We took a guided tour of the castle and it was a fantastic experience. The castle complex is…read moreenormous--about 753,473 square feet--making it the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The complex stretches down to Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana), where you'll find several beautiful chateaux and palaces. One notable example is Wallenstein Palace, which is home to the Czech Senate and includes 26 houses and six gardens. Inside the castle walls, there's so much to explore: a stunning cathedral, multiple museums, the office of the Czech president, the Bohemian Crown Jewels, and much more. The entire complex is incredibly expansive--it can easily take several hours to see everything. If you're visiting Prague, this is definitely a must-see landmark, and taking a guided tour really helps you appreciate the history and scale of the place.

We saw Pražský hrad through a Get Your Guide tour while we were in Prague for the day and overall,…read moreI'm not sure I would recommend it. Compared to the Madrid Palance, Pražský hrad feels dusty. The Madrid Palace is opulent and had air purifiers in almost every room. Pražský hrad has rooms that are almost unbearable to stand in due to the allergens and construction. The carpet was dingy and it's mostly the gorgeous gothic outside that's the draw. All in all, I don't think you need to have a guide for Pražský hrad and I could see buying entrance tickets and being perfectly content with your choice.

This large cathedral inside Prague castle is celebrated for its Gothic architecture, historical…read moreimportance as a burial site for Bohemian kings, and its role in Czech coronations and housing the Crown Jewels. There's an entry fee to visit. Some free guided tours can get you in to see the organ, but that is under reconstruction at this moment, so it would not be ready until next year.

This is THE church in the castle area that is just simple amazing build. The structure is simple…read moredevine and magnificent and well build. Cozy and warm vibe but yet cold breeze throughout. Each section on the side of the church is offer something difference story telling and the middle is just beautiful glass window with grand ceiling. It is definitely a must visit and take you time to soak all in cause once upon a time, history start taken place here in Europe.

I walked for about 40 minutes from Old Town, crossed St Charles Bridge, and walked all the way to…read moreStrahovsky Monastery so that I can visit the library. When I arrived to the monastery, there's a small entrance in the wall that you have to walk through like a portal that leads into the monastery grounds. I love visiting beautiful libraries, and that was the only draw for me here. At the ticket book, I got a student discount ticket for Strahov Library, only 90 CZK/ $4.30 USD. Got got multiple photos of and in front of the Baroque Library thanks to the help of tourists, and helping other tourists take their pictures for them. You can't enter the libraries, and they're barricaded from people walking in, but you can take photos and videos from the doorway of the the library. There's also interesting artefacts on display that you can take photos of, such as several illustrated manuscripts and books.

The monastery is beautiful and filled with great historical artwork…read more The brewery next door had some decent options but I think it is better for drinks rather than food. I got the schnitzel with potato salad. I found it to be a bit bland and didn't stand out from all the other schnitzel places here. The potato as also pretty standard. The ice cream and beer were great after a hot day of walking. The service was fast and ambiance was pleasant.

Charles Bridge also previously known as a Stone Bridge is almost 700 years old bridge across the…read moreriver Vltava in old town Prague. Used for many centuries as the only bridge in Prague it was also the main road for coronation processions and it decorated with religious statues along the way. Today the bridge is used for pedestrians and is visited mostly by tourists. Even on rainy and snowy day when I visited - it is nothing short of impressive. In particular - the bridge is roughly 35 feet wide - and considering its age it is an amazing fear of engineering.

This is the gorgeous gothic bridge that most tours start from. It's absolutely breathtaking if you…read morewalking across the parallel bridge from it, and even more striking up close. Our guide told us several of the statues (particularly the ones people touch for good luck) were actually tested and carry staph and e-coli, so a definite heads up for those visiting to either not touch, or use hand sanitizer after they do. Every statue has a bit of a story to it and this was probably our favorite part of the tour we were on. I would be extra careful for pickpockets because it's beyond touristy, but all in all, a definite must-do via a tour guide if you have the chance.

Meh. While I appreciate the artistry (everything on display in the rooms upstairs were made by…read morelocal vendors, and the items show off the skill and labor that goes into making a suit of armor, for instance) and the history (the residents turned Golden Lane into a "museum", staging and opening their houses [for a fee] to tourists near and far before the government bought up the land) of this place, it still left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Of course, that may be due to the enormous crowds of people we were dealing with the day we went, as well. But, no. Maybe we'd seen one too many suits of armor in London, or maybe we'd seen one too many pointy weapons in Edinburgh, but by the time we got here, my eyes kind of flitted right over the displays. I stopped long enough to admire the handy work - there were some incredibly detailed pieces, after all - but room after room of armor did not appeal to me. There was one room towards the back of the building that housed pieces of torture equipment, which I found strangely fascinating. And there are dioramas along the lane itself that give a good glimpse into how people lived and worked in the area. Those were probably my favorite part of the lane itself. Otherwise, the hallways are too narrow, the lanes are too congested, and the doorways into the dioramas are too small to allow for proper viewing. Plus, there's only one exit, and if it gets backed up (as it did when we were trying to exit, all because someone thought it'd be a good idea to put one of those "penny press" machines at the bottom of the stairs), you're likely to get stuck forever. Okay, I'm being melodramatic. But it does bottleneck at the one and only exit (stairs down), and that can be quite frustrating when one just wants to leave the grounds.

A lot of people dismiss this as not worth "Czech-ing" out when visiting the Pražský hrad but I…read morecertainly enjoyed it very much. How many times can you say you got to shoot an actual crossbow at a crossbow range in a Medieval castle? I know J-Law made bow & arrows the craze but if you're more like Daryl in the Walking Dead then you'll know how awesome it is to be able to shoot a cross bow with real old-school bolts. You get 3 shots for 50 CZK so super cheap (about $2 U.S.). Afterwards you can ask to take a picture with your crossbow and you even get to keep the target as a souvenir. Aside from that cool experience, the halls are lined with medieval armor and there is even an armory to check out traditional weaponry. The creepiest part is probably the torture room. Once you get outside you'll come across a row of shops and stores where you can pick up additional souvenirs. The neat thing about these shops is how small they are in terms of height. Not only that but the shops are all very brightly colored and this just really stands out especially against the gloomy darkness of the old castle. They certainly look like doll-houses and incidentally their are shops dedicated to selling dolls and marionettes. You'll need a ticket to the castle first but I thought the $10 add-on for Golden Lane was worthwhile.

Dancing House is a must-see when visiting Prague!…read more Also known as "Fred and Ginger," the deconstructivist building's two towers represent the famous dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, with a solid stone tower (Fred) and a fluid glass tower (Ginger). They were designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić and completed in 1996. I stood on the sidewalk and waited for busy traffic to pass so that when I took photos, cars weren't blocking the view of the building. The best spots to take photos are along the river. I also entered the building, and went upstairs to the lobby of the restaurant/bar Glass Bar. I didn't order anything, I just checked it out, and then continued on with exploring and walking around Prague.

-Cute house architecture in Prague -Near the river…read moreWe stopped by to check it out...fun to look at and see.

We actually didn't intend to stop here. We were disappointed that the Prague Castle closed so early…read moreand were following the crowds down the hill towards the old city. We stopped to check out the cafe by the same name (Lobkowicz Palace) that we noticed had a view of the city and were surprised to see the museum. What a treat! The museum is included with the city pass, so we took the opportunity to check out something new. This is a tale of a prince and his offspring who had all their belongings stolen not once but twice, and they were able to regain treasures and property both times. And who knew this family was so responsible for bringing such fabulous music to the Czech Republic. Beethoven visited often and enjoyed his time there, helping to establish a string quartet at the palace. He wrote music at the palace, and several original manuscripts are on display. The families' entire collection is cataloged and partially displayed beautifully in the old family palace. Free with admission is a wonderfully narrated audio guide in your language of choice. The English version done was by the owner, his wife, and his mother. I was in awe of the story, the outcome, and the ongoing preservation story. The palace is well worth the visit!

What a stunning view! Honestly you can't go wrong with any panoramic view of Prague, it's such a…read morepicturesque city! This tower was built in 1891, a 63.5 meter version of the Eiffel Tower, located centrally in Petrin Gardens which is a large park area directly south of the Prague Castle plateau (the closest section of the park being only 5 minutes away by foot). The tower itself is about a 30 minute walk from the castle, with some gentle slopes, not too steep. It's helpful to download G-maps in advance as cell signal can get weak in certain areas. There are also a number of different trails so better to be prepared and save yourself some extra wandering, though with the number of periodic signs and other visitors you shouldn't get too lost. If you're approaching the hill from the east, there's funicular that takes you uphill from the lower section of the city though when I was there this was under repair, (that might've been why the tower wasn't so crowded too?) Timed tickets are available to purchase in advance and this is recommended during peak tourist season. Prices vary depending if you purchase in-person or ascend the tower by stairs or elevator. 220CZK purchased at the tower in person, 290CZK for online ticket. 150CZK for use of the elevator. In mid-autumn on a weekday evening around 5:30pm the crowd was pretty thinned out (maybe bc the funicular was down). I think there were 2-3 parties in line when I purchased my ticket at the counter inside the entrance. Thankfully the staff was friendly and spoke much better English than I had any clue about Czech, the transaction was smooth, and up the stairs I went! The climb up wasn't bad, a mini workout of 299 steps with a good-sized middle platform to rest if you like and admire the views from an outdoor observation deck. The top level is an enclosed area with 360 degree views. Winding around the center of the tower is a double helix staircase; one staircase goes up, the other down. They're strict in enforcement. Also the stairs are partially covered though partially open to the elements so in the case of inclement weather be wary. Once you're on the middle and top decks, the views are stupendous! On a partially sunny late evening you could see for miiiles. Bathrooms are not located in the tower so if you need the closest ones are paid about 25CZK (€1), only exact change accepted.

The views are marginally better than those you get for free from some spots in the surrounding…read morepark. But it's a cool tower, only costs a few dollars to climb, and isn't too hard. You stop first at a large platform less than halfway up -- to pretend you're admiring the views while catching your breath -- then proceed to the smaller top. There is an elevator for additional fee, but the walk is half the fun for those able to do it.

The Kafka Rotating Head is such an impressive piece to see in person. Watching the layers slowly…read moremove and align is fascinating, and it definitely grabs your attention the moment you notice it. It's a great spot for photos and videos, and the constant motion makes it feel dynamic and almost hypnotic. I loved just standing there for a bit and taking it all in. It's one of those landmarks that really stands out and adds something special to exploring the city. Memorable, artistic, and absolutely worth stopping for -- an easy 5 stars from me

The Franz Kafka rotating head statue is one of the coolest statues to check out while in Prague!…read more When I arrived, there was already a crowd forming. As I waited, the crowd grew bigger and louder. It's supposed to move every 15 minutes. When it did, me and a group of tourists behind me were went, "That's it???" It's cool to see just so that you can say you've seen it.