Prague — RachiePie

Alex and I started our Eastern Europe trip in the Czech Republic by spending three days in Prague. After visiting, I would have to say Prague is one of my favorite cities I've been to so far! It is such a beautiful city with amazing architecture and pretty red roofs. As the city itself is relatively small, we were able to walk everywhere and really get a feel for the area.

We stayed in an Airbnb in Old Town which worked perfectly as it was steps away from Old Town Square, Prague's primary public square space since the 10th century. There was lots to see around the Town Square including the Astronomical Clock, Church of Our Lady Before Týn, and Church of St Nicholas.

Beautiful chandellier inside Church of St Nicholas

On our second day, we walked across the Charles Bridge to Prague Castle. Outside one of the castle buildings were multiple guards in uniform, a band, and important-looking people standing around. After watching for a few minutes, multiple police motorcycles, cars, and several black SUVs pulled in front of the building. The band started playing and we learned the German President was in town and all the pomp and circumstance was for his arrival to the building! I'm so glad we happened to be outside as it was very interesting to watch.

The Prague Castle is reminiscent of a city center as inside the walls are multiple historic buildings, churches and museums. My grandparents spent a month in Prague many years ago and before our trip, my grandma mentioned she saw the most amazing stained glass windows at one of the churches in the city. After reviewing her notebooks, she informed me the church was St. Vitus Cathedral inside the Prague Castle. Construction began on the cathedral in 1344 and the stained glass was created by artist Alfons Mucha. After seeing the cathedral for myself, I would have to agree with my grandma! The stained glass was amazing and the colors were so bright and vibrant.

Stained Glass inside St. Vitus Cathedral

Starý královský palác (Old Royal Palace) - This palace was the seat of Bohemian princes and kings until the 16th century. — Starý královský palác (Old Royal Palace) - This palace was the seat of Bohemian princes and kings until the 16th century.

We spent the remainder the afternoon walking around Mala Strana, the neighborhood next to the castle and nearby Petřín, one of Prague's largest green spaces and on top of a hill with great views of the city.

On our last full day in Prague, we visited the Prague Jewish Museum. The museum consists of six Jewish monuments around the neighborhood of Josefov including: the Maisel Synagogue; the Pinkas Synagogue; the Spanish Synagogue; the Klaus Synagogue; the Ceremonial Hall; and the Old Jewish Cemetery. I'm not sure I have ever been in a Synagogue before and it was incredibly interesting being able to set foot in several.

Old Jewish Cemetery - The graves here are 12-deep, lying beneath tumbling headstones sculpted with figures representing symbols of family names.

We also visited the Convent of St Agnes, Prague's oldest surviving Gothic building which holds the National Gallery's permanent collection of medieval and early Renaissance art. In addition to the Convent, we also went into St. Nicholas Church, one of Prague's baroque buildings. In my opinion the inside of the church was a bit gaudy due to its many ornate frescos and sculptures.

Prague is rich in history and beautiful architecture and I enjoyed visiting the city immensely. It was a great introduction to this part of Europe and I hope to return one day!

Food:

Breakfast: Café Savoy, Home Kitchen, and Pastacaffé
Lunch: Strahov Monastery Brewery and Bistro 8
Dinner: Naše Maso, Eska, and Bokovko Wine Club & Shop
Treats: Perníčkův sen (Gingerbread Cookies)