Q. Who should come on this trip?
This is the perfect trip to take by yourself; you’ll make new friends and will always have people to do things with if you like. Or come with a friend or spouse or partner. This is a great trip for mothers and daughters come together, or for high school or college friends to have a mini-reunion. You can spend time with each other and also have time to pursue your separate interests. The trip is perfect for any small group that wants to travel together but doesn’t want the hassle of planning it all in advance.

Q. Do I need to speak Czech? That’s really intimidating!

You don’t need to speak SCzech, as nearly all restaurants and museums have English-speaking staff. It’s great to learn a few key phrases as part of the experience, but don’t think you should stay home if you don’t know a single word of Czech.

Q. Do I have to pay a single supplement?
No. This trip is priced based on each person having his or her own hotel room.

Q. I’m coming with a spouse or partner and we want to share a room. Do we both have to pay the full rate?
For people who share a room, we offer a discount of $150 each. We’ve priced the trip primarily for people to have their own rooms, because Czech hotel rooms just aren’t as large as those in the U.S. But of course you can share a room if you prefer.

Q. How many people will be on the trip?
The maximum number of trip participants is 18, so you won’t feel like you’re part of a huge group. There’s a minimum group size, so please don’t buy your plane tickets until we confirm to you that we have reached the minimum group size.

Q. Why do you call this a “trip” and not a “tour”?
We’ve included the things we like best about group travel, such as the convenience of having someone plan daily itineraries, but there are lots of things we dislike about tours, so here’s how this trip is different:
- You’ll never be herded onto a big tour bus with a lot of strangers.
- You won’t follow a tour guide, trying to keep up through crowded museums.
- You won’t be seated at long tables for big group meals at “We accept bus tours” restaurants. Instead, we’ll suggest authentic places for you to eat in small groups.
- You won’t have early morning calls to leave the hotel.
- You only unpack and pack once. We’ll venture outside of the city one day, but most of our focus is on the city itself.

Q. Tell me about the trip leaders.
Gina Stewart has been organizing informal groups of travelers for years, from graduate school friend reunions to 10-12 adventures trips per year with her women’s outdoor adventure group the Bold Betties, where Gina serves as an Alpha Bettie. Gina loves people, food, art, history, and architecture, and can’t think of a better way to spend an evening than sipping wine in grand European squares. Gina is registered US Patent Agent and when she is not travelling, she consults with corporate clients on their intellectual property strategies.

DeAnne Dotson has traveled the world, mostly solo. DeAnne has also organized groups of volunteers to put on major festivals or furnish apartments for refugee families. DeAnne also excels at problem-solving, such as when a client was injured during a flight; DeAnne arranged for transportation of the clients’ suitcases to the hotel and also helped with transportation from the hospital emergency room to the hotel. That particular client still enjoyed the trip, despite having a few stitches and being sore! DeAnne loves to share her experiences—so if you are thinking about a future solo trip, DeAnne has likely been there and can give pointers for future travel.

Q. What’s the best way to fly to Prague?
We recommend an overnight flight from a major airport. Since we live in North Carolina, we often take the American Airlines overnight flight from Charlotte to Prague.

Q. What is the Hotel Leon D’Oro like?
The hotel has an rich history, having been the site of a brothel, a café, and an office building. We are in the heart of Old Town, only 2 blocks from Old Town Square and a 5 min walk from Wenceslas Square, surrounded by shops and restaurants. Hotel Leon D'Oro combines the elegance style with practicality and in each room you will find a coffee set, high-speed WiFi, air conditioning, and satellite tv.  The breakfast buffet is available from 7:30 to 10:30 am.

Q. Is there internet access at the hotel?
Yes, free wifi comes with your room. 

Q. What will the weather be like?
It’s impossible to predict any weather accurately these days, but generally September and October are the best months to visit. There’s still plenty of daylight in September, and daily high temperature average 65F. Rain is always a possibility, of course. 

Q. What to wear?
Wear what’s most comfortable and pack layers. Jeans are acceptable almost anywhere, except for the very nicest restaurants. It’s considered polite to cover your shoulders in many churches, but you probably won’t be going sleeveless in September.

Don’t forget your raincoat or umbrella, just in case. You’ll need a warm jacket and maybe a scarf for evening. Most important: comfortable walking shoes.

Q. Why aren’t lunches and dinners included in the price?

Restaurants that accept tour groups are the last places we want to eat and there are just so many delicious choices for meals that we want everyone to be free to eat where and when they want. One day you might eat a sandwich for lunch, sitting out on a plaza; or you might choose to browse the local food markets. 

Alternatively, we often make lunch the biggest meal of the day, maybe even eating at a restaurant that would be too pricey at night. You’ll choose where you eat, with whom, and how much you want to spend.

Q. Is it safe to walk around by myself at night?

Yes. As in any city, it makes sense to be aware of your surroundings after dark. But in Prague it’s usually quite safe to be out on your own or with a friend in the evenings. 

The most prevalent crime is pickpocketing, which mostly happens in areas where there are crowds of tourists. Pickpockets are wily, so we recommend that you leave most of your money, credit cards, and passport in the safe in your room, taking with you only what you need for the day. A handbag that you can sling over your shoulder and tuck high under your arm (with a good zipper) works better than bags with long straps that dangle below your waist. And never sling your handbag over the back of a chair; that creates a very tempting target.

Q. Do you require us to buy travel insurance?

We very strongly recommend it. Reasons for cancelling a trip can happen suddenly. Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully to see our cancellation policy. Also be aware that trip insurance companies are very strict about what they will and won’t reimburse you for, so read their policies closely as well. 

You’ll want to be insured for both trip cancellation and medical treatment and evacuation. Many insurers require you to enroll as soon as you pay your deposit, so don’t wait. There are many websites which offer comparison information about trip insurance.

Note that if you are on Medicare, it does not cover services outside of the United States, so you definitely will need medical coverage.

Q. Some friends are going to be in Prague while I’m there. Can they come along with us?
Because we want to keep our groups small, we can’t invite your friends to come with us on our daily excursions. But you can bring them to our evening get-togethers. Please give us a day’s notice, and there’s a $25 per person charge for the wine and snacks.

Q. When do I need to sign up by?
The sooner you put down your deposit, the better. We limit the size of the group to 18, so it’s best to reserve as soon as you think you’d like to come.

Q. If I want to stay longer than six days, can you arrange that?

Yes. We can arrange for you to stay on at the hotel at your own cost before or after our trip dates (based on availability, of course). We may not be there to greet you if you come early, but it’s okay if you want a day or two on your own before the official trip starts.