The breakfast at the hostel was complete and better than any regular hotel. They had Nutella, salami, yogurt/granola/fruit, and a ton of other choices. I was very happy! We caught the 9am train to Prague. I will also share with you the logistic details of the trip, as I worked for weeks to plan this trip to obtain the best rates. For transportation between countries, I bought the Rail Europe Rail 'n Drive pass. You can mix and match whatever options best fit your needs. I selected the pass that gives you 4 days, 4 countries and 2 days of driving ($985/two). Then I worked with the Rail Europe customer service to set up reservations for routes that were in high demand (these came at an additional charge).
During the long train ride, we saw the scenery completely change and become more Eastern European as we entered Czech Republic. It was pretty fascinating getting an in-person feel of a place so foreign looking. Eastern Europe is full of historical and old buildings that are still standing, which makes for breath-taking views. We drop our stuff off at Corinthia Hotel Prague ($82/night). The 5-stars is way overrated and the only pro of staying there is that it's calm, next to metro, and you get a very nice view of Vysehrad/Zone 4 (a very residential neighborhood with Soviet-era residential towers far from the city center). This view is not easy to get because this is not a touristy area. Prague is divided into 10 districts (i.e. Prague 1, Prague 2,) which refer to each of the Prague neighborhoods; in many cases locals use the neighborhood names i.e. (Stare Mesto, Mala Strana, Vinohrady, etc) more frequently than the district numbers . Our first night we walked through New Town (Nové Město) and ate at Uno at a large shopping mall. Goulash was alright, the meat pancake was excellent, and the Tiramisu was good enough to order a second.
In the morning we went to old town Prague (Staré Město) to meet with our tour guide. This is a must for Prague because it is full of history and architecture, and a tour guide makes learning the facts possible and efficient. After meeting the guide in the Old Town, we took a coach to the Prague Castle (at the highest point in Prague) located at Hradčany (Prague 1). We saw the St. Vitus Cathedral (my favorite church in the trip, with Stephan's church in Viena as a close second). You can get a good view of Prague from Hradcany. Then we walk through the coblestone-filled Nerudova Street through Mala Strana (Lesser Town). We see St. Nicholas Church then have lunch (Goulash and beer) at an old Medieval tavern. Next we walk through Charles Bridge, one of Europe's oldest stone bridges, and board a small boat for our one hour river cruise. We see the bridge from the viewpoint of the water. Then a walk through the Old Town Square. There is the Lenon Wall, which started with people writing their thoughts during a time full of censorship and people continue to write on it, which means the wall continues to change over time. Tthen we also saw the love gate, where lovers go and put a lock on the gate and it is supposed to symbolize them locking their love together. Other superstitions include certain statues in the Charles Bridge, where if you touch the figure, it means you will be back to Prague within a year. The city is known for its stories, superstitions, and ghost tales. We also saw the Jewish Quarter (once the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe). Our tour guide was knowledgeable and personable, I would recommend the pragueexperience.com tour (950czk/adult). Tired of eating goulash, we bought wine, cheese, olives and amazing jamon from a local butcher and rested and feasted in the room.
The next day we checked into Miss Sophie's Prague (2510CZK/night). I loved this apartment hostel. You have to stay here if you're in Prague and like the idea of having your own kitchen. It's clean with a minimalist design and quiet view of the side street. On the third day we saw Wenceslas Square on our own and re-visited some areas we liked, and bought foods to cook at the apartment. At night, we had the memorable pleasure of enjoying a 100CZK beer at the patio of one of the restaurant in the center of Old Town, where you can people watch and enjoy the night view of the Astronomical clock and surrounding churches.
Prague has many nice cafes. This city has the best selection of breakfast places. The subway system is notably efficient and Prague has the fastest and longest escalator I have ever been on.
View photos of the Prague trip here.
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