Prague is a city of charm and adventure, where history reaches back over 1,000 years and the unique atmosphere connects to the Vltava River and preserved architecture.  When you arrive in Prague, your Workation representative will meet you at the airport. You can find the comforts of your central accommodation filled the amenities you need to succeed during your Czech Republic Workation package.

Get your grounding on your first day in Prague by wandering through the city’s winding streets, taking in its unique character and charisma. Stroll along the riverbanks and admire the bridges, churches, and spires creating a Gothic skyline. For dinner, sample the culture of the city and the nation with your first taste of a hearty bowl of traditional goulash.

Focus: On your arrival at your accommodations, take a slow, deep breath and notice your surroundings. Try the box breathing method. Take a slow breath in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, release for four seconds, and hold again at the bottom for four seconds. Do this four times. 

Suggestion: You will speak to your Workaiton representative before your arrival in Prague. Let them suggest their favorite restaurant so you can get a taste of the city’s great food with advice from a local. 

On your first full day in the Czech Republic, you can learn about the coffee culture before starting work. Many locals enjoy the thick texture and rich flavor of Turkish coffee. As you start your workday, begin with a ritual that will help you focus no matter where you work. You can also use a ritual to disconnect from the workday and focus on enjoying your exploration of the city. 

You can meet with a guide for a better understanding of the history and heritage connected to a city often compared to Paris. Enjoy a walking tour to learn all about Prague’s rich history beginning with the St Vitus Cathedral. It took over 600 years to complete the structure. The western facade hosts the grand entrance and the foundations were set in the 14th century. You can enjoy the colorful stained-glass windows from the interior or visit the reliefs depicting Bohemian saints. 

Focus: During your tour, focus on the present moment by finding details you can connect with. Pay attention to the smells of a restaurant or the texture of a mosaic. Focus on the sounds or the feeling of the breeze by the Charles Bridge to stay present. 

Suggestion: If you have the time, visit Wallenstein Garden to enjoy the Baroque design of the landscape. 

Once again, you can conduct your ritual to kick-start your focus on work. The routine integrated with meaning helps you differentiate your time spend on projects with your time spent exploring and allows you to enjoy both equally for a great work-life balance. After you have completed your workday, spend the remainder of your time exploring the city’s many museums and galleries. 

You can visit the famous Prague Castle complex to view the panoramas from the crenulated walls or explore the striking Strahov Library to see the Baroque design and fascinating cabinet of curiosities inside the Strahov Monastery. The Franz Kafka Museum pays tribute to the more eccentric side of the city through the lens of the existential author with exhibits exploring literal and figurative spaces int eh city. You can also listen to the trickling water of the fountain showing two men peeing into a pool for a unique perspective on the city and nation.  

Focus: Connect with your body by staying hydrated throughout the day. Pay attention to how much water you drink per hour and continue to hit that mark until after your final tour of the day.

Suggestion: If you are in Prague during opera season, you should take the opportunity to discover the gorgeous theater and world-class performances. 

Spend the first half of your day focusing on the projects you need to complete before enjoying the traditional flavors of Prague and the greater Czech Republic with a cooking class. The food of a nation demonstrates more than trendy flavors, and takes you on a journey through history capturing the importance of local ingredients that speak to national heritage. 

During your class, your chef will teach you to prepare some of Prague’s classic dishes, like bread dumplings or fried cheese. Not only will you gain knowledge about the local cuisine, but you can also learn the basics of each step to take home with you and cook the dishes you enjoy after your Workaiton is done. Enjoy the smell of thickening gravy or the slight acid from a pickled onion as you look deeper into the soulful cuisine.

Focus: Label your thoughts and feelings as you taste the food of the Czech Republic. What are you thinking and what you are feeling in relation to the food? Where are those thoughts and feelings coming from in your mind and can you feel them in your body? 

Suggestion: If you have the chance to eat traditional babovka cake with nuts, enjoy the dessert with a traditional cup of Turkish coffee.

When the workday is finished, you can visit the famous town of Plzen and it’s celebrated brewery that gave rise to the eponymous type of beer. Nature surrounds the city with gorgeous trees and the slopes of the Sumava Mountains. The Gothic architecture of Cathedra of St Bartholomew reaches high into the air as the tallest spire in the country and the Main Square features Europe’s second-largest synagogue. 

Take some time to reflect on the day and appreciate the beauty of the city before you visit the Pilsner Urquell Brewery, home to the world’s first golden lager beer. Enjoy a guided tour and learn about the history of the brewery dating back to the mid-19th century as you find the smell of hops, barley, and yeast blending together. Taste a sample of the unpasteurized and non-filtered beer taken directly from the barrel and notice the cloudy texture and sour flavor before trying the crisp, refreshing, and smooth flavor of the traditional pilsner. 

Focus: Focus on your Workation and experience by practicing gratitude. Pay attention to three good things that took place during the day. What happened? Why were they good? How did they make you feel? Express your gratitude by writing it down. 

Suggestion: If you have the time and inclination, Plzen has a beer spa, in which you can absorb the minerals and vitamins with a beer bath or massage. 

With your final day of work for the week, you would have implemented your ritual and found how easy you can implement work and step away from your computer no matter where in the world you visit. Once you close your computer and start your weekend, you can travel to the medieval town of Kutná Hora for the remainder of the day.  

Discovering the small city and its stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site can introduce you to the beauty of the cobblestone streets, 13th-century spired skyline with 16th-century mines. Spend the day exploring the stunning St. Barbara’s Church and the Sedlec Ossuary. The Ossuary is infamous as the “bone church,” known for the bones of more than 40,000 people decorating the interior including skulls and femurs acting as garland across the vaulted ceiling. 

Focus: Observe your thoughts without judgment. This will help you focus on where the thoughts are coming from and what they make you feel. Don’t worry about what the thoughts are and instead pay attention to the way your body feels, how you are breathing, and how you are moving. 

Suggestion: If you have time, visit the Czech Silver Museum for a different perspective on the mines and history of the region with two tours offering very different experiences. 

You have the whole day away from work to enjoy your work-life balance as you travel from Prague to the city of Brno. Your Workation representative will meet you at your accommodation. Instead of heading directly to Brno, you can stop at Konopiste Castle, one of the country’s beloved historical palaces with a history spanning over 700 years. 

The Baroque facade was established in the 18th century by Austrian Archduke Ferdinand. When inside the galleries, you can see the bullet on display that assassinated the archduke giving rise to World War I. The residence remains forever connected to the infamous historical figure, acting as the archduke’s final residence, and still hosts a gorgeous garden, as well as an ancient armory. 

Focus: Develop body awareness by paying attention to your movement. Walk through a gallery or the gardens and notice how your feet feel on the ground, how your muscles flex when you walk, or the sound of your steps and their impact on the surroundings. 

Suggestion: For a quiet moment, don’t miss the view of the countryside from the Konopiste Castle garden terrace. 

You have another full day to enjoy the beauty of the Czech Republic and the unexpected flavors you can find in the countryside. Leave Brno behind for the day and explore the Maravia Wine Villages. Pavlov is a great place to start your expedition into the history and heritage of local wine production. The town dates back to the 13th century and lingers beneath the central figure of Dvicky Castle. 

From the castle walls, you can take in the expanse of vineyards, rolling hills, and the nearby reservoirs. Walk around the narrow lanes and visit the wine cellars connected to local vintners’ homes. As they share their wines with you, they may even lift the glass pipette from the barrel to give you a sample that juxtaposes the wine during the aging process versus the finished product. You may find a white wine with notes of marzipan, hibiscus flower, and concentrated lemon custard. 

Focus: Practice mindfulness when sampling the wines by closing your eyes and focusing on the flavors. Inhale the aromas from the class; what do you find? Where do the flavors hit your tongue when you sip, and how does that inform what you taste? 

Suggestion: Visit Devicky Castle, even if only for the views. 

You will return to work in the morning with ease by implementing your ritual. By now, you have nearly created a habit that kickstarts your working brain whenever you lean into the routine process with intention. After the workday, you can repeat your ritual for stepping away from the computer to start exploring the city of Brno. 

A guide can help better inform your experience by giving meaning to your surroundings as you absorb the sights and energy stemming from the city’s mix of history and university students. As the regional capital, the cafes, restaurants, and bars overflow with excitement and local specialties set beneath the red-tiled roofs and dramatic antique spires. Enjoy the strong smells of coffee and pastries in Zelny trh square, listen to the bubbling water of Parnas Fountain, or stroll beneath the dramatic facade of the Cathedral of St Peter and Paul church standing on the top of Petrov Hill.  

Focus: After your workday but before touring Brno, practice a mindful activity. Sit straight, have your feet flat on the floor, put your hands in your lap, and breathe through your nose. Foxy on your breath and expanding and contracting your lungs.

Suggestion: Brno is the coffee capital of the Czech Republic, so try a coffee in the morning to get your day started on a delicious step forward.

After a full day of work, you can step into the unique and macabre beauty of the Capuchin Crypt. Use your ritual to step away from your projects and visit the mummified monks in the crypt dating back to the 17th century. Stroll through the crypt, admiring the narrow passageways displaying the stonework opening to the bodies of past dignitaries. 

You can find the body of one woman frozen in a unique pose, with a description of how she arrived in that position. Beyond the people lining the halls, the infamous Capuchin monks internet their brothers in the crypt before hygiene laws were passed in the 1700s resulting in 24 monks remaining perfectly preserved in rows across the floor while clad in their robes and rosaries. 

Focus: Take a break from your work and perform mindful movement. Stretch and wander around the room while paying attention way your legs feel and how you move through the space, as well as why. 

Suggestion: Brnenske pivo is a beer made is made in Brno. The local beers use water from the town’s water supply and you may find some great hoppy aromas.  

By now, you have implemented your ritual while in the Czech Republic, making it practically second nature for your work habits. Step away from the computer and the end of the day and pick out one or two museums to explore while learning about the city’s history, art, and culture.

If you prefer art, you can visit the Moravian Gallery, the second-largest art museum in the country. The gallery opened in the 19th century and offers an extensive display of artistic mediums, from traditional fine arts to photography to graphic design and architecture. You can view the different forms and definitions of art form including the classicist “Greek in the Red Coat,” and the surrealist “Sleepwalker” by Jindrich Styrsky. 

Focus: Nature is one of the best ways to recharge your train of thought and concentration. Step out in nature in a park or outside of the city and pay attention the smells, sounds, and feel the air when walking through nature. 

Suggestion: If you have time, visit Brno Reservior Trail for a great immersion into nature and view of the countryside. 

You are nearly done with the week and can set your intention for the day before starting work. At the end of your schedule, make time to visit the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul for a different perspective of Brno. 

The 14th-century Cathedral crowns Petrov Hill and stands over the foundations of an ancient temple once dedicated to Venus. Viennese sculptor Josef Leimer designed the interior altar standing over 36 feet tall. Amid the smells of frankincense, you can climb to the top of the tower for the best panorama of Brno stretching out to the countryside. 

Focus: Incorporate meditation into your daily routine by creating a morning intention. Focus on what you want to get done for the day and block out your schedule before the workday starts. 

Suggestion: Take a moment to spend in the greenery ot Denisovy sady, the quiet park surrounding Petrov Hill. 

When you complete work, you can step out onto the cobblestone streets with a guide for a better understanding of the importance of the city’s food scene through the centuries. As the second-largest region in the Czech Republic, with a large university and important regional history, Brno sits at the crossroad of cultural influences between the West and East, North and South. 

As your guide leads you between restaurants, you may find the aromas of sweet paprika and frying potato pancakes, or the smell of cooling jam. Fish farming remains an important part of local gastronomy and you may taste the ancient fruit sorbus domestica, which has similar properties to a pear. If you haven’t yet tried the schnitzel, you may find the crunchy and savory flavors a cozy addition to your flavorful tour. 

Focus: Practice mindful eating. Close your eyes and taste the different flavors. Try to name them. What textures stand out to you and how do the aromas affect you? 

Suggestion: Don’t be afraid to try regional specialties like the Moravian sparrow, which is actually park served with sauerkraut and dumplings. 

With a full day to explore outside of Brno, visit the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that acted as the center for ruling dukes between the 17th and 20th centuries. At over 77 square miles, it’s one of the largest artificial landscapes on the continent and features reflections of Romantic English principles, neo-Gothic architecture, and classical structural design.

As you make your way through the vast parklands and past the landmarks, take time to admire the beauty of nature and man-made structures that include the gardens, picturesque village, and charismatic castle. Walk among the manicrued hedges, wander through the ornamental halls, and listen to teh sound of trickling water standing beneath the nearly 200-foot tall minaret. 

Focus: Keep a journal entry for the day. How much do you write down? Write the details that stood out to you from the Lednice-Valtice. Look back at your journal at the end of the day. How many of the details do you remember? 

Suggestion: If you pass by the Church of St. James, look for the surprising two-headed man above the southern window spreading his cheeks towards the cathedral. 

You can take the day to relax along the waters of Brno Lake. The reservoir is one-square-mile with serene waters reflecting the surrounding tree-lined hills. The area is now a nature rserve, giving you plenty of forest to wander through and, in the summer, the opportunity to take a relaxing boat ride along the water. 

As you glide across the peaceful lake, take the time to admire the scenery and allow your mind to wander. Enjoy the view of the surrounding countryside and the wildlife. In winter, the lake freezes, but in spring and summer, runners take to the trails, cyclists speed beneath the trees, and you can listen to the birds singing in the canopy. For a more active visit, you can tour Veveri Castle, which perches on the cliff overlooking the lake. 

Focus: A negative thought is more powerful than a positive thought. A negative thought spoken out loud is 10 times more powerful than a thought kept in the head. Practice positive self-talk by looking in a mirror and speaking outloud. 

Suggestion: The area around Brno Lake has plenty of restaurants and cozy pubs to visit for a traditional and delicious meal. You can also rent a paddleboat to enjoy exploring the water.

Today, travel to Olomouc, one of the oldest towns in the Czech Republic. Often overlooked by North American travelers, the city is one to admire. After work, your Workation representative will take you to the city stretching alongside the Moravia River. Sporadic cobblestone streets create charismatic corners to explore and historical monuments texture the plazas and neighborhoods amid the churches and monasteries. 

After visiting your accommodations filled with the amenities you need to succeed, you can wander through the city to view the six Baroque fountains that once acted as the main source of clean water or notice the ancient foundations of the city’s local castle. The famous Holy Trinity Column was built in the 18th century and stands nearly 115 feet tall. In the evening, the base of the column seemingly comes alive with locals who tend to meet at the central location before starting their night. 

Focus: Before you start your workday, let go of perfectionism. Consider what your best looks like and how you can approach your workday with a sense of balance, focus, and positive realism without comparing yourself to perfection. 

Suggestion: Olomouc is famous for its tvarůžky cheese. It is the smelliest but also considered the tastiest cheese in the Czech Republic. 

With your ritual firmly in place, you can start and complete work easily without losing time. When the workday is complete, you can return to the city’s beautiful streets to visit the unique churches and monasteries with histories spanning nearly 1,000 years. At St Moritz Cathedral, you can enjoy the Gothic design and visit elements of the parish dating back to the 1400s. 

The church organ can quickly get your attention asone of the largest in Europe with over 10,400 pipes adding to the city’s surprising luster. At St Wenceslas’ Cathedral, you can walk through the interior to find a design practically unchanged since medieval times. 

Focus: Take a moment inside one of the churches or monasteries and enjoy a mindful pause. Let your mind wander in the quiet space and take one deep breath. 

Suggestion: If you visit Hradisko Monastery, take a guided tour to view the sculptures, reliefs, and ceiling frescoes you may otherwise not notice or have the chance to experience.

After work, you can make your way to Helfstyn Castle and explore the 14th-century grounds. The complex is nearly 500 feet wide and over 600 feet long, making it one of the largest castles in a country known for hosting over 2,000 strongholds. Enjoy the view on top of the forest-covered hill as the waters of the Becva River run below. 

WIth five gates, four courtyards, and storybook towers, you may feel like you entered into a fantasy world. Focus on the details of the castle and the surrounding area, including the sound of the blacksmith’s hammer as it pounds against the anvil. After your visit, try some of the local cuisine, such as the traditional Moravian bramboráky, a customary potato pancake.

Focus: Whether you choose to focus during work, when on a tour, or when talking to loved ones back home, practice mindful listening. That means paying attention to the person speaking without your mind wandering or worrying about what you will say next. 

Suggestion: If visiting in August, you may be able to see the Hefaiston, a festival of artisan blacksmiths that attracts smithies from all over the world. 

Embrace the peaceful atmosphere of Bouzov Castle after you’ve completed your workday. The setting and architecture easily transfers you into a storybook less than 20 miles outside of Olomouc. The fortress has kept guard over the knoll since the 14th century and was refurbished in the 1800s by a Bavarian architect eager to match the past with their vision of courtly medieval life. 

Walk across the moat, wander among the crenelated walls, and find watchtowers standing nearly 100 feet while surrounded by a blanket of dense forest. A guided tour may help acquaint you with the importance of the position and design of the original castle, before it became a national cultural monument. 

Focus: Incorporate mindful breathing into your day as you walk along the castle grounds. Give yourself five minutes on the walls of the castle to pay attention to how you breathe and the way your setting affects your intake and exhalation. 

Suggestion: Olomouc has its own selection of local breweries you can sample. 

After work, you can step off the beaten path in the Czech Republic to visit one of the prettiest towns tourists don’t know about at Litomysl. A world heritage site known for its Renaissance palace and monastery with charming gardens, when you arrive in the town, the colorful square set beneath the towering spires can feel surprising. 

Art, music, and sculptures have become part of daily life calling to bohemians from around the world as the new center for art and artistic thought. Enjoy a visit to the palace grounds to see opulence captured in design, from the wall paintings to the period dress, the furniture to the theater. At the castle, you may even visit the antique wine cellar. 

Focus: Spend time with supportive people. Whether with a group of friends you have made during your trip or by calling loved ones or co-workers back home, make sure to spend time ith supportive people who will encourage you to do your best and reach your goals of a work-life balance.

Suggestion: If you stay long enough, you may be able to enjoy sunset at the chateau gardens.

In the morning you will have time to reflect back on your Czech Republic Workation. Think about to all of the places you have visited, and all of the unique experiences you had, with castle visits and mining museums, brewery tours and wine tastings. Enjoy a final cup of coffee like a local and savor the strong flavor before meeting your Workation representative and traveling the airport. 

Focus: Practice mindful movement and mindful breathing together before leaving for the airport to help prepare for your trip home. 

Suggestion: It could take up to three hours to reach the Prague airport. Try booking a return flight from Ostrava instead.