When considering the best vacation destinations on the planet, what comes to your mind? Places like Paris, Dubai, Canada, Australia, Italy, Greece, and Brazil very often appear in your mind’s eye. Although these places are widely known by tourists, many other cities and countries exist which contain just as much cultural richness and attractions. One of such cities is Prague.
Prague, the center of administration of the Czech Republic, is considered to be the biggest metropolis in the nation, housing over 1.3 million residents. The metropolis was founded in the fifth century and has so far remained on the records of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1992.With tons of attraction spots to visit, deciding how best to spend your vacation in the metropolis might be overwhelming. If you are interested in the travel guide Prague provides, this article is for you. It will provide you with information on some of the top-rated tourist sites to visit when exploring this beautiful historical metropolis.
Top Tourist Sites to Visit When Vacationing in Prague
We have carefully selected some of the best spots for you to explore when in Prague. These spots are perfect for all sorts of activities, which might include dancing, eating, shopping, and sightseeing.
The Prague Castle
Located at 119 08 Praha, the magnificent castle or palace, which was erected in the ninth century, was a place of residence for ancient Bohemian Kings and is presently the presidential office of the President of the Czech Republic. The palace has been tagged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest ancient palace on the planet. The palace alone attracts approximately 1.8 million visitors yearly.
You might consider taking a stroll by the palace, spending time in the Royal Garden, or watching this spectacular building illuminated during the night. The most convenient way to explore the palace is by checking the palace’s official webpage for updates regarding events and touring schedules.There are various streetcar stops to enable you to get to the palace. Although the closest stops to the palace are: Prazsky hrad, Pohorelac, and Pralovsky Letohradek, many tourists choose to use the first stop.
Charles Bridge
This fascinating medieval bridge took forty-five long years to complete under the guidance of King Charles IV, starting in 1357 and ending in 1402. The bridge was the only way to go across the River Vitava back in the days and was the only connecting medium between the palace and the city’s Old Town. It spans a length of five hundred and sixteen meters and a width of ten meters. When strolling across the bridge at sundown, a tourist can see the fascinating sunset and the incredibly sculpted statues, which add uniqueness to the bridge. The statues include those of Saint John of Nepomuk and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV.
Since cars are prohibited on the bridge to maintain it, tourists can use bicycles, scooters, or legs to stroll through the bridge. Two streetcar stations lie on opposite ends of the bridge; the Malostranské náměstí, and the Karlovy lázně.
Dancing House
Otherwise known as Fred and Ginger, the Dancing House was established in 1992 and completed 4 years later, in 1996. The title of the building is derived from its structural appearance, which makes it appear like a building performing the act of dancing. The interior includes a glass bar, an art gallery, a lobby, a restaurant, a hotel, and an observation deck.
The house is open for 12 hours every day, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and is completely free to enter. The bar is open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight. The restaurant, however, is open from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily. At night, vacationing couples might choose to dine and dance in the bar.
The quickest way to get to the building via public transport is either by using the metro or a streetcar. Take a B-line Metro to the Karlovo Náměstí Station, and spend 3 minutes stroll down to the building. If you decide to go by streetcar, take a 17 and stop at the Jiráskovo náměstí, the house is about two hundred and ninety feet away from the stop.
Lokal
It is not enough to tour and explore without getting a taste of the metropolis’s local mouth-watering cuisine. As the name implies, Lokal is a restaurant, which is widely said to be the best in the metropolis. It is located in five different places across Prague, making it easy to locate. The local cuisine which could be enjoyed in this restaurant includes palacinky, trdelnik, vepro-kneldo-zelo, chlebicky, gulas, smazeny syr, knedliky, grilovane klobasy, and a host of other delicacies.
The Czech National Theatre
Located in Prague, the country’s national theater is the most convenient place to catch a thrilling ballet, opera, or drama performance. The theater was launched on the 12th of June 1881, reopened on the 18th of November 1883, and rebuilt from 1977 to 1983.
It was created as a historical building to celebrate the cultural richness and language of the people. You might consider purchasing a ticket to watch amazing drama presentations, listen to the nation’s best opera artists, or enjoy the ambiance of a spectacular ballet show.
The ticket sells up to six months in advance, so when planning your trip, make an early purchase to get a seat reserved. If you choose to go by public transport, you can either take the streetcar or the metro.
The streetcars operating by day are numbers 2, 9, 18, 22, and 23. Those operating by night are streetcars 93, 97, 98, and 99. These would take you to Národní Divadlo, located in Národní 2, Praha 1, right in front of the theater.
When going by metro, get on the Národní třída station, line B (Yellow), one-stop by streetcar no 2, 9, 18, 22, or 23, and take either of these to Národní Divadlo. You could also go to the Staroměstská station, line A (green), two stops by streetcar 2, 17, or 18, to Národní Divadlo.
Conclusion
Prague is a metropolis that integrates various religious, cultural, political, and economic sectors. It is visited by approximately 8.5 million tourists yearly. One reason for this can be attributed to the metropolis’s vast architectural history, which still stands magnificent despite the effects of the Second World War.
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