Our Top 5 Experiences in Prague
Traveling to Prague through the Czech countryside gave us three hours to anticipate our next adventure. Having just completed a Danube River Cruise visiting Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and Germany, a week in Prague was to be our grand finale. Pulling into the city it initially looked like many other cities but only took moments before our excitement was piqued. The waterfront of the Vltava River unfolded before us as we crossed a bridge. Then the famous dancing building appeared next to us at a stop light. The dancing building looks like it has survived an earthquake and is waiting to be torn down. At second glance it looks very cool.
Only five minutes in Prague and we already feel the urgency to drop our bags at the hotel and hit the streets. The next seven days unfolded like this with one exciting discovery after another. We did a lot of research up front and mapped out the major attractions we wanted to visit. This really paid off as we discovered we wanted to locate close to the Old Town and Square. This made getting around on the metro/trams easy, and gave us quick access to everywhere we wanted to explore.
The Old Town and Square
After checking in to the President Hotel, we headed out on foot toward the Old Town Square. This took us along Parízská Street, a high-end shopping district similar to a Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue. With Christmas season approaching, the window displays were spectacular and each one was more impressive than the last, the window shopping delayed us getting to the Square.
The street opened up into a large Square surrounded by beautiful buildings. We could feel the history all around us. In the center of the Square is the Jan Hus monument, a large stone and bronze statue portraying Hussite warriors and Protestants victorious in battle along with a young mother symbolizing the nation’s rebirth. Entering the Square we were flanked by the St. Nicholas’ Church on the right and the National Gallery on the left. The National Gallery is housed in Kinsky Palace, a former royal palace. It is one of the largest art museums in Europe and its collection is housed in many buildings around the city.
Pictured above is the back side of the Square showing the large numbers of people and some of the many small streets leading off into different parts of the Old Town. This picture only shows a very small portion of the square which is many times bigger than pictured.
Church of Our Lady before Týn
The Church of Our Lady Before Týn sits behind art galleries and restaurants. However it’s 262 foot tall twin towers cause it to protectively look over the Square. The church has a storied past with two previous churches sitting on the site dating back to the 11th century. The current church was built beginning in the late 14th century taking nearly 150 years to complete.
One evening we found a special restaurant for a romantic dinner. The walk to the restaurant took us down many of the narrow winding streets of the old town. We rounded a corner just before arriving at the restaurant and saw the back side of Our Lady Before Týn Church’s twin towers lit and rising above the other buildings. We looked at each other and remarked that Prague is like a fairy tale. It’s like Disneyland, only the real thing.
Astronomical Clock
Prague’s famed astronomical clock originally built in 1410 is on the back side of the old town hall building. While it is interesting and beautiful in pictures, words and pictures do not begin to describe being in the presence of the clock. I found myself literally mesmerized by the clock. It is covered with intricate detail that requires long and considered study to understand what you are seeing. Even then, the significance is not apparent.
For example, there are small figures on the clock. Each has specific meaning. There are three distinct parts of the clock. The top dial is the astronomical dial which displays the positions of the sun and moon. There is a skeleton to the upper right of this dial. The skeleton really captured my attention wondering his meaning. I discovered he represents death and strikes a bell to sound the passing of time and death approaching. The second part are the doors at the top where each hour the apostles put on a show called the ‘walk of the apostles’. The bottom dial is the calendar dial with 12 medallions each representing a month.
While these are some of the memorable highlights of the square, as with everything in Prague, they barely begin to scratch the surface of the attractions of the square. And the square barely begins to scratch the surface of Prague.
Prague Castle
Having been to other castles we felt like old hands at this. We figured a couple of hours to look around and save our time for all of the other experiences unique to Prague. Boy were we wrong. After nearly three hours of roaming around we left as it was getting late. We had barely begun to get our bearings of what was even in the castle complex. We had to revamp our plan of attack on Prague in order to make available the better part of another full day to come back and fully experience Prague Castle. Words won’t begin to adequately describe the Castle, but we’ll try.
The castle is still the seat of government of Prague and the President. This combined with the historical beauty and significance of the site dictates a high level of police and military presence in and around the castle. We arrived by Metro to the Pražský Hrad light rail station. This gave us the opportunity to enter across the bridge overlooking the Stag moat. This entrance is also where the changing of the guard occurs.
Overview and Where To Start
The ticket office is located inside just off the main courtyard. We found purchasing tickets to be confusing as there are eight different options with each one providing access to different buildings and exhibitions. We purchased a Circuit ‘A’ ticket and would recommend this option as it will provide the greatest access. You may want to enhance this with additional exhibits, but this is a good place to start for a full day visit. Additionally, we recommend renting the audio self-guided tour hearing device. Tip: The audio device MUST be returned to the SAME ticket location where it was rented. We discovered this the hard way which caused us to have to criss-cross the entire castle ground an extra time.
With tickets and the handy audio self-guided tour headset, you are provided a map that quickly brings everything into focus and provides a clear path to follow. The key sites are numbered beginning at 1, 2, 3, and so on. The audio guide allows you to start anywhere at any number. We’d recommend starting with 1 as the story follows a logical order and will be easier to understand everything in context. For perspective, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world enclosing more than 3 quarters of a MILLION square feet.
Below is one of the many streets leading through the castle complex. The steeple is the back side of Saint George’s Basilica.
St. Vitus Cathedral
Prince Wenceslas (Václav) around 925ad founded a Romanesque rotunda that was later developed further into a basilica in the second half of the 11th century. Today it is the largest and most important temple in Prague.
St. Vitus is the burial site of kings, noblemen, saints and archbishops. It has also housed many royal coronations of kings and queens. The two following pictures were taken from the center of St. Vitus looking in opposite directions. Hopefully this will help convey the size of the cathedral. This is ONLY the center naves of the basilica, there is easily and equal or larger area off to each side of the pillars.
The beauty of the sun dancing through the stained glass windows can be seen above on the bottoms of the pillars. Below is a picture of one of the many stained glass windows. Each one tells a story as the congregation in the middle ages typically could not read so religious stories were told in pictures decorating the stained glass windows. Existence in these times was very grey and bleak so when the congregation came to the churches, they were awed by the beauty and glory of the bright colors of the windows as if heaven were shining down on them.
The Story of Prague Castle
The permanent exhibition of The Story of Prague Castle opened in 2004. What I found most fascinating was the raw and exposed parts of castle that were displayed behind glass or underneath plexiglass in the floor. This exposed how the original castle was constructed, and the many restorations of the castle throughout the centuries. This provided glimpses into the past hundreds of years ago revealing what life must have been life in these times. It caused my imagination to draw me back in time to the middle ages.
One area revealed where fires were set under the floor to warm and heat the cold castle. There were other areas and stairwells leading down under the castle floor to ancient rooms that are now off limits. What I wouldn’t give to spend the night with full access to all of these restricted areas. I can only begin to image what amazing discoveries I could make if only I could sneak down the stairs.
For the less fanciful, there are also many displays of dishware from the early days of the castle discovered during excavations. Examples of suits of armor, and skeletal remains of knights of days gone by.
Golden Lane
Originally named Goldsmith Lane for the goldsmiths living here, the name was later changed to Golden Lane. Golden Lane is a row of small architecture houses originally occupied by defenders of the castle, some marksmen, blacksmiths and servants. The character of these tiny homes has been protected over the years to ensure they remain unchanged to tell the story of life in earlier days.
These homes have been maintained as vignette examples of the different types of residents they housed. A goldsmith, member of the guard, residence, and so on.
Some of the homes also have a storied pasts or have had famous residents. The famous writer Franz Kafka lived in one of these from 1916 to 1917 and he was inspired for some of his stories during this period. Also a famous fortune teller resided here prior to WWII. She predicted the fall of the Third Reich to some of her clients. This was documented in letters and caused her to be arrested by the German secret police. She died during interrogation.
Observation Deck
Exiting the castle after viewing Golden Lane and the prison tower and dungeon is just a leisurely walk back to Prague. There is an observation deck just outside the castle wall which provides sweeping views of Prague for as far as the eye can see.
The observation deck also is a great picture spot.
Heading to the Malostranská Light Rail Stop is an easy downhill walk after leaving the observation deck. Along the path there are street performers and musicians, and delicious food treats toward the bottom. Tip: the french fries on a stick are a just reward for the significant steps and walking of the day.
The official website for Prague Castle has comprehensive information about visiting the castle.
Petřín Hill
Petřín Hill is on top of a rocky hill on the same side of the Vltava River as Prague Castle. The hill is covered with park lands and is a favorite of Prague residents. It also has a number of other attractions including a Rose garden, the Petřín Observation Tower, a mirror maze, and observatory, and the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence and St Michael’s Church. We took metro to the Ujezd Light Rail stop so we could ride the funicular to the top of the hill. The funicular started operating in 1891 connecting Prague’s Malá Strana district to the hill’s summit.
The hill rises 426 feet above the banks of the Vltava River making it a great place to observe the city, and also provides some great picture spots.
The Petřín Observation Tower
The Petřín Observation Tower (Petřínská rozhledna) is a steel tower structure resembling the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The tower was originally a transmission and observation tower and rises 208 feet above the hill, or a total of 634 feet above the Vltava River. While the tower has 13 stories (yes, 13 stories) of stairs totaling 299 steps to reach the upper observations platform, there is also an elevator that is worth the 1 1/2 to 3 dollar added cost. We chose the elevator. Although Barbara did walk down the steps when we left.
The views from the upper observation deck are spectacular. It was a grey and cloudy day when we were then in November. However, we can only imagine how beautiful it would be on a clear spring or summer day. The upper observation deck is fairly large. It is a little eerie that you can feel the tower sway just a little in the wind.
While the elevator entrance (below left) looks like some kind of prison door, the elevator shaft runs down through the center of the tower. As a warning to those concerned with tight spaces, the elevator car is about 3 feet by 4 feet. There were five adults plus the elevator operator in the car for our ride. It was very tight and cozy. Selfies would be very impressive on a clear day. All of the 360 degree windows surrounding the observation deck appear to be able to be opened, except for the heavy duty security hardware installed (LOL). It is clearly an honor system.
TIP: In the basement of the tower are restrooms. There is an excellent cafe on the first floor and the hot chocolate is delicious on a cold day. There is also a gift shop with some interesting items available.
Malá Strana District
Returning down from Petřín Hill by funicular you arrive back at the Ujezd metro station. However if you turn left and stroll along Ujezd you enter the Malá Strana (lower town) District. This is a beautiful neighborhood sandwiched between Ujezd and the Vltava River. There is a large open green space with gardens, walkways and a canal. As we strolled through the neighborhood, it was hard to remember that we were in a large city.
Walking through the Malá Strana District is also where the John Lennon Wall is located. This graffiti covered wall has been here since the beginning of the Velvet Revolution in 1989. This non-violent revolution led by students resulted in a peaceful transition from communist rule to a parliamentary republic. The wall has become a mecca for people of all walks to come and see the site of the overthrow of communism in Czechoslovakia, or fans of Beatles John Lennon, and people that resonate with the message of peace. Across the canal is the John Lennon pub.
Charles Bridge and Tower
The Charles Bridge is a signature landmark of Prague. We thought the Charles Bridge like bridges in other major cities was just a physical point of reference. A contextual or geographic landmark. No, The Charles Bridge is a destination unto itself.
While big enough to handle vehicles, it is a pedestrian bridge. Originally built in 1357 to replace an earlier bridge destroyed by a flood, it was the only way to cross the Vltava River except by boat until 1841. Now there are seven bridges across the Vltava, but the Charles Bridge is the granddaddy of them all. It is more than 1/3 mile long and 33 feet wide. The main tower of the bridge on the Old Town side is impressive. There are 30 statues of saints and religious figures forming a row on each side of the bridge (partially pictured above).
It is possible to purchase admission from the City of Prague to enter the tower and go to the top. Exiting the bridge into Old Town we were greeted with many shopping and food options. The building below is a short distance after leaving the bridge and seems to mark the entrance to the Old Town. The architecture and beauty of the buildings all around Prague can be awe inspiring. We were hungry after visiting Petřín Hill and Tower and walking through the Malá Strana District and walking the Charles Bridge. If only there was a place to eat! Actually there are so many there is food at every turn. We stumbled on what would become one of our favorite dining experiences in Prague at the Karlova 1 restaurant. Mentioned below under restaurants, it is located immediately to the left of where the below picture is taken.
Hidden Treasures
The National Museum collections are housed in many buildings throughout Prague, each featuring a different focus or collection. The historical old building is undergoing restoration through late 2018. We visited the New Building of the National Museum located across the street. There is an Ark exhibition to detail all of the animals Noah placed on the Ark and features a part of the Museum’s collection that includes all species on earth. This exhibition is very interesting and uniquely presented making it very engaging. This is also an excellent site to visit with kids or grand-kids. We were just adults and enjoyed it immensely.
Wenceslas Square
The National Museum opens onto the end of Wenceslas Square, a large mall avenue with a park-like center median. Walking the Square makes for a nice treat with the busy activity which is very different than other areas of Prague. This resembles a large modern city.
We set out on a walking scavenger hunt based on a book a friend gave us to find ‘Hidden Treasures’ within the city. This was an enjoyable way to both walk around aimlessly exploring the city while at the same time having a purposeful mission seeking the ‘hidden treasures’.
King Wenceslas and the Upside-Down Horse
Our first stop was the Art Nouveau Lucerna Palace, a shopping mall just off of Wenceslas Square. In the rotunda of the mall is a statue of Good King Wenceslas riding an upside-down horse as a mocking tribute to past and modern leadership of Prague. The ancient king rides triumphantly astride an upside-down, apparently dead horse to signify the turbulent and Topsy-turvy state on Prague politics.
Tesla
Elektra, a state-owed conglomerate founded in the 1920s manufactured and operated in all sorts of electronics industries. The company was later renamed after Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), a Serbian born scientist, physicist and inventor that lived in Prague as his adopted home for a period. Walking through passage Světozor is a large faux stained-glass Tesla Radio mural that is jaw-dropping.
Church of Our Lady of the Snows
Further on our scavenger hunt we located the walled secret Franciscan Gardens, a 14th century lush public garden. From here we could see the Church of Our Lady of the Snows rising up above the skyline. To make our way to the Church, we wound through a couple of Cubist public art installations that were also part of our hunt. The interior of the Church was breathtaking. The Church stood open with almost no one around welcoming anyone seeking shelter. Surprisingly we were the only apparent tourists and a couple of only a few people present. It felt almost like we were someplace that we weren’t suppose to be and we had snuck in.
Franz Kafka and The Black Madonna
Other discoveries around town we found included a headless Franz Kafka statue with a man sitting on his shoulders. The Cubist Museum, located in The Black Madonna with interesting period abstract stairs (pictured). Also in The Black Madonna is the Grand Cafe Orient, a 1920s era cafe. A stop here for coffee and desert is a wise investment of your time and taste-buds.
Not on our Hidden Treasure’s list, but one that we recommend adding is the Hamley’s Toy Store offering the “Finest Toys in the World.” We thought, how could this be, the finest toys – in the world, really? Hamley’s was founded in Cromwell England in 1760 and thought 350 years in business they must be doing something right. The two live Star Wars Storm Troopers greeting guests at the door were impressive.
Favorite Restaurant(s)
Tough choice!. We have three favorites, but for different reasons. Incruenti, Duke’s and the Karlova 1. However, we would highly recommend all three.
Incruenti was our most favorite as we are vegan and it is a vegan restaurant. The food will please vegans and carnivores alike as one of our travel companions is not vegan but thoroughly enjoyed dinner there. We went back a couple of times. The cuisine is Italian and everything we had was wonderful. We would recommend the bruschetta, minestrone soup, and the fettuccine or ravioli.
Karlova 1 is a meat lovers delight also with authentic Czech dishes. This pleased our carnivore companion. The savior for us was they also have vegetarian and vegan friendly items. The vegetarian burger and fries was delicious. The other major plus for this restaurant is its location. It is in the center of Royal Road, near the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock in Old Town Square.
Duke’s was our other favorite located in the Intercontinental Hotel. We ate here many times as the food was excellent, they had a full menu that included vegan options, and the warm and friendly atmosphere was so inviting. We stayed at the President Hotel next door, but this was a convenient go to favorite. The tomato soup, spaghetti Pomodoro and tasty breads are delicious (and vegetarian). Be sure to check out the deserts (not vegetarian but to die for).
Dive Bar
Walking around Prague we saw a number of interesting looking little out of the way spots. Down a small street near our hotel we stumbled across the Aloha Wave Lounge. The vintage car with surf board caught our eye, especially given the temperature was in the 30s that evening. It turned out to be a little tiki bar with beer, tiki drinks and a full menu. We stopped in for a drink on the way back to our hotel. What was a little surreal was sitting in a warm tiki bar with Hawaiian music, pictures of legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku on the walls knowing it’s just 30-some degrees outside and there is not an ocean for a thousand miles.
Where We Stayed
Our goal was to find a hotel with great views of the river and castle, modern and comfortable and affordably price. It also had to be located near Old Town and easily walk-able to major sights and convenient to transportation. We discovered The President Hotel – SCORE ! It met all of these criteria and then some.
See our full review of The President Hotel here.
Don’t Miss These Other Sights
Here are a few more sites and experiences we recommend in no particular order.
- Wenceslas Square
- Parízská Street (Shopping District)
- John Lenin Wall
- Hop On – Hop Off Tour
- Mucha Museum (Muchovo muzeum)
- National Museum
- Ride the Trains
- Explore the Back Streets
- Comedy Show – ‘How to be Czech in One Hour’
- Enjoy a Glass of Pilsner Urquell
- Visit Cafe – Cafe on Rytířská in Old Town
- Cubist Museum
- Cafe in the Black Madonna
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Enjoy!
Thank you Joyce – Prague was a lot of fun.