Prague, Czech Republic

Prague lives up to just about every expectation one might have about Europe. It is a magical city, and one very special to me, being the only city I had previously been to in Europe. Just as special is that the venue that held the competition at which I was fortunate to represent Team USA with Miami University synchronized skating back in 2009 is the same venue in which I now found myself performing professionally in 2014. I never could have guessed when I stepped into that venue as a freshman in college, that I’d be back five years later, still driven by my passion for figure skating. 

With four days off into a Friday opening (this kind of schedule is unHEARD of, y’all), and an unexpected week off for my favorite guy ever, we decided to make a somewhat last-minute trip across the Atlantic happen for him to visit throughout my unit’s week in Prague. A huge thanks is due to both of our parents for helping us make it happen; I truly could not have asked for a better Christmas present.

We took advantage of each day hopping on and off the trams to each different part of the city (I don’t think we took a taxi once; the public transportation is so good); going on runs through the park near our hotel; frequenting the Christmas markets; walking the castle grounds; racing up the old clock tower; learning about the history of Prague and Europe at several fascinating museums; enjoying delicious dinners and quaint nights out with our good friends; climbing to the highest viewpoint of the city; walking the trails on the hills that oversea the city; discovering cathedrals; treasuries; and monasteries; enjoying the time we had and the magical city that is Prague, Czech Republic. 

Peacocks in the Castle Gardens:

Castle Grounds and St. Vitus Cathedral:

Within the castle entrances lies a little village of it’s own. Shops, cafes, museums, and chapels line the cobblestone walkways and “streets” within the castle walls. We were particularly lucky to show up at the gates one afternoon in time for the Presidents’ procession. I’ve never seen anything quite like it!

One of the coolest things we saw within the grounds was the St. Vitus Cathedral and its Treasury. The Treasury of a cathedral often contains artifacts of immense historical, symbolic, or artistic value; I had never seen one personally, and the Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest in the Czech Republic. Artifacts include relics (bodily remains of saints or objects that were in contact of a saint’s body), reliquaries (an elaborately decorated vessel for holding a relic), delicately embroidered vestments, and other liturgical vessels. We were not allowed to take pictures, but it was an incredible display of Christian history. The most amazing item on display, in my opinion, was a gold reliquary cross which was said to hold relics of Christ’s death on the cross including a portion of the cross and a thorn from His crown. 

Prague Astronomical Clock, Old Town Hall Tower, and City Views from the Top:

First installed in 1410, the Prague Astronomical Clock is the third oldest in the world, and the oldest that is still working. It lies on one face of the Old Town Hall Tower, which was built in 1364 and is a must-see in Prague’s Old Town Square.

Christmas Markets in Old Town Sqaure

Similar to Zagreb, but on an entirely larger scale, Christmas markets in the form of miniature red-covered houses lined the streets of the city selling homemade crafts, ornaments, and gifts, local pastries (cinnamon sugar pretzel dough, wrapped into a cylinder shape; crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and warm all the way through; do you want nutella with that?!), and of course my favorite hot spiced wine that Europeans call gluevine. 

Petrin Hill and Observation Tower

You can ride a funicular up Petrin hill, which sits on just behind the castle and “Lesser Town” (the opposite side of the river from the Old Town Square). Beautiful trails and a number of attractions line the top of the hill, all of which offer the best views of the entire city. We decided to climb the 299 steps of Petrin Observation Tower, which was built to be a miniature replica of the Eiffel tower. The views were definitely worth it. 

Strahov Monastery 

The trails we took along the top of Petrin hill led us to Strahov Monastery, which also sits above the castle grounds. It was a bit mesmerizing to stroll down the halls filled with Christian artwork that were centuries old, displays of liturgical vestments, and thousands of theological books. 

Prague Technical Museum

One of the best technical museums in Europe, we had to go! Exhibitions presented the history of time telling, clocks, and watches; the history of transportation; the history of printing; the history of household appliances; the architectural and civil engineering history of the city of Prague; and so much more! We also visited the Communist Museum (small, open late, and very informative; we couldn’t help but read everything!), and the City museum at the Old Town Hall. 

Hemingway Bar, and the City by Night

We spent numerous evenings enjoying various restaurants (or Christmas market street meat) and bars. My favorite was the Hemingway Bar. A classic early 20th century-style bar, reservations were required and the menu came with a list of “bar rules” on the back (i.e. Speak politely and do not use vulgar language; Do not use a computer in the bar. We’ll be happy to recommend an Internet café; and, If you want to buy somebody a drink, please ask the bartender first. He will find out if that person is interested in your offer.). The list of unique cocktails changes regularly; drinks come in different unique mugs and glassware; and the servers wear time-period trousers with suspenders. Only after having such a wonderful time there did I learn the Hemingway Bar has been named one of the top 100 bars in the world. 

Charles Bridge and City Streets