Friends, I’m really excited to announce that I am a contestant in Washingtonian Magazine’s most stylish contest. One winner will be selected by popular vote, so if you would, please vote for me here. I promise it will take less than a minute of your time. Simply click on the link, enter your email, and confirm your response in the email from Washingtonian Magazine. The voting period ends tomorrow. I am very grateful for your support! Now on to the fun stuff! All about our recent visit to Prague.
Prague is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s a city of spires, orange rooftops, and mazes of narrow cobblestone streets that are reminiscent of the old city in Barcelona (one of my all time favorite places). On our family vacation to Prague a few weeks ago, we were lucky to be staying at a hotel situated just steps from the Old Town Square. One of the benefits of visiting Prague is that the dollar still goes a long way. Czech Krowns are the dominant currency (not the Euro though they’ll take your Euros and Dollars in a pinch) so staying in a posh place in the center of action was not nearly as expensive in Prague as it would be in most European cities. Brief historical lesson about a fact I didn’t know before I got there: the area now known as the Czech Republic was once ruled by the Bohemian Kings during medieval times. You’ll notice Bohemia signs all around Prague and that is why!
Astronomical Clock
Just outside our door in the Old Town Square was the first on our list of must-see sights. The Astronomical Clock dates back to the 15th century and is the oldest working astronomical clock in the world. An astronomical clock is a timepiece that basically shows lunar phases, the position of the sun and moon, and zodiac signs (also didn’t know that before our visit). Crowds gather at the astronomical clock on the square on the hour to watch a procession of the twelve apostles set in motion.
Charles Bridge
After visiting the Astronomical Clock, the Charles Bridge is a quick ten minute walk away. Strolling across the Charles Bridge is one of the most popular things to do in Prague. As such, it’s super crowded at all times of the day. The view of the Vltava River below is absolutely stunning so don’t let the crowds deter you. There are a ton of street vendors on the bridge and some pretty great people watching too.
Kampa Park
After taking our time strolling over the bridge we made a pit stop at Kampa Park on just the other side of the Charles Bridge. It’s a fun playground with a spectacular view of the river and the bridge above. It would make a nice stop for a picnic lunch or to give the kids a chance to blow off some steam before continuing with sightseeing.
Prague Castle
Prague Castle was our ultimate destination on the other side of the bridge. The 800 year old castle is perched on an hillside overlooking the city. It’s actually the largest castle complex in the entire world. Climbing to the top of ancient churches has become a thing for my crew so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to climb to the top of St. Vitus Cathedral. From the top you get a spectacular view of the city. On the castle grounds there’s a street of small brightly colored houses and museums called the Golden Lane. It was an area once occupied by goldsmiths which is how it got its name. There’s a separate entrance fee to stroll this area.
The Lennon Wall
In my research on Prague before our visit, I learned about the Lennon Wall (not to be confused with Vladimir Lenin). It’s basically a wall of which street graffiti honoring John Lennon . In the 1980s after his death, he became a symbol of love and peace in Czechoslavakia. Political messages opposing communism began to pop up. The wall would be white-washed and then the political grafitti would reappear. Today the wall is emblematic of the Czech Republic’s Communist history and the graffiti is now preserved.
Trdelnik
After spending the day sightseeing you are bound to get hungry. You can walk 10 feet in Prague without running into a Trdelnik kiosk. Trdelnik is a traditional Slovak rolled pastry originating from the Hungarian speaking region of Transylvania. Trdlnik is rolled dough wrapped around a stick then grilled and topped with sugar and nuts. In the summertime it is filled with ice-cream and the Trdelnik acts as a cone, but you can also have it filled with Nutella. We tried both and they are simply delicious!
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