Prague (Praha in Czech) has been on my must-see list for a while now,
so this past holiday weekend we finally got to check it out!
Our friends Lillian and David and Lindsay and Chris were also in Prague for the weekend, which was great and helped combat the not-so-great weather and throngs of tourists!
Nick and I landed late on Wednesday evening, and decided to take advantage of the nice weather for a little stroll. Our first impressions of the city was that it was quiet (this changed later) and we liked it immediately better than Vienna (this is still true!)
Thursday we awoke to gorgeous blue skies and warm temps, so we strolled around through a park, pass the Lennon Wall, and all around Old Town for some great views. (We also had a random encounter with 4 people from our little hometown of 20,000! What are the odds?) Nick was immediately enthralled by the cathedral in the main square, and it really is one of the most beautiful main squares I think!
However, our attempt at a "quick, cheap" lunch was foiled by the stands in the main square. Prices were listed in 100g, so when you order 1 serving on ham, it is not in fact 100g, it's more like 1/2 kilo but they don't really make that clear to you. Instead, you just end up overpaying for a lunch and ending up with way too much food. Luckily, a homeless guy was around to help polish of our leftovers.
We decided it would be a good day to check out the Jewish cemetery, and despite the downpour, it was still a great experience. Pictures are only allowed in the cemetery part, but the synagogue with all the hand painted named of the Czech Jews that were killed by Nazis was pretty powerful. We may have snuck a photo of the ornate Spanish synagogue as well!
After a nap (yay!) we met up with Chris and Lindsay for some drinks before dinner at Kcrma, where Lillian and David were able to meet up with us after their airbnb debacle! It was a great traditional Czech meal in an awesome atmosphere!
Afterward, we headed to then Prague Beer Museum, where they have 30 beers on tap. We were all extremely excited about this, and while the beers were great, we began to realize that Czech night life might not be for us. The smoking inside the bars is out of control and it seems that every group is a group of guys out for a stag/bachelor party, which seem to take on weird themes.
Our next 2 days in Prague were extremely relaxing and low-key. For Nick and I, this was a nice change of pace from a lot of our trips where we wake up fairly early to get a jump start on all the things we want to so. This time we were able to sleep in, meander the streets with no location in mind, and take lots of naps!
Of course, we still saw many of the other "must-sees" along the way, including the Powder Tower and the Prague Castle.
The castle is beautiful from a distance, and offers some stunning views of the city. We all realized that we have become a bit desensitized to castles and churches having visited so many in a short period of time. So while interesting, we wouldn't say it was a highlight. Of course, getting caught in a thunderstorm didn't probably help matters!
Friday night we decided we were ready for a change up from Czech food and opted for Indian. And it was some of the best I've had!!
On the search for a non-smoky bar (which, we have come to realize, don't exist in Prague) we stumbled into
Il Tri Ruzi, a microbrewery. I think we all agreed, the best beer of the trip, and some of my favorite beer ever! Although, Chris and David tried the local Absinthe instead (just the smell was too much for me!)
After being told last call was at 11:15, we found another bar that advertised a non-smoking area, which they had to open up just for us. After discovering that this bar blared club music so loud we couldn't talk and served drinks so terrible we couldn't finish them, we decided it was time to call it a night.
Saturday was freezing...literally wearing winter coats...Nick and I walked around in attempt to find a non tourist cafe to warm up in. Easier said than done, as in local Prague, everything seems to be closed on Saturday. We finally stumbled upon a little Italian joint, where we indulged in coffee and handmade stone oven baked pizza. Delicious!!
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| We discovered these spicy little peppers, why can't Paris import them!?!? |
We opted to spend the evening enjoying the homemade brews (and food) of Il Tri Ruzi one more time before heading to bed in preparation for our flight the next morning. Before catching our flight we headed up for some morning pictures above the city. A great way to end the trip.
In all, a great relaxing weekend with some great people. I'm so thankful for their friendship because I think them being their made this weekend better! Prague is beautiful, but to be honest it didn't live up to my high expectations. I found the beer, while cheap, to not be as great as I imagined. It also seems difficult to experience a true Czech experience because of the throngs of tourists everywhere. That being said I'm still glad we went and enjoyed myself, and I like it way better than Vienna, but
Berlin would still be my favorite Eastern European city. I think the whole smoke in the bar/weird night scene probably was a big factor in bringing my opinion down a few notches, get rid of smoking and I think it would move up a bunch!! I would actually consider going back as a stop on the way to see other small Czech villages, but in summer when weather is more reliable so we could bike and sit outside on terraces.
More pictures here.
**Tips: 2 full days is plenty to see the city, especially if the weather isn't great! Restaurant Indian Jewel highly recommended, as well as Il Tri Ruzi for beers! Jewish area worth the admission price, castle depends on how many others you have seen in Europe.**
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