Destination Focus: Prague, Czech Republic

Travel

At the center of ancient Bohemia, Prague is a city rich with culture, beauty, history and unique craftsmanship known throughout the world.

Cities usually don’t impress me much. Sure, when traveling the world you end up in cities – they’re the cultural hubs for the place you’re visiting. Airports also tend to be located in cities so when you’re flying to a new place the first stop is most likely the city. Beyond all of that, I don’t get terribly excited about cities, they just don’t do “it” for me. Prague is most definitely an exception.

The first thing that you might notice about Prague is the gorgeous architecture present in the city. The fact that this city remained mostly intact through WWII is really amazing. Another wonderful thing about Prague is how incredibly easy it is to get around in. Prague has an outstanding public transportation network. I am very inexperienced in the workings of subway and bus systems and I found it very easy to use the Prague metro and bus system – even when I didn’t understand the language at all. The routes and stops are very clearly defined. The public transportation in Prague is also extremely economical and buying a multi-day pass makes it even more affordable.
 
 
 

The Astronomical Clock

There is no shortage of things to do in Prague. Some of the more memorable activities are: A visit to the Prague castle. This was central to the old city – a stunningly gorgeous Gothic church atop a defensible hill surrounded by many other interesting buildings. The museum of communism is very much worth the price of admission. For starters the museum is right above McDonald’s – and the museum itself uses the irony in that to poke fun at itself – selling postcards that say “Museum of communism…across from Benetton, above McDonald’s viva capitalism”. The museum takes the visitor along a time line of events that lead up to the fall of the USSR and the Velvet Revolution. It’s educational without being boring. A leisurely stroll along the Charles Bridge will give you a chance to see the best of what local artisans have on offer. A visit to Prague wouldn’t be complete without attending a black light theater performance. Classical music lovers will delight at the many concerts available on any given evening. For those who would opt for a more risqué experience, there’s the museum of sex toys – complete with screenings of porn movies from the 20′s.

Prague is still relatively inexpensive, but as they convert to the Euro that will likely change – better get in now before it gets as expensive as Paris.

When you’re done visiting Prague, a visit to the bone church shouldn’t be missed.

Will @ July 18, 2008