Hello, Prague!

We landed in Prague late at night, checked in at our hotel and the rest is history!
We stayed at Hotel Union Prague for a weekend. It isn’t in the heart of Prague, but close enough – a few minutes away from the historical center, linked by buses and trams. By the way, we were fascinated by a large number of trams/tram lines in Prague. It really gives a special touch to the city and it makes it easy to get around.

We planned to see as much as we can and I think we did quite well. Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge are some of the places we had the pleasure to see and they were awesome. Each one of them would unveil unique and fascinating stories.
Even though Prague was the main point of interest, we did take a trip to the suburb of Kutna Hora, a city located around 80km away from Prague. Mind you, it was worth it! So when you choose to visit any of the big cities in the world, if you have time, we recommend to check out other places nearby, because you never know what you might discover.

Prague Castle

We were there – on the grounds of the largest medieval castle in Europe. Once home to the Kings of Bohemia, it is now the residence and office of the President of the Czech Republic.
The Castle is built on top of a hill which makes it easy to be spotted from almost every part of the city, making it the capital’s most recognizable landmark. St Vitus Cathedral is the dominant building within the Castle complex and lots of visitors get confused thinking that this is the actual Castle, when in fact, it’s only a part of it. Alongside churches, palaces, halls, towers, gardens and museums it’s no wonder that it covers over 7 hectares (18 acres).

St Vitus Cathedral

This Gothic-style cathedral is the biggest and most important church in the country. Inside it lay the tombs of some of the most important Bohemian Kings and Roman Emperors. Once you’re in, you’ll notice how colorful the nave is. It’s actually an effect cause by the light which finds its way into the church through the beautiful stained glass windows.
If you feel you’re in good shape, you might as well climb the 297 steps of the Great South Tower of the Cathedral. This bell tower offers excellent views of Prague. What made it more interesting for us, is that we got to see the change of guards once we got to the top.

The Bohemian Crown Jewels used to serve for the ceremonial coronation of the Bohemian Kings. Reproductions of the Jewels can be seen in the permanent historical exposition, at the former Royal Palace in the Castle. The original, however, are locked in a hidden chamber inside St Vitus Cathedral, in an iron safe. What makes this secured place interesting is that, the safe has seven locks, which can be unlocked by seven different keys, which are in the possession of seven different individuals, and those individuals are the most important people in the country: the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Prague Archbishop, the Chairman of the House of Deputies, the Chairman of the Senate, the Dean of the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus Cathedral and the Lord Mayor of Prague. That seems out of a Mission Impossible movie, right?

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Ever since King Leopold II established the tradition of the seven keys, in 1791, these priceless Jewels have been kept safe. Nowadays, almost every five years and on really special occasions the Jewels are being displayed and even though there are seven people who have the keys to the safe, the only one with exclusive right to decide on the display of the Crown Jewels is The President of the Republic.

Golden Lane

We’ve always enjoyed taking a stroll on narrow, old streets and this one is, as the saying goes, ‘right up on our street’. It’s part of Prague’s Castle complex and as you make your way down/up the lane, there is no way you can miss any of the eleven historic houses, dating from the 15th Century. Your curiosity will simply not let you and you won’t resist to go inside and get a glimpse of how the artisans who once worked there, lived their lives. In the upper level of the houses, there is a very long corridor where you will find medieval armory and textile displays. To keep the public interested and in touch with the theme, there is a shooting crossbow, between the displays, where visitors can test their archery skills.

Tasty!

If you find yourself amongst those who have already seen what Prague can offer, then you must agree that their food is simply de-li-cious!
So, are you up for some Czech gulas – a stew made with meat (usually beef), assorted vegetables, and paprika – like the one below? It will most definitely satisfy your taste buds. You can choose to have it with dumplings or potatoes. Either way, it’s delicious and you will find it in every restaurant.

Or why not go for the sizzling hot Kolbása (Kielbasa), served straight from the grill, onto a bun. Add some mustard on it and start gorging on this world famous sausage.
But if you want to try something less meaty from the local cuisine, why not opt for a fantastic soup? We can recommend a bowl of garlic soup or cabbage soup, which comes in an edible bread bowl. We tried them both and they are superb.

Of course, all this needs to be washed down with a good drink, so why not try one of the many well-known brands of beer this bohemian land has to offer, like Pilsner Urquell, Budvar, Staropramen and many more. In fact so many and not expensive at all, that one could call this country the ‘land of beer’. But beer isn’t all about price and diversity. Taste matters the most and the beer here tastes amazing. Especially on a hot summer day, when it can be a really refreshing treat.

Know before you go
• Entrance fees apply for all attractions in the Castle and you can buy tickets which allow you entry to combined attractions
• The self-guided visitor tickets cost 250CZK (US$11.00) or 350CZK (US$15.00), depending on how many attractions you want to see
• There is a separate fee of 150CZK (US$7.00) to climb up the Great South Tower in St Vitus Cathedral
• The entrance for Golden Lane is payable, but the only way to visit this attraction is to buy a self-guided visitor ticket. There are no tickets exclusively for Golden Lane.
• Some attractions include commemorative medals (e.g. Great South Tower of St Vitus Cathedral)
• Inside the Castle, food and drinks are slightly more expensive than the rest of the city