Prague is all kinds of magic. Pure, wonderful, magic. There are creepy stories and legends, medieval castles and bridges, ancient clocks, delicious food, masterful puppetry and Gothic churches awaiting you in the city of 1000 spires. Prague was everything I hoped it would be and more, (which is really saying something considering that I have general delusions about every place we go...I blame books).
We had so far enjoyed a sneaky couple's date in Prague, a day full of mishap with some friends, and a few adventurous Mummy/Daddy dates. Before we left the Czech Republic, I was determined to experience a perfect family day in one of my favourite European cities!
Were my expectations too high? Yes, but that's nothing new.
Did we have an extremely tight budget because all our finances recently collapsed? Unfortunately, yes.
Did we indeed experience a perfect mishap-free day as a family?
Is that even possible for us??
YES!!
Here are 5 budget family adventures for a perfect day in Prague.
Eat food delivered by train.
On our previous day of mishaps we had failed to book ahead at the famous Vytopna restaurant, so second time lucky we were much wiser and made a reservation. Maybe not the most cultural experience to be had in Czech cuisine, but it was new and exciting for us. My kids absolutely loved that our drinks were delivered a-la-train right onto our table on tiny little train tracks. I absolutely loved the gigantic pizzas. Happy food = happy Gilberts.
2. Spend a pocketful of coins for a ride up Petrin Hill
The funicular is a fun way to get to the summit of Petrin Hill and get a great lookout of the city. Petrin Hill is in the centre of the city and is almost entirely covered with parks, it's a great recreational spot for families. We had tried to accomplish this activity on a previous visit and had been thwarted by a lack of coins. This time, we came prepared!
We arrived on time and with the right change - miracles never cease!
3. Ride a pretty pony.
Directly on the top of Petrin Hill was a lovely little pony riding ensemble. I had 5 little kids with me and a horse-ride around the top of Prague was what their dreams seemed to be made of. Thankfully the Czech Republic is incredibly affordable and at just over $2 a ride, we could make their dreams come true.
I am all about creepy stories and the delicious food of Prague, and after my last attempt to ride a horse in the Czech Republic when I had almost been bucked off a giant mutant horse...I was happy to leave the riding adventure for my kids. The ponies were small and gentle and the smiles on the faces of my kids made my heart so happy.
4. Mirror Maze.
At this time in our life we had been hit with an unbelievable financial catastrophe. The company that Ross had worked for and in which we had invested a large sum of money...had collapsed. We had been devastated and for a while considered returning home, but we had already purchased our return tickets ( a huge expense for 7 people traveling from Europe to Australia), and so we decided to stay and make the most of our experience abroad.
Because the Czech Republic is such an affordable country to visit, it was possible for us to still do many activities around the city. Things that we would've had to miss in Australia were actually doable in the Czech Republic on our tight budget.
The Mirror Maze on the top of Petrin Hill was a blast for my kids. I felt so happy and grateful to still be able to play tourist even though we were penny pinching. Ross and my 4 kids got in for about $10. I stayed outside with the baby and walked around the mini Eiffel Tower that Prague has perched on top of the hill.
5. The tiniest museum in the world!
We enjoyed wandering down Petrin Hill, even though it was the end of Autumn and pretty cold, Prague is always magical!
As we made our way down, we discovered the most incredible museum, the most incredible tiny museum!
The Museum of Miniatures in Prague was wonderful!! It is located in the Strahov Monastery in Prague 1. Along the walls are a collection of tiny artworks and creations that you need a microscope to see, my kids were fascinated. Well, everyone except the baby, he rolled around on the floor and made a general nuisance of himself.
We were sad to leave Prague, and corny as it is, I left a piece of my heart there. I loved it completely. It was a wonderful place to take my family and an especially great place for those on a budget. Amazingly, my family did actually manage to have a fairly disaster free day! No-one puked, pooped their pants, hurt themselves or got lost. It didn't pour with rain and the baby didn't scream. We even made it on time and we managed to have quite a few fun family adventures! It was the magic, the Magic of Prague telling us to come back one day. I am already dreaming...
Do you know of any other fantastic things to do in Prague?
Which activity would your family like the best? Let us know in the comments!
For more information on the Petrin Hill and lookout tower, click HERE.
To get swept away on a Czech adventure of your own, make sure to check out our awesome Book-Blog post - Bohemian Tales.
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