Someplace New

After a long hiatus, I’m back.

Thanks for your continued support in following our journey!  We are excited to guide you through our tips and tricks for making the most out of your visit to Prague, CZ!  This blog post will focus on the most charming, and most visited, section of Old Town.

When the tourists flock to Prague, they run to the picturesque area around Old Town Square.  Although there is so much more to see in Prague, this seemed like an appropriate starting point.  Old Town is charming with cobblestone streets and the amazing smells of meat roasting on a spit.  There are horses galloping by, segway tours wizzing around you, and trdelniks ready for the snacking. (Seriously the best street food ever, click the link!)

Prague was an unexpectedly crowded place. We thought it would be touristy around the Old Town, but it was way more crowded than we imagined.  There were always hoards of people and slow walkers (my personal pet peeve), but it was still amazingly beautiful and fun to explore.

The stunning St. Nicholas Church sits in the center of Old Town Square.  It is free to go inside, if you cover up, and is a beautiful structure that has been standing since 1273. (Though completed to look the way it does today around 1735.)

The inside is adorned with a giant chandelier that catches your eye the moment you enter.  The paintings on the walls and ceilings are soft and perfect and the natural light that flows in is really beautiful.  There are sections of plaster that appear to have been ripped off and expose gorgeous frescos beneath, a technique that is one of my favorites.

Outside of the church stands Prague’s astronomical clock.  The clock’s functions are very impressive. Built in 1410, it’s amazing it is still working as accurately as it is!  The clock shows so many features, some of which are the position of the sun and moon, the phase of the moon, and the saintly name of the day.

Fun Fact: In the Czech Republic, there are about 350 names that are pre-approved for the choosing when naming your child.  They all have a specific day related to them, and growing up in the CZ means you not only celebrate your birthday, but your name day!  In the olden days, if a parent wanted to choose a name for their child not from the “list,” it was forbidden, but nowadays you can deviate from the list, as long as you notify the government 😉

The four men around the clock represent the four fears of the Czech people: Greed (represented by a Jew holding a money bag), Vanity, Death… and Turks. Literally turkish people. It is a very racist clock.  People gather around this clock for SO LONG waiting for the performance at the top of the hour.  When a new hour strikes, death rings it’s bell, the Apostles come out of one door, twirl around, and go into the other door, and the whole thing culminates in a golden rooster giving a CLUCK.

It is not worth your time. It lasts about ten seconds and suck suck suckssss. Our tour guide said it was rated #2 on the list of the “most disappointing attractions in the world.”

#1 was the Mona Lisa…

If your credit card needs some action, head over to Wenceslas Square.  It’s not really a square at all, but the happening part of the area where all the modern stores, restaurants, and souvenir shops are.  It’s a wonderfully wide street with shopping for days!

Last but not least, we take in Old Town from above;  Old Town Hall Tower is worth the climb!

Head up this amazing corridor of ramps (or wait for the elevator) and you will find a pretty awesome view.  Be prepared, we were literally pushed and shoved the entire time- much worse than the Eiffel Tower tourists- but the views were pretty spectacular.

That’s all for now from us! We promise to get better at sharing our travel stories.  Shoot us any questions or feedback you have, and enjoy the updates from Prague.  Na shledanou!