If you are heading to Prague then you probably want to try some amazing traditional food. Where can you go to make sure the food you are eating is authentic Czech food and not just mediocre tourist fare? These are some of the best restaurants to try Czech food in Prague and they all have something a little bit special.
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6 Reasons Prague is the Perfect Christmas City Break
When the cold sets in, and the darkness brings the fairy lights to life, it is time to get your festive on! Now, Prague is a wonderful city to visit at any time of year (more Prague content coming soon) but we think it is especially magical at Christmas. “Why?”, I hear you cry! Let us share 6 reasons Prague is the perfect Christmas city break.
Looking for something a little more foody? Check out 6 Best Restaurants to Try Great Czech Food in Prague!
Prague is Easy to Get To
Assuming you are flying from the UK, you will be able to travel to Prague, direct from more than 10 different airports. On our recent trip, we took flights to Prague with Jet2.com. It was a reasonably short flight, just two hours. Best of all, flights to Prague won’t cost you a bundle. Flights from all over the UK can be really cheap! I’d call that a good start to a perfect Christmas city break.
Prague is Chilly
Now in my opinion, if you are going on the perfect Christmas city break, you need some winter chill. Red noses are particularly festive, and warm drinks to thaw your fingers are a real treat. Plus, how can you feel cosy inside when it is warm outside!?
Prague is, on average, between +2C/-2C in December. That is cold enough to get some snow if there are clouds, but not too cold to regret your life decisions. It is worth remembering that when you visit the castle (up on a hill) it is always pretty windy, so it would be wise to bring a few extra warm bits for the day you explore it.
Look, we got snow!!
View this post on InstagramWhen the snow starts to fall in Prague, the city goes from beautiful to a true fairytale. _____________________________ Prague is so beautiful that even the primary schools are totally photogenic. ______________________________ #prague #jet2pics #jet2prague #pragueczechrepublic #czechrepublic #czechia #sponsored #praha🇨🇿 #praha #baroque #baroquearchitecture #architectureporn
Prague is Great Value
OK, so Germany may get all the glory around Christmas time, but it is not a very cheap country to visit. The Czech Republic has a much kinder cost of living! If you are sick of paying £6 for a mulled wine at London’s Winter Wonderland, and don’t want to substitute it for €6 cup of gluhwein in Germany, then how about a £2.00 cup in Prague! It’s not just the wine that is a bargain; everything will seem pleasantly priced.
- A travel ticket, that will get you unlimited public transport for three whole days, costs less than £10. You probably wouldn’t even need to spend that much, as the main areas of Prague are well within walking of each other.
- Going with a group of friends? You can get a dorm bed in a hostel for just £6, including breakfast! If you are out for a party then for a bar crawl, with a couple of hours of drinks included, you will probably pay around £18.
- If you are coming with a significant other, and want to stay somewhere special, then a room in a fancy hotel like the Occidental Praha Wilson (available through Jet2holidays) starts at £75. It is located right on Wenceslas Square, opposite the National Museum.
- Dinner can be cheap and filling. With so many dumpling variations, and good hearty pub meals a staple, you could fill up for as little as £4. The fanciest place in town (the Savoy Cafe) does a five-course menu with wine pairings, and even that only just tops £50….worth every penny by the way.
Prague has Some Wonderful Christmas Markets
There is something about Christmas markets that really makes us feel festive. Is it the smell of warm beverages? The cheery spirit of the people wandering around staring at the stalls? The stalls themselves, stuffed with glittering gifts? Or is it the sweet treats on offer? In Prague, it is all of the above. The biggest and best Christmas market is located in the old town square.
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One warming, sugary delight, you will see everywhere is the intriguing TrdelnÃk (or Chimney cake/spit cake). It is sold as a traditional Czech dessert but it actually only made a big splash here in the last few years. It is actually from Hungary, but that doesn’t make it any less fascinating to watch, or delicious to eat! You can get these tubes of job stuffed full of ice cream, or just as they are. We had great fun peeling it in sections to share.Â
Glinting and glistening across the markets, you will see stalls stocked with traditional glass baubles. Glass from the Czech Republic, sometimes called Bohemian glass, is world-renowned. Glass production in this part of the world has been around since the 13th century. Did you know, they invented the champagne flute. Cheers to that! Hand-blown glass ornaments have only been around since the 19th century, but they have taken all that knowledge gained over 600 years and turned out the most stunning decorations to take home for your tree. What better way to remember your perfect Christmas city break.
Oh, and don’t forget that mulled wine, hot punch and warm apple cider!
View this post on InstagramPrague is a Fairytale City
Fairytales are woven into our Christmas traditions. For some, t wouldn’t be December without a trip to the panto and I can’t get through without some form of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, not to mention the whole Night Before Christmas thing. It is not often you get to live out your fairytales, but Prague is gorgeous! Stroll around its twisting, cobbled streets and you’ll be taken back in time.
The Old Town
Spanning both sides of the Vitava river, the picturesque streets of Prague will continue to surprise and delight you. Whether you are looking at the wonderfully restored black and white mosaic pavements, or up at the brightly coloured buildings, it is a very attractive city. Keep an eye out for the traditional building signs. Used before reading was common, these signs (like English pub signs) illustrated the name of the building to the public. Need your gold smithed or your violin restrung then look for the golden chalice or three violins.
The Castle
Prague’s castle is the symbol of the city. Parts of it date back to the 10th century. You can enter the complex and the gothic St. Vitus Cathedral for free but we would highly recommend getting a ticket to the whole complex. It is huge (7 hectares) and it has some wonderful medieval streets. We got the chance to see some ancient torture implements and shoot a crossbow. OK, so that isn’t that festive, but it is fun all year! The most popular activity at the castle is the changing of the guards. This happens at 12 noon every day and is accompanied by a triumphant miliatary score.
What we did find was another pretty Christmas market in the shadow of the cathedral.
St. Vitus Cathedral 
Prague’s Christmas Traditions
Beyond Prague’s many year-round attractions (KGB museum anyone) there is so much to learn, just about Christmas here. Let’s start with Wenceslas Square.
Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas isn’t just a funny name that scans well as a Christmas carol lyric, he was a real person. Duke Wenceslas (a Latinised version of his name) was a Duke of Bohemia who lived in the 900s. He really was known as Wenceslas the Good and ruled Bohemia until he was assassinated by his brother Boleslaus the Cruel. You think he would see it coming with that kind of nickname.
After his death, his good reputation was spread and exulted until he was sainted, solidifying his reputation. The story of the St. Stephen’s Day Feast (Boxing Day/26th Dec)Â may have stemmed from for a real-life event, or be completely made up, but his square has become a focal point for the city of Prague. People gather here for popular protests, perhaps to ask those in power to consider what a good ruler looks like? You can see too, there is a statue of the saint in the square.
The Christmas market that sat in the centre of the square (which is actually a huge rectangle). Traditions
One thing you won’t around Prague is grottos. Father Christmas really isn’t a thing here. Instead, the Czech’s believe that the little baby Jesus is the one who brings the presents…and you can’t sit on that lap! They also don’t have their main celebration on 25th December. A big meal is eaten on Christmas Eve and it is during this time, Little Jesus, ( JežÃÅ¡ek) leaves the presents under the tree.
If you are visiting on 5th December then keep your eyes peeled for Saint Nicolas (again, not the guy in the red suit). This is the actual Saint Nicolas who arrives with angels and devils to see the children. If they have been good, they might get a present or some oranges in their shoes. If they have been bad, then the devil might give them a lump of coal. In the old days, that may have been a useful addition to the family fire, these days? It is just a messy insult.
Final Thoughts on What Makes Prague the Perfect Christmas City Break
If you want to see Prague for yourself, here is some information you might like to know
- Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It is nestled in the centre of Europe, landlocked by five other countries including Poland and Germany.
- The currency in the Czech Republic is the Czech Koruna
- The Czech Republic is GMT +1. That means you won’t be suffering jet lag from the UK too badly…if at all.
- Prague’s high season is in summer, with the May festival the busiest time of all. If you visit in December, you will have a much more relaxed trip with shorter queues, cheaper prices and a chance to see the changing of the guard at the caste. (Come in summer and you’ll have to turn up REALLY early).
- We flew to Prague from Manchester with Jet2. Their website is a good place to start your flight search. (check out our full Jet2 flight review here) They also have Jet2 City Breaks where they can arrange your flights and hotel. Jet2holidays can make your perfect Christmas city break to Prague super easy!
Prague isn’t just a great place to visit for the perfect Christmas city Break, there is SO much to see and do. I am going to write a few more posts about the fun and games to be had around the city so keep your eyes peeled for those.
We were guests of Jet2 City Breaks for this trip, but all opinions are entirely our own.
Rosie xx
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A Review of Jet2 Boeing 757-200 MAN – PRG
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is just a couple of hours flight away from the UK, but stroll through its fairytale streets in the snow, and you will feel a million miles away from home. I was given the opportunity, with Jet2, to take in the architecture, sip on a few cups of gluhwein and experience a new city – I was there with bells on! Read all about our trip in 6 Reasons Prague is the Perfect Christmas City Break
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, welcome to Jet2”.
(Yes their announcements said that, and yes, it made me happy).
Airport Experience
Mixing things up a little, I flew out of Manchester airport for this trip. Jet2 operate out of two terminals at Manchester airport. The majority of their flights depart from T1 but a few destinations are from T2. These were well signposted from the train station. I then got myself in a small tizz. Half of the airline’s check-in from another floor, and it was here that I got confused. I followed people into a lift, without paying any attention and had to find my way back down to the ground floor for the Jet2 desks.
The gentleman who checked us in was incredibly cheery and made the experience very enjoyable. It was nice to have a chatty check-in agent, rather than the minimal interactions we are often greeted with. Was it because we were “up North” or is it just the normal way Jet2’s agents are?
I had originally packed into hand luggage, partly out of habit and partly because I was thinking of Jet2 as a budget airline. Happily, we were given a 22kg checked bag along with a 10kg hand luggage, and a personal item. I could have packed my whole wardrobe…almost. This was my first pleasant surprise and my first indication that Jet2 is a value airline, not a budget one.
I checked my hand luggage bag in, and went handsfree for the journey, just carrying my little rucksack and my coat in a carrier bag. So far, so easy.
Interior
Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the interior of the plane. There wasn’t any mood lighting or anything, but they had Christmas pop songs playing, and the crew gave us a wonderfully warm welcome. I didn’t know it was possible to feel festive on a flight, but this felt jolly.
The Boeing 757-200 is a very long, thin plane. There are over 40 rows and only one aisle. Luckily, there were two boarding doors so it didn’t take too long to board or disembark. We flew on a Delta Boeing 757 just a few days prior to this, and it took almost 20 minutes to clear the plane.
Seats
The seats are leatherette, with an alternating pattern of grey and red. I quite liked the effect.
The seats 
There was a pretty standard amount of leg room for a short-haul flight. The exit seats had quite a bit, so if you need it, I would advise you to book one of those. There is no recline, and that is also worth bearking in mind if you need a lot of room.
Looking at the seat back, it took me a second to realise that it was without a back panel. Instead, you just see the shape of the seat bucket in front of you. I’ve seen a few seats like this and I suppose they save weight? Looking at the picture, I can see that they have done the same with the armrests. I noticed that they were a little thin at the time, but I hadn’t realised that they were hollow.
There is a magazine rack but don’t store anything in it, as it will fall out again. It is just the kind that is designed to house A4 papers but has no bottom.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a seat back pocket lower down so you will need to keep your bag under the seat in front of you for your bits and bobs.
The cup holder is a metal hoop that hangs from the chair back. I have mixed feelings about it. I like that it doesn’t wobble, or tip your drink forward like some plastic models, but it feels a bit like an afterthought.
The tray table itself was simple to use and very sturdy with the standard locking arm.
Storage
There is always a struggle for overhead locker space on a flight to a cold destination. People tend to have large coats and stuff the lockers full. Thank goodness I could check my bag in. The locker themselves were standard size but our fellow passengers just didn’t use them properly.
Despite the free luggage allowance, lots of people still had full size carry on bags and towards the end of boarding, there were some reshuffles to do so everyone could fit their things in the overhead bins. I did like that they had elastic stretched across the front of each locker, preventing things from falling out when the lockers were opened.
Windows
OK, there isn’t loads to say about these, they are standard windows but I thought this would be worth mentioning.
On our outbound flight, we were in row 19, and this was the window view:
That’s fine if you are in the window seat itself, but I was in the middle seat and couldn’t see out at all. When the person next to me leaned against it for a nap, it was totally blocked.
On the way back, I was in the middle seat again, but this time in row 21, and the view was considerably better. Something to consider if a view is important to you.
1.5 windows Entertainment
Beyond the in-flight magazine and duty-free shopping, there was no entertainment available. Bring your phone/book/iPad to keep yourself entertained.
Food and Drinks
Jet2 sell a variety of snacks on board. You can also preorder hot meals but as it was an afternoon flight, I’d already eaten lunch.
Looking for food when you land in Prague? Check out 6 Best Restaurants to Try Great Czech Food in Prague!
I just stuck to what I know best, the bar.
They serve a range of drinks, and happily, among them is my favourite brand of prosecco – I heart wines! I was very overexcited when I clocked it in the menu. It tasted different at altitude, but was still rather tasty and very appreciated!
Not quite as classy as I like to think but that metal ring came in helpful when we hit mild turbulence. Final Thoughts
I believe that it is worth mentioning; Jet2 should be immensely proud of its staff who were kind, friendly and unfailingly enthusiastic. It was a very refreshing change and they got us all the way to Prague with a smile.
If you are thinking of travelling with Jet2, here is some information that you might like to know.
- You will find the best deals on flights to Prague (and their other destinations) directly on the Jet2.com website.
- Jet2 flies from 9 airports in the UK to 50 destinations in 19 countries. The Jet2 flights hub is in Manchester, (check out their routes here) but they are expanding their network from London Stansted.
- Jet2 tries to operate flights at reasonable hours. That means no half nights of sleep or running to catch the last train!
- Jet2 have been receiving awards right, left and centre. Which awarded them Best Travel Brand of the Year, and Tripadvisor gave them Best Airline – UK. Looks like we will be hearing a lot more about them.
- Jet2 are about to take delivery of a new fleet of 787s. In fact, it is listed from January 2019, so maybe they already have!
- They don’t just do flights, but package holidays, city breaks and villas as well.
When I consider it against the UK’s biggest airline, and their short haul offering, I would pick Jet2 every…single…time. (You can read all about our most recent flight with British Airways here).
Jet2 definitely exceeded my expectations. The plane was bigger than I thought, the luggage allowance was bigger than I thought, and the choices for food and beverages were bigger than I thought as well!
We were guests of Jet2 on this flight but all opinions are entirely my own.
Rosie xx
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Why Staying in Hostels is NOT as Bad as You Think
Let me start by saying, I have stayed in all manner of hotels, guesthouses, hostels, campsites and apartments. I have nothing against any accommodation option (although I may skip camping in deepest, darkest winter). I think that, of all of them, hostels have the worst reputation and I would love to change the mind of someone out there. Here are some of the reasons I love them with some honourable mentions for hostels that excel in a certain category. Following that are my top 4 hostel stays around the world…so far. Read on to discover why staying in hostels is NOT as bad as you think.
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