56th Tick - Visit Prague Castle

Having recently visited Buda Castle, couldn't let this little trip go by without visiting Prague Castle now could we?

As we were staying on the "wrong" side of the river (accommodation mix up) this meant we were actually on the right side of the river for visiting of said castle. So we set off walking following the old "when heading to a castle walk upwards" and sure enough, we knew we were getting close when the hill got steeper, legs started to quiver and we began bargaining with higher powers for a bench.

Having set off via the Lennon Wall (interesting spot and the attached gallery/gift shop was filled with good stuff) and made a stop for breakfast, we arrived just before 12pm - right on time to watch the changing of the guard. Whilst this happens every hour, the noon show is the one to watch - they add music and flags, which is basically the castle saying, “Look at me, I’m fabulous.”

Tickets purchased, we set off exploring. Prague Castle was most likely founded in around 880 by Prince Bořivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it's made up of various palaces and religious buildings. Extensive renovations, repairs and reconstructions have been made over the years - old things require work. It’s the Guinness World Record holder for largest ancient castle complex, which is Czech for “good luck finding the exit.”

Major highlights include:

• St Vitus Cathedral, a building that looks like it was designed by someone who said, “Yes, but what if we added another spire" and Gargoyles that look like they’re judging your life choices, 
• The Old Royal Palace, where Czech kings used to live, rule, and presumably argue about who left their crown on the kitchen table again.
• St George's Basilica, Lobkowicz Palace, the observatories and several dungeons and finally, my favourite;
  
• Golden Lane. A picturesque alley, with lots of  small, colourful houses, where castle guards, goldsmiths, and people with very small furniture once lived. Currently, it hosts an exhibition showcasing life in the lane over its 500-year history and is filled with souvenir shops selling:

  • Medieval-looking things

  • Books about alchemy

  • Fridge Magnets - of course.

Prague Castle is the kind of place that looks like it woke up one morning, glanced in the mirror, and said, “Yes… today I will be the most dramatic thing in Central Europe.”

It’s enormous, it’s ancient, and it absolutely knows it. If castles had personalities, Prague Castle would be that friend who insists on taking group photos only from their best angle—except every angle is its best angle.

After exploring the entire complex, OK, that's a lie, but we absolutely deserved a beer. Luckily, this is Prague, where beer is both plentiful and practically a cultural vitamin. However, we found a cute coffee shop and had mulled wine instead. And after that, we managed to find the Nightmare Horror Bar where we drank several beers and cocktails and had lots of fun. Culture followed by drinking - a touristic match made in heaven.