🇨🇿 Prague, the soul of Bohemia

There are cities that stand out for their unique charm.

Prague is one of them: A city of unique charm where you can slide between places that seem to observe you while you walk. Her ineffable beauty does not seek to be discovered, but understood. It is an eternal beauty, one of those that survive time and memory.

The Vltava flows with the cadence of an old thought, the red trams advance like memories, and the Gothic facades seem to speak in forgotten languages. The air is cold here, but bright; the fog, more than hiding, seems to protect the city from the modern rush.

Walking through Prague in winter is entering a stone rebulb, wrapped in the melancholic symphony of cellos. Everything breathes a serene calm, as if each step found its own destiny. Then you understand that Prague is not only a place to photograph, but a destination where the echo of Central European culture and tradition resonates in every corner, to be remembered later with a slight smile and a pinch of nostalgia.

✈️ How to get to Prague

I fly to Prague from Barcelona, but Václav Havel airport is one of the most important in Central Europe, with direct connections from many cities. Getting there is easy and comfortable, whether you are travelling from Spain or from anywhere else. In my case, the journey with Vueling is direct and fast, and in just over two hours I pass from the Mediterranean to the heart of Bohemia, ready to start a new adventure.

☕ My first coffee in Prague

My first stop in any city always has the aroma of freshly ground coffee. Nothing marks the beginning of a trip better than that morning break, when the world seems still half asleep.

I always choose a place with history - this time, the Café Louvre, open since 1902, where Kafka and Einstein shared wooden tables and fruitful silences. The art nouveau lamps bathe the room in a golden light, while the waiters, with impeccable aprons, slide between marble tables and elegant columns. Everything here moves with an ancient, almost melancholic cadence. The coffee arrives intense, crowned by a foam that looks like a small cloud, and its warm aroma envelops the moment. I think that, in places like this, beauty is served in a small, steaming, serene cup and... Of course exquisite!

When I leave, the streets are already starting to wake up. The red tram 22 crosses the Vltava River and, for a moment, everything seems perfect: the metallic sound on the tracks, the reflection of the winter sun on the roofs, and the sweet aroma of the first Trdelník, which begin to turn over the fire and spreads wherever you go.

🏰The neighbourhoods and cultural soul of Prague

Prague is discovered walking, step by step, without rigid itineraries. The city opens like an old book: every page, a neighbourhood; every corner, a story. It is deciphered in motion. Each neighbourhood seems like a different emotion, and together they form a symphony that only makes sense when you live it without a map. And if you want to explore even more, trams allow you to walk around the city comfortably.

I start my tour in Staré Město, the Old City. Prague beats here, in this square that has seen centuries go by without losing its mysticism. The air vibrates with an energy that is inexplicable: it is the Gothic heart.

The Astronomical Clock, eternal jewel of time, continues to mark the hours with that mediaeval choreography since 1410, and always gathers a small choir of curious people admiring its mechanical dance that, not surprising for being complex, but for perennial: it is time turned into a rite. As street musicians tune their violins under the morning fog, one feels that each note is a fragment of Prague's soul.

I look up at the Gothic towers of the Church of Our Lady of Týn, asymmetrical and majestic, a symbol of balance and contrast. When the winter sun touches its pinnacles, the stone is tinged with a shower and everything looks like a living painting. Right in front, on the roof of the U Prince Hotel, is one of the most magical viewpoints in the city: the U Prince Bar. It is a privileged place, with the clock marking the hours under your feet and the towers cut out against the rising sky, it is an almost liturgical ritual. For me, visiting it at any time is an essential basic.

The Vltava wakes up in the distance, the city lights up little by little and I keep walking, while violinists fine-tune their notes, the merchants open their stalls and the sky, between pink and blue, is reflected in the cobblestones full of history.

I stop at the Prague Municipal Library, where the installation "Idiom" by artist Matej Krén creates an endless tower of books. Looking inside produces vertigo and fascination at the same time: the loins of thousands of volumes are reflected to infinity, reminding you that the culture in Prague never ends. It is a place that one visits with the mind, not only with the eyes.

Just a 5-minute walk away I find the Gunpowder Tower, one of the thirteen original doors of the mediaeval city. From its terrace, the panoramic view is breathtaking: the roofs, the towers, the irregular layout of a city that has been able to maintain its soul without freezing in the past. Around him, the bustle of shops and cafes returns to the present.

Prague has a deep, almost spiritual musical identity. It is enough to walk through the Rudolfinum, headquarters of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, to feel the history of a nation that made art its refuge. The notes of Dvořák or Smetana seem to float over the Vltava like an echo, remembering that in Bohemia beauty always had the form of melody.

From the square, I advance through the alleys that lead to the Saint Charles Bridge, the symbolic heart of Prague. Crossing its thirty baroque statues wrapped in fog is like walking through a dream. On one side, the island of Kampa peeks out with its colourful houses and silent park; on the other, the city seems to be reflected in itself.

Crossing the Saint Charles Bridge is travelling through two different cities in a single day. In the morning light, it seems straight out of an Andersen tale: the murmur of the water with its beautiful swans, the fluttering seagulls, the artists who begin to assemble their easels, the metallic sound of a coin falling into a violin box. Everything has a fabulous air, bright, almost childish... But at nightfall, the same bridge is transformed. The fog slowly rises from the river, the streetlights are lit, and the statues take on a different life: they seem to watch, lurching in the shadows. During the day, Prague belongs to the dreamers; at night, to the melancholic. The Saint Charles Bridge then becomes a setting of Tim Burton, mysterious and sublime, where beauty ceases to be kind to become arcane, electric and irresistibly Gothic. That said, it's essential to take a picture on this bridge at dawn and also at night... I promise you that they will be your favourite images!

It is in that contrast - between the tale and the gloom - where the true essence of the city is revealed: its ability to show itself in many ways at the same time.

Very close to the bridge is one of the most unique places: the John Lennon Wall. It was born in the 1980s, when Czech youth painted phrases of peace and freedom in the middle of the communist era. Every day it changes - new messages, new layers - and that makes it a living symbol. It's not just street art: it's collective memory. Stopping there for a minute and listening to the music of a local guitarist is almost an act of gratitude.

A few metres away, a street has become an international curiosity: the narrowest street in Prague, known as Vinarna Certovka. It is barely 50 centimetres wide and a traffic light to control the pedestrian crossing at each end. It does not lead to any monument, only to a small terrace by the river, but that is precisely what makes it magical: a reminder that in Prague even the small has its charm.

Crossing the bridge to Malá Strana is like entering another Prague. More intimate, more elegant, more aristocratic.

The baroque facades look peeled with elegance, the balconies covered with ivy and the cobbled streets speak of centuries of patience.

In the centre rises the Church of Saint Nicolas, a masterpiece of European Baroque. Its green dome, its marbles and the golden light that filters from above make the interior dazzle. When the organ sounds, the air vibrates solemnly. Its frescos, washed by the midday sun, are a reminder that faith and art in Bohemia always walked together.

Above, Prague Castle dominates the city with its unshakeable serenity. Inside, the Cathedral of San Vito rises like a petrified prayer: stained glass windows that light up the air, columns that get lost in the sky. Every ray of light that enters looks like a light blessing, an instant suspended between the earthly and the eternal. From the viewpoints, the Vltava winds, the towers multiply and the city is revealed in its purest geometry: perfect in its disorder.

But the real Prague, the one that is lived without guides, is in its alleys, in its old cafes and in that intellectual air that never disappears.

In the Jewish Quarter (Josefov), the synagogues and the old cemetery dialogue with silence. The crooked tombstones and the moss that covers them seem to write a story that never ends. And when you leave, you find yourself talking lower, as if the city asked for respect.

The tour continues towards Nové Město, the New City, where modernist art flourishes among bookstores, Secession-style facades and cafes where time has simply not passed. There, the Dancing House seems to really move - an architectural wink that reminds us that Prague also knows how to laugh at its own solemnity.

And in the middle of everything, the Clementinum, with its baroque library, its globes and its smell of old wood, leaves you speechless. There are places where silence does not weigh, it rises; this is one of them.

Prague is a palimpsest: about each era another is written, and even so, nothing disappears.

Everything coexists, like the notes of a violin in the cold air, like the reflection of the Moltava.

At the end of the evening, the National Theatre shines. Its golden colours reflect the fire of the sunset, and inside, the crystal lamps illuminate one of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe. Here music is not a show: it's identity. And the best thing, perhaps, is to know that you can attend a function for less than ten euros, remembering that art, in Prague, is still a common good. Seeing a performance at the National Theatre is one of those privileges that seem to belong to another era: crystal lamps, red velvets, golden columns and an acoustics that envelops you completely. But there is something even more exciting: attending an opera at the Estates Theatre, that stage where Mozart premiered Don Giovanni in 1787. Sitting there, among the turquoise mouldings and the old frescoes, while the overture sounds, produces an emotion that borders on the unspeakable. It's as if the whole city leaned a little, reverent, before the eternity of music.

And outside the big theatres, the music continues. In baroque churches, in small auditoriums, in the streets where the echo of a cello mixes with that of the steps on the wet stone. The musical culture of Prague does not belong only to the stages, but to the air itself: every corner has its melody, each dawn its prelude. Winter, here, is not quiet. It is a slow allegro, a composition made of low lights, distant sounds and a calm that embraces.

I finish the day in Náplavka, the river promenade where modernity and tradition go hand in hand. Old docks converted into cafes, floating terraces, jazz music, mulled wine and leisurely conversation. The river, once again, as a witness to everything. There is something in that combination of reflected lights and cold air that leaves you suspended between nostalgia and happiness. Prague, at dusk, does not say goodbye. Just lower your voice. And you, inevitably, stay listening.

🍷 Prague flavours and small indulgences

Here everything seems to find you just when you need it: a flavour, a hot soup, a sweet that reconciles the soul with winter. In this city, eating well is almost a natural law.

Unlike other tourist destinations, Prague retains a genuine respect for tradition. Restaurants do not exhibit luxury: they embody it in the honesty of each dish. The aroma of freshly baked bread, the sound of wine when served, the warmth of potato soup on crockery... everything has an ineffable simplicity.

And then there's the candy that seems invented to reconcile any grey day: the Trdelník. Its scent floods the streets like a promise. Cinnamon, sugar, butter, vanilla... each turn on the fire browns it a little more until it becomes irresistible. They serve them filled with ice cream or cream, but I prefer them with chocolate, cream and strawberries, with the perfect crunch and that flavour that reminds of childhood. The best, without a doubt, in the Good Food Coffee & Bakery, next to the Charles Bridge: where every bite invites you to smile.

Prague is also a city for dining looking at the water. You will find various companies that make a night cruise on the Vltava, with the golden reflection of the bridges and the music floating between the canals, it is an experience difficult to describe.

🍽️Where to eat in Prague

Prague also stands out for its gastronomy. Among historic taverns and signature restaurants, the city offers an exquisite palette for the gourmet traveller.

🍷 Mlýnec Restaurant – Next to Saint Charles Bridge. Czech haute cuisine with contemporary inspiration. Its terrace has one of the most beautiful views of the Vltava: the water running under the arches and the golden reflection of the bridge at sunset. Its cuisine combines Czech tradition with contemporary refinement - the svíčková with cream and blueberries or the duck confit with caramelised cabbage are unsurpassed. And when night falls, the sound of the river accompanies the tinkling of the glasses like a discreet melody. A serene luxury, one of those that do not seek to impress, just stay in the memory.

🥂 Terasa U Zlaté Studně – Prague Castle. With three Michelin suns and one of the most impressive views in the country, this restaurant is pure poetry. Chef Pavel Sapík's cuisine combines French technique with local ingredients. You can enjoy an extraordinary tasting or carte menu.

🍴 Field Restaurant – Staré Město A Michelin star. Creative dishes with minimalist aesthetics and deep flavours. Ideal for an intimate dinner where each dish is a work of contemporary art.

☕ Café Savoy – Malá Strana A Prague classic that mixes Viennese elegance with the Czech soul. Its breakfast is almost legendary: perfect croissants, homemade butter and coffee with the aroma of tradition.

🍰 Café Louvre- Nové Město A classic from Prague since 1902, famous for its elegant atmosphere and literary history. With bright lounges, marble tables and a menu of cakes and Czech dishes, it is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee, read or simply soak up the bohemian spirit of the city.

🏨 Where to stay in Prague

Prague offers hotels capable of turning a stay into an experience. If I learned anything in my travels, it is that here luxury is not measured by ostentation, but by atmosphere - those places where every detail breathes history and elegance.

✨ Hotel U Prince – Staré Město Located in front of the Astronomical Clock, it is probably the most iconic in the city. Its rooftop - the famous Terraza U Prince Bar - offers the best views of the old town. Ideal for those who love the mixture of history, romanticism and impeccable service.

✨ Aria Hotel Prague – Malá Strana A refuge for music lovers and art lovers. Each room is inspired by a different composer, and the private baroque garden - with direct access to the Vrtba Garden - is a hidden jewel. The serene elegance of its decoration makes it one of the favourites of the international press.

✨ Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel – Malá Strana Old monastery converted into a luxury hotel. Its restored cloisters, the library with stone vasts and its spa inspired by recipes from the Augustinian monks make it unique. An ideal place for those looking for silence and sophistication.

✨ The Emblem Hotel – Old Town. Contemporary style, rooftop with views and one of the best private spas in the city. Perfect for modern travellers looking for comfort and design without giving up the perfect location.

🌙 Summarising

Prague is an invitation to get lost and found among history, art and small pleasures. A weekend here is enough to understand that beauty does not always scream: it hides in a melody, in the amber reflection of a bridge or in the first sip of coffee at dawn.

If you are looking for a place where every moment becomes a memory, where nostalgia and joy go hand in hand, give yourself a few days in Prague.

Let yourself go without haste, listen to their music, savour their winter and let the city, with its serene elegance, teach you the art of travelling slowly.

-Viajes De Ella

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