Our recommendations

- Giotto Apartments (great place to stay)

- restaurant "U Vejvodu"

- Old Town Hall Tower

- Vysehrad Park Complex

- St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle and visit to the tower

- Golden Lane

What is worth eating?

- dumplings (steamed without filling, as a side dish to meats)

- goulash soup

- Kulajda (dill soup)

- Bramboracka (creamy potato soup)

- fried cheese in breadcrumbs served with fries

- duck in various forms (replaces chicken from Polish cuisine)

- Rizek (equivalent of our pork chop)

- Buchta (yeast cake)

- dumplings with fruit filling

- beef tartare served with toast

- draft beer

Prague

October 2024

The entrances on both sides are secured by defensive towers that can be visited - a ticket costs about 6 USD. Near the eastern tower stands a monument to Charles IV from 1848 commemorating the 500th anniversary of the university's founding.

One of the few modern shopping center buildings in this part of the city, "Maj," is adorned with spatial compositions by David Cerny. The jets with butterfly wings are illuminated at night, and the wings move slowly.

You can return to the Old and New Towns via the Legion Bridge and Strelecki Island. In the park on the island, we will encounter the largest population of wild nutria. There is also a good view of the National Theatre, Prague Castle, and the old town from here.

Mala Strana

The district, founded in 1257 for German colonists, was surrounded by a defensive wall along with the castle on Hradcany. Due to numerous fires raging during the Hussite wars in the 15th century, the original wooden buildings were destroyed. The local poor moved to other places, selling off lands to the aristocracy. The proximity to Hradcany tempted the wealthy to build their palaces and tenements here, which changed the character of the district to a more representative one.

In 1891, the Jubilee Exhibition took place on the nearby Petrin Hill, and a small copy of the Eiffel Tower was erected for the occasion. Until 1992, it was used as a television transmitter, and now from its platform at nearly 60 meters high, you can admire the surroundings. The ticket costs about 9 USD, but we have to climb 299 steps. If we want to use the elevator, we will pay an additional 6 USD. A funicular operates to Petrin Hill, with a one-way ticket costing 2 USD.

On the right side of Petrin Hill, there is a 17th-century monastery at Strahov with one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to visit it, so the attached photo comes from the internet. The ticket price is 6 USD. The monastery's interiors have served as a backdrop for many films, including the adventures of James Bond in "Casino Royale."

The interiors of the cottages, furnished according to the realities of the era, are open for exploration. Among them, we find the entrance to the gallery of defensive walls, which houses a permanent exhibition of knightly armor and weaponry, as well as a torture chamber.

And so we come to the "Golden Alley" built in the 16th century for the royal guard watching over the castle. Small houses touch the defensive walls. In the 17th century, it was inhabited by alchemists and goldsmiths trying to obtain gold from other elements. At the beginning of the 20th century, several interesting figures lived here. At number 14, the famous fortune-teller Matylda Prusova predicted the future for all who were willing. At number 22, Franz Kafka, while visiting his sister, wrote more stories.

The entrance to the southern tower is guarded by St. George slaying the dragon. The monument dates back to 1373 and originally stood in Bratislava. It was gifted to Emperor Charles IV and moved to Prague in 1471.

At the back of the cathedral is St. George's Basilica, which retains 13th-century frescoes.

St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in Central Europe. It was built in the second half of the 14th century, although the front with two towers and a massive rose window was only added in the 1930s. It served as the coronation and burial church for Czech kings - the royal insignia are stored in the treasury under the Golden Gate. Since 1950, it has been state-owned, and all appeals from the Catholic Church regarding nationalization were rejected by the Supreme Court in 2009.

In the southern side tower, which we can visit, there are 7 bells. The oldest, "John the Baptist," was hung in 1449. The bells are rung manually by a team of bell ringers, which we experienced while nearly losing our hearing (we were at the top at noon). We ascend the 100-meter tower via 280 stone steps in a very narrow two-way spiral staircase. This requires considerable effort, and you have to push past people coming down. However, the view from the top compensates for the effort. We can also see the clock mechanism from 1552.

The interior of the cathedral is vast, and the stained glass windows create a particularly striking impression, adding atmosphere on sunny days by casting colorful shadows around. Walking along the side aisles, we pass several chapels dedicated to saints and Czech kings. For a Gothic church, the interior is very well lit by rows of windows, and the structure appears light. The exterior walls are supported by a complex system of flying buttresses, clearly visible from the tower. This allowed for the incorporation of wide window niches while maintaining the necessary structural strength.

On the oak relief by Kaspar Bechteler from the early 17th century, we can admire a view of contemporary Prague. For several centuries, the entrance to the cathedral was the Golden Gate located to the right of the southern tower (which we are entering). Above the entrance, we can see a 14th-century mosaic of the Last Judgment.

The old royal palace was the residence of the rulers of Bohemia from the 10th to the 16th century. The ground floor mainly features the great hall and chapel. On the upper floor, we can see the throne room, library, and the offices of the medieval provinces. In the palace's underground, there is a permanent exhibition titled "The History of Prague Castle."

Hradczany

We can start exploring the palace complex from the royal gardens located outside the defensive walls. Admission is free. There are several interesting historical sites within them. The Micowna ballroom, built in 1569, later served as a riding school, stables, and military warehouses. It currently hosts exhibitions and concerts. The summer palace of Queen Anna Jagiellonka, built by her husband Emperor Ferdinand I of Habsburg, also dates from the same period. In front of the palace stands the "singing fountain." The water falling onto a bronze platform produces sounds resembling singing. The modern "presidential house" was built in 1938 for President Edward Beneš. It was used by successive presidents of the republic until the 1990s, and then handed over to the public.

Entry to the palace grounds is free, but to visit the cathedral or the "Golden Lane," we need to buy a ticket that covers 9 sites at once:

- the old royal palace

- the museum of the history of the Prague palace

- the Basilica of St. George

- the exhibition of the palace guard's armaments within the defensive walls

- the Golden Lane

- the gallery of paintings

- the Cathedral of St. Vitus

- the Rosenberg Palace.

The ticket price is about 13 USD. We need to buy a separate ticket to enter the cathedral tower - the price is about 8 USD.

The Vltava River is regulated along the stretch in Prague, but in several places, you can access sandy beaches (especially on the islands in the middle). There, we can encounter wild nutria, which are very friendly towards humans. They come ashore and eagerly munch on sandwiches. They can even climb up pant legs in search of food - watch your fingers as they have quite sharp teeth. Many domesticated fur-bearing animals have escaped from cages over the centuries and have managed to establish themselves in the wild.

Heading towards the river, we will reach the buildings of the former St. Agnes Monastery, where part of the National Gallery is currently located. We can view a fragment of the contemporary exhibition in the monastery gardens. The little house in front of me is by no means a piece of playground equipment, but a work of art.

On the hill across the Vltava, you can see the Prague Metronome. It may not be particularly attractive in itself, but from the hill, we have a great view of the old town and the Charles Bridge, and by strolling through the park, we will reach the Hanavský Pavilion. It was built in 1891 for the Czech Jubilee Exhibition and represented the Duke Wilhelm II Hanavský's steelworks.

It should be noted that at the site of the metronome once stood the largest statue of Joseph Stalin in the world, which was demolished in 1962.

Josefov

The former Jewish district was devastated at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Wealthy Jews moved to other parts of the city, and only the poor and a group of Orthodox believers remained in the ghetto. Most of the original buildings were destroyed - only the synagogues, the old cemetery, and the town hall were left. The streets are dominated by Art Nouveau tenements similar to those in the New Town. The most famous place is the Spanish Synagogue, which is open for tours - admission costs about 20 USD. It should be noted that synagogues are closed on Saturdays as it is a holiday for the Jewish community.

Next to the synagogue stands the monument to Franz Kafka, who was associated with Prague throughout his life and where his most famous stories and novels were created.

New Town

The name is somewhat misleading because the district was established in the Middle Ages and was intended to connect Vyšehrad with the Old Town and Hradčany. The current buildings mostly date from the late 19th century. They are mainly tenement houses of wealthy merchants and public utility buildings, such as the National Museum or the opera house. Even in the Middle Ages, the commercial character of the district was considered, which is why the streets are very wide and there are many squares designated for merchant stalls.

Cars

In many places in Prague, we encounter old cars that can be rented along with a driver-guide for city tours. These are replicas of original vehicles from the early 20th century. Depending on the duration of the ride, we pay between 80 and 140 USD. The price includes the rental of the entire vehicle, which accommodates a maximum of 5 people. Reservations can be made on the website: https://pragueoldcar.com/

Between them stands the statue of Jan Hus, who as an influential reformer was condemned by the Catholic Church and burned at the stake in 1415. The monument was built in 1915 entirely from public donations and symbolizes the national revival of the Czech people.

Another interesting monument is the Marian Column, originally erected in 1650. After regaining independence and the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the column was destroyed as it was associated with the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It was only rebuilt in 2020.

The Church of Our Lady before Týn was completed in the 16th century, although construction began two centuries earlier. A small Romanesque temple stood at this site as early as the 11th century and belonged to the Týn Court - a stopover for foreign merchants. The very distinctive towers surrounded by small spires reach a height of 80 meters and are an excellent landmark. Entry to the church is free, but photography and filming are prohibited.

The Town Hall, established in the 14th century, consists of several connected houses that were gradually purchased by the city from private owners. This results in the building's heterogeneous architecture.

The tower, completed in 1364, was the tallest structure in the city during the Middle Ages. It is now open for visits - a ticket costs about 17 USD. We take the elevator to the third floor and can either transfer to another elevator or walk up the spiral staircase. The last section consists of narrow winding stairs with traffic directed by lights. The futuristic elevator on the second section resembles a "time capsule." From the tower, we have a magnificent view of the old town and its surroundings.

The clock visible from afar on the tower was created in 1402. In 1410, an astronomical clock was activated above the main entrance to the town hall, which is one of the main attractions of the old town. It consists of three parts: the astronomical part showing the time and the position of celestial bodies, the calendar part with medallions representing the months. In the animated section at the top of the clock, figures of the 12 apostles, Death, a Turk, Vanity, and Greed appear at each hour. Unfortunately, during our visit, the animated part was not working, much to the disappointment of the waiting crowds.

Old Town

The Old Town borders the Charles Bridge and surrounds the Jewish district of Josefof. The central point is the market square where the most characteristic buildings face each other: the Town Hall with the astronomical clock Orloj and the Church of Our Lady before Týn.

Charles Bridge

No matter how we wander through Prague, we always end up at Charles Bridge, connecting the Old Town with the Lesser Town and Hradčany. It's impossible to avoid the crowds of tourists, souvenir vendors, musicians, and ... pickpockets. So keep an eye on your wallets and documents.

Its construction began in the mid-14th century during the reign of Emperor Charles IV. For centuries, it was the only available crossing over the Vltava River and was closed to vehicular traffic only in 1965. It is 516 meters long and 9.5 meters wide, making it the oldest stone bridge in the world of such dimensions.

Vyšehrad

Visible from the Vyšehrad Hill, the Nusle Bridge (actually a viaduct) spans the Nusle Valley, connecting Pankrác with the city center. The structure is particularly interesting because a red line of metro C runs through the concrete tube beneath the viaduct. It is also known as the Suicide Bridge because since its opening in 1973, about 300 people have jumped from it to commit suicide. Exiting at the Vyšehrad metro station, we can take a walk along the viaduct over the valley and then walk through the park along the old city walls to reach the hill where the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul is located.

Praha in Czech means "threshold." According to legend, on the Vyšehrad Hill, a man was building his house and was carving the threshold when he encountered a royal procession. The king decided to establish a city in this place and named it Praha.

The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul was built in the late 11th century. In the adjacent cemetery lies the Czech "Pantheon" where the most important figures who contributed to the country are buried. The graves of the first rulers of Bohemia may also be there, but due to the nature of the site, archaeological work cannot be conducted. Entrance to the church is paid and costs 5 USD.

In the park, remnants of the defensive walls of the citadel built in the 17th century have been preserved, from which we have a beautiful view of the Nusle Valley. The rotunda of St. Martin dates back to the same period as the basilica. Initially, it was a church intended for the inhabitants of the castle's outskirts. After the citadel was built, it was transformed into a prison, and later into a gunpowder store and military depot. In the mid-19th century, plans were made to demolish it, but it survived as a home with a kitchen for the poor. This way, one of the oldest monuments in Prague was saved.

Czech Republic - a bit of history and practical information

A flight to Prague is usually expensive even though it lasts less than an hour. Unfortunately, there is only a direct connection from Warsaw operated by LOT. You can try budget airlines with layovers, but usually, it's a waste of time for a few hours of travel if we are planning a weekend visit.

From the airport, we can reach the center by trolleybus line 59, which ends its route at the green metro line A, and after transferring to it, everything is close by. A 30-minute ticket costs just under 2 USD, and you can buy a day ticket for 5 USD. Time tickets can be used from the moment of validation (or purchase) on various means of transport and you can transfer as many times as you want. Tickets are purchased from machines that accept cash and payment cards (contactless).

The official currency is the Czech crown, which has an exchange rate of about 0.16 PLN. A good lunch will cost around 700 crowns (two dishes plus beer - 30 USD). It’s worth having some cash on hand as there are places where payment cards are not accepted. This especially applies to all public toilets, where entry is always charged from 10 to 20 crowns. If you don’t have crowns, you can ultimately pay 1 Euro or 1 USD.

The sidewalks and streets of the old town are cobblestoned, so it’s good to wear appropriate shoes with flat soles; it can be slippery after rain, so good sandals or sneakers are recommended.

The old town is quite compact, and the tourist attractions are located close to each other, so there’s no point in planning extensive trips - everything can be seen in two days. The palace complex in Hradčany is extensive, and if we buy a ticket for the whole tour, we need to reserve about 4 hours. The longest queue is at St. Vitus Cathedral, so it’s best to wait until the afternoon when it significantly decreases. In the meantime, we can visit other places included in the ticket, of which there are 9. Entry to the cathedral tower requires an additional fee.

The history of the city dates back to the 9th century when two fortified settlements were established: Vyšehrad and the castle in Hradčany. The greatest flourishing occurred in the 14th century during the reign of Emperor Charles IV. He established the first university in Central Europe - Carolinum - in Prague. In the following centuries, the Hussite wars and then the Thirty Years' War ended the period of prosperity, and the city lost its significance to Vienna. After the Treaty of Dresden in 1745, Austria gained control over the Czech lands.

Today’s Prague was formed in 1784 as a result of the merger of five independent districts: the Old Town, the New Town, Malá Strana, Hradčany, and Josefov. At that time, it was a bilingual city - the census from 1847 indicated that there were twice as many Germans living in Prague as Czechs.

After World War I, in 1918, Prague became the capital of the newly formed state - Czechoslovakia, which lasted until 1993 and dissolved in the wave of changes following the fall of the USSR.