Travel: Prague,Czech Republic

Just 3 weeks ago, I was getting on a plane for my annual fall vacation. There were a couple of destinations in my September journey, but today I will share my first stop…. Prague! A couple of my close friends had highly recommended this famous Czech city, so I knew I had to come check it out. I had the pleasure of spending 3 wonderful days with 2 great friends of mine…. We sure had a great time! 😉

This was my first time visiting Eastern Europe and it was truly a learning experience. It was nice to discover a different side of the world and also get a bit of a history lesson. I learned about the Czech communism, Nazi invasion and the separation of Czechoslovakia into Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Walk around the Old Town
One of my favorite things to do on the first day in a new city, is to walk around and discover things on my own. This cute old town has a lovely plaza with a couple of significant landmarks of Prague. You can also find many great food and drink patio options.

Tour with Prague Old Car Ltd
Take a fun and scenic 30 min or hour tour around Prague on a vintage convertible car. Great for candid pics and awesome city views!

Charles Bridge
Walking or driving across this 14th century bridge is one of the most enjoyable things to do in Prague! You get a great view….. and maybe if you are lucky, you can meet the president of India like we did!

Prague Castle
This castle is probably the city’s most popular tourist attraction. It is a UNESCO monument with a tradition of more than 1000 years! This place is large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles. The St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica and the Golden Lane are located in there too!

Fun Fact: According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world! Occupying an area of 750,000 square feet.

Prague Astronomical Clock
This clock dates back to 1410 and it is one of the main landmarks in the Old Town Square. The clock mechanism has three main components: the astronomical dial, statues of various saints that walk around when the hour strikes and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months. Unfortunately, when we were there it was undergoing reparations,  😦 but we still got the chance to go up and enjoy the view.

Powder Tower
This Gothic tower is one of the original 13 city gates in Old Town. It separates the Old Town from the New Town.

Infant Jesus of Prague
We accidentally stumbled upon the Church of our Lady Victorious where the famous Infant Jesus of Prague is located. Everyday hundreds of believers pay a visit to this shrine to pray, hoping that their petitions come true. The statue itself is encased in an ornate gilded shrine and dates back to the 16th Century.

Giant Babies
Czech born sculptor and artist, David Cerny has a museum in Kampa Park and right outside, you can find these odd, giant, bronze babies… Fun photo op!

Mucha Museum
This art gallery is dedicated to the work of the world-acclaimed Czech ART NOUVEAU artist Alphonse Mucha (1860 – 1939). His work became popular in Paris as he was commissioned for several advertisements, posters and book illustrations.

John Lennon Wall
It was once a normal wall, but since the late 80s it has been filled with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles’ songs. Around 1988, the wall became a gateway for young Czechs where they could write grievances during the communist regime.

Jewish Ghetto
The Jewish quarter, also known as Josefov, is located between the Old Town and the Vltava River. It all began in the 13th century, when Jews living in Prague were ordered to leave their homes and settle in this area. You can take a walking to tour to get more information and visit the cemetery.

Fun Fact: There are six synagogues in this area!

Museum of Communism
This museum is dedicated to presenting an account of the post–World War II Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Very big eye opener and quite sad to see what the Czech people had to go through.

Louvre Café
A very famous and elegant 100-year-old café in the heart of Prague, known for their Czech dishes.

Café Savoy
One of the largest and most popular restaurants in Prague! (Great reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor). It has a gorgeous interior and serves AMAZING brunch! Staff is friendly too.

Kavárna Obecní Dům
This spot is considered one the most beautiful cafes in Prague. It is located on the ground floor of the Municipal House and its interior is very retro glam! We had the best Czech food at this place.

Las Adelitas
One of our friends was really craving Mexican one day…. So we gave it a try. Believe it or not, this place was pretty legit! As a real Mexican, I can vouch for it 🙂 Their staff speaks Spanish and they even have a mariachi!

Cross Club
This bar/restaurant was recommended to us by our friend’s brother. It was very eclectic and interesting. There were mechanical artifacts all over the walls and ceiling, fun music and moderately priced drinks.

Black Angel’s Bar
This underground “cave” bar has swanky mixology! They are all served in very cool kinds of cups including grails! ….They have a “set of rules” and one of them is NO PICTURES, so check out their website….it’s pretty cool!

Can’t leave without trying a Trdelník! – it’s a kind of cake, made from rolled dough and topped with sugar and walnut mix….oh and of course ice cream and toppings!….(but they are on the bottom of the cone.)

We stayed at an AWESOME and spacious Airbnb that was in a very good location. It was not too far from city center and near a couple of the restaurants mentioned. Also, that host shared a lot of helpful tips on what to do around town and about a shuttle service to pick you up to the airport when you arrive.

Not an Airbnb fan? …. Then this chic hotel might be more your style. The Buddha-Bar Hotel was highly recommended to me by one of my close friends. They also have a great restaurant and bar!

NOTE: Have plenty of change in your pockets! You have to pay 10 Czech Koruna to go to the bathroom…almost everywhere.   :I   #lame!

PRO TIP: If you have a later flight or train ride, you can store your luggage in a locker at the Praha Hlavní Nádraží  train station. You can also buy bus tickets at the train station for 85 Czech Koruna  ($4 USD per person) to take you to the airport! Whenever you are ready to head out, just stand outside at the bus stop, they depart every 30 min. (30 min trip from train station to airport)

Overall, Prague is a very beautiful city. However, I would NOT say the Czech are the friendliest of people… no offense! Maybe we just had bad luck. Hopefully when you go, you will not have that experience! 😉 If you have been, how was your experience?

#adios
Dorina