Do you have any plans for this summer? I have just completed my Erasmus Semester in Berlin and I am cooling down my heels here, counting down the hours until my next holiday destination.
So I said “Na shledanou!” (Goodbye!) to Prague and heading to Budapest now, but I wanted to share some of my favourite Prague memories with you and make this departure less bitter.
Prague is mesmerizing! My eyes have almost lost track of the plethora of attractions spread as a narrative thread all around the city. Having a little bit of this, a little bit of that… the Czech capital is a brilliant hybrid cross between Vienna’s old architecture, medieval alleys, Venice’s canals and staggering districts – some lift you up offering the best view over the red bricks (Prague Castle), some bring you down to earth so you could enjoy walking (Astronomical Clock).
I only had 48 hours to spend in this gorgeous city and I had known since the very beginning this would not be enough. How would you fit a square peg in a round hole? With no minute to spare, I had to walk before I could crawl! Still hoping for a miracle, I decided to buckle up, belt out my thoughts, turn them into plans and get to see and try as many things as possible – this place here abounds with incredible sights!
As soon as I checked in, I “broke up” with my car leaving it behind safely parked next to the hotel. Being picky now, it’s very cumbersome to park your car in the city center, especially as a foreigner. Some blue and yellow borders give priority to locals whilst you could struggle with some big white elephants before finding a parking lot. To shrug off these worries I got a 1 day travel card (~110 CZK – 2.5 GBP) turning the tram into my own carriage.
The accommodation was about 20 minutes away from the Old Town, but to reach the Castle it required an additional quarter of an hour, just perfect to have a glance at the surroundings. This fine piece of architecture is breathtaking and it does not mind sharing its popularity with another sister-building, a very imposing cathedral found in the same garden. I prefer to offer you a “chubby gallery” rather than stuffing your memory with price figures and historical dates – I am also adding the official website for each of these attractions.
Climbing down the royal hill, a wavy alley brought me to the famous Bridge full of souvenirs, miscellaneous stands, flashes and curious tourists scrutinizing every brick. I found myself crossing the bridge on a Sunday afternoon, so imagine the queue formed at the Oxford Street Tube Station and multiply that by… let’s say 3! Prague is a genuine bottleneck during weekends and this is the living proof that it is one of the most visited European capitals. Squeezing through, but always keeping an eye on the cultural heritage and scenes, I came around the main old square.
There is no doubt that Swiss are the masters of watches, but the “processing wheel” on Google slows down when you search for the most stunning building clocks. I have a weakness for London and for the old Big Ben, but the Astronomical Clock in Prague does not fall short. It certainly has a distinctive design and most probably a different mechanism, but as a simple tourist without a wide knowledge on architecture and surely not on old clock appliances, I strongly recommend to visit this place! I even found a “clock-book divider” and I could not help myself so I bought one as a souvenir.
If you are still with me on this journey, don’t you think that we have been walking for a while? Something is missing though… what about the local cuisine? You have to try one of their traditional dishes and then try another one and another one and give yourself a break until your stomach starts asking for more. I am not a fan of meat and, frankly, I am quite a difficult person when it comes to skimming the menu and making a decision. For some people, the Czech cuisine could seem a bit heavy – comprising of a wide range of sausages, pork dishes and sauces, but there is no denial that they have a very rich and tasty flavour. I decided to try the traditional Czech goulash and I gave myself a tap on the back. The beef was beautifully cooked, very sweet and succulent and the sauce found refuge in a bread pot.
For those of you who are chocolate lovers – count me in! – I saw at least three Chocó factories and I had to try the dark one, there were too many temptations at every corner. (Kuirtosh Kolacs) Trdelnik – stuffed with vanilla cream or ice-cream were served across the narrow streets and the fresh bourbon essence was filling the air around them. It is impossible to resist, so listen to your nose and follow the trace of the fragrance.
With a full reservoir and hunger for more places of interest, I was walking along the river heading to the last attraction I had in mind – The Dancing House. I have never seen a more peculiar building in my entirely life! It looks like the strong wind reshaped its left side resulting in a weather-beaten silhouette. The right façade is shrinking on the way down creating the feeling that it is either unfinished or the architect was wearing the wrong glasses when they designed it.
I have to run now, Budapest is calling! I hope this article at least made you google some more information about Prague if not book your next holiday in the heart of Czech Republic. Let’s see if Budapest lives up to Prague’s beauty! 🙂
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