It seems strange to begin a fresh new year talking about the last. But Prague is one of those towns I was actually pleasantly surprised by - and great to work from! Having only ever heard about it really in the context of uni holidays and stag/hen do’s, it was refreshing to find so much character in charm in this historic city.

The first thing to note, was just how chilly it was! Stepping out of the airport, I immediately regretted not putting gloves on, even some thin ones. But wondering around town during the last weekend before Three Kings, you really got to experience the wintery magic of the place. In the markets and through the little streets, hot chocolate and mulled wine smells filling the air.

Another thing I was surprised by was that I had the room in my accommodation to myself for most of my trip. And even then I only ended up sharing for maybe two nights. Which, considering the hostel was super cosy and right by the main square, seemed crazy.

Would I maybe return in warmer weather, or a peak time? Probably not. But for a little wintery adventure to start the year, it was perfect! From wandering the little streets to the hill walks on the weekend. The hospitality to the good food - plenty of plant based options to choose from! The only thing I wish I had caught was some jazz music (recommended to my by Kash from Budget Traveller) or a theatre performance.

It’s funny, I hadn’t made it much of an intention to go anywhere at the time. But the team I worked with were out of office anyway, so it made sense to have a little bit of workcation fun. It’s cheap overall, it’s an easy flight from the UK and has a plethora of wifi cafes to work from. Like:

Designum Cafe

The cute find. After searching for wifi cafes on Google, this little cosy spot came up. I originally found this one after a lunch time wander for a mulled wine and had to come back on a week day. It was cheap for a coffee and breakfast plus good wifi and not too loud. The only thing I would say is to not sit by the door in the winter! Even near the counter you will feel a bit of a chill around your ankles when people open the door.

Pauseteria

The city hipster find. Another one I went back to a couple of times - especially as it was only five minutes from my hostel. This was a great one for setting up solo in a corner first thing with a good strong coffee. Wifi was fast and you could largely be left alone by staff (I’m pretty sure it was an order at the counter-type service).

Cafe Club Míšenská

A strange but quaint find. This shabby chic cafe is hidden down by the river and one I came across because I liked the bookshelf in the entrance (#nerd). If you’re having a wander down that way, then deffo stop in this quiet spot for a coffee, but I couldn’t find anything else on the menu that appealed.

Maitrea

The dinner find. I absolutely loved this place and again, ended up there twice for their amazing veggie versions of traditional Czech dishes. While I didn’t use their wifi, I did find a small pocket where I could use my data at the end of the basement (which has an underground bar vibe). You might not be keen to work before dinner, but do put it on your list one evening either! The staff are friendly and it gives a boojie vibe without the hefty price tag to go with it.

Rainbow’s End Cafe

The hippie find. As you might know, I love new finds and slightly off the normal path spots (location and menu-wise). While Rainbow’s End Cafe was nice to work in for a couple of hours after a chilly walk to the Lennon Wall and round the block, it wasn’t particularly memorable. There were definitely some slightly more memorable veggie food places like Vegan’s Prague (make reservations before you’re hungry).

Sweet and Salty Coffee Shop

The cutesy find. Again, another not so memorable but worth putting in find, if you’re in the neighbourhood. From the outside it looks quite insta-worthy, but inside there’s not too much of an atmosphere. Having my suitcase with me, I didn’t want to go too far away from the route I needed for my airport transfer. So this was a good little stop for a couple of hours and taking meetings before heading home.

Would you consider remote working in Prague?

Han x

(L-R) Designum Cafe, Pauseteria, Cafe Club Míšenská).