This past weekend, we decided to go to Prague, and it is one of my favorite cities so far. When most people travel to Europe, the main cities visited are Paris, London, Rome, and Amsterdam—Prague might be on the list, but it is not one of the “main cities” to visit. That being said, I am so glad that Prague was on of the places on our list. It is a charming city surrounded by beautiful hills, castles, and colorful buildings with golden details.
We decided to train to Prague from Maastricht, which is about a 12-hour train ride each way. If you have a Eurail pass, I would recommend trying to train to the cities you visit if you have the time, and it can save you a little money too. Traveling by train, you can also see the scenery outside, which is often the countryside with castles along the way, or quaint villages you pass through. We arrived in Prague at night, so we did not have much time to explore when we got there besides our walk to dinner, which brings me to the first reason you should visit Prague.
1) The food is delicious
It could have been a mix of a long journey to Prague and hungry travelers, but the dinner we had the first night was amazing. We decided to stop by a local restaurant and ordered some Donerkebabs. They are similar to a gyro, but with a more Central Eastern European twist to them. Two pieces of bread surround slowly cooked chicken, spices, and vegetables. Our dinner left us filled up and ready for the next day.
2) The scenery is out of a fairytale.
Every street we walked down in Prague was a picture perfect street. Prague did not have a bad angle for pictures. There are two main squares in Prague: the Old Town square and the newer, more modern square. The Old Town square had the historic Astronomical Clock, which chimes every hour with a classic “cuckoo clock” show. The newer square reminded me a little bit of time square—it had modern elements to it, but the buildings still had the beautiful old feel to them. Street performers were also numerous in both squares, which was entertaining to watch as we walked by.
3) Trdelník
I know I mentioned food as a reason to visit Prague before, but these sweet pastries deserve their own category. One thing I was told before visiting Prague was that I had to try a Trdelník. A little confused by the name and what it was at first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I can tell you that they did not disappoint. A Trdelník might be my new favorite pastry. The pastry part of it is slowly cooked over a charcoal fire, then later rolled in cinnamon sugar. As you walk up to the shop to buy one, they coat the hollow inside with nutella, then fill it with vanilla ice cream, topped with a chocolate covered strawberry. It was a sugar overload to say the least, but such a treat to have, especially after an active morning of walking throughout Prague. Needless to say, a Trdelník should be on your list of things to eat in Prague.
I wasn’t sure what to expect as we arrived in Prague, but I loved what we experienced. Prague is such a charming city, that has perfect spots for pictures all around. It is filled with so much history too, with the John Lennon Wall, Jewish cemetery, Prague Castle, and the Old Town square. I would highly recommend visiting this town if you want a relaxed weekend with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and a different city in Europe to visit.