The Plague Doctor of Prague
Description
In 1713, the plague returned to Prague. Most doctors suddenly remembered urgent business elsewhere. Alexandr Schamsky, 28 and apparently missing that survival instinct, stayed — treated patients, documented the chaos, somehow lived to tell the tale. Three centuries later, follow his exact footsteps with a guide in full plague doctor costume: beaked mask, hooded cloak, leather bag and all. In 90 minutes you'll hear five competing theories on what caused the plague, taste a (modern, harmless) anti-plague pill, smell historic lavender oil and pass one of Europe's oldest hospitals - emerging with nothing worse than a newfound suspicion of avocados. Real history. Real character. Zero actual plague. Featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vogue and Forbes. Suitable for all ages.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your plague doctor outside the beautifully decorated House of the Golden Well, built in 1715 to celebrate the end of the plague. Make the acquaintance of Alexandr Schamsky, learn about the plague saints Sebastian and Rochus, and find out why three litres of garlic beer a day was considered solid medical advice.
Step into one of Prague's most atmospheric courtyards - just 20 metres from the tourist crowds but feeling like a different century entirely. Learn how the rich escaped the plague (they always do), how ordinary families were locked inside their own homes by armed night watchmen, and how Schamsky ended up becoming a doctor against all odds.
Get acquainted with the two types of plague - bubonic and pneumonic - including symptoms, survival rates and the surprisingly avocado-like nature of a bubo. Meet the plague doctor's costume up close, including the famous beaked mask and its rather pungent air filtration system.
Discover why the Jewish community of Prague fared significantly better during the plague - and what that tells us about hygiene, fresh water and the dangers of throwing garbage out of windows. Also a brief encounter with Kafka, who, like the plague, appears everywhere in Prague whether you want him to or not.
Pass by the oldest active hospital in Europe and meet another forgotten hero: Celestine Opitz, the surgeon who performed the first successful surgery under full anaesthesia in 1847. The patient woke up, everyone celebrated, and then the patient died. But still - progress. Learn about the rat flea, Yersinia Pestis, and receive your anti-plague pill.
End your journey at the serene 13th century convent where Prague's very first plague cases were reported. Learn about alternative medieval medicine, why lavender kept the fleas away, and what ultimately happened to Alexandr Schamsky. The tour closes with a group photo and a poem - part medieval, part metal band, entirely unforgettable.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(144)
We did the tour with Thomas and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thomas was personable, funny and full of knowledge about the plague and Prague history in general. We were looking for a short walking tour to help us recover from jet lag and this was perfect!
Hi Susan, Thanks for your awesome review of our tour and for Thomas. We wish you all the best from Prague, Your plague doctors and nightwatchmen of Prague
A very entertaining tour with interesting facts. We really enjoyed it. We were able to follow the tour very well, even though English is not our native language.
Hallo Aileen, Herzlichen Dank für diese starke Bewertung. Beste Grüße aus Prag, Eure Nachtwächter und Pestärzte von Prag
Maria was a fabulous tour guide. Her weaving on medieval history and the development of modern medicine was a great way to see another side of Pragues history. The tour was lighthearted and funny and a great way to spend an evening. I highly recommend the tour for people interested fun, unique storytelling.
Hello, Thanks so much for your wonderful review, it was duly shared with Maria. We hope you spent a great time in Prague and hope to see you one day in our Nightwatchman Tour, Your plague doctors and nightwatchmen of Prague
Very fun, very informative and interactive tour by Thomas, 100% recommend.
Dear 131bobob, Thanks so much for your kind review and the recommendation. Best regards from Prague, Your plague doctors and nightwatchmen of Prague
What an amazing tour! Our guide David was a really fun storyteller and managed to keep us all invested during the entire tour - including the kids. You can really tell so much passion and work was put into this project. What the team does by bringing these forgotten or less known stories to the general public isn't just extremely interesting, it's also so so important for history preservation! If you have the chance and find the topic even slightly interesting, definitely book it, I can't recommend it enough! One of my favorite memories from my Prague trip for sure
Hello 231anyaa, Thanks so much for such a detailed review. Very pleased to read your feedback. We hope to see you in our tour or maybe in our storytelling training, David & Your plague doctors and nightwatchmen of Prague
This tour was absolutely amazing!! Aside from learning more about this interesting topic, we were able to pass by a lot of notable Prague landmarks right at sunset. It was such a beautiful evening stroll packed full of riveting trivia. Maria was super personable, engaging, and knowledgeable about the topic. She had a great sense of humor! We had a few kids on our tour, and she went out of her way to make them feel included, which I thought was so sweet. Maria is definitely one of the best tour guides I've ever had! She even let us take photos with her in her plague doctor costume at the end. I highly recommend booking this tour during your stay in Prague.
Hello Rachel, thank you for your kind review! We are so pleased Maria made your Plague Doctor tour in Prague such a personal and engaging experience. We hope to welcome you back for our Nightwatchman tour as well. Warm regards from Prague, The Nightwatchmen & Plague Doctors of Prague
My friend and I booked this tour together to learn more about Prague and about the plague. Our tour guide Thomas was informative and funny, he did an amazing job!
Hello Sophia, thank you! We are grateful to hear Thomas made your Prague plague history tour so informative and fun. We hope to see you and your friend back one day. Warm regards from Prague, The Nightwatchmen & Plague Doctors of Prague
It was a very entertaining tour. I did this in English with Maria ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!!
Hallo, Lieben Dank für diese starke Bewertung für Maria und unsere Tour mit dem Pestarzt von Prag. Eure Nachtwächter und Pestärzte von Prag.
Super entertaining with a nice guide. Having a dog with us was also not a problem. The 1.5 hours flew by.
Hallo Maria, Besten Dank für diese prima Bewertung. Wir hoffen auf ein Wiedersehen und wünschen euch bis dahin eine pestfreie Zeit, Eure Nachtwächter und Pestärzte von Prag
Very informative. Smaller group and not too much walking. Great value. Maria was our guide and would recommend highly
Dear Jamie, Thanks a lot for the lovely review for Maria and our plague doctor tour. We wish you a plague-free time and hope to see you again, Your plague doctors and nightwatchmen of Prague
