Prague
We had a 4:50 DB bus scheduled from Nuremberg to Prague (20 euro each). The bus left right on time and was a very comfortable double decker bus with Wi-Fi. Once we arrived at the bus depot in Prague (right in front of the train station), I walked to the parking lot in front of track 1b, which is where Ubers will pick up. The first Uber couldn’t find us but the second Uber arrived in 4 minutes. From there it was a 10-minute ride to our Airbnb. We arrived at our Airbnb and were very happy with this apartment. It had 2 large bedrooms, a small kitchen area, and a washer. It was located in old town in Josevov, walking distance to the city center.
Our first morning in Prague we had a free walking tour set up with Sandemans New Europe Tours. This was my first time doing a free walking tour, and I was pleasantly surprised. There were a lot of people waiting for the tour, but once it started they broke us up into smaller groups. We were lucky enough to get Brandon, who was amazing. He was very funny and told us stories that were captivating. I only wish my history teachers were that much fun. After an hour and a half walking around we stopped at a restaurant for those who wanted to eat or drink. The restaurant was very nice in that there was no pressure to purchase anything, but we were able to just hang out and rest and use the restroom. We sat at a table of young people and it turned out all of them were traveling on their own. We all became quick friends. After the short break we continued our tour and ended near the Charles Bridge. I was sad when the tour came to an end (Brandon was that good). We walked along the river and stopped at Marina Ristorante to eat lunch. It was a beautiful setting along the river, and the food was very good.
We then crossed the bridge and walked around a bit and then went to the Mind Maze for a little adventure. I had never done one before and had no idea what to expect, and it was a total blast. We chose the Alchemist’s Chamber, where my daughter and I spent over an hour locked in a room, working together, attempting to unravel clues to discover the Philosopher’s stone. Every now and then we had to be given tips, but when we discovered something new it was so exciting, and when we discovered the stone it was a real sense of accomplishment.
The next morning I woke up early so I decided to explore Prague before the city got crowded. I first walked to the Charles Bridge, which is stunning in the morning when no one is around. I then took a walking tour following Rick Steves app the Prague City Walk. The walk started in Wenceslas Square and then on to the National Museum, into the Lucerne Arcade to see the upside down horse statute, and then into the Franciscan Garden. The tour continued, but I had to return for breakfast. After breakfast we explored the city by going on our walking tour to see the Lennon Wall, St. Vitus Cathedral, and Prague Castle. As we approached Prague Palace they were just beginning the changing of the guard ceremony that happens at 12:00; timing is everything. After the changing of the guards the line to get through security for the castle and church were so long that we walked around a bit and got a bite to eat. When we returned there was no line at all for security, but the line for the church was very long so we just walked around the buildings. When we finished we were worn out so we called an Uber. They work very well in Prague.
The astronomical clock is under repairs until the end of 2018 but I was able to go to the top, which had incredible views of the city. Additionally I took a tour of the Old Town Hall’s Underground, which was truly amazing. Prague used to be lower but due to flooding, every year they would save the mud and build on it until they could build the city higher up. There are still a large number of buildings that are underground. Under the astronomical clock we toured five buildings. They ranged from a house, to a baker’s house, to a prison. There was even a well in one of the houses. It was such an interesting tour. I highly recommend it.
After our tour we walked to Wine O’Clock, a restaurant I discovered through Trip Advisor. We arrived at 7:30 and managed to get the last two seats at the bar. Everyone else who showed up after us was turned away. It is a very small restaurant, so be sure to make a reservation (and bring cash). The restaurant serves food tapas style, and everything was truly amazing. We enjoyed the Bruschetta, tomato, garlic, and basil, Mozzarella salad caprese, crispy filo salmon, and the Gratinated goat cheese with honey, pine nuts, and salad. We finished off our dinner with the warm lava cake. The wine options were wonderful, as well. It was truly an enjoyable evening.
While walking back to our Airbnb we stopped in at the Bed Lounge, a cocktail bar with couches so you can truly relax while having your drink. It was so nice and comfy we thought this would be a great place to hang out if we got tired while we waited for our midnight train the next night.
Our last day in Prague we started out our morning by going to Den Noc, a pancake and wine place. Yes, I said wine…the husband loves wine, and the wife loves pancakes, so they combined the two. We only had the pancakes, but I have to tell you they were heavenly. We got one sweet one with Nutella and strawberries and whipped cream, and another savory one with cranberries, arugula, and feta cheese. They were both incredible. We also had scrambled eggs, which were super fluffy, and bacon that wasn’t crispy but was so flavorful. After breakfast we visited the Jewish Synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery. I would definitely recommend visiting Pinkas Synagogue. There are pictures that were drawn by children at Terizin Concentration camp that are quite emotional. You can purchase a ticket that is good for a number of the synagogues and the cemetery, and the ticket is good for 7 days. I had read that if you purchase your ticket at a synagogue other than Pinkas there is no line to purchase the tickets, and then you can just walk into all of the Synagogues. Even though I had heard about this great tip, I went to Pinkas Synagogue first and had to wait in a long line to purchase my tickets.
Later on that day we went to the Invisible Exhibition. I had done this once before in Tel Aviv and wanted my daughter to experience what it is like to be blind. You are led through a variety of rooms that are pitch black. We were led by Lenka, who is blind. You move through the rooms by using your hands to guide you and you try to figure out what type of room you are in and what objects you are touching. We finished in the café where you can purchase a snack with coins, as the guide explained to us the differences between each coin. It was a fascinating experience.
It started raining, so we took tram 22 just to tour the city. It takes you all the way to the castle. Prague is a very walkable city, and we pretty much walked everywhere, with the exception of a few Uber rides. On the last day, since we were taking a midnight overnight train ride, we purchased a 24-hour public transportation pass. We discovered on our last day how easy it was to use their public system and how quickly the trams arrive. Next time I would make a point of using them, as I walked over 20,000 steps every day I was there.
Apps that were useful for Prague:
Taxify app – like Uber, update credit card info in advance
Liftago app – like Uber, update credit card info in advance
Pubtran – public transportation app