Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is an interesting place...Before I moved to London in the fall of 2008 I made a list of the top 5 places I wanted to visit while I was Europe-bound. Prague was right up there. I got my first taste of Eastern Europe when I visited Poland in the summer of 2009 and loved every beer-soaked minute of it. Later that year, Alison and I went on a family trip to Budapest and were impressed by the beauty and scale of Hungary's capital. Needless to say, by the time we made it to Prague in February 2010 (and perhaps against my better judgment), I had my preconceptions.

I'd always heard good things about the city - I mean, the Czech's drink more beer per capita than anywhere else in the world, so what's not to like? And it's not that I didn't like it, I guess it's just not what I expected. What's important to remember for any Prague-bound traveler is that you're not going to discover some up-to-recently isolated Eastern-bloc city, where tourists are few and far between. This city has been discovered, with increasing fervor over the last decade or so, by North American gap year students and British stag-and-doe partiers hopping over on cheap inter-Euro flights for a weekend of debauchery.

That being said, the city does have a lot to offer, and is perhaps the ideal Eastern European city to visit for those looking to get a taste of what lies beyond the Deutschland. The beautiful old town's cobbled streets beg to be explored, as do the city's churches and bridges. The food (though Eastern European through and through) was some of the best of it's kind that I'd had. And of course the beer - unpasteurized Budvar...need I say more! (It just occurred to me that I've now turned to the topic of beer twice in three posts and I'm marginally worried this could be a recurring theme). This photo of frost-bitten old town rooftops was taken from the main square's Týn Church (which also holds the 'famous' Astronomical Clock - voted most disappointing tourist attraction in Europe!) Looking back at it now I'm wondering why we chose to go to a snow-drenched country in the dead of winter...but I'm also reminded of the great things we got so see - Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the beer-halls of Novy Mesto...In retrospect it would seem I was a little harsh on Prague and, in fact, the city does have some real-gems, as long as you avoid the tourist path (ie, five-story mega-club Karlovy Lazne). One piece of advice to prospective Prague-bound travelers: don't go in winter!