Departing from Prague Airport, I open my in-flight magazine to read a five-page feature on the Czech Republic’s famous Christmas Markets.

“No self-respecting Czech town would miss out on the chance to visit one,” it reads, and this has apparently been the case since Medieval times.

The pages of my magazine are lit up with a dazzling array of images showing scenes from across the country, one of which depicts Prague’s Old Town Square lit up in a cosy warm glow, crowds of people jostling between stalls underneath a towering Christmas tree.

This magazine went to print in October of this year. The scene I experience in December is very different.

On November 25, the Czech Republic announced a string of measures to stem the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. As well as ordering all bars and restaurants to close at 10pm, the Czechs have done the unimaginable, by ordering their Christmas markets to close.

For a place like Prague, which thrives on its tourism and night-time industries, these regulations have altered the very fabric of the city. The wooden stalls of the would-have-been Christmas market are still dotted around the Old Town Square, but tourists now walk aimlessly past them.

The rest of the city is muted, too. My room at the Hotel Occidental looks out over Wenceslas Square – usually a hub of activity, it appears rather torpid now. The famous Duplex nightclub on this square has a sign above its door reading: ‘CLUB STAY OPEN EVERY DAY’, then the opening times: 7–10pm. Imagine going out partying for just three hours…

Thankfully, there is still plenty to do in the Czech Republic’s capital during the daytime. My personal highlight is Pragl, where classically-trained glassblower Dave Yule teaches me how to make my own glassware.

Glassmaking was a big deal in Bohemia, the former name of the Czech Republic, and in typical Czech style, the workshop is complemented with a few glasses of local beer. (Workshops start from 600 CZK/£20; pragl.glass.)

Speaking of beer, my next stop is a city every discerning lager-drinker will have heard of. About an hour and a half by car, Pilsen (Plzen) lies nestled in the heart of West Bohemia. Known throughout the world for its pilsner lager, this market town encircles the Pilsner Urquell brewery, established in 1842.

This is a brewery unlike any other, and with 80-minute tours starting from just 250CZK (£8.30), a visit is an absolute must. Visitors find themselves taken through the incredible and unique story of pilsner, with the tour finishing in the caverns deep below the city, where I am able to sample the creamy beer for myself.

It is served with a purposely large head to reduce the amount of CO2 that makes it into the beer. The Czechs call this effect ‘mliko’, meaning milky.

Indeed, while Pilsen is pretty from street-level, it is in the 13 kilometres of subterranean caverns that one discovers the real heart and soul of this city. For 150CZK (£5), visitors can don a hard-hat and go beneath the surface to enjoy the Pilsen Historical Underground Tour.

Setting off from beneath the Senk Na Parkanu pub – which serves a delicious spread of traditional Czech foods (mains from 195CZK/£6.50) –  the tour winds through several floors of labyrinthine corridors beneath the streets.

Originally constructed as cellars in which to store and move beer barrels, these hallways have since been cleaned, re-paved and transformed into a living museum. Be warned – this experience is not for the claustrophobic, especially when the ceilings start to get very, very low.

Back above ground, I discover that Pilsen, like Prague, has been badly affected by the new Covid regulations. With the loss of Christmas markets, the town square is far less animated than I expected to find it. Dagmar, who works on one of the few stalls that has been allowed to stay open, tells me that she worries for the sake of her business. The loss of footfall as a result of the closure has cost her significant money, she explains to me.

Still, there is plenty to do besides the market. I am lucky enough to visit during the Jewish Festival of Lights, which is celebrated at the Old Synagogue with a dazzling technicolour projection. The neo-romanesque building is tucked away down an unsuspecting side street and has recently benefitted from a full restoration. Religious worship is one thing that Covid has not managed to interrupt.

On the subject of religious buildings, my next stop is to visit the Cathedral of St Bartholomew. This beautiful gothic church dominates Pilsen’s main square, which – despite the closure of the Christmas market – still manages to remain vibrant and animated.

Entry is free, and I would urge any visitor to pay at least a quick visit to see the incredible vaulted ceilings, decorated with stunning paintings by Karl Jobst, painted 1883.

Then, for 60 CZK/£2, visitors can also climb the 300-or-so steps to the top of the 103-metre high tower, from where they can gain an incredible view of the city.

As the evening draws in, I lament the fact Pilsen is nowhere near as vibrant as it could have been – still, I can’t help but suspect this gorgeous city will bounce back very healthily from the pandemic. With so much beauty and intrigue to be discovered, it’s little wonder this city was European Capital of Culture in 2015.

There’s just enough time on my trip to experience something quite novel. Pilsen is a rapidly-growing city, and in the emerging district of Pilsen 8, one finds Purkmistr, a restaurant and hotel with a very unique health club offering.

After sampling a few of the delicious Czech beers they have on offer, I am ushered through to their beer spa, where I take a rejuvenating bath right there in the amber nectar (from 900 CZK/£30). As I lie back, soaking up the warm beer, I start to fully appreciate how important this beverage has been to the history of the Czech Republic, and how creatively Purkmistr is able to honour the city’s most renowned product.

It is a dreadful shame that this new variant had to strike so close to Christmas, but the Czechs are not alone in reeling from its effects.

My advice would be to put Prague and Pilsen on your to-do list now. By the time travel starts to regain its stride, you will find no place on earth more delighted to express itself through food, beer, history and everything else besides.

How to plan your trip

Log on to the official tourist board websites CzechTourism (czechtourism.com) and Visit Pilsen (visitpilsen.eu) to stay on top of news relating to Covid-19 regulations in the Czech Republic and find out how to plan your journey.

British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Prague direct with October 2022 prices starting at £68 return.