Since 2025
Our Story
The story behind Prague's guide-first walking tour company.
UpCity Walks was founded by Brian Stewart, Slávka Harazimová, Timur Gajiev, and Madilan Rashidov - four people who believed that great tours start with great guides.
Brian had worked as a professional tour guide in Prague for over a decade. During that time, he saw first-hand how many companies treat the people who matter most - their guides - as an afterthought. Too often, guides are pushed to prioritise sales over the actual guest experience.
Tours become scripted and focused on upselling rather than genuinely connecting people with the city. UpCity Walks was built to do things differently.
“Put guides first — and everything else follows.”
UpCityWalks - founding principle
How we got here
The milestones that shaped us
One guide, one city
Brian Stewart first picked up a microphone on the streets of Prague in 2018 as a freelance guide. What started as a temporary job quickly became something more - a genuine love for the city and the people passing through it.
The guide-first model
After guiding for various operators, a clear pattern emerged: guides were treated as interchangeable, commission-driven salespeople rather than the most important part of the experience. Brian started to think seriously about what a better model might look like.
Growing through guides
A shared frustration brought the right people together. Brian connected with Slávka Harazimová, a local Czech entrepreneur who understood both the tourism industry and Prague from the inside. The conversations that would eventually shape UpCity Walks had begun.
The team comes together
Timur Gajiev joined to build the platform and Madilan Rashidov brought marketing expertise. For the first time, the vision had the right team behind it. Planning for UpCity Walks moved from idea to reality.
Still walking, still learning
UpCity Walks launched in 2025 with a simple mission: put guides first and everything else follows. We are still early, still learning, and fully committed to building something that works - for guides, for guests, and for Prague.
What hasn't changed
These are the founding principles we adhere to.
Partners, not employees
Our guides are not salespeople - their job is, and always will be, to give great tours. No sales targets. No ranking systems. No league tables. No punishment for not selling. Good guides thrive when they feel respected and fairly treated.
Honest about everything
Recommendations from our guides should feel natural and genuine. When a guide suggests another tour, it should be because they think you would genuinely love it - not because they are chasing a commission. No scripts. No pressure. No pushing.
Quality over volume
We keep our groups small on purpose - small enough that your guide can read the room, answer every question, and turn a walk through Prague into something genuinely personal. A smaller group means a better experience for everyone.
Ready?
Become part of the story
See Prague through the eyes of someone who truly knows it - on a tour built around your experience, not upselling.