Prague
Explore the stunning attractions of the Czech E Republic’s capital city.
Prague is nicknamed the ‘city of a hundred spires’, but it doesn’t take long before you realise this architectural gem, nestled within the Czech Republic and cut through by the Vltava River, cannot solely be defined by such a single set of features. Not withstanding the fact that it’s factually incorrect there are more than 1,000 spires, turrets, steeples and towers gently punching the air over this capital city Prague can be anything to anyone: romantic, fashionable, artistic, bustling and quiet on the one hand; a foodie’s paradise, eclectic watering hole or simply a chocolate-box feast for the eyes on the other.
Take a boat ride soon after you arrive and you can soak up the splendour of those medieval buildings, unspoiled by war and modern development, before putting your feet on firm ground in pursuit of the key attractions. Get your timing right and you’ll be able to see the world’s oldest working astronomical clock in action, a thing of beauty that dates back to 1410 and stands in the Old Town Square. A performance takes place every hour where four animated figures shake their heads to the ring of a bell while the 12 apostles filter past two open windows to the amazement of the massed crowds.
From there, you can make your way over to the Jewish Quarter, a historical area in which Jews were once restricted to living. There are six glorious synagogues, an old cemetery, the 18th-century Old Jewish Town Hall, and many monuments and artefacts that form the Jewish Museum in Prague. They can be seen by purchasing an entry ticket, and it’s worth paying for the Old New Synagogue alone it’s Europe’s oldest surviving and active synagogue, and steeped in legend.
Prague’s compact nature means you can easily get around on foot. South of the Jewish Quarter is Charles Bridge, crossing the Vltava and enabling crowds to mass along a walkway some ten-metres (33-feet) wide. Construction of the bridge began in 1357, and it has seen numerous battles and natural disasters since then. Most notable here are 30 mostly Baroque statues and statuaries positioned across its length of 621 metres (2,037 feet). They’re all replicas today, with the originals removed for safe keeping, but they’re no less striking for it.
It certainly hasn’t affected Prague’s status as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, and that’s little wonder. Each twist and turn of Prague’s narrow streets offers up copious delights, and while you’ll be charged to visit many of the splendid attractions, there’s plenty to do for free. Wandering the complex around Prague Castle, which contains the Bohemian Crown Jewels, will cost nothing (although entry will). There’s also a huge, bronze horse statue (a monument to Church ofOur Lady before Týn by theOld Town Square 22 Hussite General Jan Žižka on Vitkov Hill, and free tours of the Rudolfinum concert hall.
Whatever you do, though, don’t leave without visiting the New Town, in particular the politically iconic Wenceslas Square and the National Museum. Be sure to also sample the traditional Czech soup kulajda; the thin pancakes called palacinky; or vepro-knedlo-zelo, which is roast pork, bread dumplings and stewed cabbage. Such food goes down well with beer, which is just as well since it is plentiful and cheap, and there are many breweries that encourage visitors. Just take it easy: with so much to see and do, you’ll want a clear head come the morning, although a stroll around Letná Park may help as long as you don’t stop for a drink in its beer garden.