Top 5 CIEE Weekly Activities You Should Not Miss: Prague Edition

By: Isabella Pereira

CIEE Prague hosts free weekly activities for their students, and I do not regret attending a single one, but why?

Going to these activities is a great way to meet people or strengthen your connections with classmates you don’t usually see around much. It's also a great way to create memories and souvenirs for yourself or others. 

One of my favorite activities I attended was a Czech cooking class. We were around 16 and a very cool chef greeted us. He led us through the entire activity with what we needed to do. It was a very long table where we were separated into groups of 4, as there were 4 burners. Then we all worked as a group to cut, arrange, and cook our meal, but we were doing this at the same time as the other groups so it felt as if we were all helping each other.

We cooked a Czech potato soup, Paprika Chicken Dumplings, and an Apple Strudel with ice cream. If you want a laid-back free meal where you can hang out with friends, I highly recommend it. Oh, and I almost forgot, the never ending wine!

I also recommend going to a Hockey Game. Despite knowing very little about hockey, and very little about the Czech teams that were playing I had an amazing time. It is great for enjoying a beer and watching the game whilst you see the fanatics scream and chant, please do join them! The atmosphere is very lively and it's a very cool plan to go with friends. 

Thirdly, I recommend going to the opera. I cannot emphasize this one enough! You get to get dressed up, which is something I love, and then you get to enjoy 3 hours of Opera singing. I know this might sound extremely boring, but hear me out… The costumes are amazing, it's not only an opera but the people that sing act a story (in my case it was an adaptation of the Little Mermaid) and there are breaks between every hour. The opera has a wide selection of snacks and alcoholic drinks like wine that you can enjoy before the opera or during the breaks. When I tell you I was at the edge of my seat because of how dramatic the plot was! Also, there are English and Czech subtitles in the theater right above the stage and you have a direct view of the orchestra that is playing the live music as well. It's a must-go!

If you like wine, or drinking, or both… please go to the wine tasting. I went two times because of how good it was. You get an arrangement of cheeseboards and charcuteries along with tasting wine, tell me about anything better! The sommelier explains a little bit about the wine, but you will have an amazing evening, and if you go alone, you will have so many friends by the end of it, guaranteed. 

And lastly, if you like smelling good or forgot your perfume (like me), you should go to the perfume-making workshop. Located in a hotel, you’ll be greeted by water and the people helping you, they’ll explain the process and get ready to smell a lot of bottles, like A LOT. But it is so worth it. You have to choose your top scents and the professionals will help you pick a mix that goes well. After that, you’ll get your perfume shipped and get ready to be smelling good all year long!

Despite managing homework, classes, and living in a new country, going to these activities will allow you to meet a lot of people, experience unique activities, and sometimes get some souvenirs for home. Which one did you like the most?