I first visited Prague in 1992 on the tail end of my third and final interrail trip.
It was love at first sight, never before had I ever been so smitten by a place.
The rattling old trams up to the castle, the amazing views across the rooftops down to the serene Vltava River and across to Novo & Stare Mestos, the winding cobbled streets of the Mala Strana and the baroque & gothic architecture of Old Town Square.
Whatever it was, Prague left an endearing mark on me from those first eight hours or so. I had a pain in my heart when having to take the train away from the fairytale town.
I was to return 8 months later for a week long stay during the city’s Spring Festival. The love grew and grew thereafter from annual visits, as of course did the visitor numbers.
In my early visits, supermarket food was rationed, accommodation was only able to be booked through the state-owned agency Čedok and beer & opera were ridiculously cheap.
From 92-2007 I visited a dozen times on my own, with friends, with my parents, with a touring jazz band and from 2000, with my equally enthralled wife.
There was a time when I visited in 1997 with a jazz band from Devon and our bus caught fire on the way home, whilst when I visited with my parents in 1994 our accommodation was half a house, which the owners had split in half using breeze blocks!
2007 was to be a watershed moment. The crowds were hideously big, the British stag & hen nights unbearable, the locals intolerant, the prices had rocketed and prostitution advances had become in-your-face annoying.
Was the love affair over? I thought so for sure and I stayed away for the next twelve years, until such time as going on a couple of business trips in 2019.
I built in some free time to retrace old steps and just like the on-off Richard Burton-Elizabeth Taylor romance, my love was rekindled once more.
All over again I have been beguiled by the beauty of the majestic buildings, the absolute pleasure of aimlessly strolling and the amazing panoramic views on show.
The crowds remain, but maybe I have now got over the fact that ‘my Prague secret’ is out of the bag.
Prague will feature in my second Wilbur’s Travels book that I plan to release in 2020 and whose working title is ‘Travelling by Train Across the Former Iron Curtain.’
I will be chronicling my travels in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, East Germany, Hungary & Kaliningrad.
My first book details my travels throughout the Balkans featuring train travel in Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Slovenia, Greece, Croatia & Turkey.
You can purchase the paperback or e-book from Amazon by clicking BALKANS.
Like Paris, London & Barcelona, everybody knows the score with Prague, so I will just share some of my picture highlights from down the years.
View from Prague Castle, Christmas 2003
Tyn Church & Old Town Square, Prague, Christmas 2003
View from Prague Castle, Christmas 2003
View of Prague Castle, Christmas 2003
Charles Bridge, Prague, Christmas 2003
Prague, October 2019
Astronomical Clock, Prague, October 2019
Prague Riverside, October 2019
Prague Riverside, October 2019
St Wenceslas Statue, Prague, October 2019
Prague Castle at Night, August 2019
Charles Bridge & Prague Castle, October 2007
Staro Mesto, Prague, October 2007
Prague Castle & River Vltava, October 2019
Crossing Charles Bridge, Prague, October 2007
Prague Riverside, May 1993
Prague Castle, August 2019
Charles Bridge, Prague, August 2019
Prague Riverside, October 2019
Tyn Church & Old Town Square, August 2019
Prague Bridges, August 2019
Tyn Church & Old Town Square, August 2019
We visited Prague back in 2004, it was beginning to get a bit of a reputation then, it is a shame as it is a beautiful city.
I know what you mean about letting it out of the bag, there are some places that you visit, that you really want to keep to yourself. #farawayfiles
Yes, unfortunately there are some places that you need to be really careful when you go. It has to be a Tuesday in January for Prague nowadays!
I went to to Prague Last year and I felt it was way too crowded. But I did enjoy the city very much and I would love to back on a non touristy time. I am glad you made it back to Prague.Enjoyed reading the comparison, #farawayfiles
Has to be January!
I’ve yet to know Prague, but will admit the crowds definitely deter me. Happy that you have found an appreciation again for your favorite town. I can definitely see the attraction! I’ll make it there one day! Thanks for linking with #FarawayFiles. Cheers from Copenhagen.
Winter is best!
I’ve visited Prague twice and must admit that I prefer the further afield neighbourhoods, as the masses tend to skip them. Also, cycling in Prague is such fun! Enjoy writing your book, Prague is a great city to write about!
#FarawayFiles
Thanks and I will. I have visited the suburbs too and stayed a way out once. Prague Zoo is a way out of the Centre and was the last zoo I ever visited and that must have been over 20 years ago!
I enjoyed Prague but confess that I prefer Budapest!
Another great city for sure. Budapest was a grower for me as I didn’t enjoy my first visit in 92.
I’ve enjoy reading ! Looking forward to read your future travel book! Sounds very interesting 🙂