Welcome to Prague and Czech this out! I am going to start off with things I love about Prague. It is beautiful, well-preserved with rich history, romantic, vibrant and outstanding. However, I didn't quite enjoy my stay here, not because of anything else, but Prague is literally swamped with tourists! Everywhere you go you will find yourself drowning in crowd and it seems like everything is catered for tourists. I don't like it. I guess it's because it has gained a lot of attention these day among other European cities, or maybe it was just during peak season when I visited.
A safety advice if you want to exchange money in Prague - there are many money exchange scams in Prague especially in those tourist populated areas. Avoid changing money on the street if someone comes up to you with supposedly good rates. Some offer a completely different rate from the screen when you walk in so its worth checking closely before you exchange your money. My advice is to exchange small amount of money and keep checking for better rates if you are spending more time here.
You will see a lot of vintage old cars like this in Prague and it makes for city tour. You can approach them to rent the car and the driver will usually be your guide for the tour. It is a great way to just sit back and have an overview of the sights in Prague!
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| Jewish Museum |
There is a Jewish Museum in Jewish Quarter and the main sites include
Maisel Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Synagogue Pinkas, Synagogue Klausen, Old Jewish Cemetery and the Ceremonial Hall. Expect to see the history, culture and learning of Jews in Bohemia and Moravia. You can cover the whole museum with an entrance fee of 330czk or you can top it up to 500czk to have access to the Old-New Synagogue. The only difference between the Old-New Synagogue and other synagogues is that this is an actual active worship center for local community and it is still running for services with zero museum display. Otherwise if you just want to see the oldest active Synagogue, there is a separate ticket at 200czk.
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| The Old-New Synagogue |
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| Jewish Museum |
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| Jewish Museum |
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| Jewish Museum |
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| Jewish Museum |
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| Old Jewish Cemetery |
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| Old Jewish Cemetery |
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| Astronomical Clock |
The medieval Astronomical Clock is built on top of the Town hall located at the Old Town Square. There is a musical show every hour when the clock strikes on the hour and the small trap door on top will open up. It is easy to find the clock, just spot the waiting crowd in the square and join them you will be right at where you should be. It should usually looks better than that without the construction work.
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| Old Town Square |
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| Charles Bridge |
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| Charles Bridge |
Charles bridge is now a pedestrian road with a lot of street performers and vendors along the street during the day. Early morning or late evening would be the best time to go if you want to dodge the crowd.
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| Lennon Wall |
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| Lennon Wall |
It's a normal wall filled with John Lennon inspired graffiti and Beatles' lyrics but now a great photo op wall for tourists near Charles Bridge. It's messy but artistic at the same time and I think this is what they called art, something that I will never understand.
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| St. Vitus Cathedral |
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| St. Vitus Cathedral |
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| St. Vitus Cathedral |
St. Vitus Cathedral is like the centerpiece within the Prague Castle on the hilltop, it is definitely something you must see in Prague. You can tell how important this church was by simply looking at the magnificent architecture and sculpture. Within the Prague Castle, it is like a small town with a complex number of buildings, gardens and connected by internal courtyards. The main sights include St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Royal Palace, the Powder Tower and the Golden lane. It would probably take you anything between a half day to a full day to explore the whole castle, depending on how well you want to explore each sites.
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| Golden Lane |
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| Powder Tower |
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| Royal Palace |
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| Prague Castle |
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| Petrin Hill |
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| Petrin Hill |
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| Petrin Hill |
If you have extra time to spare in Prague, climb up to Petrin Hill to enjoy the stunning view and some fun attractions on the hilltop. You can walk up to the high point along the designated pathway or you can take a cable car like this which brings you to the same place.
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| Beef Goulash |
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| Pork Knuckle |
I was walking around old town square looking for some traditional Czech food and here is what I found - Beef Goulash and Pork Knuckle. I was told that these are the amazing Czech food that you do not want to miss and it wasn't a disappointment at all! There are many restaurants serving Czech cuisine around the area and some of them serve a variety of food to cater for a wider crowd. I believe different restaurants have their own recipes for traditional Czech food so just look around and go on a Czech food tour!
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| Mien Ga Tom (Shrimp Noodle Salad) |
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| Chay (Tofu Sandwich) |
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| Bun Cha (Beef Noodle Salad) |
Had some delicious Vietnamese food at Banh Mi Ba and it was one of the best that I ever had (Maybe because I haven't had many as I am not a big fan)! I really love the Tofu sandwich in particular and there are many more with beef and fish. It is fresh and quick, perfect for afternoon snacks or takeaway and also pretty affordable if you are on a budget. Special thanks to Pey for the recommendation!
It was a love-hate experience in Prague and I wonder if I will ever come back to you.
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