Prague: In the heart of Europe

For as far back as I could remember, I’ve always wanted to visit the Czech Republic. Back then, it was still Czechoslovakia. I blame it on the series Cave of the Golden Rose, it was shot largely in Czech and showcases the country’s breathtaking landscapes. So when I was planning a trip to Europe, I knew I had to sneak in Czech somewhere.

The natural choice of city is Prague. I took the train in from Berlin and left Prague for Krakow three days later. I had initially thought it may be too short to experience the “City of a Hundred Spires”, but with good planning, you can easily cover the key areas.

Getting started on Prague

Know the addresses
First thing you ought to know about Prague is the confusing addresses. It really doesn’t help that street names are stuck on the side of the buildings, and they are tiny. This makes locating them a tough job, especially when the buildings are often ornately decorated, overshadowing the street signs.

The city is divided into ten districts, Praha 1 to 10- 1 being the oldest part of the town, and it fans out to 10. So when you read an address that says Malostranské námestí 11/260, Prague 1 (which was the hostel I stayed at), make sure you are in district 1 before you look for a “Malostranské námestí 11/260”. I found the same address, and was perplexed why the hostel is nowhere in sight, but in its place, a bakery. I was in the wrong district.

Tip: It’s important to get your bearings right, because it’s tough to seek help. Locals are generally unfriendly, even attempts at asking a uniformed police officer for help with address yielded no results. So arm yourself with a city map, and get your address basics down and you’ll be fine.

Getting Change
Another important point- DO NOT walk into any Change shop to change your currency. Prague has become such a tourist hotspot that it has transformed money changers into  money snatchers. For any currency that you change into Koruna, you’re likely to be ripped off by over 25%, despite a pretty decent exchange rate displayed at the counter. I leafed out a 50 EUR to be converted to supposedly (around) 1280 CZK, in the end, I got only 880 CZK. “Commission”, the middle-aged bespectacled money changer mumbled before dismissing me.

Tip: The Starbucks joints in Prague are practically money changers. They accept Euros and return your change in Koruna. Heaven sent, you get coffee and get your money changed without an unreasonable “commission”.

City of Cobbled Streets
Prague is a pretty “walkable” city, and getting around on foot is the best way to explore. The two areas that you have to visit are the old and new towns. From Wenceslas Square to the Old Town Square to Charles Bridge, you can easily cover them on foot.

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes. Prague’s streets are almost all cobbled, which makes walking a tad uncomfortable for some modern city folks ( like me) who are used to smooth pavements and tarred roads.

The must-sees in Prague

I had three short days in the city, so there’s a need for prioritising. The first place I absolutely needed to see is the Charles Bridge. I had glimpses of it on the tram ride going to the hostel, but still, nothing beats seeing it up close.

The  hostel was within walking distance to the bridge. Along the way, I came across The Dancing House. It’s hard to miss. The building is at the corner of a block, and a glaring contrast to the Baroque and Art Noveau style structures surrounding it. The ING Bank sponsored the building of this house after the original place was destroyed in World War 2 bombings.

Architect Frank Gehry took on the challenge of designing a unique building with very little square footage. If you stare at the building long enough, it gives the illusion that it’s floating. Don’t forget to check out the top, the large structure of twisted metal is nicknamed the Medusa.

Right before I hit the Charles Bridge, I knew it was a bad idea to be vacationing here during summer. It was packed. I had wanted to spend leisure time going through the many artsy stalls I’ve read about in guidebooks that lined the bridge. Instead, I find myself jostling for breathing space. That and the humid summer weather do not make the bridge walk a pleasant experience.

 

 

I had to revisit the bridge a few more times to visit the interesting stalls and admire the 30 or so sculptures on its either sides. They say the Charles Bridge looks different in every season; I guess I will need to return during winter to see for myself.

 

Tip: Both ends of the bridge have some pretty decent restaurants where you could just pop in, grab a bite or a drink and admire the bridge from a short distance away. You also have a good view of the river and the other side of the bridge, including the Prague Castle peeking out from the hill top, behind the slope of buildings.

 

To soak in the spirit of Prague, visit the Old Town. There are winding alleys of interesting shops and buildings selling all sorts of items. The Old Town Square is the centre of historical Prague. If you stand at the middle of square and look around, you’ll see a fascinating sight of Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance buildings side by side.

 

When wandering the Old Town, all you need to do is follow the crowd and you’ll see the Astronomical Clock. It’s one of the most popular gathering places in the city.

Groups of tourists gather at the bottom of the clock ten minutes before the clock strikes on the hour. I did too. When the hour arrives, all eyes are on the clock. The clock chimes, but that’s it. I thought I’d missed something. But I realized the faces around me are just as bewildered. I guess all of us expected the clock to do something more extraordinary than just chiming.  Our over-expectations aside, the intricate design of this astronomical clock is fascinating. Take some time to study it.

Tip: Because of its popularity, pick pockets are rampant near the Astronomical Clock. So while you stare in anticipation for the clock to do something, remember to keep a lookout for your belongings.

If you have some time to spare, pick a restaurant at the town square, have a drink, a bite to eat and watch the buskers perform. Most of them are pretty entertaining, like the elderly musician here, serenading us with his jazz tunes while hawking his CDs.

Adjacent to the Old Town is the New Town, where the Wenceslas Square is. In the Middle Ages, the imposing square used to be a horse market. Now, it’s a thoroughfare of bars, restaurants and shops that starts from the National Museum. By night, the Square paints a pretty lit picture bustling with activity. The best way to soak it all up is to pop into a coffee joint at the end of the Square and let the city pass you by.

 

From most parts of the city, the Prague castle can be seen peeking from behind a cascading slope of buildings. The castle is listed the biggest ancient castle in the world, so it should be worth at least half a day’s visit you’d reckon. Sadly, I was disappointed. I had so wanted the castle to be amazing. But after taking a stroll 15-minute uphill from the Old Town, the castle strangely didn’t look as imposing up close as it did from afar.

What is impressive though is the St. Vitus Cathedral within the castle grounds. The exterior, despite being ravaged by the harshness of time, still astounds with its Gothic details. But inside is where its splendour lies.

The cathedral’s high ceilings give abundant room to sun rays illuminating the stained glass windows covering the sides of the building. Each window has a mesmerizing stained glass design. You’d want to take your time to slowly take it all in.

Tip: There’s an info centre in the castle selling tickets to the various parts of the castle complex. Not all the complexes are worth visiting. So take your time to find out where you wish to visit and purchase tickets for them accordingly.

Food in Prague

In general, Czech cuisine centres around beef or pork. Most restaurants expect tipping, even if the service is sub par. I had a waiter that dumps dishes on the table and grunts when spoken to, but towards the end of the meal, he came up to us and went, “You, tip?” I want to say hell no, but bit my tongue and nodded my head instead.

If you’re on a budget, there are food stalls dotted around the city that serve tasty and cheap food too. I got a huge Czech style hotdog that tastes absolutely yummy and very affordable.

There are also coffee joints all over, the most common one being Coffee Heaven. Because Prague is such a walkable city, it’s nice to pop into one of these Coffee Heaven branches to rest your feet and hydrate after a long walk.

Tip: These coffee joints usually come with free wi-fi. It’s nice to catch up on emails while you rest up, or post up pictures you’ve taken on your phone to Facebook to make all your friends green with envy.

And that ends my brief 3-day stint in this magical city. Short as the trip may be, the city still managed to leave an impression. I may not have visited the magical landscapes I remembered from the series Cave of the Golden Rose, but still I caught a glimpse of the glorious days of kings in their prime, the rich culture passed down from centuries past, and soak in the feel of the medieval city.

The only regret? I didn’t try any Green Fairy.