The Unveiled Attractions Of Ancient Prague

When I first saw Prague I was astounded by its beauty and history and I immediately fell in love. However, since my first visit in 1991, the unveiling of the ancient attractions of Prague has occurred in epic proportions.

Once covered in black soot and grime, through impressive dedication and clean up, Prague has now been revealed as the glittering brilliant gem that it is.

So let us go now to 1991:

“Are we seriously getting pulled over?” I looked out the window of our rental car in time to see Prague Police raise a red “STOP” paddle in the air from his window as he passed us. My husband pulled over and stopped as two policemen left their car and began walking over.

“Were we speeding?”

“I’m not sure, I couldn’t read what was on the sign, it was too dirty,” my husband said as he opened the door and got out too. I opened the glove compartment and began rifling through the necessary paperwork provided by the rental agency as I watched my husband hand over his International Drivers License.

TRIPADVISOR

Finally, seems as if you can never find what you need when in a hurry, I grabbed the paperwork and nervously opened the door and took the registration papers to where the police and my husband were standing…laughing. Then, the police just left.

BOOKING.COM PRAGUE for reduced hotel prices.

RESERVE YOUR WHEELS INTERNATIONALLY WITH RENTALCARS.COM

“What happened?” I asked while smiling at the police as they drove past (they were really very nice).

“It’s ok. I explained I couldn’t see the sign. It was soot covered and I couldn’t tell what the speed limit number was”.

Relief swept over me. We got back into our car and continued along the pretty Czech countryside road that would lead us into the ancient city of Prague. Fortunately, our speeding ticket was the only incident that occurred on our 3 day stay to this intriguing city.

It is hard to describe the beauty of Prague because, even covered in layers of soot and pollution in 1991, it is a spectacular vision as you first encounter the stunning and ancient Gothic spires and towers rising majestically into the air.

Prague Castle (the largest historic castle in the world, dating back to the 9th century) sits with authority in the center of town. Home to centuries of emperors, kings and presidents, (Adolf Hitler spent a night here) Prague Castle rules the town’s landscape.

CLICK BELOW FOR STAY AT CITY CASTLE APARTHOTEL: Located 2.2 miles from Prague Castle BOOKING.COM

CLICK BELOW FOR PRAGUE CASTLE VIEW APARTMENT: Located 1.6 miles from Prague Castle with river and garden views BOOKING.COM

CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR STAY AT LINDER HOTEL PRAGUE CASTLE: 16th century monastery located just steps from Prague Castle and Charles Bridge BOOKING.COM

Charles Bridge then grabs your attention as it stretches across the Vitava River connecting the castle to the Old Town. Lined with statues, which are now replicas, Charles Bridge dates back to 1357 and has had a violent history encompassing multiple natural disasters to having severed heads of anti-Habsburg revolt leaders displayed on the Old Town Bridge Tower.

As my eyes continued to roam and take it all in, the overall size of Prague surprised me. Home to around 1.3 million people, Prague is one of those cities that continue to thrive while maintaining a super rich history.

I still remember how impressive Prague was during the early 1990’s shortly after they had become a democratic country. People were shopping, me included, traffic was heavy, tourism was booming and there was a feel of celebration in the air.

Prague had begun the stages of cleanup and it was evident at various historic locations. One could tell, however, that the country was just emerging from communism for the soot lined streets and the soot coated cars and buildings made it impossible to see the splendor you knew was underneath.

I do recall that even the air seemed darker then it should. You can see from the photos I have provided of our trip that Prague was indeed at one time incased in black soot.

As you walked along the sidewalks, black mounds of snow and ice paralleled the streets. It appeared as if someone had shoveled coal itself off to the sides of the roads with absolutely no resemblance to ice or snow.

Today however, Prague is now one of the cleanest cities in the world. The air smells clean and fresh, the tap water is safe to drink and the beautiful colors I knew were there are now exploding with rich vibrancy. Various programs over the years have supported employees and volunteers in efforts to rid Prague of soot and grime and to be spot-on with daily cleaning and restoration.

JETRADAR SEARCHES ALL AIRLINES TO FIND YOU FLIGHTS AT LOW COST

Prague is booming!! The capital of the new Czech Republic is an epicenter for travel, business and culture and is now one of the most photographed locations in the world.

Cleanup is an ongoing process for the people of the Czech Republic. Personal pride in their beautiful country and friendliness towards everyone makes Prague a highly desirable town to not only visit but to live in.

Prague is one of the leading cities in the world hosting US expats. Prague has a very high quality of life offering spectacular architecture, awesome city vibes while provided the perfect location for exploring the rest of Europe.

However if you don’t want to go anywhere else, that’s fine because Prague has a treasure trove of old world sites that are brimming with history. Plus Prague is a very laid back city with a great work/life balance giving you more time to enjoy the important things in life.

Prague is definitely a city one needs to spend an extended period of time exploring and experiencing . Medieval architecture and great European vibes make this now clean city a diamond for all who visit.

Whether it be the center of town, crossing Charles Bridge or patronizing one of the many museums, a long lengthy unhurried stroll was one of the activities I most enjoyed in my visit to Prague.

Prague has incredible walkability through streets that practically glisten now.

My husband and I truly enjoy Prague and I hope you will too. The now unveiled attractions of Prague are a must see on your journey throughout beautiful Europe.

I am an affiliate of all listed agencies. Booking through this site allows a small commission for me with absolutely zero added cost to you. Thank You!

Be sure to see Travel Deals, Savings And Specials for regularly updated vacation packages and savings.

PLAN YOUR ENTIRE TRIP: FLIGHT, ACCOMMODATION, CAR, TOURS, PACKAGES, TRANSPORTATION VIA EXPEDIA (Great Vacation Packages)

PLACES TO STAY NEAR CHARLES BRIDGE:

CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR HOTEL ARCHIBALD AT THE CHARLES BRIDGE OR

BOOKING.COM HOTEL ARCHIBALD