Five Reasons why Prague is the perfect weekend getaway
The capital of Czech Republic has some what been a bit of a hidden gem in terms of travel destinations. Leaning towards Eastern Europe, the country has recently grown in popularity for travellers. Stepping into the city and you will be transformed into a world filled with old squares and incredible Bohemian food. The old town offers a magical experience that no other European city can offer. It is no wonder why Prague has surged in recent popularity. Below is my top five reasons why Prague is the perfect city for a weekend getaway!
- A very walkable town with so much to see
A city that can be explored by foot is the ideal place for a weekend getaway and the Prague Old Town is just big and flat enough to be explored completely by foot! Founded in the 7th century, the Old Town has this incredibly romantic feeling to it. I am not sure if it is to do with the old buildings or the mix of styles from multiple periods but there is just this magical feeling to the whole place. The Old Town square is the center of it all and is a busy and buzzing part of the city. During festive periods like Christmas, you will find market stalls of food everywhere. The huts and the Christmas tree really adds to the Christmas spirit.
Towering just behind the square is the Church of Our Lady before Týn, a Roman Catholic church from the 14th century that quite literally towers over the whole square. This is a massive Gothic church and looks really mystical and mysterious in the backdrop of the old square!
Probably the most visited attraction in the whole of Prague is the Astronomical Clock. This clock was installed in 1410 and is the oldest operating astronomical clock in the world. This impressive clock has so many components, from representations of the Earth, views of the sky and zodiac rings, to depictions of the sun movement and then there are the animated figures on the outside. It really is a complicated structure and very incredible how it was build so long ago!
A little walk into town and you might bump into one of the Charles University buildings. This University was established in 1348 and is the first University in Central Europe!
Josefov is the Jewish quarter and is a labyrinth of small buildings with little alleyways. We went on the Sandeyman's free walking tour and there was so many cool little stories about this area. I would highly recommend going on this tour to find out more about this historical area. Make sure to ask about the infamous golem monster!
This walk able city has so much history, culture and is perfect for a weekend getaway!
- The Views
Another reason why Prague is the perfect getaway is because the views in the city are simply stunning! My favorite spot to catch the sights is up at Letna Park, just on the other side of the river. Its an easy walk up of the stairs for some of the most stunning views of town. You will also get a glimpse of the bendy and beautiful river!
Another great picture worthy spot is by the river while looking up at the gorgeous castle. This is where the Sandymans tour ends and its the perfect spot for some snaps.
- Prague Castle
Reason number three has to go to the Prague castle. This beautiful castle complex is on the other side of the river and sits on a little hill overlooking the city. It is built in a Baroque style and has this very medieval feel to it.
In the middle of the complex is the St Vitus Cathedral, a beautiful church with very intricate details. The style reminds me of the Cathedral in Cologne, with a merge of different styles.
During the Christmas period, there were little Christmas huts next to the cathedral. The coolest of them all was a blacksmith who was hammering away! It really added to the whole castle experience.
- The Food
You cannot go on a weekend gateway and not have good food. Although Prague isn't famous for anything in particular, it still has a great range of restaurants on offer. Restaurants will serve up some typical dishes such as pork knuckle, sausages and so on. But the biggest surprise we had was a fine dining lunch at Field. This Michelin starred restaurant has the most incredible 10 course menu.
The dishes are literally named after the ingredients found in the dish. Snail Parsnip Garlic Bacon was a dish filled with soft snails, creamy parsnip which came with a bit of crunch and cheese. Sturgeon, vegtables nut, spruce was a real mouthful of lemon, macadamia nuts, fish and seaweed.
The most theatrical dish has to be the Lamb Gouda Raisin. There was a lot of smok and dry ice effect that came with a little tart wth gouda and raisins. It was very meaty and crunchy with a contrasting sweetness from the raisins! All very magical!
My favourite dish of the day has to be the 45 days aged beef, veal brain, celeriac, morel. A combination of tasty beef, celeraic, an intense gravy muched with veal brain. A real mouthful!
All the dishes here were just amazing and well worth the money, especially if you were doing a short weekend getaway!
For those looking for a quick snack in the markets, make sure also to try out Trdelnik. You will find the chimney looking baked goodness pretty much everywhere you go. It looks sweet, soft and delicious!
- The Wines
Prague and the majority of central eastern Europe is all very famous for their beers and lagers. What is a bit of an unknown is the quality of wines on offer, especially in Czech republic. We managed to sample quite a range of different types of wines and concluded that local reds were not great, but the whites were stunning! The best place to try wines is at Vinograf wine bar. They serve up some really fresh and local wines and their range is pretty impressive! You cant beat a nice glass of wine, especially if your on the perfect weekend getaway! :0
All in All
Prague was simply a magical city to explore and discover. There were so much history to see, places to visit and incredible foods to enjoy. Here is only a handful of the best things to do in Prague and I hope it has given you enough to show that it is the perfect city for a perfect weekend getaway!
Stayed tuned for my next post - a quick trip to the Czech countryside!