The Best of Prague
“Prague doesn’t let go of us. Either one of us. The old crone has claws. One has to yield, or else…” ~ Kafka
Prague, the city of 100 spires, full of stunning architecture, an inspiration to Mozart and home to a bewitching trance put on all travellers who explore it. It’s true, have you ever heard someone say they didn’t love Prague? I haven’t and it’s one of the reasons why I knew I had to add it to my epic solo adventure. As soon as I stepped foot on its magical streets it was love at first sight. My time in Prague was limited to 3 days, one of which I would be taking a day trip to Kutná Hora, so with so much to offer I had to choose the best of Prague for my first visit.
On my first day I headed out of New Town, where I was staying, strolled past the massive National Museum and up the grand boulevard of Wenceslas Square that showcases some of the varied architectural styles of Prague and into Old Town. I was completely blown away by the architecture and stunning, colourful painted buildings and couldn’t help but crane my head up to take it all in. Prague’s architecture is a mix of fusion and classic styles like Romanesque (St. George’s Basilica), Baroque (Goltz-Kinský Palace) and Gothic (St. Vitus Cathedral). Gothic being my favourite of styles is prevalent in the city with its towers that reach for the sky and the spires that Prague is known for.
My first treat turned out to be a huge morning snack, was one of Czech’s iconic desserts – a trdelnik. A trdelnik is a Czech traditional dessert of rolled dough that’s grilled on a stick and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It was delicious, warm and fresh off the grill it melted in my mouth and for not only was it huge (nearly the size of my forearm) it was only a few Koruna.
My next stop was the Old Town Hall where I gathered with the masses for one of the biggest attractions in Prague, The Walk of the Apostles, the hourly show of one of the oldest and most stunning clocks ever built. The astronomical clock is on Prague’s Old Town Hall tower which dates back to 1338 but the clock was installed in 1410 and contains three main parts; the astronomical dial that represents the sun and the moon in the sky, the famous Walk of the Apostles where the 12 Apostle figures come out and do their rotation and lastly the calendar dial with medallions that represent the months of the year. The crowds start to accumulate just before the hour from 9am to 9pm right out front the Old Town Hall and wait for this must see European treat! You can feel the rush of excitement trickle through the crowd when the clock strikes the hour and the doors open for the Apostles, and I wasn’t disappointed to witness this grand clock come to life surrounded by countless other tourists it made it that much richer an experience to share it.
I then met with Anna, a lovely lady who gave me a tour of Prague’s Old Town Hall, thanks to Prague City Tourism. We started off with a visit to the tower and a behind the scenes look at The Walk of the Apostles. Seeing them and the inner workings of the clock up close just made me appreciate this wondrous work even more, though much has been replaced due to the passage of hundreds of years and bombings from the second world war, it still is an amazing achievement and grand in design and substance. My tour took me through all but one of the 5 townhouses that were amalgamated to create Prague’s Old Town Hall, the 5th being under restoration. Dating back to the 14th century these townhouses, one of which was once the residence of Kafka and his family, are a mix of architectural styles and contain breath-taking ceremonial halls, each decorated and designed to leave awe-inspiring reactions. Below the buildings you’ll find the medieval underground, damp and chilled, these areas were once used for wells and storage but then became the depths of the Town Hall prison. And a visit to the Old Town Hall is not complete without a trip to the top of the almost 230′ (69.5m) tower for fantastic 360º views over Prague.
One of the biggest surprises and in turn was one of my favourite places to explore in Prague was the Prague Castle. The Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex in the world and home to Czech Republic’s largest church, St. Vitus Cathedral, a grandiose 14th century gothic wonder and so much more! You’ll need at least a good portion of the day to explore all the buildings and streets that make up the Prague Castle but if you’re pressed for time be sure to visit Golden Lane, a quaint street full of colourful homes where marksmen and artisans lived in the 16th century. Each one set up like it was in its heyday, bringing you face to face with life in Prague for these people. And of course, St. Vitus Cathedral is a must with its haunting gargoyles, beautiful frescos and stain glass, its nooks and crannies are full of life and wonder.
And of course I couldn’t leave out one of the best zoo’s I’ve visited in Europe, the Prague Zoo. In Prague’s Troja borough, the Prague Zoo is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world and it’s evident in its scenic 10km of walking trails and is home to fantastic exhibits that bring to life the habitat these amazing creatures call home in the wild. It’s a big zoo and you’ll need the day to enjoy it all.
From its stunning architecture to its desserts, the astronomical clock and the Old Town Hall to the Prague Castle and of course its zoo, Prague definitely dug in its claws and captured my heart with its best!
If you’re heading to Prague and like me only have a few days and want to see the best that Prague has to offer I suggest purchasing the Prague Card as it’s a great way to save money, offering free transportation, a guidebook and free entry into over 50 attractions and discounted entry to 30 more!
Have you been to Prague? What was the best of Prague for you?
