Topdeck Travel Blog

by Kara Segedin

When people think of classic, romantic and charming Europe the city of Prague undoubtedly springs to mind.

For over 1000 years, the city has been one of the cultural, political and economic capitals of Europe with a rich, at times turbulent, history.

Prague, Praha to the locals, is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and lies on the banks of the Vltava River.

Prague Castle across the Vltava River

Wanting to see as much as possible, we were up early for our day in the city. Our first stop - Prague Castle.

The castle is a huge complex that includes royal residences and churches and has been home to Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, Presidents and the Czech Crown Jewels.

Guarded by very serious looking solders in dashing blue suits you’d be hard placed trying to get one of these guys to smile.

It is also surrounded by a collection of  rather frightening statues depicting scenes of battle.

With so much to see you could easily spend a lot of time checking out the area but we were moving on to one very famous, historic bridge.

Street musicians on Charles Bridge

Built in the 14^th Century, Charles Bridge crosses the Vltava River connecting Prague Castle to the city’s Old Town.

Named after King Charles IV, the bridge is lined with statues, musicians, artists and street vendors.

One of the many statues

By now it was only mid-morning and my camera was well and truly worn out!

The focal point of the Old Town is the Old Town Square. A bustling market in medieval times, the Square is now the social heart of the city and a great place to take a break after hours of wandering Prague’s winding streets.

Not far from the Old Town Square is the must-see Astronomical Clock.

First installed in 1410, the intricate clock shows the position of the Sun and Moon, various zodiac signs and every hour on the hour figures of the 12 Apostles move around the clock and four figures either side are set in motion.

The famous Astronomical Clock

Within the Old Town lies the historic Jewish Quarter. Despite the devastation of the Second World War, the area was preserved and now includes six synagogues, the old cemetery and the Old Jewish Town Hall.

It is also home to one of the city’s most famous residents – the Golem of Prague!

The story goes that a 16th century rabbi called Maharal created the golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava River to defend the Prague ghetto.

Some say the golem went out of control and had to be destroyed, while others say he still keeps a watchful eye over the city.

One of Prague's old synagogue

And once the sun has gone down, there’s no better way to end your day of sightseeing than with a taste of Prague’s famous nightlife!

With traditional beer halls, cocktail bars and multilevel clubs there’s something for everyone from the serious club hopper to those after a quiet drink. Na zdraví (cheers)!

Party it up Czech style this New Year’s Eve with Topdeck’s 4 Day Prague New Year’s trip! PLUS all our Christmas and New Year trips qualify for our festival rewards programme – save money when you book your 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th Topdeck Festival!