The first time that I was in Prague 2 months ago wasn’t a good experience because I have such a hard time hitchhiking and I did not have time to explore the city. This weekend was dedicated to Prague and although the old town, Charles bridge, Prague castle were swarming with tourists, I liked the ambiance of the Christmas markets and how wandering around the local neighbourhoods in search of authentic Czech food revealed the inner gems of Prague.

I stayed in hostel Elf ( Address: Husitská 888/11, 130 00 Praha-Žižkov, Czech Republic ) which was not as happening as I expected it to be. Nevertheless, I’m thankful for my friend Jacobo who brought me out on Friday night to experience the nightlife in Prague. We were approached by several girls on the streets to buy their service, to which we declined politely. There is a 5 storey club in Prague which is the largest in Europe, but the entrance fee is too expensive and you would only be mingling with international tourists. Jacobo brought me to club nebe, a local club frequented with a good ratio of locals and internationals. They played phuture style music which is totally my kind and I loved it! So far all the clubs that I’ve been to (not many, can count with one hand) play ‘underground music’. While I’m slowly appreciating it, I still can’t resist phuture kind of music, with Czech girls dancing so wildly and vigorously.

The next day I joined a free walking tour, exploring the old town, new town and Jewish quarter. The guide is an American who has been living in Prague for two years. He was very informative and the tour gave me insights on Czech history from the roman days to WWII and the communist regime. They only separated from Slovakia in 1993 which is quite recent. From the cobbled streets of Staremesto and the haunting atmosphere of the Jewish cemetery to the smoky cellar bars and graceful concert halls that launched some of Europe’s greatest composers, Prague is a city lost in time that is suitable for all tastes.
 

Stare mestro

Charles bridge

cathedral in Prague castle compound

Staremestro looks prettier at night with Christmas market and Christmas tree lighted up

tv tower

dancing house designed by famous architect Frank Gehry

my kind of place. but absinthe burns your stomach!

I liked the Christmas markets in Prague, selling hot wine and food, but as usual Christmas markets are not places to dine cheaply. Prague is home to Europe’s largest castle and seeing all the tourists in this city home to 1.2 million people, it was hard to imagine that Prague was off limits to visitors as recent as two decades ago. It is surprising that Prague remained practically unharmed during the two world wars, and the Velvet Revolution of 1989 passed without a single shot being fired. Yet another peaceful revolution that I know of besides the carnation revolution in Lisboa.

Few other European  cities can look so good architecturally and no other European capital can present six hundred years of architecture so untouched by war. Prague has a atmosphere and is a good place to enjoy a variety of nightlife. If you want to discover more of Czech, do visit Cesky Krumlov or Pilsen, home to the famous Czech beer.