Prague, Sprung

This year, the Haley-Halley-Prendiville Tour hits the hotspots of a Czech city suffering sunstroke…

A year ago this Anglo-Irish family reunion met up on the shores of Lake Garda. This time the Irish contingent chose a city destination from their bucket list, and kindly invited this English hanger-on again…

The last time I was in Prague, it was so cold people didn’t even need to pick up their dog poo; it froze immediately, enabling them to kick it into the gutter without marking their Guccis. This time that was definitely not on. It was so hot you could fry your schnitzel on the cobblestones paving every street here. Indeed we felt sorry for the feet of those little pooches forced to go walkies in this heat.

And that’s how this city rolls: artic winters and scorchio summers…and it’s still only spring!

Fortunately the cold beer still flows in a thousand Prague bars and the wine’s not bad either - all at a price that won’t break the budget of the average stag or hen party - nor that of our merry band of 4 Irish pensioners and me myself.

We of course were in bed before most ‘stags and ‘hens hit peak hedonism and it’s a weekday package so we dodged the messy weekend parties. However, as we departed on a Friday when the sultry heat continued to burn the scantily clad bodies of revellers everywhere, there was plenty evidence that Prague’s reputation as a good time destination was intact. Oh to be 20 again..

There’s more here than beer of course. Reminiscent of our tour around other great cities from the Austro-Hungarian Empire last year, Prague’s imposing baroque/gothic architecture survived the Nazi and Communist abuse and stands as dignified as any mini Viennese masterpiece - an easy walkable city framed by the Vlata river and its many bridges curling round it. Cultural and hedonistic fun for all ages!

We wouldn’t include ‘culinary’ on that list of plus points - unless you’re happy with pizza and pork knuckles every day - but hey, there’s enough variety to please anyone but a Michelin judge maybe? And again, this is one of the cheaper European cities in an increasingly pricey continent.

Do’s and Dont’s, or things to waste time on in Prague:

Stand in an expectant crowd of tourists at 20 minutes before the hour, waiting for the fancy 15th century astronomical clock in the Old Town Square to go through its paces on the hour. “Jayzus what an anticlimax!”we heard many voices proclaim, in many different languages, other than Irish. But you’ve gotta do it, at least once. Just don’t buy a beer opposite just to watch it, at astronomical prices.

Do leave your heels at home; you’ll kill yourself on these cobbles.

Do bring your trainers - you’ll get a lot of steps in!

Don’t bother with the Museum of Communism. Here’s the synopsis: Czech people suffered badly under the Nazi’s, then the Russians. There, I’ve saved you £20 each. You’re welcome!

Do find time to go to a concert in one of the many beautiful churches in the city.

Don’t rent a bike - you’ll do damage to your coccyx.

Don’t go into an absinthe bar late at night on your own. You may never be seen again.

Otherwise, this is a clean, efficient, friendly, inexpensive (ok except for the shops that replaced the demolished Jewish ghetto streets: ghetto to Gucci - ironic) modern European city with plenty of cultural pleasures and beautiful things to please anybody not in heels so, if you haven’t already, put Prague on your must-visit-list of the great European cities.

The errant family album: