Prague - A Photo Essay
The following is a guest post by Amber Hoffman, of the travel blog With Husband in Tow.
After almost 50 countries of travel, one place continuously evaded me. I had never been to Prague. Even my little sister, 14 years younger, had Prague under her travel belt. When people asked me about my experiences in Prague, I was almost embarrassed that I had not visited one of the top tourist destinations in Europe.
[caption id="attachment_9640" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="View of the Charles Bridge, heading into Lesser Town. Prague Castle looms"][/caption]
When I finally arrived during my second RTW trip, I was left breathless. The city is easily one of the most beautiful I have been to. Crossing the Charles Bridge from Malá strana to Staré město was nothing short of surreal.[caption id="attachment_9641" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The Lennon Wall, a graffiti homage to Lennon, in Lesser Town"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9642" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The storm clouds roll in over Lesser Town"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9644" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="View over the Vltava River, from Charles Bridge."][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9645" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Prague Castle, on a perfectly blue summer day."][/caption]
Malá strana, or Lesser Town, founded in 1257, shows off medieval architecture, with streets winding up to Prague Castle. Across the Vltava River, Staré město, or Old Town, houses the Jan Hus monument in the Old Town Square, as well as the Astrological Clock, which animates on the hour. More impressive is the people watching in the Old Town Square, one of the few free things do after watching the clock pass the hour. To demonstrate the age of Prague, Nové město, or New Town, was established in the 14th Century.
[caption id="attachment_9647" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The narrow streets of Old Town"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9648" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Monument to Jan Hus in Old Town Square. Hus, a Czech religious reformer, was burned at the stake"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9649" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="A skeleton, representing death beating on an hourglass, on the Astrological clock"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9650" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Some of the sights while people watching in Old Town Square"][/caption]
In addition to wandering the streets and enjoying the classic European architecture, Prague is a foodie paradise.
[caption id="attachment_9651" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Sausages at a stand near Charles Bridge"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_9656" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Pork, cabbage, and Czech bread dumplings"][/caption]
– if you enjoy sausages, pork, and bread dumplings. Although international food is prevalent through the city, it's the traditional Czech food, and the availability of sausages on the street, which really makes the city shine.