Prague, The Czech Republic
It took us over two years, but after a warm-up trip to Budapest, we finally made it to the jewel of central Europe’s tourism crown: Prague. The City of a Hundred Spires is a charming mix of amazing architecture, adorable squares, and incredible views and has an impressive history stretching back over 1,000 years. Unlike some other cities in the area, Prague was spared the worst of the Second World War which explains why its medieval look and feel are intact. For our three-day visit, we stayed in an Airbnb in Malá Strana on the west bank of the Vltava River just a short walk from the iconic Charles Bridge.
We stuck around our home base the first day. We stopped by St. Nicholas Church on our way toward the castle but unfortunately scaffolding in the interior blocked most of the beautiful paintings that adorn the ceiling. We stumbled on the Church of St. Thomas as we continued our walk which, though not as grand, was at least not under construction! Our last stop before the castle was at Wallenstein Garden, perfectly manicured gardens outside the home of the Czech Senate that offer some nice views up toward the castle. After heading inside to ride out a brief hailstorm we finally made our way up to the castle via Staré Zámecké Schody (you can also cut up to a path through vineyards from here).
Prague’s castle complex is made up of a series of buildings. The grounds are free to enter (you have to go through some light security) and you can buy a two-day combination ticket once you’re inside the walls. There are a few different options depending on what you want to see. We opted for the more complete “Circuit A” tickets. Tickets in hand, we headed for Golden Lane, a crooked cobblestone street tucked in the back of the complex built in the 16th century to house the castle guards. Its current name comes from the goldsmiths who inhabited the buildings in the 17th century. The street is a very popular attraction that immediately loses its charm with the large crowds; we would recommend visiting first thing in the morning (which we came back to do the following day!).
St. George’s Basilica was next up. It is not grand, but it’s 1,000 years old and has a calmingly simple interior. It was very relaxing to sit in the pews and watch the parade of visitors quietly circle the place. St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica’s showoff neighbor, is right across the way and has much more majestic appeal. We walked into what we thought was the entrance and confusingly paid an extra fee having thought entry was included in our ticket. We quickly realized we had just bought tickets to climb the tower, so we went with it and were rewarded with beautiful views over the city! Once back on the ground we found the actual entrance to the church and spent some time appreciating its vivid stained glass.
After a walk through the Old Royal Palace and a snack of chimney cake from one of the market stalls, we briefly exited the castle grounds to walk through the Royal Garden (check out the unmarked building with the geometric designs covering its exterior). We re-entered the castle to walk through the square housing Kohl's Fountain and then exited again toward Hradčanské Náměstí. From here we took a short walk to a series of small cobblestone streets around Nový Svět. It was so nice to get away from the crowds, especially after the castle, and see some of the lower key areas in the city. The area is sprinkled with small cafes and just oozes charm. Our loop back toward our Airbnb took us past the Loreta church complex and Černín Palace and down Loretánská and Úvoz.
One of Malá Strana’s most striking features is the 400-foot tall Petřín Hill. The park offers an expanse of green space right in the city and also provides stunning views of Prague. We walked up from the southeastern corner, along and past Hunger Wall to Petřín Tower. The Eiffel Tower lookalike is visible from many points in the city and offers a panoramic viewing platform. We walked off the hill through the northeastern corner which is covered in attractive apple orchards. Kampa, a canal-hugged island along the west bank, is just across the way from here. We took a loop around and then cut over to the Lennon Wall, a place where the youth would air grievances during communism. There is a unique communal energy pumping through the area and there was even a guy playing Beatles’ songs while we were there. If you head north from here, under Charles Bridge, you’ll get to a cute shopping area on U Lužického Semináře and Míšeňská where we found our souvenir for the trip (check out The Chemistry Design Store, Nostalgie, and Shakespeare & Sons).
While Prague’s Malá Strana neighborhood and castle are key spots in the city, the epicenter of activity lies on the other side of the Vltava. And the best way to cross from one side to the other is over the 15th century Charles Bridge, a pedestrianized stone bridge commissioned by King Charles IV. It’s difficult to enjoy the bridge’s beauty during the day as it’s packed with people—mostly distracted tourists walking at a snail’s pace in unpredictable zig-zags. We got up early one morning to get a better look. At 7am on a Sunday the only people on the bridge were photographers and the overall volume of people was so much more manageable.
Our first real foray into the old town and its environs was through a three-hour walking tour by Sandeman’s. Sandeman’s organizes free (more accurately pay-what-you-want) walking tours in cities around the world, primarily in Europe, with fun, young tour guides and a balance in content between history and modern culture. Our tour guide brought us to all the main sights (Old Town Square, Powder Tower, Wenceslas Square, the Jewish District) and some secondary sights (New Town, Malé Náměstí, Estates Theatre, Rudolfinum) but focused more on telling us the story of Prague from its founding through the reign of Charles IV, two separate incidences of defenestration (Czechs like throwing people out of windows), the struggle of the people against the Catholic church, to the Second World War, the occupation by the Nazis then by the Soviets, the dark period of communism, the Prague Spring, the collapse of the Soviet Union and end of communism in Czechoslovakia, and the peaceful separation of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. There was a lot to cover but it was all done in an engaging way and complemented by insights from our tour guide into modern Czech life.
We spent a lot of time in and around Old Town Square later in the day. Old Town Hall Tower offers some of the best views of Prague and, compared to similar towers in other towns and cities, the staircase (which is more of a ramp) is very easy and comfortable to climb. We were rewarded at the top with views on one side toward the castle and on the other back onto the square and the imposing but charming Týn Church. Back at ground level we joined the crowds for the on-the-hour Astronomical Clock show. We went into it with low expectations (almost everyone you speak to and every blog post you read will describe the show as decidedly unimpressive) and our expectations were indeed met, but it’s still a fun experience and it is remarkable that such a complex machine was constructed over 600 years ago. St. Nicholas’ Church is right across the square and also worth a visit. We spent a good 30 minutes just sitting in the pews and enjoying the peace and quiet away from the square.
While we visited the Jewish District (named Josefov after Joseph II who, in the late 18th century as Holy Roman Emperor, granted Jews under Habsburg rule religious freedom) during our tour, we didn’t get a chance to visit any of the many synagogues. Our first synagogue visit was actually to Jerusalem Synagogue which is quite far outside of Josefov. The art nouveau-inspired synagogue was built in the early 20th century with a fanciful interior and exterior. Back in Josefov, we sat in awe of the Moorish-influenced Spanish Synagogue, whose interior is absolutely covered in geometric patterns and dotted with Moorish motifs. Nearby Old New Synagogue is quite the contrast. Europe’s oldest active synagogue was built in 1270 (let that sink in), exhibits a sparse and basic interior, and according to legend houses the body of Golem, a clay figure that came to life to protect the Jews of Prague in the 16th century.
Our last visit was to Pinkas Synagogue which is unique for two reasons. One, the walls in the interior are covered in the names of tens of thousands of Holocaust victims. Two, there is an equally moving permanent exhibition upstairs that tells the story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis. Friedl, a painter, covertly taught art to children as a form of creative expression and therapy at Terezín concentration camp. When she knew she’d be relocating to Auschwitz she had the presence of mind to hide the children’s work in suitcases. She was killed at Auschwitz along with many of the children with whom she worked, but her husband Pavel survived and was able to recover the artwork which is now displayed in the Jewish Museum and the synagogue. To properly reflect we spent some time walking through the Old Jewish Cemetery just outside the synagogue, appreciating that travel is oftentimes more educational and perspective-widening than hedonistic.
We enjoyed lots of tasty food over the course of three days. Cukrkávalimonáda, right by our Airbnb, offers fresh light meals (we had some of the pasta) and scrumptious desserts (macarons and cake anyone?). Lehká Hlava, a funky vegetarian spot tucked away down a side street in the old town, hosted us for dinner our first night (tacos and curry). We grabbed bagels from Bohemia Bagel each morning. The bagel theme continued at Cafe Ebel, where we charged up with bagel sandwiches and cakes (the cheesecake was incredible!) after the walking tour. For a more traditional meal we plopped ourselves on some wooden chairs at kitschy Baráčnická Rychta. Our last full meal of the trip brought us to Art & Food by Petřín Hill for fresh pasta (we tried to get into Café Savoy but they were full).
Prague has a good reputation and we learned quickly why that’s the case. The city is undeniably charming and is drenched in interesting history and culture. We found ourselves wishing we had just a bit more time, so perhaps we’ll have to go back someday soon!
