Another day, another country. We’ve made it to our penultimate stop on mainland Europe – Welcome to Prague, the capital city of Czechia…
It was here that winter really started to settle in. It was absolutely freezing, so much so that I had to go buy some gloves (if you know me well, you’ll know I’m a very warm person so if I say I’m cold, it must be very cold!). The Christmas markets were just being set up, one was open but it was just food and drink.
Here’s how to spend one day in Prague…
Where to stay
I stayed at MeetMe23 Hostel in Prague. The hostel is located a short walk of around 5 minutes from the train station and another short walk of around 5-10 minutes from the Old Town and city centre. It cost £70 for 2 nights in a female-only dorm room. The rooms were very modern, spacious, and very clean and comfortable.
The staff were extremely friendly and helpful – when I checked in, the guy on reception gave me a map and showed me where various places were and gave me a few recommendations – this simple little act made me feel very welcome.
Downstairs in the lower ground floor of the hostel was a lovely restaurant called Meet Beer. I went there on my first night in Prague and had a traditional Czech dish called Svíčková (no idea how to pronounce it) which is dumplings and roast beef in a creamy gravy sauce - very delicious! I would highly recommend trying the dish and for dessert, I’d go for the warm chocolate brownie – you won’t regret it!
How to spend one day in Prague
In the morning, head down to the Old Town of Prague. Walk along streets of beautiful architecture, most of the buildings are colourful or have stunning facades or both! Make sure you check out the Astronomical Clock located in the historic town square (Staroměstské náměstí)– it one of the coolest things I’ve seen. The clock is over 600 years old and depicts the 12 apostles as well as the zodiac signs and of course, the time!
Another place to visit is Charles Bridge. This is a short walk from the old town square. The bridge is a 14thcentury stone bridge linking the old town, Prague Castle and their surrounding areas. The views from the bridge are beautiful (even in winter), the Vltava River flows through its arches and Prague Castle overlooks the bridge from a nearby hill. It’s really a pretty spot but it can be very busy!
In the afternoon, go find the Gallery of Steel Figures, a little hidden gem in the Old Town. There are over 100 figures made of recycled scrap metal – from cars to Disney characters to Marvel heroes to classic cartoon characters. It’s creative, interesting and I really enjoyed it! There is a separate light installation/optical illusion gallery. You can pay for entry to one or both galleries. I only did the steel figures but I do wish I had done both though.
Something to try while in Prague… Chimney Cake
Chimney cakes are a very popular sweet treat while in Prague – I had seen lots of recommendations on social media. A chimney cake is a cone-shaped, sugar-covered donut stuffed with a variety of toppings and whipped cream. You can have all sorts in your chimney cake – from fruit to sweets to biscuits. You can also have a variety of sauces such as chocolate, caramel and Biscoff. I opted for chocolate sauce and strawberries in mine and OMG it was stunning! The perfect dessert in my opinion! You really must try it when you are in Prague.
Despite the freezing temperatures and the business of some areas, I really enjoyed Prague. I only had one full day and it was quite exciting when it started snowing! When I woke up the next morning and left the hostel to catch the coach to my next destination, it was a full snow day! I’d love to go back to Prague and have a bit more time to explore – particularly, I’d like to go to the castle and see some of the museums, all were very highly recommended by various people I met on my travels and by the reception guy at my hostel.
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