Prague… my goodness, DO Prague. This is a beautiful, vibrant, and enchanting city for those that love to sightsee, wander, eat, and drink in the culture! I had the opportunity to break away while on business in Germany. I threw an overnight bag into the passenger seat of my rental car, pointed it east, and bombed across the border into the Czech Republic. I booked a beautiful room with a chic boutique hotel vibe: Motel One Prague (Na Porící 1048/30 Nové Mesto, 11000 Prague). It is situated on the northeast edge of the old city, very easy to get to all of the sites whilst buzzed or fully inebriated.
Since I only had about 24-hrs~ish in town I wanted to play power-tourist and hit the big sites; the Old Town Hall, Astronomical Clock, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, St. Nicholas Church, Strahov Monastic Brewery, the Powder Tower, the John Lennon Wall, the Hunger Wall, the Dancing House… you know, all of it! I have a friend that runs about 20 miles per day everyday and has done so for several years. When we would go on business trips he would wake up early, go for a 20 mile run to become familiar with the city, and would know where everything was by the time we met in the restaurant for breakfast. It was great! However, I am not him, so I rely heavily on the Trip Advisor app and downloaded google maps of the area to know where I was and where I needed to be.
I made a pseudo-itinerary for my day, programing a nap before dinner, so I could squeeze in a lot of sightseeing during the evening… and maybe a lil partying. So like most beautiful Eastern European cities with a baller Old City, Prague has a dizzying amount of sights, sounds, and smells to entertain the senses. Between the cobblestone pavers, intricate doorways, meandering alleys, street hustlers, food vendors, beautiful people, accents, languages, and spectacular vistas it’s hard to quickly check boxes off an ambitious itinerary. Sometimes you gotta stop and smell (devour) the Trdelnik, and sample the kulajda soup with a Pilsner Urquell. I mean the Bohemian’s invented the pilsner! Yes, I checked-off a lot of sites on my Prague Wanderlust bucket list… but only because I was systematically “attacking” the city with military-like precision. It was fast-paced mission, but a blast… I was smiling the entire time. My camera was snapping photos of everything… bring an auxiliary battery pack when you leave the room, you’ll need it!
Once I checked-off a lot the big sites, I felt myself relax a bit. Then I was able to walk a little slower, consult apps / maps a little more closely, and search for a specific museum, bridge, street, or pub. That’s when it got fun, because I had lapped the Old City three or four times, been across the bridge a few times, and was actually on a “photo safari” looking for specifics camera angles.
Here’s an interesting Prague tidbit: Kentucky Fried Chicken… KFCs are on every other corner in Prague! Sometimes within sight of each other. Czechs must love fried chicken as my as South Koreans. They also seem to be the only franchise allowed to be open late… all I could find to eat after clubbing was KFC. I ate at KFC four times during my 24-hrs there. That’s doesn’t include the dozen or so chocolate shops, eateries, and street vendors I frequented. “Power-Touristing” works up an appetite!
Yes, I did hit a few clubs while I was in town. I mean, XXX was shot in Prague. Who Doesn’t remember Rammstein spitting fire above the crowd while singing “Feuer Frei” in a former church turned mega-club. No, I didn’t throw down or find a club anywhere on that scale, but I did have a blast. Prague’s nightclub scene… do it. #whathappensinpraguestaysinprague
Uh… so before I self-incriminate myself, that’s all I have to say about Prague. It’s a magical city… think of it as a big Tallin, or a small Paris. You have to go… so go, take pics, eat the eats, and drink the drinks.
What about you… have you been to Prague or elsewhere in the Czech Republic? If so, what were some of your fave sights, eats, and drinks?
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