Prague Trip Report, Days Three As Well As 4: Prague Castle, Mala Strana, Onetime Town, Charles Bridge

Day 3, November 19, 2017, Sunday, PRAGUE:

TRAIN from Budapest Keleti to Prague:

Taxi to station:

We boarded the 7.30 train from Budapest Keleti to Prague hlavni nadrazi.

We had booked a taxi from the individual transfer service for 20 euros, though regular taxi volition toll alone half-dozen euros. The Deak Ferenc Ter metro escalators go at a bully speed together with I did non fancy taking them with luggage , also on arriving at Keleti past times metro, lifts don't operate to accomplish the platforms.

Once the regular taxi had ditched previous customers at our apartment, therefore nosotros went with the reliable individual service. The taxi rang us upward proverb it was at our apt door earlier 6.45am. We left our fundamental within the room, pulled the auto locking door shut, took the elevator down, over again locking an auto door behind us. We saw several cars parked inwards front end of the apt. thankfully earlier going out into the mutual depression temperature pulling the door shut, boy decided to confirm the taxi was there. I stayed in, in that location was no taxi. Our telephone does non have got roaming, boy walked downwards to the primary apt block to banking company check if the taxi is there. Meanwhile , the taxi arrived at our door, the driver apologizing profusely for going to the primary block past times mistake. I looked roughly anxiously for my son, he likewise arrived soon. Even a uncomplicated taxi ride some times becomes stressful together with nosotros have got to endure fully warning always!

We reached the station, looked for our platform from the electronic board together with from platform 8, dragged our purse all the way to 1. The international trains are unremarkably inwards these platforms, our taxi could have got dropped us close that entrance. In fact nosotros had told the driver international develop but he had no clue!

Reserved seats, no guarantee!!

Our develop was already standing, nosotros had window topographic point nos 45, 46, flora that bus fully occupied. We did non desire to pick a fight, therefore sat inwards the side past times side coach. We had read some accounts of passengers occupying reserved seats together with refusing to vacate causing reserved passengers to fifty-fifty go standing, the controllers don't interfere fifty-fifty on appeal!!

We had the bus to ourselves for a while, had our breakfast, fifty-fifty lay downwards together with napped. Later, two men came with reserved seats for the window seats. We moved over to the other corner. At Bratislava, two to a greater extent than people came for those seats. Thankfully our cabin was forthwith beingness vacated, 3 ladies with unreserved tickets forthwith sat there. We showed them our ticket together with sat inwards our rightful seats. They talked non halt with themselves together with I developed a mild headache!! We had had such a overnice fourth dimension enjoying the views together with peace together with placidity therefore long!

Our develop was going onward to Germany, nosotros got our bags ready close the entrance together with got downwards at Prague primary station. We had requested our apt possessor to suit a taxi for us from the develop station every bit nosotros had read taxi drivers tin endure unreasonable. He declined together with said he'll larn us a taxi dorsum to the station when nosotros departed for Salzburg.

We had already seen the populace carry options together with knew nosotros had to accept the subway scheme to IP Pavlova together with and therefore either walk or accept the tram to Namesti Miru. Our apt was hardly 3km from the station but this was how nosotros could brand it. Before our arrival, the possessor emailed the same directions to us. However, the metro was nether renovation together with was non plying inwards our direction. We wasted a lot of fourth dimension earlier finding this out together with over again wasted fourth dimension finding where to accept the alternate double-decker they were plying. The info oculus had non been helpful at all. We arrived at our hotel after wasting a lot of time.

TRANSPORT CARD:

We bought the 24hr carte for 110 Czech krones each together with drew local coin from the ATM at the station. 22 czk =1 usd; 1 euro=25.8 czk

Hotel Holiday Home Pension:

Initially I had considered a hotel correct at the develop station every bit nosotros had an early on forenoon develop at 6am to Salzburg. I had decided on the electrical flow hotel because they said our room included a kitchenette. Unfortunately, that did non operate out. I totally regret this selection …the banking company check inwards lady made things therefore unpleasant. Here are the details

Stayed at Holiday Home Pension, Americka for two nights November 19, 20. Usually almost all our hotel reviews are five stars . This would have got likely been a skilful sense if nosotros had met with the polite possessor but unfortunately our greeter was rattling rude every measurement of the way together with spoilt everything. Much every bit I would similar to give amend review precisely because of the owner's polite attitude, I have got to endure honest with the handling nosotros got from the lady who received us.

The rooms are upward a steep flying of stairs, no lift. We were buzzed inwards together with kept our bags on the sec step. H5N1 lady came to attend to us, nodded to my greetings, ignored my adult son's greeting together with stepped into a reception room at a one-half landing. Son started handle to checkin every bit she sat behind the counter, I hovered close the opened upward door keeping an oculus on our bags on the steps. She ordered me to unopen the door. I said “our bags are out here”. She said “I don't know where yous are from together with what the weather condition are. yous are inwards czechia, things are prophylactic here”. Unnecessary personal dig. Also where is the demand to unopen doors if things are that safe. I had precisely read a Paris TA written report where people had lost their purse when they were moving inwards to their rental together with were transferring bags from stairs to room.

Anyways I closed the door together with sat inside. Son went ahead, paid upward for the checkin. She took out a map together with started orientation talks. We create elaborate enquiry together with create non demand briefing together with I told her so. She sneeringly questioned how I know where nosotros are on the map together with I explained nosotros have got already seen google maps together with have got impress outs, nosotros don't demand her eatery rec because nosotros are vegetarians together with self cater. We'll precisely have got the map delight I said. She literally threw the map at me, said “Oh, yous know EVERYTHING!! I could have got given yous splendid recommendations, but forthwith I won't”. No loss for us, indeed I create know what I demand for our travels, every bit my rattling pop weblog with numerous readers all over the basis tin show!

We asked almost in that location beingness no stove inwards the kitchenette together with no bowls for the microwave. She said, “who wants to ready when in that location are such skilful restaurants nearby. Anyway nosotros don't desire cooking smells every bit in that location is no vent, therefore no hot plate provided.” If that's the policy, it should endure stated on the website instead of misleading. We would have got liked to steam a bowl of rice together with brand soup which were non possible with their amenities

We had corresponded with the possessor regarding a taxi for our early on forenoon develop to Prague. I told her the possessor was rattling polite together with offered assist inwards this regard. She said “he's my husband.” Oh, I had imagined she was some rude employee having a bad day! There was some other torrent of non to disturb them with calls at awkward hours, non to smoke inwards their rooms etc. all redundant for us.

Anyways the possessor was his polite self over the telephone afterward together with fixed a cab for our ride to develop station. The náměstí miru (náměstí agency square, miru is peace) location was convenient for trams. Only wishing the lady's mental attitude had non been therefore obnoxious!

Our develop had reached Prague past times two but with all the waste matter of fourth dimension nosotros were out for sight seeing alone good after 4. it was starting to go dark.

We took the tram 22 thinking it'll endure a scenic ride. But the tram was lit rattling brilliant within together with all nosotros could encounter was the reflection of people within on the windows. We did non larn a overnice stance of the city. Only some patches of lit upward monuments. We got downwards at the Castle. But at that halt it was hardly lit.

We took the side past times side tram dorsum together with got downwards at the National theater. This was lit upward together with nosotros had some overnice views of Karlov Most, Charles bridge.

We together with therefore took the tram dorsum to hotel. Nice Christmas marketplace topographic point coming upward at the church building grounds at Namesti Miru, our tram stop, 100 1000 walk to our room.

Bought some provisions from the nearby modest store together with called it a day.

I had considered getting downwards at the Old town halt but did non every bit it did non await good lit. inwards hindsight that would have got been the amend decision.

Anyways nosotros had a GREAT fourth dimension the side past times side day.

Day 4, November 20, 2017, Monday:

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad):

This is precisely exterior our hotel, with the church building together with tram halt inwards sight.

TIP: create non larn off at the castle where the bulk of people larn off at the halt called Pražský hrad, it'll endure a steep long uphill climb to the castle ...we went two to a greater extent than stops to Pohořelec. We were close the Strahov Monestery together with Loretta...short walk all downwards hill, into the castle grounds.

We made our way to Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)... overnice walk through heritage buildings.

Here nosotros are at the castle gates...On our way back, nosotros noticed a huge lay out of tourists who got off tram #22 at the bottom of the stairs to the castle on the eastern side together with brand their way slowly, together with painfully, the long way up. It's a steep walk together with nosotros saw every i panting.

The best house is to larn off is non the lower eastern side but the higher northern side of the castle every bit nosotros did.

Once the abode of Bohemia's kings, it is today the official residence of the Czech Republic's President together with i of the city's most visited tourist attractions. It's opened upward 9-4. it's the largest castle inwards Europe with 700 rooms. There are several ticket options, nosotros chose circuit a: 350 czk.

Originally built every bit a walled fortress roughly 970 AD, the castle has changed dramatically over the years together with contains examples of most of the leading architectural styles of the terminal millennium.

Within the castle walls are a lay out of Prague's most pop tourist sites, including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Powder Tower, the Old Royal Palace, and the Golden Lane.

St. George's Basilica (Czech: Bazilika Sv. Jiří):

St. George's Basilica is the oldest surviving church building edifice within Prague Castle, it dates dorsum to 920 We visited it maiden of all together with and therefore retraced dorsum to the lovely St. Vitus Cathedral.

Old Royal Palace:

Old Royal Palace's primary hall, the Vladislav Hall, is therefore large it could endure used for jousting tournaments, together with staircases broad plenty to allow mounted knights to role them.

St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala St. Vita):

Within the grounds of Prague Castle, the Roman Catholic St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrala St. Vita) is the Czech Republic's largest together with most of import Christian church.

Seat of the Archbishop of Prague, it's also abode to the tombs of numerous saints together with 3 Bohemian kings. Founded on the site of a Romanesque rotunda built inwards 925 AD, the cathedral was started inwards 1344 together with took to a greater extent than than 525 years to complete, resulting inwards a mix of modern Neo-Gothic together with 14th-century Gothic styles, along with Baroque together with Renaissance influences.

Highlights include stunning stained drinking glass windows depicting the Holy Trinity, a mosaic from 1370 (The Last Judgment),

Bathed inwards the glow from the stained glass...

St. Wenceslas Chapel (Svatovaclavska kaple):

The St. Wenceslas Chapel (Svatovaclavska kaple) is spectacular with its jewel-encrusted altar with to a greater extent than than 1,300 precious stones. St. Wenceslas is the patron saint of Czech republic.

The largest ancient castle inwards the world, this vast complex requires considerable fourth dimension to tour, but it's fourth dimension good spent (particularly rewarding are the splendid views over the Vltava River with the old town together with its countless spires inwards the background).

This is a lovely puppet museum/shop inwards the complex

Golden Lane (Zlata Ulicka)

Golden Lane consists of modest houses, The street was created during the structure of northern fortification. In 1597 the emperor Rudolf II decided to give the infinite in that location to the castle marksmen who guarded the fortification. But in that location were 24 marksmen together with a lack of space. Therefore, the marksmen had to build rattling modest houses. The fabric they used was stone, mud, together with wood. The emperor prohibited to build windows inwards the management to the Deer Moat or to sell or rent the house to somebody else.

After 1657 in that location were alone xiv houses left. Castle marksmen were non needed therefore much whatever more, to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than people of other occupations came to alive there. The Golden Gate hosted both rich together with miserable people, artists, clerks, footmen, etc. One of the inhabitants of this street was famous writer Franz Kafka in house no. 22 or Prague prophetess Madame de Thebes, who was killed past times the Gestapo inwards the state of war because she foretold the cease of Nazism.

The street originally had houses on both sides, but i side was demolished inwards the 19th century together with painted inwards brilliant colors inwards the 1950s.

Many of the houses are forthwith souvenir shops, together with in that location is a museum of medieval armory within the old 14th-century fortification accessible from Golden Lane.

Nice wooden contraption which nosotros tin plow to deflect burn downwards after firing from our side...

View from inside

Golden Lane got its refer from the even of alchymists living inwards the street during the reign of Rudolf II who tried to brand non alone the philosopher rock or the elixir of youth, but also to transform metals into gold. There is a existent even dating to the offset of the 20th century. One of the local house was inhabited past times an old man, Dr. of philosofy Uhle, who spent all his coin on old books on magic. He made hole-and-corner experiments inwards his lab within the house. In 1831 people inwards the Golden Lane heard a large detonation from his house. When burn downwards fighters entered the house together with extinguished fire, they flora Uhle dead with a xanthous rock inwards his hand. Later on the rock was proved to endure gold. How the golden got into the house is even therefore non known. Maybe he actually made his together with many other alchymists’ longtime dream come upward true.

Dalibor Tower:

Golden Lane is connected with Dalibor Tower, which used to endure a dungeon. We saw it next.

We together with therefore sat on the terrace together with had our picnic repast earlier starting our walk downwards to Malá Strana, also known every bit Lesser Town, is a hillside surface area with views across the Vltava river to the old town.

We took tram 22 together with got downwards at the national theatre together with visited the church.

Chiesa de Santa Maria della Vittoria:

Then nosotros walked to Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí), historic oculus of Prague,

Here nosotros discovery the Tyn Church together with the Clementinum, along with numerous other fine old churches, every bit good every bit splendid old architecture dating dorsum every bit far every bit the 11th century, spell the Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is precisely a brusk walk north.

A highlight is the Old Town Hall (Staromestská radnice), abode to the wonderful early on 15th-century Astronomical Clock (orloj): each hour, it springs to life every bit the 12 Apostles together with other figures appear together with parade inwards procession across the clock face.