It was a long day touring the city of Prague, but I learned so much and enjoyed every second of it!
We started at our hotel and made our way through Old Town. We saw the Jewish quarters and learned about the oldest synagogue in the city. On the way, we saw a few of the Charles University buildings. It’s crazy to imagine students like us get to spend their days in this amazing, historic city! After crossing the Charles Bridge and taking in the amazing views, we headed to Lesser Town. Despite the name, it was just as old, charming, and beautiful. Here, we saw churches and political buildings and even the oldest Starbucks in Prague!
One of my favorite parts of the day was visiting the senate palace gardens in Lesser Town. The gardens were free and open to the public- something you would never see in America! They consisted of fountains, an aviary full of owls, peacocks roaming the grounds, and a beautiful pond full of carp! The views were amazing.
Next, we hopped on a tram up to the Prague Castle. First, we checked out the old monastery on the hill, which sits next to an old brewery I hope to visit later in the trip. We hiked on some more and made it to the castle where the president of the Czech Republic still works today. The castle, too, was free and open to the public. We headed inside and were greeted by the view of the massive old cathedral within the castle grounds. Inside, the cathedral consisted of massive ceilings and beautiful, colorful stained glass windows. While inside, a group of men began singing Latin which sounded beautiful thanks to the amazing acoustics. Lastly, we checked out the palace gardens and learned a bit about the Nazi Regime history in Prague.
Lunch was next and a group of us had some more traditional Czech food atop the hill. I enjoyed goulash and a coke! We finally trekked back down the hill and headed to the Communism Museum. This was another favorite part of my day. The history of this country is so interesting- especially learning how recent all this political and social turmoil was. From the monarchy of the Austrian Empire, to WW1, to Nazi occupation, and then communist dictatorship, this country has seen it all. It is amazing that Prague exists as it does today after facing such hardship so recently.
After the museum we checked out the mall! Finally, my legs were giving out. We headed to a rooftop bar to sit and rest while sipping a gin tonic!
Dinner was wonderful as well. I had salad, shrimp pasta, and ended the evening with sorbet. Although the day was long, we still plan to head out for a beer later- which means I need to wrap up this post! Until tomorrow!