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Czech Republic

New Year's Eve in Prague

Program No. 19240RJ
Celebrate New Year’s in one of the world’s most treasured cities, discovering rich cultural history, magnificent art and traditional Czech food both with the experts and on your own.
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Start
HolidaysSmall GroupCity Discoveries
Length
9 days
Rating (4.83)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,599
Flights start at
1,350
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
16 meals ( 7B, 4L, 5D )
1 expert-led lecture
9 expert-led field trips
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from the Group Leader and a series of local experts, who will give lectures and lead field trips. Program-related travel and transfers will be via coach and public transport unless noted otherwise. Breakfasts are served in the hotel dining room; other meals are in local restaurants or on your own. Be sure to bring a copy of your passport with you on the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
New safety regulations for entry into Prague Castle require that we show a copy of your passport before entering. Please bring a paper copy with you. Getting on/off motorcoach; riding up to 1 hour, approx. 8 miles. Walking up to 2.5 miles throughout the day, approximately 2-3 hours combined time standing and walking, terrain will include cobblestones (some areas are cracked and not well maintained), uneven ground, and unavoidable stairs. 220 exterior stairs down to meet coach at end of visit.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We'll board a private coach and head out to Prague Castle, the largest resident complex in the Czech Republic and – according to Guinness World Records – the largest ancient castle in the world. This palace has been a home and a working space for Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors, and Czech presidents since the 9th century. The Old Royal Palace and the Cathedral of St. Vitus are breathtaking architectural treasures.
Lunch:
We will have lunch at Lobkowicz Palace.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will enjoy a guided visit of Lobkowicz Palace Museum. The museum houses the oldest and largest privately owned art collection in the Czech Republic. The Lobkowicz Collections are comprised of approximately 1,500 paintings. Next, we will return to the hotel via private motorcoach.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 3 miles, approximately 3.5 hours. Periods of standing, terrain includes cobblestones, city streets and uneven ground. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
Our field trip will start in the Old Town, a unique area of Prague with the impressive Old Town Square, the center of all events since the Middle Ages. The stone houses, churches, palaces, and monasteries in combination with twisty narrow streets and alleys create a very special atmosphere. Next, we will enjoy Christmas markets at the Old Town and Wenceslas Squares. Other than traditional Christmas and New Year's handcrafts, we will also find various Czech delicacies here, including sausages, potato pancakes, fresh sweet pie, Trdelnik, roasted chestnuts, gingerbread, hot punch, and mulled wine. These, along with performances by musicians on market stages, help to make our visit unforgettable.
Lunch:
We'll have a light lunch at the Grand Café Orient on the first floor of the House of the Black Madonna. Completed in 1912, this building symbolizes the unique Czech contribution to the cubist movement. Once serving as a department store and office space, it now houses a museum dedicated to cubism.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will walk to the Museum of Communism. We will explore the museum during this expert-led visit and get acquainted firsthand with the impact of communist rule. At the conclusion of the guided visit, you may continue exploring the museum on your own. The rest of the day is free time for independent exploration.
Dinner:
On your own to explore local fare.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a private coach. Walking and standing for approximately 2 hours at the museum, including some stairs. Extent and duration of free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We'll head out by coach on an expert-led trip to the Trade Fair Palace, the largest gallery space in Prague with the city’s finest collection of paintings, objects of art, statues, and other exhibits of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Here, we will view many works by French artists such as Delacroix, Courbet, Sisley, Pissarro, Monet, Seurat, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Cezanne, Matisse, Chagall, Rousseau, Picasso, and Rodin. We will also become familiar with Czech Fine Art featuring works by Kuaka, Drtikol, Filla, Zrzavy, Spala, Lada, Trnka, Sudek, Knizak – present director of the gallery, Pistek – bearer of the Oscar for the costumes of the movie Amadeus, and many others.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner:
We'll head via private coach to a traditional Bohemian restaurant. There, we'll celebrate the end of the year with a folklore program, music, and dance.
Evening:
We'll remain at the restaurant to celebrate New Year's Eve, Bohemian style!
Activity Note
Walking about 1 mile, approximately 1 hour. Getting on/off a private coach. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
Free time. Relax or enjoy some fresh air in the nearby gardens.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
A traditional New Year's walk of Prague sites will lead us to the Charles Bridge, one of the oldest extant stone bridges in Europe, adorned on both sides with a total of thirty Baroque statues. Our field trip continues in the Lesser Town, a picturesque quarter with monumental noble churches and palaces.
Dinner:
In the restaurant of the Municipal House, decorated by Art Nouveau tiles. Enjoy the pre-war Czechoslovakian atmosphere.
Evening:
Happy New Year! Together, we will enjoy a New Year's concert at the Municipal House, the pearl of Art Nouveau style.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a private coach; driving about 40 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking uphill for 30 minutes, approximately 130 steps during visit to Karlstejn Castle. Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours total at the castle.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
We will depart on a field trip to Karlstejn Castle. The Gothic castle, founded in 1348 and completed in 1365, was built by the Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV as a place to store royal treasures, especially collections of holy relics and crown jewels. We will explore not only the castle but also the village of Karlstejn and the Museum of Nativity Scenes, highlighting the famous Karlstejn Royal Nativity.
Lunch:
At a restaurant near the castle.
Afternoon:
We'll have some time after lunch to relax and explore Karlstejn independently before reboarding the bus and returning to Prague.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a private coach; driving about 4 miles. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 2 hours, includes cobblestones, city streets, stairs and uneven ground. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room.
Morning:
At the hotel, our Group Leader will cover contemporary life in the Czech Republic. We will discuss the political and economic changes after 1989, the new global role of the Czech Republic, and the everyday life of ordinary Czechs. Next, we will take a private motorcoach to the Jewish Quarter for a guided visit. The former Jewish Ghetto is a noteworthy quarter of Prague that boasts worldwide significance. Extensive historical records trace the existence of Prague's Jewish community back to the 11th century. The Old Jewish Cemetery is Europe’s oldest and best-preserved Jewish burial ground, its history dating back to the 15th century. The graves form a chronicle in stone of the history of the Prague ghetto.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
We will board a motorcoach and set out on a field trip to the Strahov Monastery, a place where the knowledge of the Czech nation has been concentrated since 1140. Led by a staffer, we will see the Cabinet of Curiosities and view the Philosophical and Theological Halls of the monastery library. From this hilltop vantage point we'll be able to see the city illuminated below.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s “Arrival and Departure Instructions” regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
In the hotel dining room. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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