Well, this ought to be interesting. For the first time we are returning to a city that we visited previously. In 2009 Stephanie and I spent a week in Prague. Now we are here for a month.
A week on vacation is absolutely nothing like a month while traveling. For starters, we will not be running around eight to ten hours a day seeing as many tourist sites as possible. Three to five hours a day out and about is typical for us.
In fact, we anticipate skipping many of Prague’s major tourist sites on this visit because we have already seen them.
Second, we will eat most meals in our Airbnb (in Smíchov, Prague 5), going out to eat only a few times each week. In 2009 we dined at all the usual hot spots: McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Burger King, and an assortment of Mexican and Italian restaurants. This time Stephanie is seeking out Czech restaurants that do not have English language menus.
Another major difference is getting around town. In 2009 we walked almost everywhere. Now we are near experts at using public transportation. Making extensive use of the metro, trams, and trains will open up entirely new areas of Prague that we have never seen.
Pid Litačka is Prague’s regional transportation company. It has a fantastic app (similar to Jakdojade in Kraków, Poland). Type in your starting and ending points and voilà, easy to follow directions, with several detailed route options, pop up. And you have the ability to buy tickets in the app.
Before arriving in Prague we each purchased a month long metro pass for 550 Kč (about $24). Unlike other cities that sell calendar month metro passes (such as Naples and Rome), Pid Litačka gives you the choice of when to start your month. Ours is valid from October 9 through November 8.
The metro system in Prague operates on the honor system. There are no gates or turnstiles. You are expected to have a valid ticket. Get caught without one, and the fine is substantial, 1,500 Kč (about $64) (reduced to 1,000 Kč if prompt payment is made).
One hidden benefit of a Pid Litačka montly pass is the ability to access discount coupons on the pidlitacka.cz website (notably to Lobkowicz Palace, 40% off, and the Jewish Museum, 50% off). Since we are unlikely to use any of the offered coupons during our time in Prague, we are not going to jump through the hoops to load the digital coupons onto our app.
As is our custom today, in 2009 we also spent some time sampling local beers. Restaurants in Prague are usually tied to a certain brand of beer, which is prominently advertised out front. In 2009 we tried Pilsner Urquell, Krušovice, and Budvar, ultimately settling on Krušovice as our favorite.
Regrettably our favorite place in 2009, Krušovická Pivnice, is now a bookstore:
We will have to find a new place for evening beers.
Meanwhile one trip to the local convenience store netted us eleven different pilsners and lagers to sample on this trip: Budvar Výčepní; Budweiser Budvar; Krušovice Original 10; Krušovice 12; Kozel 11; Svijany; Braník Ležák; Braník Svétlý; Staropramen 10; and, Staropramen 11.
All are pretty good, but we have a split decision. My favorite remains Krušovice (the original 10), whereas Stephanie flipped to Kozel 11. Staropramen 10 rounded out the top three. Without getting into the details, the numbers are from the Plato Scale, generally reflective of the density of certain ingredients … not the alcohol content.
After a few days in Prague we finally did the typical tourist route, making our way to Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square), walking across Karlův Most (Charles Bridge), and seeing Pražský Hrad (Prague Castle).
Old Town Square is pretty much ground zero for every tourist and tour group in Prague. It is a madhouse. Tour groups tend to cluster around Old Town Hall Tower and its Astronomical Clock; otherwise, the square is large enough for the groups to disperse a bit. The folks you need to dodge are those in bright red vests holding umbrellas selling Hop On Hop Off Tour Bus tickets. They’re everywhere.
Prague’s Old Town Hall Tower dates to the 14th century. The Town Hall itself is comprised of several adjoining houses. Pražský orloj, the Astronomical Clock, is found on the south wall of the tower. The earliest version of the clock date was built around 1410, making it one of the oldest functioning astronomical clocks in the world. What you see today is largely a reconstruction as the clock sustained significant damage during the Prague Uprising at the end of World War II.
Each hour on the hour (beginning at 9:00 AM) a procession of the Twelve Apostles appears in the two windows above the clock. The mechanical engineering must be something. But outside from the ground, it might be the most overrated thirty seconds in Prague. You and a couple hundred other tourists stare up at two small windows trying to make out the figures flashing by in rapid succession. If you’re at the clock on the hour, then great. If not, don’t wait.
For 300 Kč you can visit several halls in the Town Hall, a small chapel, the underground, and, most notably, the observation level atop the tower. Gently sloping ramps make for a fairly easy walk up or down. Or you can pay an extra 100 Kč for an elevator ride to the top of the tower.
Although the view from the top of Old Town Hall Tower is one of the best in Prague, we did not bother with it on this trip. No particular reason, we just did not feel like it.
Across the square is perhaps the most striking building in Prague, Chrám Matky Boží před Týnem (Church of Our Lady Before Týn), with its twin spires and glass window several stories tall. Originally constructed in the 1400s, the church underwent a major renovation in 1800s, yet retained its Gothic origins.
Unfortunately two buildings stand between the front of the church and town square. You need to head towards and through Ristorante Café Italia (the building on the left as you face the church) to get to the entrance. The church is open for a few hours each day to visitors. There is no admission fee, but donations are requested to fund ongoing repairs.
Much to my frustration no photos or videos are allowed inside. Instead of asking for donations the church ought to charge a few Kč to take photos and videos. It would probably raise a lot more money this way. The interior is beautiful, but not incredible. The Church of Our Lady Before Týn is definitely worth a stop if you are in Old Town while the church is open to visitors. But it is not a must-see destination.
After aimlessly walking around the square for a bit, declining Hop On Hop Off Bus tickets for the umpteenth time, we felt compelled to head to Charles Bridge. It’s easy to get to, just a few minutes and a few blocks away. Follow the largest crowds, or tour guides, to get there.
Charles Bridge was constructed in the mid to late-1300s. Gothic towers stand at each end. In the 1600s 30 Baroque statutes were added (which have since been replaced by replicas). Lights were installed in the 1800s and vehicle traffic finally barred in the early 1900s. Charles Bridge is now a very heavily trafficked pedestrian bridge, with vendors (mostly artists) and musicians set up at regular intervals along the sides.
If you want to see Charles Bridge when it is not overrun by tourists, try sunrise on a weekday. Then you will come across some photographers, joggers, few tourists, and no vendors, making it an enjoyable walk. Otherwise, crossing the bridge feels like walking along a super crowded sidewalk, with people stopping every so often without warning to take photos and selfies, albeit with a beautiful view of the Vltava River and Prague Castle.
Towards the end of our stay in Prague, Stephanie and I realized that we visited Town Hall Square and crossed Charles Bridge more often during our week-long vacation in 2009 that we did during our entire month here.
Garrett and Stephanie
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