Prague Guide

Visiting Prague was an incredible experience. Outside of the beautiful surprise of getting engaged lol….exploring the city was really a great treat. Prague is honestly such an underrated tourist destination. When most people think of Europe they automatically gravitate towards countries like France, Spain and Italy. The beauty of the Czech Republic is that you can experience grand european architecture and amazing structural design in a less expensive location. This Czech capital is Eastern european in culture, but more western european in design and industry. The city is really metropolitan with lots of international brands scattered throughout the city center (like H&M, Zara Footlocker etc). Still, there are lots of unique local places that will satisfy your desire to learn more about the true non-touristy culture.

Prague Architecture

One thing that’s really captivating about this city is the range of architectural styles one can see (spanning around 4,000 monuments). Currently, Prague is listed as the largest urban historical centre on the UNESCO world heritage list. Many original structures remain from the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque eras. The city was spared during WWII so the city is different from many of it’s european counterparts which were rebuilt during the 20th century and later post war era.

Prague Sightseeing

Charles Bridge

This is perhaps the most well-known monument in the city! The huge bridge connects two sides of the Vltava river and is a great opportunity to have a panoramic view of the city. We visited the bridge early in the morning and snagged some great photos while avoiding the droves of tourists that came later in the day.

The bridge was originally constructed under King Charles the IV in the 15th century as a primary connecting point between the Old Town Square and Prague Castle. Lining the sides of the bridge are baroque sculptures depicting religious saints and figures. Most of the current statues have now been replaced by replicas, but are nonetheless still very striking. The bridge has three towers, one of which (the Old Town Bridge Tower) is considered one of the most magnificent gothic style buildings on earth.

Old Town Square

Old Town Square is basically at the heart of the city and houses three key (and free) historical sites that we worth exploring. Whether it’s the beauty of St. Nicholas Church (from which santa, aka St. Nick is named), or the Old Town Hall, these sights are awe-inspiring to see. The most thought-provoking of the three sights is the medieval astronomical clock. This is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and goes off every hour by presenting a fun display of moving sculptures (seen below).

To top it all off the cool thing about traveling to Prague during the winter is that the center of Old Town Square is filled with a delightful Christmas market. The Christmas market particularly beautiful at night were you can eat cheap street food and see the square illumined by gorgeous lights.

Prague Castle

This castle is not only the place where the current president of The Czech Republic lives, but it’s the oldest ancient castle in the world. Unsurprisingly, this is the most popular tourist attraction in the city, so plan accordingly. We didn’t feel the need to go inside and pay to visit every room…because it’s mostly a tourist trap. To walk inside the the castle walls it’s completely free, but going inside most of the buildings there is of course a fee charged. Still, the castle has a few things that are worth noting. The first is the beautiful St. Vitus Cathedral which mirrors the famous Notre Dame. The other thing to note is that there are long steps towards the back entrance of the castle that provide a picture-perfect view of the city and all the red stucco roofs.

To top it all off, every hour you can also watch the changing of the guard (seen in the pic below)……..but, I lowkey I feel bad for these guys because their job is really just ceremonial. The tourist’s mostly taunt the guards with photos and funny talk, but I digress haha.

Amazing Parks

Prague has some really amazing parks and outdoor spaces to explore with memorable views of the city. These are perfect places to get away from tourists and grab some fresh air. Aside from the beauty of nature, historical gems are also usually sprinkled though the parks. One can stumble upon old statues, picturesque churches and small walkways. These are the parks I would highly recommend having had the chance to stroll through each of them:

Vysehrad Park 

This park contains the national cemetery, scenic steps overlooking the river and, The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul (the ornate entrance doors can be seen below). One could spend hours exploring in this huge park. Don’t miss this gem.

Petrin Hill

This park is hilly, but totally worth the small hike to the top. There’re romantic trails leading to the top as well as breathtaking views of the entire city. If walking is not your thing there’s also a cable car you can ride for a small fee. Once at the top there are gardens and really quaint places to sit and take in the beauty of the city.

Letna Park

This park is unique because it has a full view of the river and is relatively close to Prague Castle. There’s also a gigantic moving metronome at the top of the park that’s interesting to see.

Czech Food

Eating in the Czech Republic is seriously THE BEST!!!!!!  Besides Kenyan food, this was one of my all time favourite places to eat in all of my travels. The food is extremely filling and incredibly flavourful. Plus, you get so much food for the price. Czech cuisine is really hearty, but so worth it. I would recommend these traditional dishes

Svickova (Marinated sirloin with a thick carrot creme herb sauce)

Roasted Duck with potato dumplings (pečená kachna &knedlíky)

Goulasch with bread dumplings  (guláš )

          Roasted Pork Knuckle

Beware of Tourist Traps

Much like NYC there are lots of tourist traps in the city that will steal your money and distract you from the best things to do. PLEASE stay away from:

• Old fashioned car tours
• exchange places with horrible rates in the city center
• Paying for the tour of Prague castle
• Thai Massage places in Old Town Square offering 9 euro treatments and fish foot treatments. These are all over the city center and are just plain creepy. Don’t do it. Get a REAL massage (here) instead. Speaking from experience, you won’t be disappointed!!
• Segway tours. These are a true rip-off (do not pay 50 euros for this mess)
• Don’t over pay for soft drinks and beer!!!

How to Experience Prague for real

• Eat at local places in the city that are not as expensive. Places like (this)!
• Go visit the amazing parks!!!!!!
• Walk around or take public transportation instead of being shuttled around by taxi or car.

All in all, if you visit Prague you will not be disappointed!!!!