Solo parenting in Prague: Why the Czech capital is perfect for travelling with toddlers

Forget stag and hen parties, this European city's calm, colour and castles make it an ideal destination with young children

The writer discovers the joy of seeing a new place through the wonderstruck eyes of her toddler. Hayley Skirka for The National

Tired after a long flight with a toddler who refuses to sleep on planes, I braced myself for the moment I always dread when travelling solo with my daughter: the post-landing search for our buggy and car seat. Anyone who's flown with small children will know this typically involves juggling luggage, passports, nappy bags and an overtired little one while scanning the oversized luggage area and hunting for your belongings.

But Prague had other plans. After asking an airport attendant where to go, she pointed just ahead, and there was our buggy, already unfolded and positioned right next to the car seat. No conveyor belt wrestling needed. I strapped in my daughter and happily wheeled her out of Vaclav Havel Airport Prague towards the city.

As it turns out, this act set the tone for our stay in Prague, a city that was a welcome surprise for a parent travelling alone with a child. With Etihad Airways recently launching direct flights from Abu Dhabi, the Czech capital has never been more accessible. It has made a name for itself as the place to go for stag dos, hen parties and Christmas markets, but it's also filled with plenty to keep small children, and their parents, entertained.

Checking into Almanac X Alcron Prague

The Almanac X Alcron Prague hotel has an art-filled lobby and rooms with attic-style windows. Photo: Almanac X Alcron Prague

Our driver dropped us at the recently reopened Almanac X Alcron Prague, a grand hotel just steps from Wenceslas Square, a bustling hub named after Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, who is immortalised in the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas. With its high ceilings and rich history, the hotel has hosted stars including Charlie Chaplin and Ella Fitzgerald.

The property feels at once timeless and refreshingly contemporary. Despite its luxury and my daughter running around the art-filled lobby, staff remained so unfazed that I didn't feel self-conscious. Arriving in our room, we gazed out of the attic-style windows to a skyline of turrets, rooftops and spires, with Prague Castle in the distance. I pointed it out to my daughter and she pressed her face to the window, wide-eyed.

Day one: Buggy-friendly historical sites

Leafy walkways at Franciscan Gardens. Hayley Skirka for The National

Prague Castle turned out to be the perfect first outing. While the grounds are vast with lots of walking, the site is buggy-friendly, and we moved easily through the spacious courtyards and shady walkways. Outside the formal buildings, my daughter ran after birds in the Royal Gardens and stopped to pick up sticks and leaves. On Golden Lane, colourful houses caught her attention and she loved peeking in the windows to see scenes of days gone by.

From the castle, we wandered down towards the city, heading for the Franciscan Gardens. These 14th-century gardens are just off Wenceslas Square but seem further out of the city thanks to their serene atmosphere. With colourful flower beds, maze-like leafy pathways and a small children's playground, it's a great spot for families. My daughter didn't take long to make friends with two local children, bonding over a shared love of the slide. There's no need for language skills at this age, just pointing, squealing and an occasional attempt to share handfuls of sand. I sat on a nearby bench, sipping a takeaway coffee and letting her play until the shadows grew long.

Day two: Parks and pastry

Taking in the astronomical clock at the Old Town Hall. Hayley Skirka for The National

The following morning, we arrived in the Old Town Square just in time for the world's third-oldest astronomical clock to strike 10am. We watched as figures of the apostles made their hourly appearance through trapdoors and the clock clanged through its ancient routine. While my daughter didn't understand the significance, her eyes were locked on the moving figures, and when the gilded cockerel crowed to wrap up the show, she clapped her hands.

Behind the clock, we discovered Park u Staromestskeho Namesti, a spot that throngs with visitors in winter when it hosts Christmas markets. When we visited, the tree-lined space was quiet and dotted with vendor stands. I ordered a kolace, a Czech pastry, from one of the stalls, and the man serving smiled at my daughter as she peered at the display of sweet and savoury treats.

Swan boats and pedalos on the river. Hayley Skirka for The National

After an afternoon nap back in our room, we headed across the Vltava River to Detsky Island, which was highly recommended for children by our hotel concierge. A tree-lined park and sand-filled playground sit by the river, and my daughter loved joining the other children clambering on wooden beams and climbing frames. This is also the place to rent swan boats and pirate ship-shaped pedalos for a meander along the water. I didn't rent a boat, as keeping my daughter still during a pedalo ride felt ambitious, but just watching the boats float by from the shore was entertainment enough.

Day three: Rainy-day activities

On our third day, the rain drizzled down, turning the city into a water-soaked postcard. Not letting it spoil our adventures, we ducked into Svetozor Passage, one of Prague's many historic covered arcades. Filled with shops, boutiques, galleries, cafes and bars, the floors here are smooth enough for prams. Even when there are stairs, there's only a handful of steps, making it manageable – especially when friendly strangers offer a helping hand.

A line of people stood outside Ovocny Svetozor, which Google told me was famous for its ice cream. We joined the queue and were rewarded with a creamy scoop of green pistachio gelato, which ended up mostly smeared across my little one's face.

Day four: Visiting Prague Zoo

Our last full day in the city included a visit to Prague Zoo, which often ranks as one of the most beautiful zoos in the world. As someone who was staunchly anti-zoo until I had children, when principles are often sacrificed for the sake of little ones, I was pleased to learn that it is renowned for its conservation work. This includes successful breeding programmes for endangered species such as Przewalski's horses.

Set on a hillside by the Vltava, it has gorgeous views across the city and plenty of grassy spaces and shaded spots where families can unwind. Not far from the zoo is Prague's Botanical Garden, another good place to let children burn off some energy.

Travelling solo with a toddler is never going to be relaxing but in Prague, it was surprisingly manageable. More than that, it was meaningful and perhaps even magical. Of course there were meltdowns, and even a 24-hour sickness bug to deal with. But there was also laughter, discovery and the joy of seeing a new place, one filled with quiet corners and accessible attractions, not just through my eyes, but also through the wonderstruck eyes of a toddler.

Dining with a toddler

Dining at Alcron in the Almanac X Alcron Prague hotel. Hayley Skirka for The National

As any parent knows, feeding toddlers in a new location can be tricky. But in Prague, it was mostly stress-free. At Ugova Salaterie, I used the touchscreen menu to customise our own healthy meals and my daughter happily tucked into the broccoli, rice and pea bowl, but predictably spat out the carrots I had sneaked into her order. Another day, when the sun had returned, we found Husovka Cafe, a leafy courtyard spot tucked away from the road. I sipped cappuccino and actually got to finish it while it was still hot while my daughter made good use of the al fresco blackboard, playhouse and ride-along cars.

Dinners were either early and casual, or taken at our hotel, where the staff at Alcron Restaurant never blinked at the highchair mess or crayon-covered napkins. One night, we dined at Capadlo Summer Terrace, a tucked-away riverside spot where my daughter loved watching the ducks bob on the river while I enjoyed a pizza and live music. As dusk fell and the place lit up with fairy lights, she hopped up on my lap for a cuddle, clutching a fistful of pizza crust in one hand. I looked at her sleepy eyes and knew it was time to go back to the hotel.

The writer's daughter enjoys the blackboard at Husovka Cafe. Hayley Skirka for The National