A month in the Czech Republic and Italy
Oct 29th, 2018, 12:12 PM
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A month in the Czech Republic and Italy
My wife, Meredith, and I are back home after a fantastic month in the Czech Republic and Italy. The wonderful thing about returning to places you’ve been before is that you don’t have the pressure of fitting in all the “have to” attractions people normally do on a first trip. We went on some cool adventures, from exploring the underground caves of Plzen, to rowing an ancient boat in the canals of Venice at night. This was also our first trip without a rental car. I wasn’t sure how well that would go, but all of our trains were on time, comfortable and hassle-free (no ZTLs!). I’ve got tons of pics, but am not sure how to load them or if just the narrative will do.
We flew from SFO to Prague and took a car service (Comfy Prague Tours) to our first stop, Plzen, Czech Republic, where they've been brewing beer since 1295. It is the birthplace of pilsner beer and home to the Pilsner Urquell brewery. A special tour of the brewery takes you into the underground cellars where the first pilsner was brewed in open vats and conditioned in 50 hectoliter (1300 gals.) wooden barrels. They have a modern brewery above ground, but they still brew a relatively small amount of beer the same way it was done in 1842. One of the brewers tapped a barrel for us and we got a taste of unpasteurized, naturally fermented history.
Plzen also has a complex network of underground tunnels, wells, and rooms dug in the Middle Ages. You can enter by a door in almost any house and come up almost anywhere inside the city walls. Over the centuries they have been used to store food, ferment beer, hide from invaders, and organize against Nazis and Soviets. We toured only a small portion (hard hat required) and that took almost an hour.
Traditional Czech food is not exactly low cal, pretty much always meat and potatoes in some form with a beer. One full meal a day was about all we could handle. I had to try the pork knee at least once. It’s roasted in dark beer for 4-5 hours, tastes wonderful and is inexpensive. Dinner for two usually ran about $25-$30. Half liters of beer go for $1.50 to $2.00.
We flew from SFO to Prague and took a car service (Comfy Prague Tours) to our first stop, Plzen, Czech Republic, where they've been brewing beer since 1295. It is the birthplace of pilsner beer and home to the Pilsner Urquell brewery. A special tour of the brewery takes you into the underground cellars where the first pilsner was brewed in open vats and conditioned in 50 hectoliter (1300 gals.) wooden barrels. They have a modern brewery above ground, but they still brew a relatively small amount of beer the same way it was done in 1842. One of the brewers tapped a barrel for us and we got a taste of unpasteurized, naturally fermented history.
Plzen also has a complex network of underground tunnels, wells, and rooms dug in the Middle Ages. You can enter by a door in almost any house and come up almost anywhere inside the city walls. Over the centuries they have been used to store food, ferment beer, hide from invaders, and organize against Nazis and Soviets. We toured only a small portion (hard hat required) and that took almost an hour.
Traditional Czech food is not exactly low cal, pretty much always meat and potatoes in some form with a beer. One full meal a day was about all we could handle. I had to try the pork knee at least once. It’s roasted in dark beer for 4-5 hours, tastes wonderful and is inexpensive. Dinner for two usually ran about $25-$30. Half liters of beer go for $1.50 to $2.00.
Oct 29th, 2018, 12:14 PM
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After three days in Plzen we took the train to Prague. We took the tram to Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral (started in 930, finished 1344) on the hill overlooking the city. One night, we took the Taste of Prague Tradition Czech Food tour with Jan. They limit the size of tours to eight people, so we felt like we were in a progressive dinner party. Jan was born in the CR and related a good deal of local culture as we made our way from one stop to another. Some things we discovered: Prague has 1.25 million people, similar to San Francisco but without the homelessness or violent crime. They have a sales tax of 21%! A few of the things they get for that: great universal healthcare, free public education through college, if you get an MA or Phd., they reimburse all expenses and (drum roll, please) three years maternity leave, PAID! Their urban transportation is the envy of any large city--light rail, bus and subway are interconnected, clean and safe. Even if we missed one, we never had to wait more than five minutes for the next to come along.
We are big fans of Alphonse Mucha. He did a lot of commercial art at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. However, his greatest works were civic art. Much of it was created to express the uniqueness of Slav culture and to celebrate Czech heritage in the face of political domination by Austria-Hungary and then Germany. He incorporated the stories of Czech history into his paintings and architecture. You’ll find examples of his artistic genius in his window in St. Vitus Cathedral and the Municipal House (first seat of the Czech government after the Treaty of Versailles). We were able to see part about half of his Slav Epic, a series of 21 monumental canvases. The other half was on display in Brno. My understanding is that the entire Slav Epic is slated to be reunited under one roof in Prague soon.
We are big fans of Alphonse Mucha. He did a lot of commercial art at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. However, his greatest works were civic art. Much of it was created to express the uniqueness of Slav culture and to celebrate Czech heritage in the face of political domination by Austria-Hungary and then Germany. He incorporated the stories of Czech history into his paintings and architecture. You’ll find examples of his artistic genius in his window in St. Vitus Cathedral and the Municipal House (first seat of the Czech government after the Treaty of Versailles). We were able to see part about half of his Slav Epic, a series of 21 monumental canvases. The other half was on display in Brno. My understanding is that the entire Slav Epic is slated to be reunited under one roof in Prague soon.
Oct 29th, 2018, 12:40 PM
#3
"It is the birthplace of pilsner beer and home to the Pilsner Urquell brewery."
Looking forward to more.
I've been craving dark Urquell on tap since our visit in 2008. I think it's my most favorite pivo ever.
Looking forward to more.
I've been craving dark Urquell on tap since our visit in 2008. I think it's my most favorite pivo ever.
Oct 29th, 2018, 01:15 PM
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The Pilsner Urquell in the cellars is open fermented in wooden vats and seemed maltier than what's available on tap. It was delicious. I like it but ended up switching to Kozel (a dark PU beer) for the rest of our time in Plzen and Prague. We also went to the Uflecku and St. Norbert breweries. Dark beer at both and sessionable by American standards.
Oct 30th, 2018, 07:31 AM
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From Prague, we headed to Vienna for an afternoon and then south on the overnight train to Italy. Our first stop was Siena, the largest of Tuscany's hilltowns. It is famous for the Palio held there each summer. There are two large churches in Siena. The Basilica of San Domenico greeted us from our apartment's bedroom windows with a choral of bells each morning at 7:30 sharp. The 14th century Duomo of Siena is the main church in town and holds a magnificent array of sculpture and paintings by Donatello, Pisano, Michelangelo and others. Of all the churches we've been in through the years, this is my favorite.
I mentioned the Palio in Siena. There are really two horse races, one in July and the other in August (they also held a special one this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI). Each neighborhood or "contrada" in Siena is eligible to compete. There are 17 contrade and 10 spots in the race (chosen by lottery) which is held in the city plaza, Il Campo. There is a great deal of medieval pageantry that takes place in the weeks surrounding the Palio, with drummers and flagbearers marching around town. It all reaches a bit of a frenzy on the day of the race. The horses make a mad dash of three laps around the campo. Jockeys, riding bareback, are allowed to hit and whip each other in an attempt to knock each from their horses. The horse that finishes first, with a rider or not, wins great honor for its contrada. We were fortunate to get a tour of the Nobile Contrada del Bruco and gained a much deeper understanding of the origins of the contrade and the race. If you saw the 007 film Quantum of Solace, you saw shots of a Palio at the beginning of the movie. When they're not running the Palio, the restaurants around Il Campo put out tables on the track. It's a great place to people-watch over a spritz or two or three.
You may have heard food and wine are kind of a big thing in Italy. We spent some time at a couple of small, family run wineries in Chianti. The first was Fattoria Tregole outside Siena. It's run by a mother and daughter in a 12th century villa. They served us lunch in the garden overlooking the Tuscan hillsides. Their Chianti Riserva rivals any we've had. The second winery was outside Florence and part of a day where we toured the winery and then had a cooking class (through Accidental Tourist) in which the six of us made ravioli for dinner. We also witnessed the Carro Matto, the blessing of the Chianti grape harvest, in front of the duomo in Florence.
I mentioned the Palio in Siena. There are really two horse races, one in July and the other in August (they also held a special one this year to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI). Each neighborhood or "contrada" in Siena is eligible to compete. There are 17 contrade and 10 spots in the race (chosen by lottery) which is held in the city plaza, Il Campo. There is a great deal of medieval pageantry that takes place in the weeks surrounding the Palio, with drummers and flagbearers marching around town. It all reaches a bit of a frenzy on the day of the race. The horses make a mad dash of three laps around the campo. Jockeys, riding bareback, are allowed to hit and whip each other in an attempt to knock each from their horses. The horse that finishes first, with a rider or not, wins great honor for its contrada. We were fortunate to get a tour of the Nobile Contrada del Bruco and gained a much deeper understanding of the origins of the contrade and the race. If you saw the 007 film Quantum of Solace, you saw shots of a Palio at the beginning of the movie. When they're not running the Palio, the restaurants around Il Campo put out tables on the track. It's a great place to people-watch over a spritz or two or three.
You may have heard food and wine are kind of a big thing in Italy. We spent some time at a couple of small, family run wineries in Chianti. The first was Fattoria Tregole outside Siena. It's run by a mother and daughter in a 12th century villa. They served us lunch in the garden overlooking the Tuscan hillsides. Their Chianti Riserva rivals any we've had. The second winery was outside Florence and part of a day where we toured the winery and then had a cooking class (through Accidental Tourist) in which the six of us made ravioli for dinner. We also witnessed the Carro Matto, the blessing of the Chianti grape harvest, in front of the duomo in Florence.
Oct 31st, 2018, 08:58 AM
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From Florence we headed to our favorite city in Italy, Venice. Many say it's overrun with tourists as cruise ships dump thousands of people for the day. True, it's shoulder to shoulder walking between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto or along the Strada Nova, but there are still quiet places in this ancient city. Our apartment for the week was off the beaten path in the Santa Croce neighborhood. This is an area of few tourists and many Venetian families. Our second night there, we met up with Nan McElroy of Row Venice for a lesson rowing a voga, the flat-bottomed boat used by Venetians for centuries. Most people think of gondolas when they think of Venice. However, gondolas were the limousines of the rich. The voga was the everyday transport for goods and people in this city without cars. As with a gondola, the voga has no rudder and is rowed while standing up. It's very different from paddling a canoe or kayak. After a quick bit of instruction, Nan, Meredith and I snaked our way from the marina to the Grand Canal, two of us rowing at a time. Not only did we feel as though we were part of an historic tradition, but we got to see this romantic city from a perspective few tourists ever get.
A word about accommodations: So, in a city such as Venice with so many first class hotels, why go to the trouble of renting an apartment? There's no daily maid service, no front desk to call, no in-house restaurant or cocktail lounge. However, with an apartment, you get to live in a neighborhood with locals instead of being insulated from the culture and staying with other tourists. Most important for those of us who love to cook, you get a kitchen! On our first visit to Venice, we were overwhelmed by the abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish brought into Venice daily from the lagoon and outer islands. Since then, we have always rented an apartment so we could prepare and enjoy seafood available nowhere else. Besides taking advantage of this incredible bounty and apartment gives one the feel of being part of the neighborhood. We loved walking in Campo San Giacomo dell' Orio, our neighborhood square, where kids play and adults sit and talk each afternoon and early evening.
We paid homage to the arts while in Venice. Not so much viewing famous paintings (though we did do some of that), as going to the places some of our favorite authors, composers, and performers visited. If you're keen on Charles Dickens, you might like to go to his favorite spot on Piazza San Marco, Caffe Florian. Opened in 1720, it was also a favorite of Casanova because it was the only cafe where unaccompanied women were allowed. When the weather is good, it's a treat to sit outside, have lunch and a spritz, and enjoy the orchestra. Another stop was a hangout for Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, and Orson Wells: Harry's Bar. This is the home of the first bellini, a velvety combination of peach puree and prosecco. The bar's fame far exceeds its actual size. Surprisingly, there were only twelve or so tables for dining and six stools at the bar, two of which we occupied. When we were there, George Clooney..........was not. Our last stop was admittedly a bit fancy. When planning the trip, we thought we should experience opera in Italy at least once. The opera house in Venice, Teatro La Fenice (The Phoenix) dates back to 1792. An arson fire in 1996 left nothing but the exterior walls. Many cities would have replaced the old girl with a more modern structure, but not Venice. Seven years of working 24/7, using the same materials as the original, recreated what was. We were able to see The Barber of Seville in the same place as Rossini premiered it.
A word about accommodations: So, in a city such as Venice with so many first class hotels, why go to the trouble of renting an apartment? There's no daily maid service, no front desk to call, no in-house restaurant or cocktail lounge. However, with an apartment, you get to live in a neighborhood with locals instead of being insulated from the culture and staying with other tourists. Most important for those of us who love to cook, you get a kitchen! On our first visit to Venice, we were overwhelmed by the abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish brought into Venice daily from the lagoon and outer islands. Since then, we have always rented an apartment so we could prepare and enjoy seafood available nowhere else. Besides taking advantage of this incredible bounty and apartment gives one the feel of being part of the neighborhood. We loved walking in Campo San Giacomo dell' Orio, our neighborhood square, where kids play and adults sit and talk each afternoon and early evening.
We paid homage to the arts while in Venice. Not so much viewing famous paintings (though we did do some of that), as going to the places some of our favorite authors, composers, and performers visited. If you're keen on Charles Dickens, you might like to go to his favorite spot on Piazza San Marco, Caffe Florian. Opened in 1720, it was also a favorite of Casanova because it was the only cafe where unaccompanied women were allowed. When the weather is good, it's a treat to sit outside, have lunch and a spritz, and enjoy the orchestra. Another stop was a hangout for Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, and Orson Wells: Harry's Bar. This is the home of the first bellini, a velvety combination of peach puree and prosecco. The bar's fame far exceeds its actual size. Surprisingly, there were only twelve or so tables for dining and six stools at the bar, two of which we occupied. When we were there, George Clooney..........was not. Our last stop was admittedly a bit fancy. When planning the trip, we thought we should experience opera in Italy at least once. The opera house in Venice, Teatro La Fenice (The Phoenix) dates back to 1792. An arson fire in 1996 left nothing but the exterior walls. Many cities would have replaced the old girl with a more modern structure, but not Venice. Seven years of working 24/7, using the same materials as the original, recreated what was. We were able to see The Barber of Seville in the same place as Rossini premiered it.
Nov 1st, 2018, 09:00 AM
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My grandfather used to say, “You can’t see the forest for the trees,” meaning that focusing on the individual parts close to you, doesn’t allow you to appreciate the whole. So it can be with Venice. The Piazza San Marco can be a virtual zoo of tourists with hours-long lines of folks waiting to get into the Doge’s Palace, San Marco Cathedral or take the elevator to the top of the Campanile. A vaporetto ride across the Grand Canal will get you to the tiny island of San Giorgio Maggiore. It has a near twin to the bell tower of Piazza San Marco, has no lines and offers a view far superior to that of the Campanile.
Aside from the main islands, Murano is among the most visited by tourists. Venice was famous early on for its beautiful glass. However, after several catastrophic fires in the city, all glass furnaces were moved to the island of Murano in 1291. Today, tourists are lured here by hawkers around San Marco who offer “free tours” of the glassworks that usually end up in some little shop watching a guy make a tiny horse over a butane torch. Many of the pieces offered for sale are actually from China or Indonesia. The real furnaces and artisans are off the central canal, and in summer, only operate in the cool morning hours.
Giorgio Bruno blew his first glass in his father’s workshop on Murano at the age of fourteen. He has lived on the island his whole life, and currently teaches his craft at the glass school of Murano. He is a master of glass fusion, lampwork, and blown glass. We happened to walk into Giorgio’s shop in 2007 and were amazed at the variety and beauty of the pieces he created. This trip marked our third visit with this lovely man and his family. A fringe benefit of our acquaintanceship is that his wife introduced us to her aunt’s and uncle’s restaurant, Al Corallo, on the island.
Milan was the last stop of our vacation. We were only there for three days before flying home, so we didn't wander too far from our hotel, the Gran Duca di York, in the Duomo area. Highlights included a visit to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Built in 1865, its the coolest mall you'll ever shop. It is also the home of the Campari Bar where Davide Campari introduced his famous liqueur (the key ingredient in my favorite spritz). Peck and Laduree, both a block from the hotel are definitely worth visiting. We also spent a day exploring the Duomo and its museums. Our pass included a trip to the roof of the Duomo for a close-up view of its statue-laden gothic spires and panoramic view of the city. The Duomo took 500 years to build, has just over 3,500 statues, and can hold 40,000 people.
We pretty much chose to do one or two big events in each city and took the time to relax in local cafes or sit in campos. Slow travel has always been our mantra. This time we really stuck to it and can't wait to return.
Aside from the main islands, Murano is among the most visited by tourists. Venice was famous early on for its beautiful glass. However, after several catastrophic fires in the city, all glass furnaces were moved to the island of Murano in 1291. Today, tourists are lured here by hawkers around San Marco who offer “free tours” of the glassworks that usually end up in some little shop watching a guy make a tiny horse over a butane torch. Many of the pieces offered for sale are actually from China or Indonesia. The real furnaces and artisans are off the central canal, and in summer, only operate in the cool morning hours.
Giorgio Bruno blew his first glass in his father’s workshop on Murano at the age of fourteen. He has lived on the island his whole life, and currently teaches his craft at the glass school of Murano. He is a master of glass fusion, lampwork, and blown glass. We happened to walk into Giorgio’s shop in 2007 and were amazed at the variety and beauty of the pieces he created. This trip marked our third visit with this lovely man and his family. A fringe benefit of our acquaintanceship is that his wife introduced us to her aunt’s and uncle’s restaurant, Al Corallo, on the island.
Milan was the last stop of our vacation. We were only there for three days before flying home, so we didn't wander too far from our hotel, the Gran Duca di York, in the Duomo area. Highlights included a visit to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Built in 1865, its the coolest mall you'll ever shop. It is also the home of the Campari Bar where Davide Campari introduced his famous liqueur (the key ingredient in my favorite spritz). Peck and Laduree, both a block from the hotel are definitely worth visiting. We also spent a day exploring the Duomo and its museums. Our pass included a trip to the roof of the Duomo for a close-up view of its statue-laden gothic spires and panoramic view of the city. The Duomo took 500 years to build, has just over 3,500 statues, and can hold 40,000 people.
We pretty much chose to do one or two big events in each city and took the time to relax in local cafes or sit in campos. Slow travel has always been our mantra. This time we really stuck to it and can't wait to return.
Nov 1st, 2018, 10:43 AM
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I am loving your report, but I'm a little sad reading about the flooding occurring in Venice right now. Would you mind sharing a link to your apartment in Venice? I hope to go one day and I save lodging names for destinations on my wishlist.
Nov 2nd, 2018, 09:02 AM
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5alive: Yes, it is sad to see the flooding. However, Venetians seem to take it in stride. Our friend, Giorgio, posted video of Murano on FB. Yesterday, he reported that he had to do some clean up in the shop, but he's open for business. I see Florian is too. The apartment we rented is Ca Guardi in the Casa dei Pittori. For the price, I do not recommend it. The location and layout of the apartment are great, but it needs a good deal of repair. A bunch of little things that taken together don't add up to the fee charged. I posted a lengthy review on TripAdvisor at https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...ce_Veneto.html
Toujours: This was the second time we've taken the overnight train, the Nightjet, from Vienna. The first time we took it to Venice. This time we got off in Florence and then took a regional train to Siena. I believe the Nightjet from Vienna runs all the way to Rome. Both times we had a compartment and really enjoyed the experience. The Nightjet now offers compartments with WC and shower, so you're not having to share with the rest of the car. By booking well in advance directly with OBB (https://www.oebb.at/en/), we saved about half on the tickets. Remember when you're looking at the price, you're getting transportation and a room for the night. BTW, we also bring wine and snacks and have a bit of a picnic before bedtime.
Toujours: This was the second time we've taken the overnight train, the Nightjet, from Vienna. The first time we took it to Venice. This time we got off in Florence and then took a regional train to Siena. I believe the Nightjet from Vienna runs all the way to Rome. Both times we had a compartment and really enjoyed the experience. The Nightjet now offers compartments with WC and shower, so you're not having to share with the rest of the car. By booking well in advance directly with OBB (https://www.oebb.at/en/), we saved about half on the tickets. Remember when you're looking at the price, you're getting transportation and a room for the night. BTW, we also bring wine and snacks and have a bit of a picnic before bedtime.
Last edited by greytop13; Nov 2nd, 2018 at 09:17 AM.
Nov 3rd, 2018, 08:07 AM
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I doubt they will stop it judging from the number of passengers who were on it when we travelled in mid September. If you use the OBB website, you'll see different trains on the same route. One advantage of the Nightjet is that you won't have to switch trains and can therefore get a reasonable amount of sleep. It's also nice to have the porter bring you a light breakfast in the morning.
