I have always wanted to visit Prague and from the moment I knew that my boyfriend Kevin would be coming along, I knew this trip would exceed all expectations. We had an absolute blast and got to see so many of our friends throughout the weekend. Lucky for us, a few of them were studying in Prague and took us to a few spots we wouldn’t have otherwise seen. I have nothing but amazing things to say about this city and I’m especially grateful for all of the people that made the weekend so memorable.
Now is probably a good time to mention how amazing and supportive Kevin was throughout my time studying abroad. He would set alarms to wake up in the middle of the night just to say good morning to me waking up 6 hours ahead of him, send flowers for no good reason, always make sure I got home safe and would go above and beyond from thousands of miles away. When we said goodbye the day before I left, I thought the next time I would see him would be in late March, the weekend we planned to go to Prague. Little did I know, he had planned a surprise visit for Valentine’s Day, a trip he booked months in advance. I am so happy Kevin got the chance to come along for a weekend of traveling and get a taste of the crazy lifestyle I had been leading.
We left for Prague on a late flight Thursday night and went straight to our Airbnb. Our apartment was very modern and located in a super secured complex right outside of the city’s center. We quickly got ready and met our friends at a small biker bar, Harley’s. As a warm welcome to the city, our friends forced us to try Absinthe, one of Prague’s specialties. This spot was really fun because it was the first time in months we were seeing some close friends. Together we all walked to Epic, a big club that reminded me a lot of the ones in Barcelona.
We woke up in the morning and treated ourselves to brunch at Café Savoy, a place I highly recommend. It is elegant and the food is incredible. One of my favorite bites of my entire abroad experience was the delicious pumpkin soup. Our table was crowded with slow-roasted duck leg, Wiener Schnitzel, french fries and the richest, most delectable hot chocolate I have ever tasted. It is a great place to enjoy a cup of tea and sample some desserts. You can even sneak down to the basement where the chefs are baking fresh pastries right before your eyes.
After brunch, we went exploring around the city. Kevin and I just enjoyed wandering, getting lost in the narrow streets lined with ornate buildings. We took in the views and did some people watching on Charles Bridge. My friends and I walked up to the top of the bridge’s tower, getting some incredible pictures of the rooftops in the city. After walking around for quite some time, we tried the trdelník chimnies, a sort of funnel cake cone filled with soft-serve ice-cream from Good Food. Trust me, they taste as good as they look. We continued to walk around the Jewish Quarter and the Old Town Square, even catching the famous Astronomical Clock move on the hour.
Later in the day, we went to the Letna Beer Gardens, a spot we never would have found if it wasn’t for the guys studying abroad in Prague. It was this cool outdoor space, overlooking the water and the city below. This was a fantastic way to take advantage of the great weather we had.
One piece of advice for traveling to Prague: always make dinner reservations. We were so unaware of this, that we ended up eating an extremely random Mexican restaurant. After dinner, we went to this cool bar that used to be an underground bunker. At first glance, this place looks empty and a little sad, but once you make your way through the maze-like basement you’ll find a few different bars and hidden rooms. From the bar, a huge group of us walked to Lucerna, another club.
On Saturday, we woke up early and had yet another outstanding breakfast. Kevin and I went to Marthy’s Kitchen, a small local place on the outskirts of the city’s center. After starting off the meal with a much-needed mimosa and bread with freshly made jam, I ordered a delicious goat cheese omelet and Kevin settled on Salmon Eggs Benedict. He also insisted we order chocolate banana waffles, which of course I couldn’t resist.
From breakfast, we went to Prague Castle and the St. Vitus Cathedral. These pieces of gothic architecture always leave me in awe. After taking in the incredible views from the castle, we met up with friends at the John Lennon Wall, a crowd favorite. As touristy and cliche as this location is, I enjoyed leaving our mark on the wall and hearing a local guitarist strumming along to classic Beatles hits.
Kevin and I had some time to kill while our friends were taking their own tour of the castle, so we decided to get a caricature done on the St.Charles Bridge. Just watching people pass by our drawing and crack a smile or even laugh out loud, was worth the money.
We also got the chance to see an Andy Warhol Exhibit, an artist I’ve always admired since being introduced to his work in middle school. We were basically the only people there, so it was really cool to take our time and explore. After the exhibit, we split another Prague favorite, sausage stacked high with various toppings. We later met up with friends at a cool outdoor bar where we all caught up over a few beers.
On Saturday night, we all splurged a little bit. We went to a fancy hibachi restaurant, which weirdly reminded me of home. This place was super upscale, with fancy drinks and amazing sushi. This night was filled with a lot of laughs and it was bittersweet to say goodbye to friends that we weren’t going to see until we landed back in the US.
Prague was amazing and I can see why so many people choose to spend a semester studying there. It is definitely a town fit for young people, offering an exciting club scene and fun bars. We also loved how cheap things were in comparison to some other places in Europe. This trip was a little bit sad because it was one of the last cities we would be visiting, but it was great to be surrounded by so many familiar faces. This weekend was surely one for the books.
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