Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s rich in impressive architecture, cobblestone streets, great heavy food and last but certainly not least: Czech Republic is the home of one of the best beers in Europe! Find out below why I consider Prague as one of the best places in Europe.
Facts
- Capital: Prague
- Language: Czech
- Currency: Czech Koruna (1 € ≅ 27 CZK)
- Part of EU: Yes
- Population: 10.5 million
- Size: 78.866 km² (2 times Holland)
- Daylight saving time: Yes
- Visas: Not required for most European citizens. Part of Schengen
- Best time to visit: May – Sep (European summer)
- Visited: 2013
Prague
I had a spare long weekend in the spring of 2013 and decided to go to Prague, and oh boy what was that a good choice! It was love at first sight. It felt like that this inspiring city walked right out of a Medieval fairy tale.
I spend the first day walking around the city center while absorbing all of its overwhelming architecture. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of every building, square and church I saw. Very impressive! The biggest draw of Prague is its castle which is perfectly located on top of a hill where you will be rewarded with fine views of the city.
I stayed at a great hostel named Sophie’s Hostel which is just out of the city center, but still easily reached by the perfect metro system of Prague. Despite it was raining the entire day, the old town square is still one of the finest squares I’ve ever seen.
Be sure to check out the John Lennon wall, it’s a wall with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and pieces of lyrics from Beatles’ songs. If you feel artistic you can even place your own piece of Lennon-inspired art on the wall.
I’m not very religious, but I’ve visited heaps of churches while I was in Prague. The impressive architecture just invites you to have a peek inside. Like the St. Vitus Cathedral you see below.
Sightseeing makes you hungry and thirsty, so it was time to head to some local restaurants and microbreweries with a few guys from my hostel. The food is heavy, but delicious and cheap! And it makes a perfect layer to absorb the many craft beers we had to try that evening 😉
A perfect way to end the first 2 days in Prague. When I woke up the next morning I couldn’t be more happier. The sun was finally out on the 3rd day! And the sun brightens up the city even more!
It’s a pleasure to walk along the Vltava river towards and up the hill to Vysehrad park. You will get fine views of the city and river from the remains of the castle walls. The gardens are also a great place for a picnic.
The last 2 days were spent with trying tons of Czech dishes and even more craft beers. I may have said this before, but food and drinks are a very important part of traveling for me. It really helps to connect with the locals. Everybody is proud of their heritage and their culinary wonders which they want to share with everyone. And besides that I just love food 🙂
One of the most recognizable old bridges in Europe is the magnificent Charles bridge. It’s famous for its many fine old statues and Gothic gates.
Prague is a really pleasant mix of historical sights, architectural wonders, bohemian lifestyle, superb food and fabulous craft beers. I just couldn’t get enough of Prague; 4 days were way too short for this great city. I can’t wait to be back in the city of a thousand spires!
Wanna see more travel pics? Check out my Photo Gallery