room for the ritual washing of the dead.
Next to it is the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery, which is a must-see as it is one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in the world.
It consists of about 12,000 graves, the first headstone dates back to 1439 and the last burial took place about 350 years ago.
On some of these, you will notice animal or plant symbols, all Jewish symbols of good wishes for the loved ones who were buried there.

Don't miss a visit to this synagogue, whose name derives from the fact that it was definitively the new synagogue when it was built in the 13th century, as the first Gothic building constructed in Prague.
When later synagogues were built, it acquired the title of old-new. To this day it is the oldest active synagogue in Europe.

It is worth a visit for the architecture and design inside alone. This synagogue is called the Spanish Synagogue, precisely because of its Moorish-style interior reminiscent of the Alhambra in Granada. Take your time to admire the colours and textures inside and also contemplate the exterior structure. It also hosts the exhibition Jews in the Bohemian Lands, 19th-20th Centuries.

Once the tour of the Jewish quarter is over, return to hand over the audio guide.

Stop to admire this marvelous astronomical clock dating from the early 15th century and mounted on the southern wall of the Old Town Hall in the Old Town Square.
As you will see, it consists of several parts: the calendar dial, the astronomical dial, and various sculptures around the clock itself.
Wait for the hour to strike to see the Way of the Apostles an hourly spectacle of moving figures of apostles and other sculptures.

Visit the town hall complex by entering through the door next to the astronomical clock. Climb up the gothic tower of the old town hall from where you can see an enchanting view of Prague Square, the Church of St Nicholas, and further in the distance Prague Castle.
With a single ticket, you will also visit the historical dungeon, chapel, and staterooms. You can buy your ticket online via this link and check the opening times of the gothic tower and of the other sites at this link.

To get back to the hostel to check in you will have to cross again the famous Charles Bridge, one of the beauties of this city.
This time as you walk over the medieval bridge take the time to admire the two towers protecting it on one side and a third, Old Town Bridge Tower, on the opposite side.
On both sides, you will see the 30 or so Baroque-style statues that accompany you as you cross it.
Stop to contemplate the Vltava River unfolding across the city from this perspective.

Go to the hostel to check in and freshen up before dinner. Book in this 14th century building that is listed as protected cultural heritage.
The private room or the studio option is the best if you want to have the opportunity to meet other people but still have your own privacy and comfort.
The studio has a very comfortable king-size bed and the room also has a small kitchen with a fridge, kettle, and microwave.
The guesthouse is also in a fantastic location, very central but still very quiet. Check-in is from 2:00 PM to midnight and check-out is before 12:00 PM.

Stop for dinner in this typical Czech pub where you can enjoy traditional cuisine. You can dine in the cellars, which are ideal if the temperatures are too high or too low.
I recommend ordering the South Bohemian potato soup with mushrooms and a cabbage salad with horseradish, and try the pretzels. The restaurant is open daily from 10:30 AM to 11:00 PM.
After dinner, stroll through the narrow streets of Mala Strana, the lower part of the castle.

Back to the guesthouse to rest up for the next day exploring Prague Castle and the city of Pilsen.