Prague is truly a magical city. How can it not be with the Prague Castle overlooking the city and Vltava River below! Spectacular streets of cobblestone make the way for visitors from all over the world to explore this capital city. Beautiful architecture and historical sites, along with mouthwatering treats and lively musicians on every corner makes it no wonder why Prague is one of the most beloved cities in the world. Here’s a short but sweet recap of our time in this city!

We visited the Czech Republic in October which allowed for gorgeous sunny weather throughout the entirety of our trip. Being in southern Germany at the time, it only took a few hours to drive to Prague. On our way we stopped in the city of Pilsen, liberated in 1945 by American soldiers from Nazi occupation at the time. Pilsen is also known for the very popular Pilsner beer! We didn’t have time to visit the brewery museum, but would definitely make sure to do so next time!

Once we arrived in Prague we passed by the iconic Dancing House and started our day taking a stroll through the Saturday morning market on the riverbank. Freshly baked breads and pastries lined the street, along with flower vendors and local artisans showing their craft to the many foreigners who passed by. It was such a lively atmosphere all set against the beautiful backdrop of Prague. Local markets are always a great way to experience the local culture and authenticity of wherever it is you are traveling.

From here we made our way to the St. Charles Bridge, likely the first sight that comes to mind when one thinks of Prague. We took our time walking across it, taking in the views that surrounded us on all sides. There was a very spirited band playing in the middle of the bridge, which accounted for the large crowd that was stopping foot traffic. While the oboe and trumpet players were fantastic, the older man simply tapping his thimble-covered fingers to the rhythm on a board stole the show in my opinion!

Now we were on the west side of the river, in the Mala Strana part of the city. Our goal was to make it to Prague Castle. We knew we had to do some climbing considering the castle was on significantly higher ground then where we currently were. We took our time, stepping into shops here and there, grabbing a coffee, watching trdelniks being made… it was a great morning!

After we eventually made it to the top of the hill and took in the views from the castle, we made our way back down the hill, crossed the river, and started wandering around Old Town. We grabbed some lunch right by the Astronomical Clock, which if you’re wondering if you should wait 40 minutes or not to see the clock chiming on the hour, don’t waste your time. Sure, watch it if you happen to be there on the hour, but don’t expect anything grand! In my opinion this was quite underwhelming so just a heads up! 

I normally am not one to encourage going to chain restaurants and such when you are traveling, but the Starbucks in Old Town Square has multiple stories of really great views. You can see the Astronomical Clock and the entire square! There are of course bars that have wonderful views too, but the Starbucks here is a casual alternative.

Once we had seen all we wanted to in this area, we decided to walk back over the St. Charles bridge to the Mala Strana side of the river for another round of exploring. The sun was starting to go down, so this time around it was a much colder walk across the bridge.

Instead of our goal being to get to Prague castle, we were determined to find a warm trdelnik. These treats are traditional chimney cakes originally from the Bohemia region of Europe, grilled hollowed-out dough rolled in sugar. My mouth waters every time I think of them!

We continued to wander around, pointing out cool old doors or the most unique looking church steeples. After we felt like our feet had had enough, we let them rest as we ate a very typical Czech pub meal, complimented perfectly by a good sized Pilsner 😉

The next morning we went to the closest local grocery store to pick up some treats for the road and some to take home with us. The Kolonáda wafers were a must buy for me!

And with that we drove out of Prague along the river and waved goodbye to the Dancing House. I would love to go back to Prague during the holidays to experience a Czech christmas market, someday I hope! I am very grateful to have gotten to visit this city twice in my life now and I would certainly recommend traveling to Prague for anyone with a European vacation in mind!