Today I'm going to revisit a serene November Saturday spent in Prague. After reading some "Prague for the weekend" articles, I knew more or less what to expect. On the one hand, I wanted to see as many exciting places as possible; on the other hand, I wanted to have enough time to appreciate these places properly. I think I succeeded because I came back filled with impressions.
I spent the forenoon in the Old Town Square area (I wrote about it here), then headed to another must-see spot in the Czech capital - Hradčany. I crossed the Vltava River via the Mánes Bridge. The day was sunny and relatively warm (about 8°C).
Petřín Lookout Tower - I didn't get there during my weekend trip, unfortunately.
Sightseeing Hradčany is an ambitious and unrealistic task to accomplish in one day. At least, in my opinion, because everyone has their own definition of "sightseeing." The complex is so vast that a week would not be enough to look into every nook and cranny. I like to explore places and people in depth. However, I only had half a day and the determination to see as much as possible.
Slowly, enjoying the views, I walked to Malá Strana, also known as Lesser Town. The castle complex, with its towering cathedral, looked magnificent.
Prague is also details that catch the eye and distract you :)
You have to climb several (or more 😉) steps to achieve the hill with the castle.
Along the way, magnificent views emerged. There were crowds eager for a selfie with Prague in the background.
With a little patience, I could meet one-on-one with the city.
The ants on the Charles Bridge 🙂
Despite the nice weather, smog was visible - such a "charm" of big cities :/
In the city skyline, a more than 200 meters high TV tower stood out. Only in the photos did I notice the sculptures of crawling children. It looked amazing.
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At the entrance to the castle, you have to go through an inspection. The queue was very long, but I didn't wait much time. I bought a ticket to enter Golden Lane and the cathedral.
I can't remember the castle buildings themselves; I probably only paid attention to what was extraordinary to my eyes.
What I wanted to see the most was The Golden Lane (Zlatá ulička), as this is the place I remember most from my first visit to Prague 30 years ago. Perhaps that is why I remained blind to my surroundings and headed straight to the point.
A narrow alley paved in cobblestones, along which colorful and crooked houses stretch, creates a fairy-tale atmosphere. For hundreds of years, artisans (originally goldsmiths - hence the name), defenders of the castle, and servants lived and worked here.
This time the charming alley was packed with tourists, but I wasn't disappointed at all. I was part of this crowd myself :)
It was here that I heard one of the tourists complaining about the crowd, saying: I don't take pictures; I can find better ones on google. It made me laugh a lot and think at the same time. Today we can visit almost the whole world without leaving home. I started traveling while still in the analog world, so the real-world experience will always be better for me than the virtual one.
It was hard to take good photos in a narrow street filled with people, indeed.
I found a way to deal with it - I photographed details, especially those above our heads :)
My friend and I arranged a bloodless hunt for the best shots. It was enough to wait a few minutes and show reflexes when there was no one in the frame for a few seconds. We had a great time!
Each house is a kind of mini museum. It is worth entering at least a few to feel the atmosphere of the past.
At the end of the street is Daliborka Tower, once housing a prison. Inside, you can see the torture instruments; I only went in for a moment and hardly took any photos. The thought of how people were once mistreated under the law makes my skin suffer. It's hard for me to comprehend how a human being can be so monstrously cruel on the one hand and great on the other.
I didn't visit more interiors or the gardens; I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time for the cathedral. The spectacular St. Vitus Cathedral deserves a separate post. It appears regularly in posts by other Hive bloggers, by the way. I enjoy comparing how different people show the same places. Each of us individually perceives reality. We create our own worlds.
So, that's it for today 🌼 Thanks for your time; to the next!
