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Me in Prague
On the banks of the Vltava river Prague is probably the perfect destination for a long weekend away. It has the sights, the food, the drink, the culture, the people and the low prices! We went to Prague relatively late in the whole "cheap weekends away to Prague" phenomenon. We were slighly apprehensive that the previous years of cheap drink-fuelled holidayers (particularly UK stag parties) would have ruined the city. This was a silly worry, as Prague remains one of the most attractive and entertaining European cities.
My memories of the specifics of the trip are a little dim, and I don't have enough time to write it all up in detail! But I will try to give a brief summary and put up some nice pictures anyway. We went to Prague during November, which allowed us to freeze for most of the weekend. Being in Central/ Eastern Europe, Prague experiences cold winters, and this time was no different. During our time there we saw a nice covering of snow (very romantic!) but not too much to stop us from seeing things. Also, the cold meant that during the day we had to keep stopping for hot chocolates and during the evenings we had to pop into
At the opera
Enjoying a wine during the interval pubs (ahh, what a tough life..!).
The hotel we were staying at was once a prison, used during Soviet times to hold various famous political prisoners. It is now a very pleasant hostel (in the old cells) and hotel (in the old offices). The hotel is very central, but more importantly it has an excellent bar/restaurant just a few doors down. The "Convict pub" served excellent and cheap evening meals (very good steak) and also yummy Czech beers. It was full of locals on the occassions we went (always a good sign) and very welcoming.
Prague is a beautiful city with some fantastic architecture. Wandering through the cobbled streets certainly makes you feel like you are stepping back in time. The huge Wenceslas Square is very cool in its own way, forming a large rectangle with shops lining its sides. There is an impressive statue in the middle of St Wenceslas (of the famous Chrismtas carol of course). This has been the site of many demonstrations over the years, and is particularly remembered for its role in the Velvet Revolution. The square outside the Old Town Hall is also well worth a look, once again wide open with
A pub
This is what photos look like after a beer or two...! pretty buildings all of the way around. In particular, it has the Astronomical clock, which is one of the sights all tourists will see. Prague also has a large number of attractive Churches, many of which hold classical music concerts in the evenings.
The architectural triumph of Prague is also reflected in the bridges crossing the Vltava river. In particular, Charles Bridge (the one that most travellers will cross) is beautiful, with cobbles under foot and statues all along the sides. We spent happy hours wandernig along the bridge - although you need to watch out for that wind coming off the river, as it can be rather chilly!
One evening we were able to get cheap last minute tickets to go to the opera. Carmen was on, which is easy to enjoy even if you don't have the surtitles in English. I couldn't believe that for the relatively low ticket prices (around £10) we were able to get two seats in a box! Very cool I thought...
As well as being an attractive city, Prague of course has a past that is not as nice (as with pretty much everywhere else in the world). We spent
Town Hall Square
Lovely architecture all around an afternoon exploring the old Jewish area of Prague. This "ghetto" district contains a number of interesting synagogues (including the amazing Spanish synagogue) and was where the Jews were forced to live during WW2. In addition, many Jews were taken away to concentration camps. The various synagogues and buildings are now mostly taken up with museums (one ticket covers all of them). There is also a Jewish cemetery to visit, where you can see little stones left on top of graves (I think this is a reference to the 40 days in the desert?). This is a fascinating place to wander around and it gives you a sense of how horrible life must have been living in this part of Prague.
Prague also has a huge castle standing on a hill looking out over the city. The castle complex also contains a cathedral and various state function rooms. It is a nice place to wander around and imagine how the other half lives! (or, in this case, lived). From here it is possible to walk back down to near to Charles Bridge and turn off to the lovely area of Kampa. Although this is very central, it is much
From the top of the Town Hall
Looking out over Prague's rooftops quieter than the rest of Prague. There are lots of pretty streets to get lost in, as well as cafes to escape to. Above Kampa and over from the castle is Petrin Hill. Even in winter this was a lovely spot to wander through, enjoying the views out over Prague and the Vltava.
Despite its reputation as the place for stag parties to get cheap beer, Prague is still a great place for a holiday - although I would advise that you go in summer if you are not very good with cold weather..! Either way, it is a wonderful place to visit, and I will certainly be making my way back there again in the future.
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