In the city’s castle district, the Klášternõ Pivovar is set in the 12th-century Strahov Monastery, and the adjacent beer garden is perfect for sampling some of Prague’s best microbrewed beer (a special Christmas ale is released in December). Diligent monks carry on the centuries-old tradition of making light and dark Czech lagers as well as local spins on German hefeweizen (wheat beer) and American pale ale. There’s good goulash, and a brass combo pumps out central European tunes to sustain the all-around bonhomie.
Across the river, in the Old Town, the Prague Beer Museum (Praž ské Muzeum Piva) has a regular selection of as many as 30 beers on tap. The museum display is lightweight, but with so many hops-laden options on offer, no one seems to care. For a worthwhile peek into brewing history, take a day trip 60 miles west to Plzeň, the spiritual home of modern brewing. Combine a pilgrimage to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery with a visit to Plzeň’s interesting brewery museum nearby. The nefiltrované pivo (unfiltered beer) alone, served in the museum’s Na Parkanu pub, is worth the scenic train journey. For over-the-top indulgence, beer lovers should consider the Chodovar Beer Spa (see p. 288) near Karlovy Vary.
PIVOVARSKY DUM: Tel 420/296-216-666; www.gastroinfo.cz. PIVOVARSKY KLUB: Tel 420/222-315-777; www.gastroinfo.cz. KLÁŠTERNÍ PIVOVAR: Tel420/233-353-155; www.klasterni-pivovar.cz. PRAGUE BEER MUSEUM: Tel 420/732-330-912; www.praguebeermuseum.com. PILSNER URQUELL BREWERY AND BREWING MUSEUM: Tel 420/222-710-159; www.prazdroj.cz. BEST TIME: mid-May for Prague’s Czech Beer Festival and Czech Food Festival.
center Stage in the city of Spires
OLD TOWN SQUARE
Prague, Bohemia, Czech Republic
Old Town Square is Prague’s energetic hub. Once the haunted neighborhood of Franz Kafka, today it overflows with bright café umbrellas, busking musicians, and legions of tourists watching the hourly procession of apostles and allegorical figures on the Orloj, Prague’s famous 600-year-old astronomical clock. Ascend the 200-foot tower of the former Town Hall to see a dazzling panorama of this “City of One Hundred Spires.” The wedding-cake Baroque confection of St. Nicholas Church is one architectural gem to look for, and another is the 14th-century Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, its magnificent Gothic façade and elegant twin gables one of Prague’s most recognizable silhouettes.
From Old Town Square, narrow and winding lanes lead to the hidden squares and plazas of Staré Město (the Old Town). Seek out the elegant Savic Hotel, originally a 14th-century convent, or experience a multicourse exploration of classical Bohemian cuisine at La Degustation. Refined and light dishes taken from an obscure 1880s cookbook create an inspiring 3-hour gastronomic experience.
A few minutes’ walk brings you to the cherub-filled Estates Theater. Mozart loved Prague and chose this theater for the premiere performance of his Don Giovanni. Restored to its Neoclassical elegance, and reopened in 1991 on the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death, this jewel case of tiered boxes is spectacular inside and out and continues its Mozart performances.
From the central square, Karlova Street meanders west to Charles Bridge, a beloved icon of the city constructed in 1357 by Charles IV. Fourteen other bridges span the swirling Vltava River, but the view from this pedestrian bridge is special, encompassing the west bank’s Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter) and Prague Castle high atop the opposite bank (see below). Thirty-six Baroque saints, most added in the 17th century, line the bridge’s graceful 16-arched crossing. The riverside Four Seasons has suites that deliver beautiful castle views and the exceptional Allegro restaurant. Rise early to have the bridge largely to yourself while the guardian statues hover like ghosts shrouded in the lifting mist.
SAVIC HOTEL: Tel 420/224-248-555; www.savichotelprague.com. Cost: from $175. LA DEGUSTATION: Tel 420/222-311-234; www.ladegustation.cz. Cost: 7-course tasting menu $120. ESTATES THEATER: Tel 420/224-902231; www.narodni-divadlo.cz. FOUR SEASONS: Tel 420/221-427-000; in the U.S., 800-8195053; www.fourseasons.com. Cost: from $450 (off-peak), from $575 (peak); dinner at Allegro $100. BEST TIMES: late Apr–Mar for Prague Spring music festival; late Sep–Oct for Prague’s autumn classical music festival; late Nov–Dec for Christmas markets in Old Town and Wenceslas Squares.
Religious and Political Symbol of Might and Glory
PRAGUE’S CASTLE DISTRICT
Bohemia, Czech Republic
High atop the hilly west bank of this “Golden City” is one of the most beautiful sights in Europe: Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), perched above the curving Vltava River, which flows below it, with the Gothic masterpiece of St. Vitus Cathedral soaring behind it. This was the site of early Prague, and everything that evolved from it lay in its proverbial shadow. An amble through this hilltop town-within-a-town provides views of the river and the Charles Bridge. The skyline of spires and turrets of the lower Old Town rises above the ancient rooftops of the east bank (see previous page). Prague Castle is a monumental fortress-like collection of buildings and courtyards spanning the millennium from the 10th to the 20th centuries. Its spiritual core is St. Vitus Cathedral, begun in the 14th century and not completed until 1929. Of its 21 chapels, the most lavish is dedicated to “Good King” Wenceslas, patron saint of Bohemia. Adjacent is the Royal Palace, residence for the lords of Bohemia from the 11th to the 16th centuries.
Prague’s two most important art galleries are the highlight for many visitors: The deconsecrated Convent of St. George houses a stellar collection of 19th-century Bohemian art, and six centuries of European art is found in the Sternberg Palace. At the eastern edge of the sprawling complex, the Lobkowicz Palace showcases the private collection of the Lobkowicz family, including paintings by Canaletto and handwritten scores by Mozart and Beethoven.
From the castle, descend Nerudova Street to Malá Strana, the Lesser Quarter, a labyrinth of quiet lanes and small plazas. Recharge at the Cukrkavalimonada, a venerable café with wonderful painted ceilings, or the sturdy old Hostinec U Kocoura, a favorite watering hole of writer and former president Václav Havel. At the publike U Kocoura, share a table with the friendly locals and try the Bernard kvasnicové pivo, a local beer with a citrus flavor. For dinner, book a table at the intimate U Maly Velryby and order up a feast of seafood tapas and a bottle of Moravian white wine.
Malá Strana is a delightful area to stay in. The Augustine, located in a restored 13th-century monastery, is one of the city’s finest hotels, with 100 rooms arranged around quiet, leafy courtyards and a minimalist spa with a treatment based on dark lager brewed by the resident monks. Almost next door, behind a medieval façade, the 22 brightly colored rooms at the hip Hotel Sax are a funky alternative combining retro 1960s design with a convenient location in a small, peaceful square.
St. Vitus Cathedral took 6 centuries to complete.
PRAGUE CASTLE: Tel 420/224373-368; www.hrad.cz. CONVENT OF ST. GEORGE: Tel 420/257-531-644; www.ngprague.cz. STERNBERG PALACE: Tel 420/233-090-570; www.ngprague.cz. LOBKOWICZ PALACE: Tel 420/233-312-925; www.lobkowicz.cz. CUKRKAVALIMONADA: Tel 420/257-225396. Cost: lunch $15. U MALÝ VELRYBY: Tel 420/257-214-703; www.umalevelryby.cz. Cost: dinner $35. THE AUGUSTINE: Tel 420/266-112233; in the U.S., tel 888-667-9477; www.theaugustine.com. Cost: from $350. HOTEL SAX: Tel 420/257-531-268; www.hotelsax.cz. cost: from $130. BEST TIME: May for Prague Spring classical music festival and quirky Prague Fringe Festival.
Châteaux, Wine, and a Little Slice of Italy
BORDERLANDS OF SOUTHERN MORAVIA
Moravia, Czech Republic
Described by Czech poet Jan Skácel as “a piece of Italy moved to Moravia by God’s hand,” the quiet castle-topped town of Mikulov is perched on a rocky hillside a few scenic miles north of the Austrian border. The surrounding Pálava landscape—perfect for gentle bicycling and hiking—does retain an unmistakable aura of Tuscany; it’s an area of rolling hills and sleepy towns that is also the hub of the country’s rapidly improving wine scene. Its aromatic white—notable labels are Tanzberg and Mikrosvín—are now making their mark internationally. In September, Mikulov’s population of 8,0
00 swells with the advent of the Pálava Wine Harvest.
A synagogue built in 1550 still stands in Mikulov’s well-preserved Jewish quarter, established in 1421. The neighborhood is the location of the stylish and art-filled Hotel Templ, a Baroque building that once housed a small synagogue.
Use Mikulov as your base to explore the countryside called Europe’s Garden, once favored by the aristocratic Liechtenstein family. Now based in their minuscule Alpine principality, the family used to hold significant estates throughout central Europe, including the twin residences of Lednice and Valtice Castles. Part of the Liechtenstein dynasty for five centuries until World War II, they are now centerpieces of a bucolic 124-square-mile parkland of landscaped gardens, lakes, and pavilions that make up the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape. The Valtice Castle is one of the Czech Republic’s finest Baroque buildings, while neighboring Lednice is known for its neo-Gothic chateau, which was the Liechtensteins’ summer residence from 1582 to 1945. Today the châteaux and environs are owned by the Czech government, and the gardens are full of summertime visitors enjoying pleasure-boat rides, bike paths, and “Birds of Prey” shows where trained eagles, falcons, and hawks patrol the skies above Lednice in a thrilling spectacle.
The Liechtensteins settled in the Lednice-Valtice area in the mid-13th century.
WHERE: Mikulov is 182 miles/293 km southeast of Prague. VISITOR INFO: www.mikulov.cz. HOTEL TEMPL: Tel 420/519-323095; www.templ.cz. Cost: from $90. VALTICE CASTLE: Tel 420/519-352-423; www.zamek-valtice.cz. LEDNICE CHTEAU: Tel 420/519340-128; www.zamek-lednice.info. When: Lednice and Valtice closed Nov–Mar. BEST TIMES: Jun–Sep for nicest weather; Aug for Baroque Music Festival in Valtice; mid-Sep for Pálava Wine Harvest in Mikulov.
Moravia’s Underrated Gem
OLOMOUC
Moravia, Czech Republic
“They say we are going to Olomouc, and Olomouc is a very decent town,” wrote Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace. Although the story was fiction, the town is real, and the line rings true more than 140 years after it was first published. Like Prague and (Český Krumlov (see pp. 290 and 287), Olomouc is centered on a gorgeous Old Town, but in this easygoing city of 100,000, visitors share the pristine collage of Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic buildings with few other tourists. You’re more likely to find a relaxed combination of students from across Europe and locals who know instinctively that they’re living in one of the Czech Republic’s underrated gems.
About 3 hours east of Prague, Olomouc pulls off the trick of being both provincial and cosmopolitan. In the Upper Square, the larger of two town squares, is the 100-foot-high Holy Trinity Column, an exceptional example of the Baroque style popular in central Europe. It was erected in the early 18th century by grateful townsfolk to commemorate the end of a period of plague. Also here are six of Olomouc’s famous fountains, including the Hercules Fountain depicting the muscleman warding off the attack of the nine-headed Hydra.
Olomouc also has a proud ecclesiastical history, and along bustling May 1st Street is peaceful Wenceslas Square. The brooding St. Wenceslas Cathedral was originally consecrated as a Romanesque basilica in 1131. The nearby Přemysl Palace complex hosts the Olomouc Archdiocesan Museum, with a dazzling collection of treasures from the 12th to the 18th centuries, when Olomouc was the capital of Moravia.
Visit the Vila Primavesi for both its fine architecture and food. The Primavesi family were supporters of the Viennese Art Nouveau movement—Gustav Klimt was a regular recipient of their friendship and patronage. Now the rambling, restored villa is the city’s finest restaurant. Look forward to innovative preparations of fish and seafood and to lighter versions of traditional Czech food—try the roast veal with cream sauce, cranberry dip, and plump homemade dumplings.
The Holy Trinity Column is adorned with statues of saints.
WHERE: 155 miles/250 km east of Prague. VISITOR INFO: www.olomouc-tourism.cz. OLOMOUC ARCHDIOCESAN MUSEUM: Tel 420/585-514-190; www.olmuart.cz. VILA PRIMAVESI: Tel 420/777-749-288; www.prima vesi.cz. cost: dinner $30. WHERE TO STAY: In a thoroughly modernized historic building, the Penzion Na Hrade is just steps from the main square. Tel 420/585-203-231; www.penzionnahrade.cz. cost: from $110. BEST TIMES: Jun–Sep for pleasant weather; Apr or May for Flora Festival; May for Spring Music Festival; Jun for the Festival of Songs and City Festival.
The Epitome of Baltic Beauty
SAAREMAA ISLAND
Estonia
Estonia may be the smallest of the Baltic nations, but it has the lion’s share of coastline, with hundreds of islands sprinkled in the Baltic Sea. One of its most captivating coastal settings is Saaremaa, a largely forest-covered island with old-fashioned seaside villages, desolate beaches, and a picturesque town with spa resorts and an imposing castle. Saaremaa has always had an independent streak, and its people have their own customs, song traditions, and costumes. Attending a local festival—like the Castle Days fest in early July or midsummer night on June 23—is a great way to experience the rich island heritage.
The biggest community on Saaremaa is Kuressaare (population 16,000), which harbors the Baltic’s best-preserved castle, a 14th-century dolomite fortress with drawbridge over a water-filled moat. The warren of vestibules, narrow passageways, defensive tower chambers, and dungeonlike basement rooms make for a fascinating wander.
Beyond Kuressaare, the Estonian countryside in all its quiet beauty unfolds. The Sõrve Peninsula, on the southwestern reaches of the island, has a rugged landscape of jagged cliffs and fine sea views; the ruins of an old Soviet military base and various gravesites attest to the heavy fighting here in World War II. The Viidumäe Nature Reserve Saaremaa is located on the island’s highest point and is home to unusual orchid and bird species (including black storks) and rare plants like the Saaremaa yellow rattle found nowhere else, as well as 600 species of butterflies and moths. A 72-foot-high watchtower provides a scenic vantage point over the forest and meadows.
The George Ots Spa Hotel in Kuressaare is one of the island’s best accommodations, with handsome rooms, a good restaurant, and a full range of spa treatments. Take to the countryside for something more romantic and lavish, and book a room in the Pädaste Manor, on Muhu Island (which is connected to Saaremaa by bridge). With roots dating back to the 16th century, this aristocratic waterfront manor has 14 beautifully appointed rooms. At the award-winning Alexander Restaurant, you can sample Nordic island cuisine composed of fresh local ingredients in a sophisticated culinary interpretation, served in a serene, light-filled space.
WHERE: 125 miles/201 km southwest of Tallinn. VISITOR INFO: www.saaremaa.ee. GEORGE OTS SPA HOTEL: Tel 372/455-0000; www.gospa.ee. Cost: from $70 (off-peak), from $155 (peak). PÄDASTE MANOR: Tel 372/4548800; www.padaste.ee. Cost: from $275; dinner at Alexander $90. When: closed Nov–Feb. BEST TIMES: May–Sep for pleasant weather; Jun 23 for Jaanipaev, the midsummer night’s festival; early Jul for Castle Days Festival.
A Perfectly Preserved Medieval City
OLD TALLINN
Tallinn, Estonia
The best way to arrive in the capital city of Tallinn is by ferry from Helsinki (see p. 347), 53 miles across the Gulf of Finland. The soaring spires of the capital rise into view, with 600-year-old ramparts, red-tiled roofs, and glistening church domes soaring over the approaching hilltops. Above it looms the ancient stronghold of the Toompea quarter. Once on land, it’s an easy stroll to the narrow cobblestone streets of Vanalinn, or the Old Town of Tallinn.
Since the nation regained its independence in 1991, tourism has flourished in this proud and vibrant city. Despite centuries of living under the foreign rule of Danes, Swedes, Germans, and Russians, Estonians kept their language, customs, and culture intact.
The heart of Old Town is Raekoja Plats, a magnificent square that has been the center of Tallinn life since the 13th century. Today it’s a remarkably lively place, with outdoor cafés ringed by a handsome assortment of historic pastel-painted buildings with the 14th-century gothic Raekoda, one of Europe’s oldest town halls, at it
s center.
Wandering through the old quarter is the best way to peer back in time, losing yourself amid 500-year-old merchant houses and tiny lanes that open onto striking Gothic churches. A short walk east of the Raekoja Plats, on Müürivahe Street, you’ll find an outdoor market where vendors sell their handmade crafts beneath the shadow of Old Town’s imposing defensive wall, studded with 26 watchtowers, each topped by a pointy red roof. Don’t bypass adjoining Katariina Passage; browse its medieval-style workshops where ceramics, glasswork, quilts, and jewelry are made and sold.
Tallinn’s Old Town has excellent accommodations. The Three Sisters is a boutique hotel set in three gabled 1362 merchant houses close to St. Olav’s church. Rooms have old-world architectural details that mix with contemporary furnishings, and there’s a wine cellar bar, library, lounge with fireplace, and the new Bordoo restaurant that is regarded as one of the city’s most innovative. The Schloessle Hotel is another historic charmer, in a 17th-century baronial building with a garden-fringed courtyard, steps from Raekoja Plats. Also in Old Town is the Merchant House, a handsome 37-room boutique hotel done up with great style.
VISITOR INFO: www.tourism.tallinn.ee. THREE SISTERS: Tel 372/630-6300; www.threesisters.com. Cost: from $260 (off-peak), from $360 (peak); dinner at Bordoo $50. SCHLOESSLE HOTEL: Tel 372/699-7700; www.schloesslehotel.com. Cost: from $200 (off-peak), from $250 (peak). MERCHANT HOUSE: Tel 372/697-7500; www.merchanthousehotel.com. Cost: from $125 (off-peak), from $190 (peak). BEST TIMES: Jun–Aug for warmest weather; late Apr for Jazzkaar fest; late May–early Jun for Old Town Days with dancing, concerts, and events; Dec for the Christmas market.
1,000 Places to See Before You Die Page 48