Tour Inspiration

Not a set itinerary — just a few of the places and days we can put together. There is no typical tour. Anything is possible.

We can chat and help you plan — including a few nights in Prague. Every trip is planned around you, the time you have, and what you want to see.

How a trip usually starts

You’ll be picked up from Prague Airport by Keith, and taken to either your Prague hotel or Jablonec, whichever you choose to visit first. Prague city centre is about 15 minutes from the airport. Jablonec is about a 1.5-hour drive. From there we build the days together.

Arriving in Jablonec

Jablonec is a beautiful old town — and, more importantly, it is full of beads if you know where to look. The first thing we do is settle into the hotel, your base for the rest of the week. It’s a family-run spot with a restaurant and a function room. There is space there to bead in the afternoons or evenings — and time to sit together, talk through the day’s finds, and look ahead to what tomorrow might bring.

Museum of Glass and Jewellery

One of the finest places to visit is the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec. It’s a good starting point for the history of Czech bead and glass-making, which dates back to the 18th century.

Shops

There are many shops, all selling something different. Treasures wait in the antique shops if you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty. You’ll find plenty of brilliant shops if you know where to look. We spread the shopping through the week so it isn’t too overwhelming. Guests often ask to revisit their favourites towards the end of the trip, which is never a problem.

Factories

There are many factories, each making something different. We visit more than one so you can see bead production up close — press, polish, cut and fire-polish. We also visit a glass-waxed pearl factory with its own outlet shop. If you’re interested in ordering large quantities, beads can even be made to order.

Lamp-work workshops

We visit lamp-work bead makers. You can watch experienced ladies who make it look easy — and then have a go yourself. That’s when you realise even making a colourful blob of glass is not easy. They have beautiful collections of lamp-work beads to choose from, and fantastic jewellery.

Christmas glass pearls

The Czech Republic has a rich history of Christmas decorations dating back to 1800. We’ll visit a spot where small glass pearls are still made the same way they were 100 years ago. You can join a workshop to make your own decorations using these hollow glass pearls.

Glass factories

Some glass factories date back a very long way — one to 1712. You can get close to the glass production on a tour, and see glass cutting as it used to be done before China started to mass-produce it.

Glass button pressing

We’ll visit a small, very old glass button press — still in action — and then have the chance to buy fantastic hand-painted glass buttons, some vintage, some new. This is one of the last button-pressing masters still at work.

Meals together

There are plenty of good places to eat, offering fantastic value. We’ll dine together every evening, either at the hotel restaurant or one of our favourite local spots. Czech cooking is rich and full of flavour. Menus aren’t always tailored to vegetarians, but staff are often very accommodating. During the whole holiday we are with you in the day, and we spend the evenings with you as well, having good meals out together.

Who it’s for

First-timers and repeat guests are both welcome. Come to shop, to watch beads and glass being made, or both.

A little practical

There is walking, time standing in workshops, and some dusty antique shops. Evenings are spent eating together.

Completely flexible

The more time we have, the more we can visit. There is so much to see that 4 or 5 days sometimes isn’t enough. We have guests coming for the third, fourth and fifth time; one traveller even managed to visit twice in one year. You can come for a few nights, a week, or longer. By the end of the tour you will look at your beloved beads with a new-found passion and an appreciation of all the work that goes into making them. Our holidays are completely flexible. This page is meant to give you an idea of the possibilities. Repeat guests are very welcome.

Tell us what you like

Beads, antique shops, factories, lamp-work, Christmas pearls, nights in Prague — tell us what you want to see and we’ll help you plan. Send a message and we’ll take it from there.

Prefer a shorter trip? See our day trips. For 2026 prices, see pricing.