The Justified Hype of Prague
June 7, 2009 | Francis Nicholls-Wunder
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is one of the most talked about cities in Europe. Everywhere I went in the continent people would tell me how great their time in Prague was and how important it was as part of a European trip. So when I finally made my way to the capital of the Czech Republic, it had a lot to live up to in my eyes. The hostel and nightlife was certainly exciting and entertaining, largely thanks to a very lively bunch of guys that shared my room and got along extremely well.
Walking in the castle gardens
But the thing I was most impressed with was the city itself. Prague was very clean compared to a lot of the neighbouring capitals in Eastern and Central Europe, almost every building brightly painted, very little graffiti or garbage anywhere on the streets.
The castle and surrounding old town was very beautiful in the sunny weather and the view from the many bridges never ceased to stop me in my tracks as I tried to cross the river.
A typical colorful street in Prague
Like a lot of Europe, there were large pedestrian only districts throughout the centre of town, littered with nice cafes and tourist sights. The only drawback, one which I expected, was the huge tourist population. The amount of people crowding around with cameras and maps was a little disconcerting. I felt a bit sorry for the locals who must be completely overwhelmed by foreigners throughout the summer months. Despite this I would certainly recommend Prague to anyone who dares to venture that far from the cliché Europe destinations of the United Kingdom, France and Italy. It is even quite cheap if you play your cards right!
