This is the first installment of a new series here at the Taste of Prague blog, where we provide Prague weekend tips, and generally help you enjoy your weekend in Prague a bit more. So, for all these Prague city break planners, here it goes:
Prague weekend tip no. 1: Soup Fest
Love soups? So do we - there's nothing better to warm your frozen bones in this cold weather. The Alfred ve dvore theatre is running a first-ever soup fest: Czech actors, musicians, dancers, and producers will cook their favorite soups, and the attendants of the event can show off their cooking skills and battle against them! The teams that will cook their soups include some steady names of the Prague cultural scene: the Are and Oko cinema representatives, Ponec theatre or the Motus association.
We think it's a win-win situation for everyone: the winning recipe takes home a voucher for a luxury dinner, the attendants get to taste lots of delicious soups. Starts tomorrow at 4pm, entry costs CZK 50 (two Euros). The address is Frantiska Krizka 36, Prague 7.
PS: Love their motto for the event (a quote by Czech writer Jaroslav Hasek: "Without intelligence a man can live in some common employment and have a common life, but in the kitchen it shows."
Prague weekend tip no. 2: Open entry to the National Gallery
Celebrating the 217th anniversary of the Society of Patriotic Friends of the Arts, its predecessor, the National Gallery offers free entry to all its exhibitions for free over the weekend. This applies to all their permanent exhibitions save for two: the Kupka exhibition at Salma palace, and the Slavic Epoy by Mucha in the Veletrzni Palace.
Personally, we recommend the Convent of St Agnes. Not many people know about this early gothic gem. The exhibition is very well thought out, and it's a welcome change from the overcrowded streets of Prague...
Prague weekend tip no. 3: Pig killing at the Intercontinental Hotel
If you think in terms of culinary seasons, winter is definitely the season of the meat. Pig killings are a big phenomenon of the village life to this day: the entire animal is processed so many meat products are actually made throughout the day. Most of these activities are outdoors activities, so a lot of drinking is actually involved. With Lent coming up soon, carnivals are springing up everywhere, and pig killings are a big part of that.
To get a glimpse of what a Czech pig killing looks like, head over to the Intercontinental Hotel at Parizska street in the Jewish Quarter on Saturday (pig killing in the Jewish Quarter on the Shabat? Yeah, we don't get it, either...). The pig killing starts at 11am and ends at 5pm.
Prague weekend tip no. 4: Family Sunday Brunch at SaSaZu
This is actually a tip we have been giving to all the families that joined our tours in the past. It's a recurring tip, too. Every sunday, SaSaZu, one of the best Asian fusion restaurants in Prague and the holder of the Bib Gourmand award (great value for money awarded by the Michelin people), organises a "Family Sunday" for parents who want to enjoy a great meal but did not find a sitter.
From 12 to 4pm, parents can enjoy a great brunch/lunch while their kids are taken care of by the SaSaZu team: they can play with their nannies, enjoy 4 XBOX consoles, bake cookies with SaSaZu chefs or watch small performances. In addition to the food, parents can enjoy a nice massage by the massage professionals of the Sabai wellness centre. For more details about the event, click here. (And if you decide to go, definitely have the "MomoFuku", our favorite dish!)
Enjoy the weekend!