Shrahov Monastery | insider access in Prague

theological library at the Strahov Monastery, Prague, Czech Republic

The Strahov Monastery is a "must see" sight in Prague. During my first visit to Prague a number of years ago, I enjoyed being able to spend time inside the theological library of the Strahov Monastery, so when I returned this October, I planned for a return visit. Note that access to the library is very exclusive; the general public is not permitted inside. If you click on the picture above, you'll be able to see the room in greater detail… and see the tourists "looking in" from the outside, kept behind the velvet rope in the doorway.

Virtuoso guests can see the library from the inside! It's a gorgeous room with rich wood paneling, an amazing frescoed ceiling, and thousands of ancient books. I found it thrilling to stand in the midst of all of this beauty and history. But don't expect to walk up to the ticket booth and buy access… you'll have to arrange it in advance.

Where to call home in Prague? Prague is blessed with three great Virtuoso hotels. The Four Seasons Prague is near the Old Town Square and boasts incredible views over the river toward the Prague Castle when it's lit up at night. Both the Mandarin Oriental Prague and The Augustine are in former monasteries in the so-called Lesser Town. Your Virtuoso travel consultant can save you hundreds of dollars during your stay by providing exclusive amenities at each of the three, including complimentary breakfast for two, available room upgrades, and more.

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Prague | a magical city

"It's like Disney, but it's real."

I was text messaging with my daughter last night from Prague. Through the wonders of internet technology, I was able to download pictures from my camera, edit them in iPhoto, post them in my gallery on MobileMe, and talk with her about them real-time on iChat. After seeing some of the night shots of Prague, she said "it's like Disney, but it's real." That is precisely my own insight about this magical city.

The picture above is taken from within the elaborate library of the Strahov Monastery in Prague. Containing 280,000 titles, these are some of the most fabulous rooms you'll ever see. Off-limits to the general public (the vast majority of tourists can only peer through a small doorway at the far end of the two rooms), our group was able to walk through the library at leisure, look at the ancient books up close, and generally experience these impressive spaces.

One of the most interesting features of the library is a polished antique wooden table; our guide showed us how the table converts into a step ladder that can be used to access books on the higher up shelves. We were also able to see up close the globes and stained glass windows throughout the room and hear explanations of the artwork on the painted ceiling.

How did we get into a place not normally open to the general public? The Virtuoso network includes local experts who can set up exclusive access to special VIP experiences in virtually any destination on earth, giving a whole new definition to luxury travel. Contact a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant to learn what might be possible in Prague — or in any destination you might want to visit.


Strahov Monastery, Prague (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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