Czech Enchantment

First Republic Spend a day in the Czechoslovakian First Republic — the period when the newly formed nation saw a flourishing of culture and industry. Start with a ride on a vintage tram with an accordionist playing traditional folk tunes, rolling along past the National Theater and Old Town. At the Municipal House, learn the stories of Czech history through its allegorical mosaics and sculptures. End at the modernist Villa Müller, whose boxy shape belies elegant interiors.

Today, Prague’s Jewish Quarter is managed as the Prague Jewish Museum. Its six synagogues, including the Jewish Ceremonial Hall, and cemetery offer an invaluable look into the city’s history. Explore the district as part of a ten-day Jewish heritage tour that includes Warsaw, Lódz, Wroclaw and Krakow in Poland, before ending in Prague. You’ll discover beautiful synagogues and towns, and take sobering visits to Auschwitz and Terezin, two WWII Nazi concentration camps, the latter located outside of Prague.

Enjoy quiet contemplation among the leather-bound volumes of Prague’s baroque Strahov Monastery library, under the watchful eyes of the liturgical figures in the ceiling frescoes. Normally closed to visitors, this exclusive experience is possible on a ten-day private tour from Budapest to the Czech Republic. You’ll also visit the picture-perfect town of Ceský Krumlov.