Prague

19 Sep Prague

Our last many posts have focused on general tips as well as great day trips from DC, so now we’re going back to the continent that began our love of travel:  Europe.  We love the USA but it was our first trip to Europe, back when our owner was in Junior High School (!), that truly began our love of travel.  That first experience was on a family vacation – a six country in six days bus tour of Europe (which we don’t recommend doing).  While it was too much time on a bus, we did get to see a lot of the continent and it truly inspired us to return – which we did… time and time again. 

One of the greatest experiences in our owner’s life was the year she spent teaching English in Prague, Czech Republic in her early 20s.  Lovely Czech people, great history and architecture, and a truly amazing experience.  We recommend that parents let your children experience a year abroad either in college or slightly before or after – and, if you have not had the experience, we recommend seeing if your job can transfer you there for a year or so, or, if you’re retired, maybe doing a long-term volunteer project or working in Europe.  It’s such a great experience to be immersed in a new culture for a temporary time.

But, the point of this post… the beautiful city of Prague.   Prague is an old city – it’s literally over a thousand years old and has the oldest university (Charles University) in all of Central Europe.  There are a ton of sites to see:  Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, Petřín hill and Vyšehrad. Since 1992, the extensive historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.  With so many things to see and do – where should you start and how long should you stay?   Read next week for tips on making the most of your time in this magical Cinderella-like city.