Prague Old Town & Jewish Quarter

Having spent the first day in the new town I decided upon a different approach.

Article: Get The Best Of Beautiful Prague On Your First Visit

This time I bought a self-guided walking tour from We Go Trip. I chose Prague Old Town & Jewish Quarter: Stories and Legends.

Stick around as I take you through this impressive part of Prague…

PS: I’ll conclude later with the pros and cons of taking a self-guided walking tour!

Today was a complete 360 on visiting Prague during the COVID-19 pandemic. That was scary compared to today! The tourists were gone, but this time Prague was as vibrant as this “City of A Hundred Towers” can be!

Prague is not only a picturesque ancient city, but it’s also known to be the heart of Europe, the mother of cities. Some say it’s the rooftop of Europe!

So, let’s dive into this golden city – Prague’s Old Town and Jewish Quarter.

Clementinum (Klementinum) Library: Hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful libraries, it is well worth a visit.
On the opposite side, you get to see the New City Hall, the main seat of the mayoral office, and Prague’s city government.

Travel Tip(s)

The official total time of the walking tour is about 1 hour twenty-two minutes. Allow extra time to explore the inside of some of the attractions, refreshment breaks, or even have lunch at one of the many inviting street restaurants near the square.

The Golem of Prague tells a fascinating story from Jewish folklore. It was supposed to protect the Jews from the Christians’ attack
Malé náměstí (little square) is home to the oldest houses in Prague dating to the eighth century.
House “At the Minute” dates to the early 1400s and has lived through many changes. The facade of the building itself is spectacular.

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Astronomical Clock Tower is the oldest astronomical clock still operating in the world.
Church of Our Lady Before Týn is the most iconic building in Prague and took over three hundred years to complete.
The Storch House had me hooked on its beautiful facade of neo-Renaissance murals.
Prague Meridian is a golden line with a golden marker that was used to keep track of time in Medieval times.
Jan Hus Memorial pays respect to a local religious leader in the late 1300s.

Ungelt Courtyard is over one thousand years old and was used by foreign merchants to sell their goods.
Celetná lane, connecting the Old Town Square with the Powder gate, is one of the oldest streets in Prague. It is part of the Royal Route.
Powder Tower marks the start of the Royal Path to Prague Castle.

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Na Příkopě is a boulevard for great shopping opportunities.
Estates Theatre has plenty of Mozart memories. Not only did Mozart conduct the world premiere of Don Giovannie here in 1787, but it was also the site where the movie Amadeus was filmed in 1983.
Back on Old Town Square, it’s time for some refreshments or a bite to eat.
Pařížská Street is THE place to be if you are into shopping. Forget about Paris shopping. Here you have an excellent choice of high-end shopping offering merchandise from Louis Vuitton to Burberry and more.

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Maisel Synagogue went through many facelifts since its construction in the late sixteenth century.
Pinkas Synagogue (1535) is Prague’s second oldest surviving Synagogue.
Old Cemetery Street is great for souvenir shopping.

Travel Tip(s)

To see the inside of Maisel Synagogue you need to buy a ticket on-site. The ticket gives you entry to five synagogues (excluding Old-New Synagogue), the Robert Guttman Gallery, the Ceremonial Hall, and the Old Jewish Cemetry. Now, this is value for your buck!

The Jewish Town Hall dates to 1586 – what a treasure!
Old-New Synagogue also called the Altneuschul, is Europe’s oldest active synagogue.
Franz Kafka Monument – Forty-two moving levels of this 11-meter-high sculpture line up to form the face of the famous Czech writer Franz Kafka.
The Spanish Synagogue was built in 1868 on the grounds of the Old School, Prague’s oldest Jewish chapel.

Travel Tip(s)

Look for free cancellation options: Some hotels offer free cancellation up until a certain date. Booking accommodations with free cancellation can provide flexibility in case your plans change.

Check the map view: Booking.com has a map view feature that shows the location of hotels. This can help you identify accommodations in areas that are both desirable and affordable.

pros and cons of taking a self-guided walking tour

Pros

Your time is your own. You start when it suits you, stop for a coffee when it suits you, and even squeeze a bit of shopping in, that is if you like.
There is no set time to start or finish. Thus, if you want to sleep late, so be it. Whether it takes you two or eight hours to complete the tour, it’s fine. As long as you have fun!
You have no strangers on tour with you. Nobody to consider, it’s just you.
Having said that, you can of course invite a friend or partner to enjoy the tour with you. And it comes at no extra cost! Yes, this is so. I did the Prague Old town and Jewish quarter tour on my own, but next time I’ll have my partner join me in Lisbon.
Once paid for, you get an easy guide to download the application to your mobile phone. No having to run after a tour guide. With your mobile phone in your hand, you see and do as you please.
Part of your tour package is an easy-to-follow map that guides you to the next attraction of the tour.
Another benefit of the tour package is the fascinating legendary stories about every attraction. No tour guide was needed because the information about the attractions was beyond my expectations. Highly informative!
Oh, before I forget… Perhaps you don’t have, or forgot, your earphones in the hotel room, or if you don’t want to listen to the audio, no stress. It is also available in text and part of the tour package on your mobile phone at the click of a button.
The tour package excludes tickets to the various attractions. It’s a big benefit because once again you decide what you get to see and do. For example, if libraries are not your thing, then you don’t buy an admission ticket to the Clementinum (Klementinum) Library. As easy as that.

Cons

Hard as I tried to find the Prague Meridian, I was unsuccessful. There were many tourists at the time, so they were crowding it and that’s why I did not see it. Next time!

That said, if I had more time, I would have seen it. So, it is not really a con.

Quite frankly, there are no cons!

Want to explore the other side of Prague?

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So, Prague Old Town & Jewish Quarter self-guided walking tour was my first of the kind. I’ve been on many tours, guided and self-guided (but without We Go Trip’s audio package).

Will I buy another self-guided walking tour? You bet I will.

Will I want to tell others about this way of exploring new destinations? Without any doubt. I highly recommend self-guided walking tours, specifically that of We Go Trip.

My take-away from this experience was super positive. I look forward to my next self-guided walking tour and adventure.

I greet you with a few links, so you have the same awesome experience. Booking is super easy.