Prague | Praha | travelgem

Prague Sky

Prague or Praha in Czech, is the hidden gem of Europe.

Nestled in the very heart of Europe, Prague is a modern city with divine dedication to it’s past. Prague endured WWII, the fall of communism and the Velvet Revolution but the city’s architecture and monuments were miraculously preserved. Herein this untouched historical haven lies Baroque & Gothic style castels and cathedrals, riverside parks and of course beer gardens galore.

With great fortune and utter coincidence, I found myself a part of the ASU: International Business Study Abroad Program from May to June, which allowed me to truly experience the charms and treasures of this gem of a city.

Prague Attractions: When you first arrive, you have to see the sights…

Prague Castle: Absolutely breathtaking, the feeling you receive when you take in this castle is overwhelming and magnificent. This castle needs little introduction, the 1100 years of history speaks for itself.

astronomical clock

Astronomical Clock: mounted in Old Town Square, this much loved medieval clock was installed in 1410 and is the only astronomical clock still functioning. The clock mechanism itself has three main components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details; “The Walk of the Apostles”, a clockwork hourly show of figures of the Apostles and other moving sculptures—notably a figure of Death (represented by a skeleton) reminding us that our time is limited; and a calendar dial with medallions representing each day by a Saint and astrological symbols displaying which sign’s time we are in. Wicked cool and if miniature versions were produced I’d rock it on my wrist.
St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral: Surrounded within Prague Castle, St. Vitus is the glorified Roman Catholic cathedral in Prague containing tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors. The intricate stained glass mosaic windows are the most astonishing as they are juxtaposed against the Gothic architectural style of the cathedral itself. On the first Sunday, I attended prayer here. It was an incredibly spiritual and emotional experience that brought me above and beyond my physical state. The heavenly voices of the procession although completely in Czech lent more meaning to me as I could interpret them as I wished.
Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge: Extending across the Vltava River, the Charles bridge is the most important connecting structure between Prague Castle and Old Town Square. On this bridge your eyes will be in awe, your skin will absorb the sun and you will feel the light breeze and coolness coming from the waters beneath. You will fall into the pages of the past and imagine romantic days with crowns and kings.

Personal Prague Gems:

Pece Park

Pece Park: Hidden behind our program’s student housing, Pece Park became a personal sanctuary of sorts for me. Having stumbled upon it with my friend Susan, the two of us spent an afternoon exploring the pathways of endless green and enjoying the lazy day. We concluded our exploration with a yoga practice in the grass that was wonderfully relaxing. Independently, I took the opportunity to enjoy morning runs here, which invigorated and inspired me. On one of our final days in Prague, Susan, Mila (also from our program) and I returned to our favorite green grotto and enjoyed the perfect picnic.
Cloud9 skybar + lounge
Cloud9 SkyBar + Lounge: A chance meeting on a train from Prague to Berlin allowed me to meet Oli. Oli is a dashing beauty with an unsurpassed sweetness and a style that exudes urban cool. We connected instantly and made plans to meet again in Prague. When we did, Oli took me to Cloud9, a luxurious SkyBar + Lounge atop the 9th floor of the Hilton Hotel. Here we enjoyed a panoramic view of Prague’s evening charm while drinking delectable blackberry&raspberry daiquiris.
Petril Hill
Petrin Hill: Quite the trek but also quite unnoticeable when your surrounded by welcoming trees, grass you can walk in barefoot and breathtaking views of the city’s rooftops. Friends and I spent hours on this lush hill (hill implies it is a single hill, this is extremely misleading, to the top is a 30-45 minute walk if you don’t stop to smell the flowers, if you do you’ll be there as long or longer than us). I enjoyed a deep meditation in a lovely field, often called the “lover’s field” where lovebirds come to…enjoy eachother.
Dancing House
Dancing House: This epic architecture will make you feel as if your head is spinning or as if you’ve entered an alternate dimension. With daring curves and outlandish outlines, the building was designed by the famous Frank O’Gehry and Vlado Milunc.
Royal Gardens
Royal Gardens: Royalty in Prague had pristine taste in gardens. Housing trees, plants and flowers from all over the world, the Royal Gardens makes you feel as if you are basking in something of greatness and it’s because you are.