2026 Passage to Eastern Europe - Day #3 - Prague, Czech Republic

Up and moving fairly early, we walked to breakfast at the Bella Vida Cafe in Lessor Town. We both had scrambled eggs. It was raining lightly as we walked to breakfast.

From there, we walked along the Vltava River to the Charles Bridge. The Charles Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge that has crossed the Vltava River since its construction began in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV. It is famous for the avenue of 30 predominantly baroque statues that line its balustrades, depicting various saints and patron figures. Guarded by three impressive gothic towers, the bridge serves as a vital pedestrian link between Prague's Old Town and the Lesser Town.


Rick Steves' book on Prague describes the Jewish Quarter as the finest selection of Jewish sites in Europe, featuring various synagogues and an evocative cemetery. Given that the Viking excursions don't included any of the sites, we focused on this area in the morning.

We visited the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Syngogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Old-New Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue. Surprised by the scale, I was moved and impressed by the Old Jewish Cemetery.


From the Jewish Quarter, we headed to the Old Town Square. The main square of Old World Prague includes the Astronomical Clock and the Jan Hus Memorial.


With a nice dinner planned, we looked for somewhere to have a snack. We ended up in the Ugelt (the couryard behind the Tyn Church) at the Bella Pausa Restaurant. We split a Tagliere di Salumi e Formaggi: a mixed board of cold cuts (salumi) and cheeses (formaggi).

One of the advantages of coming in early and being on our own is that Sharon can shop as we wander along. After the light lunch, Sharon spent some time shopping for crystal and garnets, two Czech specialities. While she shopped, I walked back to watch the Astronomical Clock ring in the hour.

Eventually, we headed back to the room to get cleaned up for dinner. We finished the day with dinner at La Degustation Boheme Bourgeoise. The restaurant is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Prague's Old Town that offers a sophisticated exploration of Czech culinary heritage. Led by Executive Chef Oldřich Sahajdák, the restaurant is famous for revitalizing 19th-century recipes—specifically those from Marie B. Svobodová's The Art of Bohemian Cuisine—and reimagining them with modern techniques. The experience is centered around a seasonal tasting menu that emphasizes local ingredients sourced from Czech farmers, gatherers, and hunters.

Wandering back to the hotel, we started to watch the final round of the Masters on SkyTV Sports. Sharon has been obsessed with this year's Masters. By the time, we crashed it was after 11 pm.