Part 1- Landings in Lucerne

We left off last time with the promise of an ‘economy flight to be jealous of.’  Yes, you heard me right.  In booking our Summer travels, I had one connection I just couldn’t make work “on brand” with Oneworld.  We needed to get from Zurich to Prague, and all the Oneworld connections had to go through Helsinki, London, or Madrid.  For a less than 2 hour flight, it just didn’t work.

Baby Flyer with her “Pink Suitcase” from Travelpro

So, a quick google search found a nicely priced direct flight on Swiss airlines.  I up-fared to the level above the deep discount price to get a checked bag and a seat assignment (grudgingly, as with status this is a thing of the past with Oneworld), and we were set to go.  We didn’t think much of it- it’s a short flight, who cares, etc, until we actually took the flight.  It was great!

The plane was clean and modern, and we had three seats together.  Once we boarded, the cabin crew came around with a special treat and a welcome for Baby Flyer.  They had her at ‘fruit snacks.’  It was just a quick flight, but they still did a full drink and snack service, including free beer and wine, and buttered pretzel bread that was honestly really guilty and good.  By the time we landed, everyone was grumbling about how US-based airlines don’t generally come close to this pleasant of an experience in coach.

We arrived and took a van/cab into the city.  I did see some bus connections, but the prices for transport weren’t prohibitive, and the airport is decently far away.  We were staying in a huge flat right in the center of the old town.  This was easily one of the most unique places we’ve stayed to date.  It was three bedrooms, slept 10, and was right in the old town part of the city, walking distance to everything down twisting cobblestone streets.

It was a unique experience, though in retrospect, when traveling with family in the summer to Prague, we’d recommend staying just outside of old town where the noise at night is less.  The city is understandably busy, and the inner streets are narrow.  The restaurants, bars, and street performers kept old town lively well past kiddo bedtime, and the need to keep windows open due to the heat made it a difficult choice between quiet and cool.  Luckily, the back bedroom opened onto a courtyard, which was much quieter.

That bit of advice aside, we found some great family spots and enjoyed the reprieve from Swiss and Scandinavian prices for food and attractions around town.  As is the way with travel with small kids, the best moments were the unexpected- stopping for a cold beer (and a soda water for Baby Flyer) on the grass on Strelicky island, puppet shows and buskers on the streets, and small cafes along the river and canals.

Though we did travel with a stroller, for our part of town, it wasn’t the best city for it since the streets were crowded and bumpy.  We were thankful to have a slightly older kid who could walk some, as well as the toddler size Tula carrier to get around.

One thing we did book in advance was a dinner at Vytopna.  The pitch for this place is simple – scale model trains bring you your drinks.  To your table. To the endless joy of your 2yr old child.  Aside from the obvious attraction of that, they have solid Italian food, and we were honestly surprised to see so many tables there without kids.  It’s also located on Wenceslas Square, which was a fun part of town to see.

We easily filled our time on this stop with both planned in advance activities, and just wandering the city to see what we could stumble across.  The food was great, if full of vacation-y guilty pleasures, and the Gothic architecture was larger than life.  Cathedrals, maze-like streets, and the many bridges and spires made it memorable, and a place we’d come back to if given the chance.

The main challenge was the heat which was far above average across Europe at the time.  By the end, we were looking forward to heading north to Stockholm in search of some cooler days, and the chance to explore a new Scandinavian city, of course!

Next up- Stockholm

~Baby Flyer Blog

**We took some time off for life lately, so will still be posting our 2018 adventures as we can.