Homeless Tours of Prague

Been in town for a while? Think you’ve seen it all? Step outside your expat comfort zone and sign up for a walking tour of the city with a difference…

Golden spires, cobbled streets, baroque cherubs, and of course the Castle. Prague is undeniably pretty – and the best way to explore is on foot. But tag along with a typical walking tour and all you’ll do is tick off the main sites.
However, there is an alternative way to see the so-called Golden City – through the eyes of those forced to survive on its streets. Thanks to Pragulic, the award-winning brainchild of three postgraduate students at Charles University, there are now walking tours led by the homeless offering a unique opportunity to explore Prague’s grittier side.

The tour is called From the Bottom to the Top, which does indeed describe the route he takes us from the central train station to the vantage point on Letná where a gigantic statue of Stalin once stood overlooking the city. The title also refers to the journey of Jan’s life from hitting rock bottom thanks to a gambling addiction to a new beginning – or, as Oscar Wilde might have put it, from the gutter to the stars. 

Pragulic’s slogan is Nebojte se poznávat Prahu jinak – don’t be afraid to get to know Prague differently. Jan takes us to the social centre Naděje (rather aptly the word for ‘hope’) where he once came to get soup and clean clothes. Hidden under a flyover, it’s a spot that’s easy to overlook – unless you’re location scouting for a gritty docudrama. It’s at this point in the tour that Jan shares some practical advice for those unsure how to help those
they see sleeping rough.

“Give stravenky,” he advises. “With the meal vouchers you know they can only buy food, not booze.”

Later in the tour, we walk across Čechův most, a bridge I travel over on the way to work almost every day. I never fail to look out of the window and take in the view across the river. However, I’ve never noticed the boat Hermes at the foot of the steps leading up to Letná which serves as a hostel for the homeless. Although the doors don’t open until 18:30, the queue for one of the 250 beds begins hours earlier. Those who don’t manage to secure a bed or who can’t find the 20 CZK fee sleep under the bridge.

I asked Tereza Jurečková, one of the co-organisers, what she thought expats could gain from attending the tour.
“Foreigners in Prague often stay separated from local life. They live in Vinohrady and meet other expats, but I believe that lot of them would like to explore local life as well,” Tereza observes. “Now they have a chance to discover the city with a real expert. They will not only see interesting and unknown places but they will better understand the local culture and way of life.

Those interested in booking a homeless tour with an English speaking translator should contact the organisers via their website for more details.

Photos: Pragulic

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