PRAGUE

It’s 2020 and I am trying to be better and writing these travel guides. Going to try and write up these posts as soon as I’m leaving the country (which I’m doing now as I am on my way to Bratislava via train). Okay, it’s technically Christmas Eve but by the time I edit these photos, I’ll probably be back from Europe…for real. ANYWAYS!

Prague. Praha. What a wonderful place to kick off my European month-long vacation. I knew nothing about Prague besides the fact that Chuck Bass got stabbed here (okay, Gossip Girl is fiction) and chimney cakes may have originated here. Other than that, I had no idea what to expect. I came in with zero expectations and and currently leaving the Czech country with a full heart.

I really enjoyed this city. Perhaps it’s because I visited around Christmastime and it was that much more magical (with less tourists!) but it was such an enjoyable trip! The orange-coloured rooftops, numerous Christmas markets, medovina and hot wine, trdelnick and lots of meat and potatoes, Prague was literally everything. I think it shoots up to one of my top 5 cities in Europe (so far). Supremely easy transportation, walkability, food and price point were all within my personal standards. Such a great balance!

Visiting the city over two nights was ambitious in the wintertime since sunset was around 4:00pm everyday. It’s doable to see the city in 2 nights, but on this particular trip I may have needed 3. Started a bit later on our only full day in the city so missed out on the last attraction which was a large fortress just south of the old town. Am I kicking myself for it? Not really. Am I having FOMO? Not really either but once I am traveling on my own again, I’ll be back on track.

As always, location is key but in this particular case, being around transit is key. I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Prague City that was situated right by Flora Station, on the metro A line. I was originally looking to stay at the Dedica Anthology Carlos VIII but couldn’t secure a decent rate, unfortunately. To be honest, I was really happy where I was because it only took a mere 15 minutes to get anywhere in the old town from the hotel and a quick 30 - 40 minutes (Google said 50 minutes, but I arrived faster for some reason) from PRG. So ideal. Not to mention it’s across the street from Flora Mall and situated in-between the trendy and hipster Zizkov neighbourhood. No complaints here.

As for Prague’s sights and sounds, there are lots of attractions to see - and it’s really up to you what you are interested in seeing. Do you want to see the entire Prague Castle complex? Do you need the audio tour? Are you a history buff? An architect nerd? I was happy with what I saw on this trip; of course, my main focus being food and drink, always. But I did spend an entire day seeing Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, old town, the Dancing House, Petrin Hill, Astronomical Clock, John Lennon Wall and the many, many Christmas markets, the latter being the highlight of this trip.

Know before you go:

Prague’s currency is the Czech koruna (CZK; pronounced “crowns”). Lots of places, especially in the tourist drag, will take Euros (at the time of writing this 23 CZK to 1 euro).
Average meals are rather large in the city. I shared everything I ate here. A proper sit-down meal will cost you in the range of 180 - 250 CZK; street foods anywhere from 35 - 100 CZK, depending on where you are in the city.
Beware that many street foods are measured and weighed per 100g and may have a minimum of 200 - 300g. It can get pricey, even by Czech standards. For example, I tried pražská šunka (smoked ham) and had to pay 316 CZK for 316 g. Not only was this a huge slab (literally!) of meat, it was also a lot pricier than I thought (but also sooooo worth it).
Meat and potato alert. This is Central Europe. Lots of food is comprised of meat, potatoes, bread and cabbage. Deliciously heavy - total comfort food.

Getting around Prague:

Walking - Prague is a very walkable city, especially if you are in the city centre or staying in old town. We walked literally everywhere for the entire day. A lot of the attractions are close to each other so it’s easy to walk around and explore.
Metro - There are only 3 metro lines: A, B, and C. The map is stupidly easy to use and operates in 60, 90 and 120 minute increments with the former starting at a mere 24 CZK. The metro is so simple and easy to get around with some stations offering transfers to other lines and modes of transportation. Really fast and steep escalators though!
Tram - Like Amsterdam, there is a major network of trams that operate in Prague. Lots of them penetrate through the old town and depending on where you are going, can take very little time. It’s also the same price as the metro.
Train - Coming from a neighbouring country or traveling out? The train is so efficient and generally a low cost way of hopping countries. Their train station and trains offer a pretty strong WiFi connection with a good amount of food options and comfortable waiting area.
Airplane - Perhaps you prefer traveling by air? No problem. There are lots of cheap airlines that fly into PRG. From PRG, getting into the city centre is easy via bus with a transfer to the aforementioned metro lines, shouldn’t cost more than 32 CZK.

Things to do in Prague:

Christmas markets - I obviously visited Prague in the wintertime and the Christmas markets were a big sell and attraction for me. There are so many studded around the city. I really loved starting at the smaller ones like the one at Namesti Miru, Wenceslas Square and then ending at the ones in Old Town Square and surrounding venues. We stumbled upon five alone in one night! The food and drinks are generally cheaper at the smaller, more intimate ones with food and drinks averaging around 50 CZK whereas the ones in the more touristic areas hovering around 70 - 100 CZK per item and a lot more items sold by weight. There are also markets at the Castle and on the other side of Charles Bridge - I probably visited eight of them during my two-night stay in Prague.
Prague Castle - Bring your walking shoes! Prague Castle is located up on a hill so there is a bit of an incline - you’ve been warned! There are two entrances to my knowledge - the north side is quite busy whereas the west side hardly had any wait to get in. Entrance is free to the complex and you may purchase Tour A or Tour B packages or a la carte for the buildings inside. I did not enter any of the specific attractions due to time constraints but enjoyed my time wandering around the complex. I thought St. Vitus Cathedral was the most stunning building out of all of them.
Charles Bridge - This pedestrian-only bridge was one of my favourite attractions to visit in Prague. It’s like the Brooklyn Bridge to Prague but better, because it’s European. From the bridge, it offers a logical way to get over to Prague Castle and also beautiful views of the city. It’s busy but the gargoyle and characters on the bridge alone (be sure to look up to check out the detailing at the entrance of the bridge!) is truly extraordinary.
Petrin Hill - Up for a hike and fresh air? Petrin Hill is your answer. Yes, there is a funicular that goes up to the top of the hill but knowing me, I’d rather just walk up it. It’s only a quick 20-minute climb to the top. Panoramic views of the city, a mini Eiffel Tower, and a cute coffee shop await you at the top. There is a rooftop terrace and a small selection of cakes, Czech wines, and coffee at the Cafe Republique - recommended!
John Lennon Wall - Make love, not war. This wall was painted with John Lennon’s face when John Lennon was assassinated. Soon after, it became littered with graffiti and sayings from around the world and art. Just recently, in November 2019, it is now been declared a monument and specific artists are commissioned to contribute to the wall and only the white spaces are dedicated for people to write in.
Dancing House - Are you an architecture fan? This Frank Gehry-designed building appears to be stretched out with an odd nest sitting at the top. I really enjoy quirky buildings and architecture so it was so cool to see this in person. It’s free entry with a purchase of a beverage (read: so not really free, ha).
Old Town Square - So this area was filled with food and artisanal gift stalls when I visited during Christmastime. Lots to see here and lots of restaurants in the surrounding areas. But be sure to see the Astronomical Clock and the building which inspired Disneyland - it really does look like it!
Wenceslas Square - I wouldn’t consider this as a “square” per se, but more of a promenade. City Hall overlooks this promenade lined with trees and European shops. During the wintertime, the middle walkway is filled with vendors and stalls and the trees lit up. Makes for a great stroll!

What to eat in Prague:

Halusky - Potato dumplings, very similar to gnocchi in various sizes, fried with sauerkraut and smoked ham. I’ve seen so many variations of this - with cheese, garlic, spinach, etc. They even have this in Slovakian cuisine and other surrounding countries. Delicious!
Pražská šunka - Traditional Czech smoked ham. Oh….my…..god. This was so damn good. I’m not a huge fan of ham but the was exceptional. It’s served boneless and not too salty. Don’t forget to eat it with a good dollop of mustard, sourdough bread and Czech pickles, the latter being more on the sweeter side than sour!
Tripe soup - You had me at offal. Czech tripe soup is thick, full of tender pieces of tripe and great on these cold winter days. Great with a piece of bread to dunk it in!
Fish soup - We stopped by the Old Town Square and people were lining up for something. It was a fish soup which I think is a wintertime thing. They were giving them out for free in the square along with some type of grain which people were packing up in their Tupperwares. The soup was nice and light - not fishy at all - and a perfect start to our day prior to sightseeing.
Oxtail broth - Oxtail broth, noodles, liver meatballs. This is a dish with some Austrian origin. The broth is clear, clean and yes, there is a distinct liver taste in the meatballs! Tasted like total comfort food to me though. Delicious!
Beer pork with potato dumplings - I don’t know the actual name of this but it was similar to other things I had in Austria and Hungary - lots of similarities in the cuisine here. Dark beer sauce, lots of large pieces of pork and addictive potato dumplings. This dish was super heavy!
Langos - Fried dough topped with ketchup garlic and emmenthal cheese. Think of it as a savoury elephant ear or perhaps a Czech-style pizza. This was literally bigger than both of my two hands. Makes for a tasty snack!
Mulled wine - Ahhhhh, the taste of Christmas. Red, white or even rose wine cooked with warming spices that smell and taste like the holidays. Let’s just say I had MANY of these during my time in Prague.
Medovina - Mead, or honey wine. Many different flavours to choose from - pear, cherry, blueberry, apricot, raspberry, almond… This is very sweet! Sip, don’t shoot.
Trdelnik - Chimney cakes! So good. SO GOOD. It’s essential a hollowed-out charcoal-cooked pastry rolled in cinnamon sugar and nuts. You can have this filled with marmalade, Nutella, ice cream…the options are endless!
Potato pancake - Oh man, this was one of my FAVOURITE things that I ate in Prague. Deep-fried potato cakes topped with garlic? Yes, please. There are even varieties that are filled with ham, vegetables, cheese and more. So fucking yum.
Oblezene chlebicky - Open-face sandwiches. Sounds simple but the Czechs go mile high with these little sandwiches at Sisters Bistro v Dlouhe - get a couple for a nice breakfast along with an espresso!
Czech meatloaf - Not your mother’s meatloaf recipe. For me, I’m a huge fan of meatloaf, especially American style. But Czech version? Get out. mixture of fatty pork, nuts, beef… melt in your mouth deliciousness! The best one is from Nase Maso. Yes, the lines are out the door but it goes pretty quickly! Seating space is quite limited so take yours to go like I did!
Sausage - It’s not secret that sausage are a huge part of the diet of Central Europeans. Czechs are no exception. A piece of bread and thick mustard will complete the meal!
Czech wine - Did you know that the Czechs make some great wine? I tried white, red, and red variations and they were all very decent and not to mention, cheap as chips!
Czech beer - Can’t go wrong with trying some of the local brew. Perfectly matched with some of the sausages or smoked meat.

Prague, I had the best time in you! I can’t believe it went back so quickly! I was pleasantly surprised and would have loved to spend another day to seek out the couple of speakeasies and cocktail bars I didn’t get to try. I also feel like I could seriously have spent another day here. On the other hand, I can also probably become vegan for the next while. Oh wait, 27 more days in Central and Eastern Europe - here we go!

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