A capital steeped in history, medieval mysteries and baroque architecture, Prague wins the game of the gothic thrones. Crowned as the world’s best preserved Medieval city, Prague feels like an untouched movie set, starring a melodrama romance and a little beheading. A grand Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral is decorated in haunting gargoyle heads; the infamous Charles Bridge plays host to elderly saxophone troupes, and the Astronomical Clock strikes with a whole procession of the Twelve Apostles, a skeleton and a golden rooster crowing.
The John Lennon Wall pays tribute to public graffiti – tagged with life-affirming quotes, images and Beatle lyrics. A more conservative approach, the Klementium Library shields public eyes from regal gold-plated globes and their collection of over six million publications. A palette for terracotta and rustic orange roofs, the city transforms to a Christmas postcard in December. Illuminated with golden lights, snowy tents, and a 23 metre tree, the Old Town Square is drunk on holiday spirit with their infamous Christmas markets. Horses pull carriages on cobblestones streets and tourists keep warm with steaming cups of mulled-wine and spiralled Nutella trdelník’s.
The Czech Republic is a place of great and wide repute with a capital that is full of character and quirks. Traditional, historical and definitely home to ghoulish phantoms, Prague deserves a line on your bucket list.
kateybulner.com 