Prague

A night in the Czech countryside

With a lovely day and night in Budapest under the belt, it was time to press on and continue drawing this mammoth GPS letter. Our next major destination was Prague, roughly 550 kms away.

The route from Budapest to Prague

The night before our arrival, we opted to camp in the wilderness about an hour outside the city. This meant we could rise at dawn the next day and head straight in for a full day of exploring.

Our beautiful spot was deep in the Czech countryside and just what we needed to recharge before hitting the capital. We devoured a lovely duck breast dinner and got to bed early.

Our spot in the countryside

Morning sun

Navigating into Prague was an interesting experience. Drivers have to give way to trams and buses at all times and the roads are jammed with traffic. Luckily, we had booked a place to stay in advance and knew exactly where we were going. It was a huge relief to get unloaded, showered and dressed in preparation for the day’s adventures.

Tram on Mánes Bridge

Once settled, we asked around for tips and recommendations before hitting the streets with Betty. Katy and I had been looking forward to visiting Prague for a long time and were full of energy. Here’s a summary of our top recommendations if you only have 36 hours…

The Church of the Virgin Mary Before Tyn

One of Prague’s iconic symbols, this church is the dominant feature in the Old Town. It was built in the 14th century and used to be a primary place of worship for foreign merchants visiting the city.

Exploring in the shadow of the church

Eat or drink in the Old Town Square

The square features buildings belonging to various architectural styles (including the aforementioned church) and is host to a number of statues, memorials and markets. There are loads of places to settle down with a drink or bite to eat (it’s extremely busy). I enjoyed observing the hustle and bustle with views over the church…

Evening cocktails in the Square

Visit Prague Castle

Prague Castle dates back to the 9th century and is the official office of the Czech President. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia.

To get there from the Old Town, it’s a lovely walk over Mánes Bridge. Once you have ascended the hill and have approached the main entrance, you are in for a real treat. If you time it right, you can catch a sunset from the ramparts.

Crossing Mánes Bridge on the way to the Castle Complex

Views of the opposite river bank

The streets as you climb towards the castle

Approaching the Castle Complex Entrance

Approaching St Vitus Cathedral

St Vitus Cathedral

Views from the ramparts

Visit The Metronome

The Metronome is a 75-foot-tall functioning metronome in Letná Park (overlooking the Vltava River and the city centre). It was erected on the plinth left vacant by the demolition of an enormous monument to former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The Metronome

The Metronome itself sits on a fairly substantial hill and is a great place to view the river and old town from above. Again, if timed correctly, you can experience an incredible sunset over the city. At the top, there is a small popup bar serving Czech beer which really does enrich the whole experience.

The crowd gathering for sunset

Pink skies

Czech beer

Overall, Prague has to be one of our stand out capital experiences. There’s loads to do, the architecture is stunning and the history is fascinating. Oh, and the beer is delicious.

After a glorious weekend, it was time to push on to Berlin…