Pops' Travel Guide, Prague

View of Prague Castle and Charles Bridge

Well, we had a short flight from Copenhagen to Prague or "Praha" and a good nights sleep. Today we are exploring the city.

Prague was annexed by Germany before WWII and because of that it didn't endure air raids that would have destroyed parts of the city. With that in mind, Prague is one of the most preserved cities in Europe. Since this was my first time in Prague I didn't know what to expect and I was thoroughly delighted by what I found.

We started by exploring the magnificent walled in castle with it's beautiful St. Vital Cathedral. Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. We spent a half day there exploring the many parts of the museum. My favorites were the church, torture chamber, and military artifacts. The castle is up on a hill and you also get an incredible view of the city.

From there we walked down the hill to the river and across the Charles bridge. It is one of Prague's most beautiful structures. The bridge is lined with many statues.

On the other side of the bridge we were ready for lunch and we had many outdoor cafes to choose from. It was nice sitting outside with good food and a beer enjoying the sights.

After lunch it was a short walk through narrow streets to the plaza in the city center. Along the way were many shops and attractions. In the plaza we found the "Astronomical Clock" and tower. Also you can see the Gothic Tyn Church. After a few hours of walking we were ready for another beer so an outdoor cafe in the plaza made sense. I went into the Hard Rock Cafe to buy a few gifts later we found a "Hooters" for chicken wings and more beer. I know these are American but what the hell!

Tyn Church

We asked around and found out the nightlife really didn't start until midnight so we wanted a bar we could settle down in and relax. Most people recommended a place called "Hemingway" along the river. They warned us that it was one of the most expensive bars in Prague but we decided to go anyway. Now, I haven't mentioned it yet but expensive in Prague is not what I would consider expensive even more so when just arriving from Denmark. "Hemingway" was less expensive than any bar in Copenhagen. This is a very nice bar and should be considered one of the best bars in Europe. We had mixed drinks and Kevin and I finished with Absinthe which was a production in itself. With a good start there we ended up at a place called James Dean that has a basement bar with entertainment. On the main floor is a restaurant that looks like a 1950's american hamburger joint.

Hemingway Bar

Prague has become one of my favorite cities in Europe. The size of Prague and the accessibility make it easy to see by walking. You could probably see everything in the city in 2 or 3 easy days.