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October 8, 2013 by Arlene

5 Things to Czech out in Prague

One of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe, the Czech capital is a common destination for travellers to Europe. Wandering through Prague’s pristine old town or across the Charles Bridge and up through the Castle District makes for an experience that will have you feeling as though frozen in time. Here’s a short beginner’s guide to some of the city’s most famed attractions.

The Old Town

With many of the houses, churches and shops in the area dating as far back as the thirteenth century, and shockingly well-maintained considering, it’s easy to spend hours (if not days) wandering around without running out of things to see. The Old Town Square’s lovely Rococo Kinsky Palace, St-Nicholas’ Church, Gothic Tyn Cathedral and famously overrated Astronomical Clock are some of just a few things to see and do.

Charles Bridge

The iconic Charles Bridge linking the Old Town to the Castle District is the city’s most renowned landmark. Though often packed with tourists and vendors selling everything from hand-crafted jewellery to comical caricatures, the beautiful bridge is well worth checking out.

Prague Castle

One of the largest castles in Europe, the Prague Castle sprawls over an area larger than seven football fields! Built, destroyed, rebuilt and renovated multiple times over the course of the last thirteen centuries, it has been the site of multiple pivotal historic events including the defenestrations which lead to the thirty years war. Make sure to check out the castle’s very own brewery located in the Monastery.

St Vitus Cathedral

The most striking feature of the Castle’s landscape is easily the tenth century Gothic Cathedral found in the centre of the district. Construction of St Vitus’ iconic spires and stunning interior began in the mid-fourteenth century and continued for nearly six centuries. Though the first part of the Castle is free to enter, climbing the tower and entering St-Wenceslas’ Chapel (home to the coronation jewels) requires a ticket.

Wenceslas Square

Situated in the heart of the New Town, no more than a five minutes’ walk from just about anywhere in the city centre, Wenceslas Square is steeped in culture and history. The boulevard has played host to a multitude of political parades, anti-communist uprisings and sporting celebrations. Today, the former horse market is home to upscale hotels and apartments, restaurants, clubs and boutiques making it a must-see for any Prague first-timer.

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Photo by Flickr: Benderish

Madeline Sinclair is originally from Toronto and has been living in Berlin for the last two years. When she isn’t busy writing for GoEuro, she loves gallivanting about in Eastern Europe. Prague is one of her favourite destinations.

Filed Under: Czech Republic, Europe Tagged With: Czech Republic, Europe, historic cities, Prague, travel destinations

July 8, 2013 by author

The Castles of South Bohemia

South Bohemia has many great tourist destinations, and some of these are the ancient castles, fortresses and ruins. Everywhere in the region are various castles and towers structures that were built hundreds of years ago and have withstood the time and elements – symbolic of strong determination and will reflective of those who resided inside their walls in years past.

One of the most famous castles in the area is the Rozmberk Castle. It is one of the oldest castles in the area having been built in the 13th century and the abode of one of the most powerful families in Bohemia after the king. Rozmberk Castle is known for its beautiful location on a small hill above the river Vlatva in the panoramic hills of the Bohemian Forest. Aside from that, there are no souvenir stalls and crowds in the area – only green trees, fresh air and the peaceful sound of nature. In its earlier days, the castle was built upon medieval architecture with everything that you can see in a medieval castle like battlements and turrets. However, when the Rozmberk made the castle their seat, renovations were made that gave the castle its renaissance look. Centuries later, the residents decided to add some neo-gothic touch to the castle, and that is what can be seen in this place presently.

Another popular structure is the Orlik Castle. It was constructed in the 1200s on the edge of a cliff over the Vlatva River. The word orlik by the way means “little eagle”, the Orlik Castle seems to be an eagle’s nest on a rocks edge. However, after the construction of the Orlicka Dam, the water rose and the cliff is now underwater, making it look like the castle is built on a river bank. Several prominent families of generals and lords stayed in the castle over the centuries, one may be tempted to think that the renovations made to the place were because of the varying tastes of the owners, and although that may be true, much of the reconstruction were due to the different fires that consumed the structure, one in the 1500s and another in the 1800s. The sights inside the castle are equally amazing as the outside, as you can view the varied collections and displays of paintings, furniture and the other ancient possessions of the previous residents.

Finally, there is the Hluboka Castle, with its clean white walls, arched windows and doorways and towers that make it look like a fortress. The castle has wonderful and well-maintained grounds and lawns, with trees that change its foliage’s color according to the season. The castle is massive, with an inner courtyard that leads to the various parts of the castle’s interiors. Presently, majority of the castle poses a baroque style of architecture, but in its construction in the 1200s it followed a gothic architectural design. Inside the castle are wonderful paintings and portraits of the past owners, some of which are decades and even centuries old. The interior walls made of dark wood have ornate patterns that reflect the fine craftsmanship that went into its construction.

The castles of South Bohemia are truly wonderful to behold, and standing in front of one or inside one gives any visitor that feeling of awe and wonder that only these majestic structures can evoke.

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Photo by orb_cz on Flickr

Filed Under: Czech Republic, Europe, Travel Tagged With: castles, Czech Republic, Europe, South Bohemia, travel destiantions

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About Seek Your Trip

Here at Seek Your Trip, we post twice-weekly articles that will get your travel juices flowing. The idea is to inspire you to get out there and explore far-flung places and unusual cultures.