Live a Second Honeymoon in Bohemia!
Prague romantic city? The title of this post comes from a book “Magic Prague” by the Italian poet and writer Angelo Maria Ripellino who was a great lover of the Bohemian metropolis.
Prague is the Capital of the Czech Republic and UNESCO World Heritage site, Prague is a magical city and a long time favourite of visitors to Eastern Europe.
Stroll around the grounds of the imposing Prague Castle, enjoy the entertainment on Charles Bridge and take in the stunning vistas from Petrin View Tower in this lovely destination. What to do and see in and around Prague:
Table of Contents
The Prague Castle
Former residence of the Princes and Kings of Bohemia and now the seat of the President, Prague Castle is an intrinsic part of Prague and a wonderful place to explore, with its Crown Jewels, St. Vitus Cathedral and changing of the guards at the Castle gates. Any literary fans will also be interested to visit Golden Lane in the castle grounds where Franz Kafka once lived.
The Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is a hive of activity day and night and is an important part of this vibrant city, not least because it is the main thoroughfare linking the Old Town with Mala Strana on the opposite side of the river. Lined with souvenir stands and talented artists and musicians this 13th century bridge always makes for an entertaining stroll.
The Astronomical Clock
Prague’s Astronomical Clock can be found on the side of the Old Town Hall. Dating back to the 15th century this magnificent time piece is easy to spot as typically a crowd gathers in front of it every hour on the hour in time for the procession of the Twelve Apostles, during which a small trap door opens and Christ leads the way ahead of his disciples.
Josefov – Prague Ghetto
Prague’s Jewish quarter is home to some of the cities most colourful and wonderful buildings such as the bright Jubilee Synagogue and the gothic style Old-New Synagogue dating back to the 13th century. It is also home to the New Jewish cemetery where Franz Kafka was buried.
The Powder Tower
Dating back to 1475 Powder Tower is the gothic entrance to the Old Town. Once a gunpowder depot (hence the name), the Tower currently serves as a museum with displays on life in medieval Prague, the history of the city and the history of the tower itself.
The St. Nicholas Church
This baroque church dates back to 1735 and stands on the site of an earlier church. With its pure white frontage this beautiful building is an admirable asset to the Old Town Square and has an equally breathtaking interior with stunning frescos. It is no wonder that classical concerts are held in this majestic setting throughout the year.
The Estates Theatre
Officially opened in 1783, this wonderful theatre exudes elegance and beauty inside and out and is famed as the setting for the premier of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Previously privately owned the theatre was brought by the Czech Estates in 1798, hence the name.
Wenceslas Square
Formerly the main Prague horse market, Wenceslas Square now serves as the main shopping street with the unofficial title of Prague’s parade ground for times of national celebration or demonstration (as in the time of anti-communist uprisings).
The square is presided over by a statue of St. Wenceslas astride his horse, Prague’s national hero and the Good King Wenceslas of Christmas carol fame.
Museum Kampa
Prague’s Museum Kampa houses the art collection of collectors Meda and Jan Mládek. The museum, a mill in the heart of the city, showcases Central European Modern Art including sculptures by Otto Gutfreund and paintings by František Kupka.
Petrin View Tower
Built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition, the Petrin View Tower is a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower and stands at a height of 60m with 299 steps leading up to the top platform. The Tower was reopened in 2002 after a period of reconstruction, head to the top of Petrin View Tower for stunning views over Prague.
The Old Town Square
This historic square is a popular tourist destination with sights such as the Astronomical clock and also serves as a popular meeting place. It is also the site of Prague’s annual Christmas Market. In the centre of the square stands the Jan Hus Memorial erected in 1915 to mark 500 years since his death by burning due to his religious beliefs.
The John Lennon Wall
Romantic Prague: The Little Venice
The Dancing House
The Dancing House (Czech: Tančící dům), or Fred and Ginger, is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building.
The Shining Jewel of Central Europe!
Dating back to 1475 Powder Tower is the gothic entrance to the Old Town. Once a gunpowder depot (hence the name), the Tower currently serves as a museum with displays on life in medieval Prague, the history of the city and the history of the tower itself.
Prague is a the shining jewel of Central Europe, so well preserved it is seemingly frozen in time, and for part of the year that is literally true. Prague is the only major European city that managed to avoid bombardment during the World Wars, which provides for an enchanting and almost eerie 14th century feel when standing in the middle of Old Town Square. Travel to Prague to experience a society visibly layered with histories of occupations, transitions of avant-garde artistic and musical movements and, underneath it all, a firm commitment to everything Czech.
See the City of 100 Spires
Catch a glimpse of why Prague earned this title by climbing to one of the many bird’s eye views of the city’s gothic skyline.
From Old Town Square, cross the famous, and miraculously still standing, 600-year old Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) and walk uphill past a number of interesting antique shops until you reach the beautiful 1,100-year old Prague Castle, the highest point in the city fortified by medieval walls and gargoyles.
The enormous castle grounds have been the seat of the Czech government since the 9th century and include a number of museums and a beautiful cathedral.
North from the city center is a giant set of stairs that scale an overgrown hillside.
The very top is crowned with a gigantic swinging metronome in the former site of where a massive statue of Stalin once looked out over the people of Prague below.
Joggers, skaters, picnickers and bikers enjoy the vast acres of Letná Park beyond.
Petrín Hill to the southeast is a network of hiking trails and breathtaking lookout points of the magical city, particularly if captured at night. Crowning the hill, Petrín Tower is a replica of the Eiffel Tower constructed for the Prague exposition of 1891.
An Expression of Repression
The intense character and deep roots of Prague have been an inspiration to many culturally revolutionary figures and socially radical movements.
Existentialism came to vibrant life in this Czech town, along with two of its most famous authors.
Franz Kafka underwent his famous Metamorphosis is this city he called home and a fascinating statue has been recently erected in his honor near the Spanish Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter.
A stroll through Wenceslas Square is haunting of Milan Kundera’s writings, particularly during one of the many exciting festivals held here that were formerly banned under Soviet rule.
The square is even turned into an enormous oval track for a cycling race in the summer!
Since 1989, music has once again flourished through the veins of the Czech Republic.
Prague’s National Theater is home to the prestigious philharmonic and opera, with regularly scheduled performances throughout the year.
From the seat of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire to a Cold War lockdown and a modern day survival story, the Slavic inhabitants of this Vltava River Basin have been persevering their artful and traditional way of life since they arrived here in the 5th century.
For a city that was under strict Soviet control for a solid 40 years, the timeless Gothic and Romanesque façades mixed with a string of cubist and modernist architecture seem to speak for the unbending will of the Czech people.
Only a journey to Prague will reveal the steady beating heart of this effervescent but romantic city.
