Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts
Get Simon Calder’s Travel email
Get Simon Calder’s Travel email
A deluge of snow covered the Alpine huts and sparkling Christmas trees that adorned the Old Town Square. The Christmas markets were opening the next day, and the festooned courtyards, dimly lit alleys and hidden gardens that offshoot the square had all been bustling with people enjoying a stroll or an al fresco eggnog.
This was Prague at its most enticing. The city is unique, even among European capitals, for its fusion of architecture from between the 14th and 19th centuries, giving it a particularly elegant cityscape that is made all the more entrancing when a dusting of white covers the russet roofs, burgher houses and Gothic spires.
The wonder of this 1,100-year-old city was not lost on me, but having already visited the Czech capital twice, I had made up my mind that any further visits would need to include a trip somewhere else to see more of the country. This time, a stay in the capital would bookend a visit to a lesser-known spa town in western Bohemia.
Read more: The best Christmas markets in Europe
But first, Prague. An obvious base, especially during the Christmas markets. The city’s other main plaza, Wenceslas Square, is a focal point, both of the markets and the country’s move away from Soviet rule during the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Nowadays, the presence of a vast casino and a large, almost 24-hour McDonalds hints at Czech opinion on that period of their history.
I continued west to see a light mist dimming the gas lamps on the Charles Bridge, while Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world, stood imposingly on the hill across the Vltava River. Between these landmarks, Prague has an impressive but manageable list of major tourist attractions.
Dotted in between there are art galleries and interesting museums – from the National Gallery (admission from £6) to the Museum of Communism (£13 for adult admission) – and a proliferation of affordable drinking holes, fantastic restaurants and other sights, such as Municipal House or the original city gate towers that serve as an entrance to the Old Town. Prague Boats’ lunch cruise and buffet package is a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours while enjoying great views and Czech food; for something a little different, visit Spa Beerland to bathe in hops and pour yourself pints for an hour.
Read more: This German city is described as ‘Florence on the Elbe’ – but does it live up to the claim?
By now, I know that the Czech capital is a city with equal amounts of entertainment, intrigue and romance. It’s a brilliant introduction to the country; an affordable, elegant capital that has preserved vital slivers of the country’s history while adapting to the demands of modern life for both locals and tourists. But I suspect it may offer a diluted version of Czech culture – something more palatable to tourists who may prefer a pizza over a goulash.
And Karlovy Vary goes some way to confirming my suspicions. It’s a world away from the City of a Hundred Spires; this ‘city of a hundred springs’ is a place where centuries-old traditions appear in the modern day, branches of Czech culture are on display around every corner, and there’s not a fast-food chain or branded coffee shop in sight.
Although relatively unknown in the UK, this is one of Europe’s premier spa towns. Its thermal springs are famous for their supposed healing qualities, and they once attracted European royalty. Nowadays, Karlovy Vary is trying, seemingly successfully, to reinvent itself as a modern tourist destination in its own right.
Read more: The sweaty sauna ritual in Estonia that ended up being an empowering girls’ weekend away
The town lies in the Slavkov Forest, bisected by a gently flowing river and surrounded by hills littered with towering trees. At this time of year, the evergreens stand covered in snow, the presence of which has made the leafless trees appear strikingly full.
The white landscape blends with the sandstone colonnades and pastel tones of the various Art Nouveau buildings, and for a view of it all you can take a funicular ride up to the Diana Observation Tower. Next to the tower lies a hunting lodge-style restaurant serving typical Czech cuisine; it’s somewhat similar to that of the UK or Germany, but often with a twist. Think roast duck with potato-bread dumplings or pikeperch in white wine.
This is a place where Czech people are sent to recover from various maladies, though recreational spa activities aren’t frowned upon, as I discovered in the pools of the Spa Hotel Thermal. It’s quite soothing to wade between the different temperatures of its outdoor pools while the snow gently falls, and the view of the town from eight storeys high makes you wonder how it all looked during its 18th-century heyday.
Taking in this view, I ponder how I’ve been able to take in the enthralling capital while also discovering the past (and present) of somewhere that my family and friends had never even heard of. These are the possible merits of a dual-destination holiday, succinctly summed up in a podcast by The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, who – when asked about the ideal duration for a city break – suggested “48 hours plus” to “immerse yourself in a great city” before going somewhere nearby to “get an extra dimension”.
You might find your extra dimension in the Catalan counterculture of Barcelona or the chateaux of the Loire Valley. Or, it could be hidden among the faded grandeur of a once-great spa town.
Travel essentials
British Airways flies to Prague from London Heathrow (price from £46 each way) and London City airport (price from £81 each way). From Vaclav Havel airport, buses run into central Prague in as little as 15 minutes.
Book a stay at the Andaz Prague for a location that’s within easy walking distance of all of the main sights. It is part of Hyatt’s luxurious ‘Andaz’ line, with a focus on sophistication, contemporary luxury and a dash of local culture – in this case, a showcase of local glassworks.
Read more: Why you should visit Cesky Krumlov, a sustainable Prague-in-miniature
Source: independent.co.uk
