Prague is a great city, and its affordability makes it even better. It is inexpensive than a lot of other major cities in Europe. It had a completely different vibe and awesome nightlife. Planning a trip to Prague? This blog is sure to help with some tips and things to do while you are wandering on the streets of Prague. Right from Lennon against the wall to Czechin' out the view -Prague has a lot in stored for any tourist.
Prague = Praha = Love
We had a whole two days to sightsee Prague and fall in love with this beauty. There is so much to see and do in Prague, the more you explore the city, the more you keep falling in love with it.
Prague is light on pockets, so you can always opt for staying at the hotels in the city center. If you are backpacking, you can quickly get hostels around in the city, or you can also opt for Ibis budget hotel. We stayed at Hotel Ibis Praha Old Town located in the hustle-bustle of malls, shops, and cafes. The hotel is just a few minutes walk from Náměstí Republiky metro station, and 10-15 minutes' walk to the Charles Bridge the National Marionette Theatre. It became convenient for us to wander around Prague.
Prague is a bliss for the wandering nomads, gesturing you to discover more. Hoping few blocks from the Old Town Square, you can stumble upon the ancient chapels, cafes, gardens, tramps moving around and local vendors across the street. There is an endless option to sightsee all you got to do is plan your itinerary, get the map and set yourself free on the roads.
The best and easiest way is to stride around Prague as most of the sight is walkable, if you are staying at the Old Town square, if not you can buy a Public Transport pass for 24 hours and speed yourself to the sights you want to explore. The pass will cost you around 4.5 euros roughly and will give access to any Prague public transportation for the duration 0f 24 hours.
Make sure to punch your ticket and get it validated while commuting.
If you are staying in old town start your day by taking the tramp all the way up to the end of the city and get the checklist on The Prague Castle. This way you can start covering one part of the town towards the endpoint that could be old town.
The well-known Prague Castle is a must visit place, if you want to get the best view of Prague city from the top. You can also opt for a free walking tour to get yourself acquainted with the history of the Prague Castle. As the Castle is big with St. Vitus Cathedral, Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Daliborka tower, Powder tower and many more it is best to spend 1-2 hours learning about its history. The castle is open daily from morning six till night 10.
Passing right through the center of the city this waterfront has a wide variety to offer, you can opt to either sit by the river bank, or dine out at a riverside restaurant, or cruise yourself on it. The most scenic view you can get is during the sun dawn where you can see the floating Swans, the water shining bright, birds flying through the clouds and the hillside of Petrin.
Before climbing up the Charles Bridge, you can find your way up ahead to John Lennon Wall. The history behind this wall calls out during the end of communism where many people started writing John Lennon song lyrics on the wall to protest. Today, it stands as a symbol to spread peace and love. You can also pen down or paint your thought on the wall while you visit.
The famous Charles Bridge which everybody talks about is nothing, but a spectacular piece of art. Rambling across Charles Bridge along the tourist mob, street hawkers and the marvelous baroque statues at the edges are some of the best experiences to conquer.
It is one of the oldest and essential squares in the history of Prague. The Square is always packed with locals, stalls, tourist and it is the best place to rest your legs after wandering the city. There are benches around to sit and enjoy the view around. There are cafes where you can seat and bite on your sandwiches. By evening you will find talented performers showcasing a different form of music, bagpipers, etc.
While you are at it, you can explore places like;
A stunning Gothic tower with a chapel inside consist of a unique astronomical clock (the Orloj) where, every hour between 9 am and 11 pm, the twelve apostles appear. Would recommend buying a ticket to the Old Town Hall and enter the chapel of the Virgin Mary on the first floor and admire the best view of the Astronomical clock.
Digging the oldest history of the old town, there are underground tombs which are worth discovering as the ancient city of Prague was levelled several meters down at the medieval era.
The naughty side of the Prague can also be explored right at the square. The first sex museum in the world showcases the sexual tools. You will be amazed to see all the tools and machine-driven equipment, and how they work to offer sexual pleasure in the olden days.
There are many cafes and restaurants lined across the old town, it all depends on you which one you pick, or you prefer eating small meals and trying the different food stalls right at the center of the square. The best-suggested way is to try out different cuisine from stalls on the streets as they are budget friendly and tasty. Slurp on that cheesy spaghetti and sip on some hot wine with trdelnik cake.
The torrid history of Jews that dates back to 13th century, when they were ordered to vacate their homes and settle in one area. These Jews quarters stand as a witness of the past Jews in Prague. You can opt for a walking tour or buy tickets to check out the interiors of the quarters.
Moving to the darker side of the history, Prague during the communist era was filled with violence. Taking a Bunker Tour will give a moral insight into how life was during the communism period during the cold war. Visiting the real nuclear bunker from the 1950s, which is located 16 meters deep under the city, where almost 5000 people would survive at that passé is a real goose bump experience to gain.
Compared to most European countries, Prague had the most happening nightlife to offer. It has every type for the different individual- right from a sober drink, or gulping down the beer tower or bar hopping; it has it all. Prague has an entirely different side to see when the sun goes down, and the star shines high. You can also check out their dancing clubs which has some bizarre things to offer- one of the famous clubs is the Golden Tree Club.
Prague has a wide variety to offer for diverse taste buds. You can opt for potato soups, roast pork, trdelnik, hot wine, gingerbread and many more. From sweet, savory, spicy whatever you like you are sure to find it right in this city of Prague.
If you are visiting Prague in winters- then you must try their Hot wine. Called as mulled wine- meaning heated or spiced- it is a warm drink made from red wine with some sweetener and spices added.
Comes in different shapes and sizes, you will find gingerbread stores across Prague city 365 days in a year. Following the traditional way of the gingerbread making, you can always opt for a Gingerbread making workshop or learn more at the gingerbread museum. If the time doesn't permit you much, it is still best to buy and try a piece when you visit.
Try their famous slow cooked ham on a spit. Produced from boneless pork skins which are stewed and slightly wood-smoked. You can eat this with the loaf of bread, make sure to agree on the weight beforehand as they charge you basis the importance of the ham.
Try the Prague beer and see from where it got its color, taste from. This is where it all started, you be the judge of who does it right, USA or the Czechs.
Trdelník
"A trdlenik a day keeps the doctor away" a traditional cake served warm with sugar dusting, cinnamon and nuts. You can even get this trdlenik with ice cream, Nutella dipped or filled. If you there in Prague for more than a day try out different variations. They are made in a traditional way by wrapping the dough on a metal stick and baking it under the coal flame watching them roll is truly mouth-watering.
The best way to learn about the Prague culture can be done while you are enjoying the Czech cuisine. Yes, you heard it right. We had booked a traditional dinner in Prague city which highlighted the Prague music and dance culture along with their traditional clothes. With that, we also had fantastic Beer and wine options along with delicious potato soup to start with. The complete dinner package with entertainment is a must try.
