JFitzpatrick Travel LLC

 In previous blogs, I’ve covered most of the spectrum of our riverboat trip—-beginning in Budapest and traveling through Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Salzburg,  Passau and then  Regensburg. Our final stop, Prague, is the subject of this blog.

For sure, I know you’ve heard about Prague! It seems to be on everyone’s bucket list! When I’ve asked,  “Well,  why do you want to go to Prague?”, few people have given me concrete answers.  They’ve said:  “I heard about it from someone who went on a riverboat trip!” OR,

“My friend lived in Germany and told me that they bought great crystal chandeliers there!” OR “It’s supposed to be a really pretty city with good shopping!”

Hmmmm, in hearing those responses, I thought about my own ancient impressions of Prague….from visiting many years ago, around the time that  “THE WALL FELL” …and I remembered a place with lovely architectural bones but  with little care and nurturing.  The many years of communism had left the city in a neglected state but the city center smelled of fresh paint as they attempted to shed their shackles.  In choosing capitalism over communism and democracy over dictatorship, Prague—and other parts of Central Europe—was beginning to reinvent itself.  (Remember, I’ve already described Budapest and it’s current lovely status!).

So what’s my current view of Prague?  Some GOOD, some NOT SO GOOD!

From the fabulous Prague Castle which overlooks the city to the stunning cathedrals, Prague’s architecture rivals the best in Europe.  Look for yourself:

 By Day or Night, Prague Castle is Lovely!

Even Prague’s Astronomical Clock is beautifully housed:  (It’s 600 years old and is one of the oldest, still functioning, astronomical clocks in the world  To see how it performs, please visit http://www.orloj.com/

 Astronomical Clock – 600 Years Old & Still Ticking

 Prague is called the city of hundred towers, but it could be called the city of hundred bridges as well.  Its main river, the Vitava, is spanned by seemingly a gazillion bridges….but one stands out above the pack…The Charles Bridge.  Even though there are numerous bridges today, The Charles Bridge, commissioned by King Charles IV in 1357, was the only means of crossing the Vitava until 1841.  As it connected the lower part of Prague…the “Old Town” with the Prague Castle district, it provided a lifeline between these areas.

This bridge is amazing…beautiful and eerie at night and packed with tourists during the day, it’s a must see sight in Prague.  You can see how popular it is from the pictures below:

From ancient monasteries to Communist era museums, Prague’s historic offerings compel one to visit.  Outstanding was the Strahov Monastery—a large impressive building at the back of Petrin Hill and Prague Castle which was established for the followers of the teachings of St. Augustine.  No less interesting was the “Museum of Communism” which is dedicated to providing a view of the post World War II Communist regime in Czechoslovakia.  (Remember, this only  became the Czech Republic in 1993!)

See our pictures below to whet your appetite:

 

 Eerie Reminders of Communism!

 See for yourself below:

 

Not so much to write about here…BUT…Prague seems overrun with tacky touristy souvenir shops, hordes of t-shirt wearing tourists and narrow, narrow alleys which make it hard to segway through the crowds. At the time that I visited Prague years ago, the city had been recently opened to the world and, as a result, was far less congested.  I must admit that even without its buildings being updated long ago, I thought that the city had far more charm at that point.

All in all, Prague is lovely and worth visiting; however, don’t expect the open spaces, shopping and/or ambience  that you’ll encounter in Budapest and Vienna.  I’d love to hear your perspective if you visit these cities that I’ve written about on our Riverboat journey.

My email address is Janice@JFitzpatrickTravel.com and I’m looking forward to hearing from you.