I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit a number of cities around the world, many on business during my working days and others while traveling with my wife after I retired more than a decade ago. I’ve been to cities I enjoyed and others that I merely tolerated, cities that were clean and welcoming and others that were … well … let’s just say less clean and welcoming.
But we visited a city in 2022 that quickly moved into the group at the top … Continue reading
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Visitors walk inside a corridor in St. Barbara's Cathedral, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. Construction began on the church in 1388.
The Prague Astronomical Clock is a medieval astronomical clock outside the Old Town Hall in Prague, Czech Republic. The clock, which dates to 1410, shows the relative positions of the sun, moon, earth, and zodiac constellations.
A view through an open door to Corpus Christi Chapel adjacent to St. Barbara's Cathedral in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.
Visitors walk up the hill past businesses on Barborská Street in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.
The Church of St. James sits atop a hill in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. Construction began on the church in 1330. The church's bell tower is more than 280 feet tall.
The Zizkov Television Tower in Prague, Czech Republic, is illuminated just before sundown.
Workers prep a boat on Čertovka Canal, just downstream from the Grand Priory Mill as viewed under the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic.
Looking up at the columns and arches that separate a side corridor from the main hall of St. Barbara's Cathedral, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. Construction began on the church in 1388.
A castle guard stands watch outside Prague Castle and the presidential house in Prague, Czech Republic.
Doorway and steps lead to the roof of Corpus Christi Chapel adjacent to St. Barbara's Cathedral in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.
St. Barbara's Cathedral is framed by a rock wall in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. The white tower in front of the cathedral is the Gallery of Central Bohemia.
Prague Castle rises above surrounding buildings on the west side of the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic.
St. Barbara's Cathedral stands on a hill above homes in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.
The Prague Astronomical Clock is a medieval astronomical clock outside the Old Town Hall in Prague, Czech Republic.
A view of the main nave of St. Vitus Cathedral inside Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic. The castle dates to 870 AD.
The Church of Mother of God before Týn stands above buildings on the east side of Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic.
St. Barbara's Cathedral and Gallery of Central Bohemia (the white building) stand on a hill above homes in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic.
The view looking east toward Old Town Square and the Church of Mother of God before Týn that towers in the distance, Prague, Czech Republic.
Looking up at the Old Town Bridge Tower on the east end of the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic.
of my favorites list — Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic.
We booked a Viking river cruise on the Elbe River, starting in Prague and ending in Berlin. Our itinerary included a few extra days in Prague with day trips to other locations in the Czech Republic before the cruise started.
I admit I knew little about Prague before we arrived.
I did know about Old Town Square, a large marketplace and gathering area in the Old Town section of the city. Most European cities have similar squares in their older sections. I knew about the Charles Bridge, a more- than-600-year-old structure crossing the Vltava River that was in several scenes of Mission Impossible, the 1996 movie with Tom Cruise that was filmed in Prague. I knew a little about the Prague astronomical clock, a more than 600-year-old medieval clock on Old Town Hall that tells the time, date, time of sunrise and sunset, shows the relative positions of the sun, moon, earth, and zodiac constellations, and chimes every hour as animated figurines move around the clock.
I also assumed that we would see a number of centuries-old churches like we have in other European cities.
I was impressed from our first moments in Prague. The city is vibrant, attractive, clean and very walkable, with a nice mixture of old, well-preserved architecture and more modern buildings. And Prague has a variety of excellent restaurants.
But most surprising, after our experience in other European cities, is that Prague is incredibly affordable. For instance, my wife and I joined two friends for dinner at a very nice restaurant a few blocks from Prague’s Old Town. My wife and I had appetizers, salad or soup, entrees, desserts and drinks. The food and service were excellent. The check for the two of us came to almost 1000 Czech Koruna … or about $41. That amount of cash wouldn’t cover drinks in Paris.
One of the day trips we made was to Kutna Hora, a town of about 22,000 in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The town center of Kutna Hora has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its outstanding architecture and its influence on subsequent architectural developments in other Central European cities. It was an interesting place for photography . and, yes, it did have a number of very old, photogenic churches.
We enjoyed the Czech Republic, especially our time in Prague.
I’d go back.