World Wide Nate visits Prague
Over my years traveling I’ve met many people who have raved about Prague.
Over my years traveling, I’ve met many people who have raved about Prague. The opportunity came to visit and I took the unconventional route traveling to Prague on a road trip from Vienna. The 3.5-hour drive with two of my friends was similar to a road trip you would take from Nashville, TN, to Atlanta, GA.
Arriving in to Prague felt like being transported into a fairy tale, as I laid my eyes on beautiful Romanesque architecture dating back to the turn of the millennium. The city is stunning. Legend has it that Adolph Hitler didn’t want to destroy Prague during World War II because he felt it was so beautiful.
The Prague Castle is situated on a hill west of the Vltava River and is definitely worth the visit. (The only castle I saw growing up was He-Man’s Castle Grayskull.) Inside the castle grounds is the immaculate St. Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece. Once upon a time, I was an architectural engineering major, and my appreciation for the beauty of the stained glass windows, sculptures and detail was paramount. But I was overwhelmed in awe by the intricate, detailed design of the exterior and interior. By the end of my tour, I understood why it took nearly six centuries to complete the castle.
Prague is a very old city, dating back to the Roman Empire, but today, it has an extremely young vibe. I would call it an adult college town with a diverse community. Walking the streets of Prague, you will hear a variety of languages and a few comforting English accents.; the Czech Republic tends to be known for issuing visas to people looking to live and work in Europe. During my visit, I ran into a travel friend of mine and quickly found myself at a dinner of 20 people connected by six or fewer degrees of separation.
The strong US dollar is another incentive to visit Prague. It makes the trip inexpensive, so you can enjoy the European lifestyle without breaking the bank, especially during the summer.
Walking through the city, the streets seem to speak to you as you stumble across a variety of humorous street art exhibits. They grab your attention and make think, “What am I looking at?” and “this would a great selfie!”
The Vlatva River flows through the center of the Prague and is the pulse of city. The pedestrian Charles Bridge is packed with foot traffic, but for good reason. From here, you can enjoy panoramic views. In your line of sight are river cruise boats, riverside restaurants, wedding portraits being taken on the river bank, paddle boats and board riders.
I braved the river and jumped on a paddle board, which challenged my core. Once I got a hang of balancing the board and paddling, I was off! That is, until a couple in a paddle boat crashed into me, and I fell into the river. Thankfully, Prague was in the middle of a heat wave, and the river felt cool and refreshing. The driver even joked, “you will never forget me,” and all I could do was laugh. Now I have a funny Prague story to tell at dinner parties. The funnier part is now I’m raving about Prague!
