Vinohrady sanctuary for botanicals, research and books

Vinohrady sanctuary for botanicals, research and books

I check my reflection in the dark glass as the train pulls away, accelerating toward the crowded safety of Prague. My skin looks golden from the time in the forest. I open my backpack to pull out my notebook. I didn’t find the story I thought I was looking for, but I...
Bohemian forest secret gardens in Krásná Lípa

Bohemian forest secret gardens in Krásná Lípa

The hum of the regional train revs up as I slip deep into the northernmost reaches of the country, where the borders of Bohemia blur into the dense sandstone valleys of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, České Švýcarsko. I’m heading toward Krásná Lípa,...
Sedlec Ossuary the infamous Bone Church

Sedlec Ossuary the infamous Bone Church

The morning air is crisp as I leave the quiet courtyard of Penzion Kutna and make the short trek to the Sedlec Ossuary—the infamous Bone Church. Stepping down into the lower chapel, the atmosphere instantly shifts from the vibrant pageantry of yesterday’s...
Gothic Festival Royal Silvering of Kutna Hora

Gothic Festival Royal Silvering of Kutna Hora

The train from Prague drags itself to a juddering halt at the Kutná Hora platform long after Prague fades into rolling Bohemian fields.  It’s June 20, 2026, but I’ve entered a living, breathing village of the 15th century. The narrow, picturesque cobblestone streets...
Velvet Research and Haunted Legends of the Past

Velvet Research and Haunted Legends of the Past

Finally, leaving the swans behind at the waterside embankment near the Franz Kafka Museum, I cross the Mánes Bridge to Jan Palach Square. In a few minutes, I’m at the grand neo-Renaissance facade of the Faculty of Arts building that dominates the bustling...