View from Old Town Square
Prague
Things to do:
- Prague was my absolute favorite city I visited while on my backpacking trip. The people I met at my hostel, the incredible food and culture, and the abundance of activities during both day and night made it an awesome place to stay.
- Old Town Square: I could have stayed here all day! There are talented street performers playing music, doing magic, and eating swords. There are street vendors selling just about anything you could want to eat or drink. There are dozens of sites to see in a five minute walking distance. It's perfect!
- Art Museums: Within a few minutes walk from Old Town Square you can see museums dedicated to Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, and many others.
- Church Strossmayeroyo nàm: Beautiful cathedral close to the heart of Prague
- Charles Bridge: Gorgeous bridge built in the 1300's that connects Old and New Town Prague across the Vltava river. You can buy all manner of hand-crafted goods, food, drinks (including Absinthe slushies), and hear music on the bridge. I loved it!
Where to eat and drink:
- Karlovy Lazne Club: One of the coolest clubs I've ever been to, and definitely the biggest! It's five stories and each floor is totally different from the last. They have a different DJ on each floor, so you can wander through the building all night and feel like you've gone to 5 totally different clubs.
Foods to Try:
Absinthe: A fun and dangerous drink -- have way less than you think you want, and you'll be happy! It tastes kind of like liquorish, and is often served with a cube of burning sugar.
Palačinky: Czech Republic's version of a crepe, filled with chocolate, fruit, and/or nuts.
Trdelník: A rolled, hollow bread dusted with powdered sugar. Delicious to eat and so fun to watch it being made!
Gulas: A hearty meat stew served with bread dumplings.
Kulajda: creamy potato soup with mushrooms, dill, vinegar, and a poached egg.
Klobasy: Grilled sausages with delicious sauces.
General Info
The Czech Republic has an incredibly rich and vibrant history, and I absolutely loved it. That being said, it is a more "rough and tumble" kind of place than I am used to, especially at night. Ladies, be aware that men are a bit more brazen, and while I never felt unsafe I did feel the need to put up clear and quick boundaries. Once you do that though people are very respectful and fun!
Always exchange your currency at an official exchange office or bank. Though I didn't have a problem, I read lots of stories of people exchanging cash for fake bills in side street shops.
Safety Tips:
I absolutely loved the Czech Republic, but it wasn't exactly the safest place I went. I would recommend sticking with a group at night if you can, keeping your bags very close, and being particularly vigilant if you ever wind up on your own. I didn't worry about violent crime, but I did have friends who quickly found their phones and wallets missing.
It's always a good practice to ask your hotel/hostel/Airbnb host which areas are safe to wander at night, and which are not.
Full disclosure, I do not have any personal experience with this, but when I went to the Czech Republic there was a massive awareness campaign warning people against buying drugs on the streets. Apparently there is a lot of fake and very dangerous stuff floating around, and the Czech Republic has seen a huge spike in the number of tourist over doses and drug related accidents in recent years.
Transportation in the Czech Republic:
The Czech Republic has one of the most dense railway systems in Europe, making it very easy to get between cities and into the country.
In major cities you can take a tram, bus, metro, cable car, or ferry to get from point A to point B. Better yet, the transportation system is incredibly reliable, and you never have to wait too long for a ride!
Walking and biking are easy and common in the city, though I wouldn't recommend doing it at night.
If you're going to be traveling between cities or countries in Europe, I recommend getting a Eurail Pass. I bought a one month unlimited pass and was able to take as many trips, to as many countries as I liked for one flat rate. You can buy them for almost any length of time for whichever countries or regions you prefer. There are lots of discount flight websites if you prefer to fly. I particularly like Ryanair, Rome2Rio, and Google Flights.
