Prague is not only a famous ‘stag do’ destination but it also has LOTS of culture and history within the city. I haven’t been to Prague but I studied it at college as part of my Travel & Tourism course, maybe some-day I will  be able to write a post of my travels through Prague. *cross fingers*

Prague has been known as ‘the most exciting city in central Europe’ – it has wonderful opera, restaurants and night-life. As visitors have increased to Prague, tourism has become a vital importance to the city.

Some Hollywood movies have been set in Prague, these include Mission Impossible, xXx, Blade II, Alien vs. Predator, Doom, Chronicles of Narnia and VanHelsing. Also, the music videos to “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” by Kanye West and “Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna were both shot in Prague.

Prague (Day 1) (Photo credit: –Tico–)

Attractions

Prague is great to visit all year round – The contrast in the weather has been known to ‘add to its romantic appeal’. Attractions like restaurants, hotels, shops and theatres are well equipped to welcome visitors at any time – they are nicely heated in the winter and usually air-conditioned in the summer.

Natural Attractions

There are many natural attractions to enjoy in Prague, I have listed some below:

• Many Prague attractions border the river so river cruises are popular in Prague and are a relaxing way to see the sights.
• There are a lot of gardens to visit in Prague; popular ones include Wallenstein Palace Gardens, Furstenberg Garden and Botanical Gardens.
• ‘Letna Park’ faces the centre of Prague and is considered to be ‘the best viewpoint in the city’, it is a large urban park – popular for hiking, skateboarding, picnics and other outdoor activities.

Built Attractions

Built attractions include museums, art galleries, historic buildings, entertainment and nightlife. Prague has plenty of entertainment for all kinds of people. The list below shows popular built attractions in Prague:

• Old Town Square: When you step into the ‘Old Town Square’ it is said that you ‘journey back in time’ – There is a lot of dramatic history in this area of Prague, it is also home to the famous astronomical clock.
• Czech Museam of Music: The ‘Czech Museum of Music’ is located in the former Baroque church of St. Mary Magdalene; it was built in the 17^th Century.
• Jindrisska Tower: The ‘Jindrisska Tower’ dates from the late gothic era. It was constructed in 1472-1476 but has had many alterations and rebuilds since then.
• Prague Zoo: This is located very close to the ‘Botanical Gardens’ It was opened in 1931 with the goal to “advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public”. It is home to 4400 animals over 111 acres of land.
• Charles Bridge: The Charles Bridgeis a famous historic bridge that crosses the river in Prague.  It is protected by three bridge towers and is often considered to be one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style buildings in the world. A continuous alley of 30 statues decorates the bridge. At night Charles Bridge is a quiet place, but during the day it changes its face into a very busy venue with painters, owners of kiosks, and vendors alongside numerous tourists crossing the bridge.

English: A view of the bridge tower at the end of the Charles Bridge on the side of Malá Strana in Prague, Czech Republic. Français : La tour gothique et l’entrée du pont Charles dans Malá Strana, un des quartiers historiques de Prague, sur la rive gauche de la Vltava. Nederlands: Zicht op de bruggentoren aan het einde van de Karels Brug aan de kant van Malá Strana in Praag, Tsjechië. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Culture

Culture is looking at another countries lifestyle, different countries have different cultures. A cruise is a great way to see culture, especially if you want to see it in more than one country. Prague is known as a ‘cultural treasure trove’ this is because there is plenty of cultural sites and events to see! Prague is bursting with fascinating museum, galleries, theatres and music venues. The city regularly plays host to lots of important exhibitions, events and festivals.
A lot of Prague’s cultural dominance is due to the early establishment of a university in Prague. In 1348 Prague’s university (The Charles University) became the first university in central Europe and from there it started to attract brilliant minded people to the city! Prague has always been a part of history and influences a lot of culture. Prague has been home to many famous people, including; Mozart who wrote “Don Giovanni” in Prague, a famous Czech composer ‘Antonin Dvorak’ spent most of his life in Prague and ‘Franz Kafka’ is one of the city’s most famous sons.

Events

Prague is a fine city to visit with many events to enjoy, the list below shows some of them:

• Prague Marathon: The ‘Prague Marathon’ is one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
• Czech Beer Festival: This is the largest gastronomic event in the Czech Republic – it has seating for 10,000 visitors on long benches inside marquees. Here visitors can sample 70 different beers from Czech breweries served by waiters dressed in traditional costume.
• Prague Food Festival: This celebrates the culinary skills of the Czech Republic’s top restaurant chefs. Visitors can sample local and international dishes; there are cookery shows, workshops, and wine and beer tasting.
• Prague Spring International Music Festival: This takes place from the 12^th May until the 3^rd June 2012 – It takes place in churches, concert halls and theatres within Prague.

Related articles

• In pictures: Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge (ontheluce.com)
• Prague Pride (advocate.com)
• Prague Holidays (ebookers.com)
• Prague Vacations (orbitz.com)