Prague is a really trendy destination, which you realize as soon as you see the throngs of 20-year-old American study abroad students in front of you in every line for food or drinks – especially drinks. And it’s been on my must-see list since I first heard of it, which was probably during the Velvet Revolution. Which I’m (barely, for the record) old enough to remember. Didn’t it seem like a few years ago, everyone started going to Prague instead of Paris or Amsterdam? As soon as the revolution occurred in 1989, it appears the whole city dusted itself off and revealed pastel colors and glittering rivers and declared it was ready for its close-up.

I loved Prague. I give it 4.5 stars out of 5. Which is a lot for this stingy star-giver.

Eight of us, seven Americans and one Botswanan/Brit, flew from our current hometown of Rome to Prague via WizzAir, returning on Smartwings. (I had never heard of these airlines either, but figured that no news about them was good news.) We checked into the apartment we had rented through AirBnb, and were delighted to discover that, as advertised, it was in the middle of the Old Town Prague. Old Town is majestic, like walking through a fairy tale, or Epcot Center. Just nothing but perfectly darling, brightly colored Baroque buildings and clock towers, squares, and markets. After our first day walking around, Ashleigh said, “Did any of you guys see anyone working in Prague today?” We all shrugged. Later when we went into the new part of the city to visit a museum, Laura said “Oh, so this is where people from Prague actually live.”

So, folks, definitely stay in Old Town and pretend you’re in in a fairy tale. It’s not hard:

The Prague Astronomical Clock

Mala Strana, Prague, by night.

Old Town Prague. I noticed that all the horses seemed robust and taken care of, with healthy mouths. Unlike in Rome.

Bet they have great Easter eggs.

The day we arrived we got this advice from the sweet owner of the apartment, “Don’t eat at the restaurants with the word ‘restaurant’ ending in -T or -TE. Look for the ones ending in -CE, like ‘restaurace.’ The T ones are overpriced and for tourists, while the -CE ones are traditional and much cheaper.” We practically tattooed this across our bellies for the rest of the trip, and even when starving would not stop at a restaurant ending in T or TE.

The first day we had some exceptional meals. I can’t remember the names of the places, because sometimes I actually enjoy my trips without thinking about the blog I will write later. Anyway, we were so excited to get something different from the usual (and excellent) pizza and pasta in Rome. Goulash! Potatoes! Cakes! Beer!

The next day, we had breakfast at Bohemia Bagel, which was pretty standard American breakfast stuff, but with the added bonus of free refills on coffee, which made my heart sprout little wings and fly off for a minute, doing laps around the city, before finally returning to my chest, exhausted.

Our first full day we just kind of moseyed around. Cara had heard about a really worthy brewery at the top of a hill with a spectacular panorama over the city. It was also near the Prague Castle, which we all wanted to see.

So we slowly crossed the river, hiked up what seemed like the tallest hill of my life, and took pictures of everything. We made a pitstop of, oh, about an hour, so that some of us could get tipsy on absinthe. Is there any other reason to drink absinthe apart from getting tipsy? That’s a serious question.

Bless you, birds, for flying into this photograph.

The Vltava River, seen from the Charles Bridge

My friend Brock is not only a very talented photographer, he is also a creative and skilled photo retoucher. Check out his website.

Keeping in the tradition of group jumping shots, but the best is Gianni, second from left.

We thought this ATM in the middle of gingerbread was priceless. But we were wrong; it charged a commission like all the others.

Sidebar 1: What is the deal with absinthe? People get really worked up over it. It’s just an anise-flavored alcoholic beverage that is highly intoxicating not for its alcohol content (which varies) per se, but for its distillation in wormwood barrels. It was banned in the U.S. for about a hundred years, and while it isn’t anymore, there are still major restrictions on its production, importation, contents, and labeling. What is it with America and alcohol? I’ve lived in Europe for a long time, there seem to be no restrictions on alcohol, like AT ALL, and no one seems to be going crazy and I don’t know any alcoholics here in Rome, though I’m sure they’re around.

After the absinthe break, we continued up the hill to a gorgeous view and a very late lunch. The brewery, Klasterni Pivovar, gives tours, and we wanted one, but you must reserve at least a day in advance. Take note! We had a decent lunch, with lots of homemade beer. We were already getting a little tired of the extremely heavy, meaty, fatty, saucy cuisine. Spinach salad, please!

Sidebar 2: I could not make heads or tails of the Czech language. There were so many consonants strung together, every word looked like a random spoonful of Alphabet soup.

Sidebar 3: Beer is delicious and cheaper than bottled water in Prague. It’s true.

Friends and Beer.

More beer and friends.

After our lunch, the sun was going down(!) so we quickly visited the Prague Castle and its internal cathedral. We couldn’t go in the cathedral, which is only open for a few hours a day, but soaking in the atmosphere and, again, panoramic views of Prague are not to be missed.

This building, also inside the confines of Prague Castle

Laura and Gianni have a good idea for taking pictures of the cathedral.

Gargoyles

The cathedral inside Prague Castle

After resting a bit at the apartment, we all went out to grab a small dinner at Burrito Loco (no tables, must eat standing up or on benches outside), which offered some totally respectable guacamole. Then some of went home to sleep, and some of us went to Karlovy Lazne, the famous 5-storey club in Prague with pulsing music and an ice bar (just like what it sounds like). Those who went reported back swarms of 16-20 year olds, on their study abroad trips, making them feel old. The fact that the reporters of this information are between 7 and 10 years younger than I am was not encouraging.

Prague skyline, at dusk.

The next day we had breakfast at Bakeshop, which I will go so far as to say was terrible. I had bites of a bagel, muffin, banana bread, and another muffin, and all were dry as a bone. Mike got chicken (for breakfast), and it was also dry as a bone. Laura and Casey said their avocado salad was good, but I didn’t try it. The coffee was weak and not refillable unlike Bohemia Bagel across the street. If you’re in this neighborhood, just stick with Bohemia Bagel.

We attempted to visit the Jewish Cemetery, which is supposed to be hauntingly beautiful, but was closed. Drat. Rookie mistake! Then we went to the John Lennon wall, basically just a funky wall of continuously changing graffiti that has nothing to do with John Lennon except that the graffiti started thirty years ago with his portrait. It’s since been covered up about a million times. It’s a fun photo op for groups of friends, and it’s in a lovely, quiet neighborhood complete with, in early November, yellowing trees and falling leaves.

What am I writing?

That’s what I was writing. Old-fashioned marketing.

Then some of us went to the Museum of Communism. Sorry, but I can only give this 2.5/5 stars. I think the information is important, but it was mostly just photographs. Not original photographs, either, just reprints on the walls. And video footage of the revolution that you can also see on YouTube. My friend Casey, who is way more into the subject matter than I am, also pointed out that the exhibits were, frustratingly, devoid of any kind of chronology, so a diorama of a 1960s Communist-era kitchen was next to random photographs of World War II. But if you’re passionate about this subject matter, you should go. OR IF YOU HAVE A SISTER WHO IS (AHEM), GO FOR THE GIFT SHOP. #ChristmasIsComing.

Our final dinner in Prague was at the historic and charming U Fleku brewery and restaura…CE! I think I ordered poorly, because I didn’t love my meal (fried ham and cheese rolls, roast beef and toast), but Gianni devoured his pig leg, which looked shockingly like a whole piglet, and of course, we all loved the beer. Go to this place for the setting, the history, and for the meat.

I loved Prague. You should go. DID I MENTION IT’S REALLY CHEAP? Try to go before it ever enters into the Eurozone!

Last advice: Make sure you try the bread on the stick, which probably has a name, covered in cinnamon sugar, but only if it’s piping hot. Melts in your mouth. If it’s room temp it’s a different story. Available in the Old Town Square, everywhere, in kiosks.

Much better than Cinnabon. Find one and eat it.

What did y’all think of Prague? Would you go back, or is once enough? I’d really love to know. Comment, below!

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