Thursday, 23 May to Monday, 27 May 2019
After our big day visiting the Somme battlefields, it was early to bed as we had to catch the 0730 train to Paris on Thursday morning. We then caught a flight to Prague, then a bus and 2 metro trains to our hotel.
On Friday, we did a self guided Rick Steve walking tour. We have found these a good way to get some of the history of the area and visit some less well known places.
Next up was the main town square with its town hall which was partly destroyed by 3 German tanks as the Germans withdrew at the end of WW2. Luckily Prague was not bombed by the allies so many beautiful old houses remain.
From the Town Square we walked to Charles Bridge, another popular spot for tourists.
On Saturday, we went back to the Town Hall to climb to the top and to do a tour of the building and the now underground medieval houses beneath it.
In the afternoon, for a change of pace we visited the Museum of Communism. It described post WW2 life in Communist Czechoslovakia – the ideals, the reality and the nightmare of a police state. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 was a win for non violent people power that led to the fall of communism in Prague and Czechoslovakia.
On Saturday evening we went back to the Municipal House for a concert of classical music with opera and ballet. Great night out in a beautiful building.
On Sunday, we visited Prague Castle, the largest working castle in the world with government offices and state rooms. Construction began in the 900s with addition after addition. A good example is St George’s church which has Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance parts.
St Vitus Cathedral is the resting place of Charles IV, Wenceslas I and IV and Saint John of Nepomuk whose statue with its 5 stars around the head is found throughout Prague.
On Sunday night we met our fellow cruisers on the Avalon Envision and did a walking tour with some on Monday morning.
We then caught the funicular up to the Petrin Tower (Little Eiffel Tower) which has beautiful views over the city.
Our last night in Prague we went to a Czech folklore dinner with our new friends. Lots of fun, good food and plenty of drinks.
Fabulous…loved the read and the photos…very informative……you saw a lot more than we did wen we there.