TrekBytes

Prague’s documented history dates back to the fifth and fourth centuries BC, but more prominent events involve the Habsburg Monarchy and Austria-Hungary. It also played major roles in the Bohemian Reformation, the Protestant Reformation, the Thirty Years' War, and, more recently, served as the capital of the former Czechoslovakia. Our first few days were spent exploring the maze of narrow alleyways and some of the historic sights of the capital city. This included the magnificent Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world. The castle was home to many kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, and now the president of the Czech Republic. The most prominent feature of the castle grounds is Saint Vitus Cathedral, whose pointed towers can be seen from many places in the city. Connecting the castle grounds to the downtown area is Charles Bridge, a medieval arch bridge adorned with prominent statues and important historical figures. Venturing through the winding streets to the Old Town Square is a delight, as you encounter many restaurants, bakeries, and cafes along your stroll. The Old Town Square itself is grandiose, with large towers, churches, and fountains all within it. A notable attraction is the medieval astronomical clock on the side of the Church of Our Lady before Týn, the oldest running clock in the world. These were just a few of the great historical sights of Prague that we saw, but they were the most notable ones.

Prague delivered some of our most memorable nights of the trip altogether. Known for its energetic nightlife, Thalia and I decided to experience it once, as that was all we could really handle. After doing a bit of research, we found this bar called Vzorkovna, or “Dog Bar” as the locals called it. We stopped in on a Saturday night. This place was an absolute underground maze, full of different themed rooms providing something for everybody. It was extremely stuffy and hot, as any good underground dive bar should be. Albeit, we were probably some of the oldest there, we enjoyed the live music room where a guitarist was playing familiar tunes. We spent a solid few hours there enjoying cheap Czech pilsners and people-watching. After leaving, we stumbled upon a much bigger and more traditional nightclub that we decided to try out. It was a rooftop complex containing two different stages and blasting electronic music all night. My 23-year-old self would have absolutely loved it; I, at 30, definitely enjoyed myself. We ended up dancing the night away and getting home at 4 a.m.! This absolutely crippled our next day, but we certainly enjoyed ourselves. Rock on, Prague!