sisterMAG Travel Series »Digital Ladies Travel« – Prague

»Digital Ladies Travel«

sisterMAG Reise Serie: Prague

If you take a closer look at the biography of the Viennese artist Gustav Klimt, one quickly realizes that his artistic work went far beyond the city limits of Vienna. During his lifetime, for example, he had a big solo exhibition in Prague, which we used as an opportunity to introduce you to this city in our sisterMAG travel series.

In our research we came across the beautiful feed of Nataliya (@natalchou), who lives in Prague and provides exciting insights into her city away from the well-known tourist places and creates special snapshots.

Let us take you on a magical journey through Prague!

Coziest Café

Prague is full of wonderful and cozy coffee places and breakfast spots. Many of them do not take reservations during the weekend, but the waiting times are not that long.

I suggest you start your Saturday with a short ride (or a stroll if you are a fan) to Vinohrady district. This is one of the most picturesque residential areas in town. The local farmer’s market on the Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad (called “JZP” by expats to make it easier to pronounce) offers a great selection of local specialties, coffee from local roasters, fresh food and flowers. You can taste some great wine from the Moravia region; do give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised by the Czech wine. If you feel like sitting down and having a slow breakfast, there are plenty of choices in this area. My personal favourites are:

• Le Caveau is a French bakery located on the square of JZP where you can stop by for the best croissant in town, make sure to arrive early, as they might run out of these, or just take a seat on the terrace of their café. The truffle omelette and French toast are simply perfect. So is their coffee.
• Coffee Corner Bakery is another cozy place, which is just one street away. Take a seat outside, but make sure to check out the selection of the freshly baked pastries inside first.
• Spižírna 1902 http://www.spizirna1902.cz/ is probably the most Instagrammable breakfast spot in Prague. Breakfast is till 11.30, and my all-time favourite is either avocado toast or pancakes with raspberry curd and maple syrup.
• While in this area, make sure to check out the Nila store https://www.nila.cz/, a cozy shop specializing in sustainable fashion and home-décor.
• If you don’t feel like leaving the center for breakfast, try the newly opened place called Pauseteria https://pauseteria.cz/cs/pauseteria.html. Finally the historical center has a beautiful breakfast spot, which is not only beautifully decorated, but they also serve breakfast all day long.
• IF Café https://ifcafe.cz/info/27-if-cafe-jungmannova Take a breakfast and stay for the dessert.
  (photo)
• Coffee place not to miss: Coffee Cube https://www.instagram.com/coffeecubeofficial/  on Jakubská, 110 00 Staré Město

Shopping Street or neighbourhood for unique souvenirs

If you are looking for some unique gifts for your loved ones, I recommend you visit:

• Manufaktura https://www.manufaktura.cz/ , a Czech cosmetics brand inspired by Czech traditions and nature. The products are formulated with traditional Czech natural ingredients – Czech beer, Carlsbad thermal spring salt, apricots, daisies and other fruits and herbs typical of the country.
  You can find their shop next to Wenceslas Square or in Palladium shopping center.
• Another beautiful store hidden in a passage off Male namesti is Lipa https://www.lipastore.cz/. Lipa is a Czech word for the linden tree, which is the national tree of Czech Republic. This beautiful shop offers products such as ceramics, candles, interior decorations, everything with minimalist aesthetics coming from local artisan production.
• Botanicus http://www.botanicus.cz/en/shops/obchody/czech-republic/prague/ is another lovely place to buy souvenirs for your friends and family (don’t forget about yourself too!). Traditional formulae combined with ingredients of the highest quality, you simply cannot leave this shop empty-handed.
• Ingredients store https://www.ingredients-store.com/#no-overlay  in Maiselova street is the destination for all perfume-lovers.  They carry brands like Le Labo, Frederic Malle, Amouage, Byredo, Dyptique.

Bar to meet like-minded locals

• Groove bar http://groovebar.cz/cs/ gets really busy after 9 p.m. pretty much every day of the week.
• L’Fleur https://lfleur.cz/ is an amazing cocktail experience. Make sure you sit at the bar and watch the barmen do their magic. A few of the best barmen of Czech republic work here, so do not miss it.
• Hemingway https://www.hemingwaybar.cz/bar-praha/ , make a reservation and try the Czech Becherovka cocktail. It’s not on the menu, but they will prepare it for you (Becher Butter Sour).
• Prosekárna https://www.prosekarna.cz/  is a stylish place to have a glass of ice-cold prosecco, also available for take-away. Their charcuterie plates are amazing too. My personal favourite is the one in Prague 2, Slezská street, but there is one in the center as well.
• Finish off your evening in Duplex club (www.duplex.cz) with a drink and dinner on the terrace.

For a dinner with friends

La Bottega Linka https://linka.lacollezione.cz/: the food, the interior, the service are impeccable.
Zdenek’s Oyster Bar http://oysterbar.cz/: their motto is “Eat seafood, live longer” and I have nothing to add.
Yami Sushi House http://www.yami.cz/: do give it a try. My personal favourite is a Geisha roll. It’s addicting.

Lunch Spot

 
Naše maso butchery https://www.nasemaso.cz/en/ is a heaven for meat-lovers, and is very popular among locals to buy meat for home. Try the beef tartare and their hamburger. They have local wine and beer on tap. There is not much space for sitting inside, however the line standing outside will prove to you that you cannot miss it.

Kantýna is another great place for beer and meat. https://www.kantyna.ambi.cz/
Lokal  http://lokal-dlouha.ambi.cz/en/  is a perfect place to try classic Czech food and beer direct from the tanks.

Most interesting museum/gallery

National Museum, which has just opened its doors after a seven-year reconstruction, has beautiful interiors, but the exposition is not yet finished, so come back to visit late next year.
The Mad Silkman exhibition https://www.upm.cz/sileny-hedvabnik-zika-lida-ascher-textil-a-moda/ is a must-visit (on till September). You will discover the world of Zika and Lida Ascher, whose story began in Prague and continued in London and Paris, as they were creating the fabrics for Christian Dior, Chanel, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent.

National Gallery https://www.ngprague.cz/ is located in Veletržní palác in Prague 7, just a few tram stops away from the center and includes pieces from Shiele, Klimt, Picasso and many others.

Best spot to watch the sunset/sunrise

Visiting Charles Bridge during busy hours can be tiring, so I suggest going there at sunrise. You will have (almost) the whole bridge for yourself.
My favourite spot to watch the sunset is also located next to the river: start at Most Legií and continue walking and stopping every minute to take a picture till you reach the Charles Bridge, take the stairs down on the right of the bridge and enjoy the sunset from the riverbank.

Sluneční terasa T-Anker http://t-anker.cz/cs/novinky/  is another nice spot, but try to get there a bit in advance, as during the sunset it gets pretty busy. The view is totally worth it.

What locals love

• Taking a breakfast on Saturday at Náplavka market (tram stop Palackého náměstí). Make sure to grab some fresh salad and feed the swans. Cross the bridge and head to Angelato at  Újezd 24 http://angelato.cz/   for the best gelato in town. They are offering vegan/non-dairy options as well.
• Prague is known as The City of a Hundred Spires, make sure you visit at least one. Climbing the steps might be not the easiest, but the view and photos of the red roofs and Prague panorama are definitely worth it. Svatomikulášská městská zvonice is located on the way from Charles Bridge to the Prague Castle and I recommend visiting during the day.
• The Powder Tower is a perfect place to watch sunset and to have a closer look at a true masterpiece – the dome of the Municipal House. (Photo)
  Rent a catamaran on Slovanský island   https://www.slovanka.net/ , grab some snacks and enjoy the views. Waiting times can be up to 40 minutes in the summer, but it’s totally worth it.

Unique architecture

When visiting the Prague Castle, do not miss the Strahov Monastery which is hiding one of the most beautiful libraries in the world: https://www.strahovskyklaster.cz/en/strahov-library
When going down the hill, stop to take pictures of the most beautiful Prague panorama next to the
Colloredo-Mansfeldský palác http://ghmp.cz/colloredo-mansfeldsky-palac/. It is a hidden gem just a few steps away from Charles Bridge. It hasn’t been restored yet, so be sure to visit these shabby baroque dancing halls and rooms before they get a makeover.

The best hotel to stay for a few days

Boho Hotel http://www.hotelbohoprague.com/en/the-hotel/, which is located in a quiet street just a few steps away from Obecní dům and all of the main tourist attractions, is a wonderful place to stay while in Prague. The rooms are beautifully decorated; there is a spa area; but my favourite spot here is the restaurant and their library, a perfect place to relax after a long day spent in the city.