I spent my first day in Prague attending church, drinking coffee, walking around, and enjoying a delicious steak dinner.

Day One In Prague

My SAS flight from Copenhagen (CPH) landed at Václav Havel Airport in Prague (PRG) at 9:45 am and I had little time to dawdle.

I jumped in a Bolt (ridesharing) and headed over to the Linder Hotel Prague Castle, a Hyatt property, where I would spend my first night. This hotel is quite a bargain. I’ll review it in full soon.

I dropped off my bag and immediately ordered another Bolt to take me to church. I attended an 11:00 am service at St. Clement’s Anglican-Episcopal Church (in case you are in Prague this summer, it seems church is meeting at 3:15 pm in the afternoon).

The service was very nice and led by an Irishman named Jack Noonan, a lay leader (called a “Reader” in the Church of England). Since there was no priest at the service, there was no Eucharist.

The church membership was on the older side, but there were a couple of families with young children. The Czech Republic is considered to be one of the most atheistic, non-religious countries in the world. Forced Roman Catholicism during the Habsburg rule, anti-clericalism and positivist freethought during the late 19th century, and the communist era all have contributed to a worldview in which the majority reject organized religion or a belief in God.

That’s all the more striking in a city littered with some of the most beautiful churches and cathedrals in the world.

After church concluded, I began walking. The city was bustling on a Sunday at midday, including protests against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the dictator of Turkey, and many stopping for silent reflection in front of a wall dedicated to the Israelis hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

I stopped for coffee at a place called Kaférna (I will do a separate coffee post on Prague) before walking back to the hotel (up Petřín Hill…).

Back at the hotel, I sat in the sauna for a while, then got some work done in my room.

My brother recommended a steakhouse called Čestr…he claimed it was like a fine steakhouse in LA, but half the price. I took a Bolt over there for an early dinner. His recommendation was spot on…so good I’ll do a separate review of this place. Great food and service.

I ate a lot more than a medium rare filet mignon, so I decided to walk all the way back to the hotel to burn some calories.

Along the way, I found a rubber duck shop…as tempting as it was, the only rubber ducks I collect are the ones given to me on Lufhansa!

It was a crisp but beautiful evening and after an early start to my day in Copenhagen, I was ready to go to bed.