We’ve been a lot of places with our kids, and we’ve loved a lot of them. But there is one place that stands out in our hearts and that is Prague, Czech Republic. All of the places we visited were beautiful and wonderful to visit but what was magical about Prague was that it was the only place where we said (almost simultaneously) “I could totally live here.”
Going to Prague with kids will always be one of our most memorable trips.
We took our kids to Prague when Honeybun was nearly 3 years old and Sugarplum was 10 months and it was one of the more relaxing trips we took, despite staying constantly busy. We flew in and took the train to the main train station then walked to our hotel. Knowing we would be doing the train and possibly buses and trollies, we borrowed an umbrella stroller from a friend and brought two buggies instead of our large (and extremely heavy) double buggy.
We arrived mid-day and checked into our hotel before heading out for the afternoon. We stayed at the Marriott, which was one of the only times we stayed at an American chain while traveling (we usually preferred smaller, independent and cheaper hotels or cheaper European chains like the Novotel which include breakfast).
We headed towards the Old Town Square to see the Astronomical clock which is housed in the Old Town Hall and is the oldest working astronomical clock. We just barely missed the clock performance (which happens every hour and is similar to the Glockenspiel in Munich) so decided to do the City Hall tour which includes being able to go inside the clock where the apostles which appear each hour hide in between which fascinated the girls. We also toured the historical halls though skipped the underground (I really don’t remember why!)
After our visit to the city hall we headed towards the Jewish Quarter. We didn’t tour any of the buildings but there is Jewish Museum ticket which allows access into many of the historical synagogues and ceremonial hall. The area is filled with many great little shops and street vendors and we bought many souvenirs including Bohemian crystal bowls for the girls but the highlight of the area is definitely the cemetery. The cemetery is walled and can be viewed through small windows in the wall and is packed with tombstones which have been reset and moved up as layer upon layer of graves were laid on top of each other.
The next morning we tried to visit the Marionette Museum but it was closed at the time and while I wished we could have attended a marionette show, it wasn’t possible with the girls but we did buy Honeybun a marionette doll as a souvenir.
We then headed toward Charles Bridge which links Prague Castle with the Old Town and is the oldest bridge in Prague. We climbed up the Old Town Bridge tower (many of Prague’s towers can be climbed). There were little exhibits along the climb and offered 360° views above the city.
After crossing the bridge and buying a painting direct from the artist, we headed up the hill (it’s a BIG hill!) towards the Strahov Monastery which sits high above. The walk up with the buggies was treacherous but we made it (though hubby kicked Honeybun out and made her walk so he could carry the buggy!). There is a brewery up there that we were unable to locate but we had a nice little lunch overlooking the city.
After lunch we took the Funicular up to the top of Petrin Hill which holds many sites including the Petrin Lookout Tower (a mini Eiffel Tower) and The Mirror Labyrinth. The mirrored maze is housed in a castle-like building and though small, we all really enjoyed it.
We wrapped up the night with a visit back to the astronomical clock (we got to see it in action this time!) and dinner in the old town. We enjoyed sitting outside and enjoying our meals (and sometimes an afternoon beer) and many of the restaurants make their own iced tea which is usually a slightly sweet concoction infused with mint.
The next day we climbed back up the hill and visited Prague Castle. The castle area is enormous with many, many buildings to visit. We easily spent all day there including having lunch and watching the changing of the guard. 
While the St. Vitus Cathedral was stunning and the Old Royal Palace was interesting, the area that stole our hearts was the Golden Lane which contains many small houses, shops and exhibits and feels like you are stepping back in time.
That evening we also wandered out to Wenceslas Square though it was not a highlight of our trip. The main square of the New Town is very commercial and busy, a stark difference from the charm and easiness of the Old Town, Castle District, Jewish Quarter and Mala Strana areas where we had spent the majority of our visit.
