Prague is the eighth stop on the road to Istanbul, and it’s another hiatus in a hotel. I know it seems rather soon after our last hotel stop, in fact it is rather soon- but it’s not because we’re wimps, oh no. We tried to schedule hotel breaks in big central or eastern European cities because you get lots more bang for your hotel buck. Our van mini-breaks are in Prague, Budapest and Istanbul where the hotels are gorgeous and great value. The only exception is Lake Como on our thirtieth wedding anniversary in May, which Mr G describes as a below-the-line exceptional cost that I can apparently squirrel away in a separate section of the spreadsheet. This is a new term for me and I intend to use it OFTEN when discussing the household budget in the future. How much were those shoes? Oh they were a below-the-line exceptional cost Mr G.

Of course, it was Sod’s law that as we pulled into Prague it was 16 degrees and glorious sunshine- perfect weather to pull out the van awning, the sun chairs, the fairy lights (sorry Mr G) and the Cadac gas BBQ. However, it’s also perfect weather for a Bridget Jones style mini-break in Prague, so we tucked the teal-mobile into an, allegedly, secure car park on the outskirts of Prague and made our way to our hotel in the heart of the old town.

I feel foolish describing Prague because you’ve probably been there. It’s one of the most popular European cities for a weekend visit, and when talking to friends, it seemed like we were the only people who hadn’t visited the Czech city. But if, like us, you’ve missed out, it is simply stunning. Narrow cobbled streets, beautiful architecture and the Vltava river winding through. Unlike many of the European cities we have visited, much of the old town appears relatively unscarred by war and development. Our hotel, the Emblem, was stylish and tucked away on a quiet road in the old town. The perfect location for two days of hard-core sight-seeing.

Two days in Prague

I’m a sucker for a ‘What to do in 48 hours in <insert city name>’ guide. So Mr G and I yomped around Prague ticking off essential places and experiences, very grateful that most guides recommend regular breaks to sample Czech food, beer or hot chocolate. The only off-list detour was searching for new insoles to cushion my poor, aching feet after hammering out 22,000 steps a day on cobblestones.

Evening one

We spent the evening getting our bearings and exploring the area around the hotel. We started off visiting Old Town Square and watching the 12 Apostles move as the Astronomical Clock struck the hour. It was a Monday and loads of weekenders were still around, so we had to dodge large groups of stag parties frantically downing beers but even that didn’t detract from the surroundings.

We popped into St Nicholas Church and then had a beer in a sunny square watching the people go by. In the evening, the crowds had totally disappeared, so our top tip is to try and visit mid-week if you possibly can, it was way less manic.

Day two

We wandered through the Old Town and across the Charles Bridge. No need for maps, the crowds of people carried us along. A sunny walk across the river led us to the Art Noveaux Cafe Savoy for brunch. I’d really recommend this grand cafe – great surroundings, amazing pastries and omelettes and way cheaper than breakfast in our hotel.

We climbed the many, many steps to Prague Castle and explored the surrounding area but couldn’t face the endless queues so booked tickets online to return the next day. Instead we made our way across town to Wenceslas Square and ascended the Powder Tower which provided fabulous views of the city.

In the evening we again followed in Daniel Craig’s footsteps and ate at Kampa Park, a restaurant that’s right on the river near Charles Bridge. It was recommended by a friend who lived in Prague ( thanks Elizabeth) and I’ll pass on the tip. The food- especially the fish and seafood-was delicious and the views of the bridge and the river were extraordinary.

Day three

We had our ‘ Skip the line Prague Castle tickets’ and we were good to go. I had my new silicone insoles, so skipped up the steep cobbled steps ( not really, it was another slow haul) and we explored what is apparently the largest Medieval castle area in the world in what surely is record time! The views were mind-blowing and we loved the Golden Lane which was like a Czech St Fagan’s (apologies to non-Welsh readers- it’s a museum with recreated houses showing how people used to live) even if the doorways and rooms were more suited to shorties like me than those of Mr G’s proportions.

We had lunch in the elegant Jewish quarter and then put our feet up for a boat trip down the river and along some of the back canals and waterways called the Devil’s Channel. I’m not usually a fan of a boat trip after some seriously dodgy river boat discos during my student days, but this was short, smooth, sunny and a great excuse not to walk up any more steps!

Quick hotel comment:

The good bits: The Emblem hotel was stylish and brilliantly located, we could walk everywhere and it was only a minute away from Old Town Square but on a quiet side street. The rooms were large, the beds were big and comfy and the bathrooms had a bath to wallow in- essential for me after ten days in the van.

The bad bits: The rooms were very good value, but everything else- bar, breakfast etc- was right at the very top end for Prague prices.