Hi, this is Dana. Thank you for landing on my page. Maybe you have already read some of my other blog posts, maybe you were just browsing Google. And voila, here you are. Welcome! This article is dedicated to all of you who are interested in touring with me and exploring Prague in a less touristy way.
Local Prague guide since 2015
Maybe you are still hesitating….will she be the right guide for us? How do her tours differ from the others? Prague Behind The Scenes – hmmmm, cool name – but will she drag us to some funky suburbs or what?
Please get to know me better and my tiny business as well. I am not an anonymous company. I am Dana, solopreneur, founder and (the only) guide for Prague Behind The Scenes – Small Group Tours and Experiences. Since 2015.
Born and raised in Prague
I was born in Prague and my parents as well. So, good news: you will definitely not get lost with me. I know the city very well. And to know it even better, after graduation from the university, I also attended an accredited course for tour guides. I am fully licenced and registered Prague guide.
I spent my childhood in communist Czechoslovakia without knowing anything about foreign countries, foreign languages, or foreigners. Travelling? Oooops, nope, impossible, only within Czechoslovakia because the borders were closed for us.
But the year 1989 was a big plot twist. Now I am 100% working with foreigners and only use English in my work. I lived one year in Canada, several months in Norway and I have been travelling extensively since the regime change. But Prague is still my home.
My background – studies and previous work
My high school and university programmes were marketing and social communication. I was deciding between pedagogy (teaching) and marketing but in the end, marketing was the winner. After graduation I spent many years working in PR and advertising. But I didn´t fit in this field full of driven extroverts. So, I am a master in marketing but also a master in making wrong decisions. This wasn’t the best part of my life:-)
Prague Behind The Scenes: from a warehouse to a full time job
I left the previous PR job. I was almost 35 and started to build my tiny business from scratch.
The beginnings were tough. When I launched Prague Behind The Scenes in 2015, I had zero clients, zero experiences, zero references and of course almost zero income. The clients don’t come easy, I was guiding for minimum money in order to get my first reviews and experiences. In the evenings I was working in a warehouse. Scanning parcels for DHL:-) Because I needed to be available for guiding during the day time.
The pandemic was another challenge but….I am still here. Guiding full time again. Because I love my job, learning things, writing blogs, writing guide books and helping my clients enjoy Prague in a more authentic way.
How my tours differ from the others?
Simply said: I am not doing the classic highlight tours for large groups: “look right, look left, now you have 10 minutes for buying souvenirs…” – Oh no! My groups are always very small and all the tours I design for you are very personal. You will not be following an umbrella or wear headsets in an anonymous group.
I am also very proud that I am not involoved in any commission based cooperation with hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers or shops… because I find this mass tourism world a bit sick.
Where shall we go on my tours?
We will stay downtown or in the near downtown area. My tours are always a mix of the history, Prague landmarks and many of the hidden gems. We will just not be following the stereotypical routes full of large tour groups and kitschy souvenir shops. We will avoid this touristy circus and rather blend in with back alleys like locals do.
My specialization is Prague which is not so obvious. Prague in a less touristy way. Because I don´t want to sponsor the crazy overtourism that is annoying everyone and driving locals crazy.
I strive to support sustainable and respectful tourism.
Will be my tour a good fit for you?
I absolutely understand that my style of touring is not for everyone. So, maybe just a brief summary of what to expect from me (and what not).
- You will like my tours if you enjoy walking and don’t have any issues with knees or back. I don´t have a car so we only walk on my tours or use public transport. Or Uber.
- You will like my tour if you prefer more quiet areas and friendly chat instead of entertaining show.
- My tours are laid back, great for people who don´t like rushing.
- My tours are perfect for those who enjoy the idea of going off-the-beaten-path instead of hitting just the highlights and must-sees.
- You will enjoy my tours if you are an open minded traveller who is not seeking luxury, shopping districts or social media photo opportunities to show off without any context.
- My tours are ideal for adults and older teenagers. But not very suitable for babies or small kids.
- My small-group tours are also ideal for solo travellers or couples who don´t want to be a part of large group tours but at the same time they don´t want to go on a private tour. I limit the sizes of my small-group tour up to 4 people only – good compromise between a private tour and group tour.
Thank you very much for your time and wish you a lovely, memorable trip to Prague. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to see Prague with me (in a less touristy way) dana@praguebehindthescenes.com
Dana – blogger and guide for Prague Behind The Scenes | Small-Group Tours and Experiences.
For more info about Prague Behind The Scenes you can also check my IG or Facebook profiles.
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Private 3-hour off-the-beaten-path tour with Dana, author of this blog post.