My view of Prague on my inter-rail adventure

After starting off our inter-rail trip in Berlin, the second city my friend Niamh Finn and I visited was Prague.

Most of our trains were at around 7.30am, as these were consistently the cheapest options… and getting to Prague from Berlin was no different.

It also meant Niamh and I could sleep and do our make-up on the train and got to spend a full day roaming around the Czech city.

Travelling by train from country to country felt so relaxing and was complemented by breathtaking views. Staring out the window, we observed the transition from the urban city of Berlin to the vast countryside.

Little towns and villages centred around a church steeple were dotted throughout the landscape. We also spotted solitary, colourful houses surrounded by nature. Finally, we arrived in Prague.

As soon as we stepped off the train, we were amazed by the beauty of the buildings around us. We were in awe of the architecture.

We followed Google Maps to the Old Town, passing the Opera House and synagogue and wandering into their traditional toy shops.

In the square was the astronomical tower and incredible statues. The different designs and paint colours and use of red brick made the city so beautiful and interesting to look at. We spent so much of our time in Prague simply walking around and taking this all in.

We tried a chimney cake, which is served with ice cream, and sitting outside, we basked in the buzz of the city. It didn’t feel overwhelmingly busy but there was a lovely liveliness there.

Niamh and I then made our way down the grand shop streets and across the magnificent river to our next hostel.

Uniquely, this hostel had the decor of Dracula’s fictional house. A chandelier overhead, deep reds, outdated wallpaper and dark furniture. However, it was a great location, really safe, and the beds were the most comfortable we had whilst inter-railing.

Once we had checked in, we found a Tesco, DM and DeMart beside a tram station just five minutes away. These were really helpful amenities to have close by and, after a short break, we easily made our way back into the Old Town on the trams.

We spent the evening in the city centre and had a brilliant time. The Irish pubs had live music and karaoke.

Nonetheless, my favourite bar was called the Black Angel and was hidden under a hotel with a no phones policy. The cocktail menu was one of the most extensive, unique and creative I’d ever seen. It was a struggle to choose one but soon we were sipping on our cocktails and listening to the pianist who, along with the design and low lighting, created a movie-like atmosphere.

Inside the menu list for the drinks was also the history of the bar, based on the preserved notes and sketches of the early 20th century bartending legend, Alois Krcha. He is credited with concocting many of the well known cocktails we still have today, such as the Bloody Mary, and did so at a time when alcohol was forbidden.

We were also given a notebook filled with tales from people who’d visited the bar from all over the world. Niamh and I were invited to sign it and leave a message, which we wrote as Gaeilge as a note from Ireland.

The next morning, Niamh and I went to the DeMart bakery and picked up breakfast. As well as a fresh pastry and cinnamon bun, we decided to try a Czech dessert we’d seen in most of the cafes in Prague - a kolác. It had a sweet, doughy pastry base, poppyseeds, raisins, and a vanilla strudel, along with a creamy filling and a presumably prune jam. There were too many sweet flavours for my taste, but the pastry was delightful and I’d be interested to try the fruit ones.

We enjoyed this selection as a picnic in the park and strolled to its viewing point, taking in the magnificent view of the red roofs, the flowing river, and winding side streets.

We also visited the palace grounds in Prague, which are free to walk around, and the buildings there were magnificent. The defensive walls, courtyards and tenant areas were all very well preserved but, undoubtedly, the spectacle that took my breath away was St Vitus Cathedral.

It has exquisite stained class windows, and each door frame and spike is meticulously decorated and seems to be guarded by gargoyle-like statues.

The palace is a wonderful place to visit in Prague as you can spend lots of time walking around and taking in the view of the entire city. It may be important to keep in mind though that the only way up to it is the steep cobbled steps which are not accessible to every visitor.

On our last night in Prague, we made our way to the new town for the first and only time because I was surprising my best friend, Niamh, for her birthday.

I got us tickets to see Mamma Mia! at a rooftop sunset cinema that had beanbags, snacks, basketball, giant jenga and Connect Four, fairy lights, popcorn and lots of cosy blankets.

It was a really enjoyable and different way to spend a birthday and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone going to Prague during the summer seasons. This cinema is a lovely and unique way to spend an evening!

Overall, I loved Prague, the atmosphere, the architecture, the parks and the views. It also felt like a safe city and the trams are so easy to navigate.

Niamh and I had great fun there and we found the culture very interesting to learn about and get a sense of.

One thing to note is that the currency and language are different, so make sure to have your phone charged to be able to convert prices into euros, and to translate Czech signs into English if need be.

Following Prague, we were on our way to Vienna which I’ll cover in tomorrow’s article.