As a bus driver specialising in Prague airport transfers I see all sorts of visitors arriving to my beautiful city. From honeymooners to hen nights; and school excursions to romantic weekends away; Prague is definitely a city that has something for everyone. You just can’t help but fall in love with Prague and I’ve yet to meet anyone who hasn’t left completely under her spell. One elderly couple who really stick in my mind was a pair I picked up last year. They had met years ago during WW2 when the gentleman, a native of Prague, was a Czech pilot stationed in England. After the war they had married and had two daughters but, for one reason or another, the gentleman (I’ll call him Karl, although I can’t quite remember his name) had never got around to taking his wife back to see the city of his childhood.

They were so excited when I met them at the airport and they couldn’t wait to tell me their story. Karl had an itinerary all planned out for their holiday and he wanted to show her just how beautiful the city was. Normally, my Prague airport transfers are pretty full, but this particular night when I picked them up they were my only passengers. So I decided that on the way to their hotel I would give them a special little tour of some of the places they wanted to visit...

The Charles Bridge

Karl wanted to show the wife this beautiful bridge where he used to come and read her letters to him while he was waiting to return to England to marry her. The bridge is one of my favourites too; its sixteen graceful arches stretch over 516 metres as it spans the serene Vltava River. The most magical thing about the bridge is the thirty Baroque statues which line its length. There is so much history attached to the bridge and it has been the victim of floods and vandalism, but in its form today, it stands as an enduring token of solidarity to Prague.

The Franciscan Gardens

The second place Karl told me he was keen to go back to was the lovely Franciscan Gardens. When he was a boy, they were still under the control of the Franciscan monks and were not open to the public. He and his friends apparently used to be fascinated by peeking through the gates at the monks as they went about the tending of these beautiful gardens; planting the flowers, trees, herbs and spices which flourish in abundance here today. In 1950 the monks were displaced from the gardens which were then opened to the public (a small section though has now been returned to them). Karl was very excited at finally being able to enter the hallowed gates of the gardens and, although not my usual Prague airport transfers route, I made a quick deviation to drive past. The gardens are just a few steps away from Wenceslas Square, and it is hard to believe this wonderful little oasis of calm is so close to Prague’s buzzing city centre.

The National Theatre

The third important place on Karl’s itinerary was the National Theatre. In his youth he had attended many famous operas and ballets there and had always remembered the elegant neo-renaissance architecture of its imposing facade; and the intricate detailing of its opulent interior. As we approached the National Theatre from along the banks of the Vltava, Karl actually saw the reflection of its golden roof in the still waters before we came to the building itself. He started enthusiastically describing the beautiful interior to his wife, and I knew she would not be disappointed when they returned the next day. More than any other building in Prague, the theatre stands as a symbol of unity and national spirit.

When, five days later, I picked up Karl and his wife for their return Prague airport transfer they had had a magical time. There was no doubting that Karl had fallen in love with Prague all over again, and how much the trip had meant for both of them. Karl, for the opportunity to once again to see the city of his youth; and for his wife, to finally be able to fulfil her husbands dearest wish.