5 Reasons to Visit Prague

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is a beautiful old city with a fascinating history dating back centuries. Brimming with architectural interest, the city is full of medieval bridges, ancient castles, beautiful cathedrals and quirky modern shops and cafes. While it is a popular destination among tourists looking for a quick weekend away in Europe, the city has plenty of sights to entertain travellers with additional time to spare. Continue reading for your list of Prague\’s must-see highlights.

1) Prague Castle

Visiting Prague without seeing the castle is like visiting L.A. without seeing the famous Hollywood sign. It is regarded as to be the oldest surviving castle in the world, dating back to the end of the ninth century. First the home of the king, it is now the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. At peak times of the year the castle can attract long lines of holidaymakers, so make an effort to arrive early in the morning to protect yourself from queuing. In the centre of the castle lies the magnificent St Vitus\’s Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece. Ownership over the cathedral continues to be the subject of much legal wrangling between church and state.

2) Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge was built in the second half of the fourteenth century, and today stands for lots of people as a symbol for the city itself. The statues that stand upon it were a baroque addition, and date from the seventeenth century. Until 1841 the bridge was the only method of crossing the Vltava; today its beautiful arches attract crowds of visitors keen to walk along and admire the view towards the castle. The bridge is best photographed early in the morning, before it becomes crowded, or at sunset, when it looks its most magical, with the castle rising above it.

3) Old Town
Spend time walking around the picturesque Old Town (Stare Mesto) district in Prague. The attractive streets and squares of the old town contain a wealth of sights for visitors, and a variety of hostels and hotels are located here, making it a great base for a stay in the city. Even though there are plenty of interesting things to tick off your list within a visit to the Old Town, such as the astronomical clock, the Jan Hus statue, the Old Town Square, and the Museum of Communism and of Czech Cubism, don\’t just race around the streets from sight to sight – the Old Town is a place to explore, and wander about without any particular aim in mind, just taking in the atmosphere.

4) Kafka

Prague was home of one of the better European writers, the German-speaking-Jewish-Czech, Franz Kafka. Kafka was born in a house overlooking the Old Town Square in Prague, and spent nearly all his life in the city, composing his dark absurdist novels like The Trial and Metamorphosis. Fans of his work can visit the Kafka Museum at 2b Cihelna, track down the plaques marking the various houses he lived in, and even sip a coffee in Kafka\’s favourite cafe, Cafe Slavia, a literary haunt also favoured by Milan Kundera and Vaclav Havel.

Author Bio: I am a man who loves Cheap Prague. I get a lot of value for my money in the city. My wife prefers to hang out at the various Prague shopping malls.

Category: Travel
Keywords: prague, cheap, why, reasons