Czech Republic - Prem Voska Opens Up Prague's and Bohemia's Landmarks for Visitors
Company Name: PremPrague.cz
Principal Guide: Premysl Voska
Services:
Transportation Services
Private Guide Services
Contact Information:
PremPrague.cz
Wiedermannova 1406/4
158 00 Prague (Praha)
+420 6068 15937
Languages
Proficient in English, Czech and German
Visiting Prague, Cesky Krumlov, and Bohemia
The historic landmarks and picturesque sites of Prague make it the first place most people visit in the Czech Republic and one of the major tourist destinations in all of Europe. While the region has been controlled and dominated by many different empires over the centuries, the Czech Republic has grown and prospered since its liberation from the Soviet Union in 1989 and split from Slovakia in 1993. Prague has been leading the nation's economic and tourism renaissance by promoting its Old Town Square, the scenic Vltava River and Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and overall charming atmosphere. People love the cobblestone streets, well preserved buildings, cleanliness, and walkability of the Old Town and Castle Quarter, while also flocking to the restaurants and cultural activities available in the New City and other locations.
One other important feature of visiting Prague is that it is located near unique destinations that can be visited by day trips. Cesky Krumlov is a postcard location and World Heritage Site that should not be missed. Located about a two-hour drive to the south on a bend in the Vltava River, this remarkable palace complex and village is full of buildings, palaces, and streets dating back to the 16th century when it was the seat of power for the Bohemian Duchy and important rulers. The structures there offer picturesque shops, restaurants, and lodging facilities for day trippers and overnight visitors to enjoy. Another place that some people visit from Prague is Kutna Hora, a city built over and around silver mines that made it an economic, educational, and religious center of Bohemia for centuries until the late 1600s. Located about two hours to the east of Prague, Kutna Hora has a pleasant historic center that once housed Bohemia's nobility. It also features the huge gothic St. Barbara's Cathedral constructed beginning in 1388 and a Silver Museum that explains the operations and equipment used to work the mines in medieval times. Many visitors are also curious about the dilapidated Sedlec Bone Church on the outskirts of town which is surrounded by burial grounds considered to be holy. That church also houses in its basement the bones of an estimated 40,000 people who perished in wars or plagues. Most of these bones were shaped by the church's monks into religious symbols and objects. These are just two of the interesting villages worth exploring within one hundred miles of Prague.
Guide Background and Experience
Prague is a very walkable city, but the main sites are spread out in different sections of the city. It is worthwhile to use a trained guide to plan out your day, choose when to visit the major sites to avoid the crowds, and assist you with transportation from place to place. Premysl Voska, known as Prem, has been working as a guide and providing transportation services for twenty years. It began as a hobby that grew from his personal interest in Czech history and the architectural styles of its monuments and buildings.
Today, Prem is licensed as a guide by the Czech state. Prem explained his approach to guiding this way: "Many guide agencies have the same program for tourists regardless of who the clients are and what they are interested in. I take an individual approach based on what my clients want to see and what is important to them. For example, there are many people living in the United States now whose parents left the Czech Republic in the 19th century. Some of them want to find out more about their roots and it is fascinating when we succeed in finding places from their heritage." Prem also noted that for outdoor oriented people, he can plan a hike. He also looks to bring people to special places that can provide them with a better understanding of Czech culture and history such as a Christmas market, the Museum of Communism, a crystal factory or brewery, or a World War II site.
Prem also likes driving and collaborates with clients to transport them to other places of interest including all the Czech UNESCO Heritage Sites and places beyond the Czech Republic such as Vienna, Dresden, and Auschwitz. There is additional detail available on his website which can be found at PremPrague.cz.
My Family's Experience with Prem
We were referred to Prem by another agency since we were looking to extend our visit to the Czech Republic beyond Prague to other parts of the country and then continue onto our next base of operations in Munich, Germany. We were quite pleased with the results because we ended up spending a long day with him traveling through Prague, visiting Czech towns, and driving along the Czech and Austrian border to Germany before arriving at our hotel in downtown Munich. It was immediately apparent that he was willing to adapt his routine to our specific needs and interests. That week, the temperature had approached 90 degrees in Prague, so it was important to limit the amount of time in the sun and be aware of the heat conditions in the 16th century buildings we were visiting. Consequently, Prem made sure that we started our excursion early and arrived ahead of the large tour groups.
Our first stop was in one of Bohemia's beautiful towns called Ceske Budejovice which is known for its vast main square and lively Czech culture that includes the famous Budvar brewery and eating establishments. That short stop was interesting because a local health and recreation fair was taking place in the square with all kinds of exhibits and sports underway. From there, we continued to Cesky Krumlov where Prem strategically started our walking tour at the highest point of the town above the palace. That allowed us to photograph and view the river and the village from several majestic viewing points and then work our way downhill through the palace gardens, past several wings of the palace, and by the noble houses to a bridge crossing the river into the village. Once in the town, we walked through the shops and trades buildings before stopping at a shaded riverfront restaurant for lunch and discussing the history and importance of Cesky Krumlov to Bohemia and Czech culture. Further exploration of the town followed while Prem went back for the car and picked us up to resume our drive to Germany.
The next few hours allowed us to relax in his comfortable car and talk about the many changes underway in the Czech Republic and prospects for continuing strong relations with the United States. Once we arrived in Munich, he introduced us to the key streets near our hotel and headed back to Prague with our best wishes for future trips to the region.