Prague has always been a priority on my bucket list. Not only is Prague like stepping into a fairytale that is rich in culture and history, but it’s also part of my heritage. I wanted to see everything but knew it just wasn’t possible in five short days. Planning this trip was not rocket science, but it took a reasonable amount of time and research.
Using social platforms and google maps on things that I wanted to see, I wrote everything down and then categorized it based on the location. Doing this allowed me to see where I wanted our accommodations to be, figuring that being centrally located would enable us to stop by our room during the day for a recharge. We found opting for an Airbnb was our best choice because it was cost-effective and allowed us to stay close to the heart of Old Town. Note: I highly suggest staying at Daniels Place via Airbnb. It was perfect for the two of us. Great location in the heart of Old Town and beautiful apartment.
Day 1
Ever wonder what it’s like to spend a day in a real-life castle? We spent the entire day over by the majestic Prague Castle. Purchasing a Prague Castle – Circuit ticket permitted us entry into Old Royal Palace, St. George Basilica, Golden Lane, and St Vitus Cathedral. In total it came to approximately $25 USD. The Prague Castle Circuit experience was full of history and elegance. Golden Lane was unique with all the picturesque buildings; however, if you tend to get claustrophobic, these buildings tend to get small in areas.
We ventured over to the royal gardens taking a small path behind the castle. The scenery and flowers were in full bloom, making the scent incredible. Understanding it was later in the daytime, we strolled across the famous Charles Bridge back to our Airbnb. Charles Bridge can get very lively during the afternoon with vendors, performers, and artists where bystanders watch in wonder.
My suggestion to you would be to walk the Charles Bridge early in the morning. That way, you can capture all the views and photos you have been aspiring to take. Later on, make sure to venture back over to experience the entertainment and local vendors.
Day 2
Planned the entire day around Old Town. The square itself was beautiful with entertainers, vendors, and horse-drawn carriage rides with the Church of Our Lady before Týn in the background. You will see a gathering of people on the top of every hour standing by the side of Old Town Hall to witness the Walk of the Apostles on the Astronomical Clock. This clock is the 3rd oldest Astronomical Clock in the world. Some of our remaining highlights of the day were Old Town Hall Tower and Klementinum.
Old Town Hall allows you to climb up the tower where you will overlook the square. Overlooking the town square below is a perfect photo opportunity with the Church of Our Lady before Týn in the background. Klementinum is a guided tour of one of the most beautiful baroque libraries in the world. During a 50-minute guided tour, you will experience facts about how philosophers determined the time of noon, a mesmerizing baroque library, and the astronomical tower overlooking the city with a 360-view.
For dinner, we dined at one of the most authentic restaurants in the city. U Fleků transports you back to Old World culture. The food, drinks, entertainment, and service were top-notch. If you want a great experience, I highly suggest dining here. You will not be disappointed!
Day 3
Woke up and traveled to Café Savoy for a delicious breakfast. We spent our day in and around the area of Petřín Hill. My husband and I opted for the Inclined Rail to reach the top faster. Taking the Inclined Rail allowed us extra time walking back down the hill and taking in the views and nature surrounding us.
Our points of interest were visiting the Communist Memorial Statues, Lennon Wall, and Lovers Bridge. Since we ended up having extra time, we walked through the narrowest street of Prague. I am not kidding; this had street lights to walk due to only being able to go single file. On the way back to our Airbnb, we found a beautiful park called Vojanovy Sady. This park had free-roaming Peacocks walking around, which was pretty unique. Stop by to check this area out if you’re in the area. The evening hours consisted of dining at Art Restaurant Mánes, which was situated overlooking the Vltava River, and later stumbling upon a random rum bar, we found called Rum House Bar- Caribbean. If you’re a rum drinker, I recommend stopping in for a drink. They had so many rums to choose from that they even had my favorite rum from St. Lucia.
Day 4
Changing things up, we decided to head over to Kutna Hora via train ride. Getting on the train was an experience in itself since we have never traveled spontaneously on an international train before. However, a lovely couple we met that was local helped us “tourists” out. Talking to them we learned a lot about the culture and country. Overall it was a pleasant experience to sit back and strike up a friendly conversation.
So the question may be, why Kutna Hora? Kutna Hora is home to Sedlec Ossuary, which is also known as “The Bone Church.” Sedlec Ossuary is a small Roman Catholic Church located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints. The Ossuary has roughly around 40,000-70,000 skeletons which most of the bones have been designed as art pieces. I was left speechless and didn’t know what to make of it. However, it was a unique experience that made it very memorable.
Day 5
On our final day in Prague, we somehow walked from one end of the city to the other. We started our morning off walking Malá Strana, getting some timeless photos of the town and the Vltava river. We observed the Metronome Statue then made our way to the Fortress.
This long walk took us by yellow penguin statues out in the river, the crawling babies statues (which almost looked like something from stranger things), and the Dancing House, nicknamed for all my dancers out there, Fred and Ginger. Once we finally reached our destination to the Fortress (Vyšehrad) after many stairs and walking all morning, we were able to sit for a minute and take in the views. Looking out into the distance, we could see the Prague Castle high up on the hill. The Fortress itself possessed a beautiful church ringing the bells, an old historic cemetery with remarkable headstones and statues. Halfway through our journey around the Fortress, we stopped to have a cold refreshing Czech Beer at an outdoor pub on the property.
Overall Thoughts
I would recommend Prague to anyone. The culture, architecture, history, and romance of the city made this gorgeous place stand out. Visiting Prague is what I envisioned when visiting a European country. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to travel here. If you would like to finish our first European journey, please visit my four days in Vienna Blog.
