Prague: My perspective of this medieval city

I have finally come to Prague as the first stop on my Europe trip after hearing so many good things about this city. Some unique representations of Prague would be its medieval-like architecture, large beer, and lively nightlife.

Charles Bridge

While I venture out in the city, I saw many people enjoying a huge pitcher of beer everywhere I went, this was especially seen in the old town square. I was amazed to see a large group of people in this location. There were tourists taking photos left and right, and some of them were waiting to witness the hourly show, The Walk of the Apostles, from the Astronomical Clock, which located in the corner of the old town square.

Old Town Square

Astronomical Clock

After visiting the old town square, I walked to one of the oldest bridges in Europe establish back in the 14th century, known as the Charles Bridge. The statues on both sides of the bridge were the first thing that catches my eyes. The statues were unique, and each of them had their own historical stories. Since the Old Town Bridge Tower was at the beginning of the bridge, I also went up there to view the city skyline. Note: The admission ticket was 100 CZK for adults.

Overlooking the Charles Bridge from the Old Town Bridge Tower

Once you walk across to another side of the bridge, there are just as many options for attractions to visit. One of the attractions I went to was Lennon Wall, a wall filled with graffiti. I didn't particularly find any bond with this site because where I'm from, Philly, got so many graffiti of our own. To be fair though, there was a story behind this wall named after John Lennon, so I give my full respect to this historical site.

Lennon Wall

Moving toward my next stop, Prague Castle, it was quite a surprise that I was able to see the city skyline on the way, too! There are plenty of palace and castles to explore once you reach the top of the hill.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Hopefully, when you're finished with the Castle, the timing will be perfect to just walk over to the nearby Letna Park because this place is one of the best places to enjoy the sunset in the city.

Letna Park

Wenceslas Square and Dancing House were farther away, so I decided to visit them on the second day. I traveled by Uber the next day because it was so hot outside. Note that if you're from the States, you will find the cost of Uber quite cheap here, so at least that's a plus.

Dancing House

Wenceslas Square

The nightlife in Prague was just as amazing, and activities included live music, pubs, and clubs throughout the city. On the other hand, you should probably avoid any alley if you're alone just to be safe in a foreign country, especially females.

Powder Tower

Church of Our Lady before Tyn

Last but not least, go try some famous local food such as doughnut ice cream cones. It was delicious, coming from someone who's not really a dessert person!

Local dessert store 

doughnut ice cream cones

Overall, I would recommend Prague to anyone looking for a short two to three days getaway. I was able to cover a lot of major sightseeing places within a day and a half, but it would probably be better off taking the time slowly. The most upset part was I didn't get to try the famous Czech beer. I look forward to drinking it when I return the next time!

Planning: Trip Across 6 Countries In Central Europe

READ MORE FROM THIS TRIP:

1. Planning: Trip Across 6 Countries In Central Europe
2. Prague: My perspective of this medieval city
3. Budapest: City of the hot springs with beautiful architectures
4. Vienna: This is what it feels like walking in a Palace except it is as big as a city
5. Lucerne: Best panoramic views of the city from Mt. Pilatus
6. Zermatt: Meeting Matterhorn
7. Interlaken: Gateway to Jungfraujoch
8. Milan: My first exposure in Italy

Europe is one region of the world I haven't been to excluding Iceland in late 2017, so starting sometime in late 2018, I decided to plan a trip to Europe.

After many hours of research and countless revisions, the final plan was complete. I planned this trip to visit 6 central European countries in a circular loop starting in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and then finally back to Germany.

It was extremely difficult to allocate the right amount of time for each city. No matter who I asked for opinions, everyone would all say "This place needs at least X days to explore. Stop making the trip so packed" However, I stuck with my plan as I was determined to see them all!

Frankfurt
Frankfurt was more so just a connecting stop during this trip, but surprisingly my stay at the Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel was fantastic. The hotel was very clean, and there were a lot of facilities including a night bar with multiple pool tables. The layout also gave me a modern feel, but I found it hilarious that the hotel was gigantic and made me feel like walking in a maze on my way to the room.

Prague
As the capital of the Czech Republic, its historic architecture attracts numerous tourists each year. One could choose to sit in the old town square having some of the best beer in the country or walk on the 14th-century Charles Bridge are enough reasons to visit. Last but not least, you wouldn't want to miss the Astronomical Clock dating back to the 15th century.

Budapest
Budapest consists of two cities: Buda and Pest, joined together and separated by Europe's second-longest river, the Danube. Head to the Buda Castle and enjoy the panoramic view of the city, join the Parliament Building tour, embrace Hungarian food, and certainly, don't forget to experience in one of Budapest's famous baths.

Vienna
In the world capital of music, imperial-like architectures can be found everywhere you go, and you don't want to miss Belvedere Palace and Schonbrunn Palace. Don't forget to attend one of the classical music concerts in the Musikverein, State Opera, or Symphonic Orchestra before you leave the city.

Zurich
Unsurprisingly, the financial center of Switzerland demonstrates why it's one of the most expensive cities in the country, with many high-end luxury brand stores on both sides of the streets. However, don't let the surface of its wealth scare you away. Look beyond that, and the city is a gateway to anywhere in the country.

Lucerne
Not only do tourists love the most iconic site located in the center of the city, The Chapel Bridge, but it's also surrounded by spectacular scenery from any angle regardless of how you view it. Additionally, three nearby mountains, Rigi, Pilatus, and Titlis are all part of the Swiss Alps, and they're definitely the most popular activity for a day trip from the city.

Zermatt
The mighty Matterhorn alone should give you all the reasons you need to pay a visit here. Moreover, the area is one of the premier destinations for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding in the Swiss Alps. While you are here, consider visiting 5-Seenweg, Glacier Paradise, and Gornergrat. Staying up in the mountains overnight is even better!

Interlaken
This town is a gateway to the Jungfrau region and sits between the two emerald-colored Lakes Thun and Brienz. The area is a paradise for mountaineers because of its numerous hiking trails and magnificent views of the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. Paragliding, one of the most popular activities here, allows you to overlook Lakes Thun and Brienz from the sky.

Milan
If you're a fashion lover, you have to visit the Quadrilatero della Moda. As a photographer, there's nothing better than visiting the most iconic Duomo di Milano while embracing its culture. If you're a foodie, then the local spaghetti and pizza are something you don't want to miss, and they certainly live up to the hype and do not disappoint.

Transportation
It's very convenient to travel by train in Europe. Eurail Pass and Swiss Pass allow you to take an unlimited amount of rides except for a few scenarios in Europe and Switzerland respectively. Before you decide to buy a pass, the two factors you should consider are time and frequency of the use.

Moreover, there are a lot of options in Switzerland's rail pass such as Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card. To find out which one suits you the best, you should list the itinerary entirely and calculate the cost of each individual segment to see the differences.

Websites information for rail passes and the time table of the train:

1. https://www.swiss-pass.ch/
2. https://www.omio.com

In my case, time is everything to me, so I even opt to take flights here and there to maximize the amount of time I get.

Apps to download in Switzerland
SBB Mobile: The app can store the ticket and the travel pass, but you're supposed to bring a physical copy of travel pass still. The app shows the departure and arrival time, departure and arrival platform, and how to change the train if needed.

MeteoSwiss: The app predicts the weather within Switzerland with high accuracy. However, you should use this as a supplement only when you arrive places like Zermatt and Jungfrau regions. In these areas, there will be LiveCam almost everywhere, so you can absolutely look at the status of each attraction before heading up to the mountain.

Cost
Here are the charts for my major expenses during this trip. The total hotel cost is shown in the chart below, but transportation and hotel costs were split between my friend and me.

Have you been to any of these cities? I'm excited to hear about your experience! Stay tuned for the next episode of this series.