Prague, Czech Republic is spectacular! Prague is charming! Praha is grand! Prag is intimate. It is a truly special place with so much character.
I visited Prague for the first time over Christmas. My aunt serves a mission there for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She works with young adults by teaching religion classes, organizing social events, teaching English, and leading a BYU-Pathway program group of students scattered across Europe. I decided to visit her for the holidays. It was great fun for us both!
Overview
During my short time in Europe, I visited many of the special places in Prague, including the castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town, Petrin Hill, Vysehrad, and much more. We attended several performances in several different beautiful venues. I spent a day in Dresden, Germany, and a day in Freiberg to the south. We took a bus tour to Kutna Hora and our own walk through Karlovi Vary.
Being there at Christmas made it even more special. Christmas markets crowded many city squares, and I joined the missionaries living in Prague, twelve of them, for their holiday festivities. This brought back so many memories of my time in Hungary as a missionary fifteen years ago.
Due to jetlag working in my favor, going from China to Europe, I was up early each day and began exploring before the streets were too crowded.
Views of the City
Every way you look at Prague, it is beautiful. It is as if those who built the city over the centuries were always conscious of the views. My first overlook was Sunday after church. The church building we attended is literally a five minute walk from the most perfect overlook of the city.
Hanavsky Pavilion was built for the Prague World’s Fair in 1898. It is a restaurant today, but right in front of it is a wonderful view of the city. You can see the castle on the right and Old Town on the left with the Charles Bridge right there.
I also walked along the Vlatva River a few mornings or evenings in different locations offering different views of the city, particularly of the castle side. For example, if you visit the Dancing House (or Fred and Ginger), you can walk along the river to the Charles Bridge with spectacular views the whole way and beautiful buildings across the street from you.
Petrin Hill
Some of the best views of the city come from Petrin Hill. This park-covered hill is crowned with the replica of the top part of the Eiffel Tower, and was also built for the world’s fair. You can ride the funicular up or hike up. I walked up through the city from Charles Bridge past the Strahov Monastery. Be sure to stop along the way and look back. Wow!
I rode the funicular down. It is part of the public transit system, so if you have a pass for subway and bus, it is covered. There are two chapels and a mirror maze also on top of the hill with the tower. Devotees can even walk around the tower following the stations of the cross.
Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge lies at the heart of Prague. It has connected the two sides of the river for 700 years. This icon is spectacular and, in my opinion, lives up to the hype. However, it can be pretty crowded. If you are there early, before sites begin opening, you can get it with fewer people. In late December, this was between 8:00 and 9:30. In the summer, I’m told it is like 4:00 or 5:00 a.m.
I found my way to this landmark several times during my wanderings. It drew me back, again and again. I tried to see it from every angle I could. This included down on the river bank with the swans.
