I’ll be honest that when I first thought of Prague my mind remembered Facebook posts from friends sampling way too much of the local beers. There is of course much more to do in this fantastic city but I certainly don’t recommend you miss out on a little beer!
Prague has fast become one of the number one destinations for tourist in Central Europe. With the history, architecture, cheap prices, great night life it was always going to happen. When I was there chatting to people I found that most people tended to the exactly the same things, and there’s nothing wrong with that because Prague Caster, the John Lennon Wall and Charles Bridge are all super nice, but there is so much more to do in Prague!
Of course you should tick off those top sites on your first visit there, Charles Bridge is still one of my main highlights! So, after being back more than 10 times I have come up with some great things for you to do, they’ll show you another side of the city and also allow you to get off the beaten path a little.
Mountain Biking
When in Prague you will notice that it is surrounded by sweeping hills, don’t just marvel in their beauty – get up there and explore them. Those hills are home to so many great mountain bike paths, there are also some super paths in the city too. I think this is one of the best ways to get off the beaten path and explore. Our mountain bike tour saw us travel around 35km through forests, empty parks and down some testing terrain. For a few hours that day we hardly saw anyone else apart from the guide and the few other people on the tour. You don’t need to be a pro to have a good time, but if you are then let your guide know and he/she will show you some gnarly trails!
A Local Food Tour
The first thing I should point out is that choosing the right food tour is essential, if you choose the wrong one then you’ll just end up in over crowded tourist spots and not see the local side of the city. We opted to go for a Withlocals Prague food tour, they came highly recommended from a mate and I had been on one already in Hong Kong which was great. The day out was just as good as promised, we saw some super unique little cafes and restaurants. Our guide was really in tune with what a group really wants – to see the local side of the city, places we wouldn’t ever know about. The food (and beer) was amazing! If you’re in Prague then you can’t leave without trying the chimney cakes, known as Trdelnik. The cakes are basically a yeast dough that is rolled around a wooden stick, they are then roasted until they are beautifully crispy and really gooey inside. Once roasted butter is added and they are rolled in a mixture of sugar and nuts, if you want to try a fancy version you can add something like Nutella – personally I like them without any extras, they’re not good for the waistline but they’re too good not to eat loads of!
Sedlec Ossuary – The Bone Church
The name says it all, a church that is home to many human bones. It is not exactly in Prague city, you will have to take a short train ride to the beautiful village of Kutna Hora – it’s such a great place to get off the tourist trail and escape from the city. The church, Sedlec Ossuary, has actually been listed as a World Heritage site. The bones come from the tens of thousands of people that perished during the Black Plague. It’s one of the most unique places I have been in Europe and well worth a visit. I don’t want to say too much about it because I feel it is a place you should discover yourself – do not miss this one guys!
Have you done any of these activities or are there any you would recommend? Also, which was your favorite local beer? I know my list is great but I’m always keen to learn more about this city! Let me know guys!
