I still remember the first full morning I woke up in Prague.
Sunlight slipped quietly into the room, soft and golden, brushing against my face as if the city itself was whispering “good morning.” My body was still tired from the chaos of traveling; the jet lag hadn’t fully left me, but there was something different in my chest that day. A lightness. A softness. A quiet excitement that only comes when you wake up in a place you’ve dreamed of for years.
We got dressed and walked down to a little coffee shop right next to the apartment, the kind of café that feels warm the moment you step inside. That’s where I had the best Eggs Benedict I have ever tasted; creamy, delicate, and somehow symbolic, like a tiny celebration of the fact that I was finally here.
There was something magical about that breakfast…
The clinking cups, the smell of fresh pastries, the Czech conversations flowing around us, the sunlight hitting the wooden tables. It felt like the trip was truly beginning now, not in the airports, not in the rush of arrival, but in this quiet morning, over a plate of Eggs Benedict in the heart of Prague.
My client joined us briefly, wished us a beautiful day, and left for work.
And suddenly, it was just the two of us… and an entire city waiting outside.
We made our way toward Old Town Square, wandering through narrow streets, cobblestones glowing under the morning sun, vintage trams humming softly in the background. Everywhere I looked: flower shops, tiny cafés, little dogs trotting beside their owners; Prague felt like a city built for slow, beautiful mornings.
Then the square opened up in front of us, and for a moment, I just stood there in awe.
The Gothic towers of the Church of Our Lady before Týn pierced the sky.
The pastel facades wrapped around the square like a painting.
Street musicians played soft melodies.
The city felt alive, but in a gentle, welcoming way.
✦ Travel Note
Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
📍 Prague 1
How to get there:
– Metro Line A to Staroměstská, then a 5-minute walk
– Any tram to Staroměstské náměstí stop
We stayed for the noon show of the Astronomical Clock, one of the oldest working clocks in the world. When the hour struck, everyone lifted their cameras, and the tiny wooden Apostles appeared behind the windows.
The performance lasted less than a minute, but it felt meaningful, like the past was whispering to us through gears and centuries-old craftsmanship.
And I remember thinking:
“Even time feels different in Prague.”
From Old Town, we wandered to Charles Bridge, and seeing it for the first time in daylight was like stepping into a dream.
The statues.
The artists drawing portraits.
The musicians playing violins.
The river shimmering beneath us.
The castle rising proudly on the hillside.
Charles Bridge isn’t just a landmark; it’s a feeling.
We crossed slowly, letting every detail sink into us. I leaned on the stone railing, looked at the Vltava River, and felt both tiny and infinite at the same time.
✦ Travel Note
Charles Bridge (Karlův most)
📍 Connects Old Town to Lesser Town
How to get there:
– Tram 22 to Malostranské náměstí, then walk 5 minutes
– Or simply follow Karlova Street from Old Town Square.
We made our way to the rotating Franz Kafka head, a massive sculpture of moving metallic layers that align to reveal Kafka’s face. Standing there watching it turn was hypnotic, like watching thoughts rearrange themselves.
Right across from it was Starbucks, and this is where I tried Starbucks for the first time in my life. I sipped my drink, stared at Kafka’s mechanical face, and felt the strange intimacy of learning about a writer in the city where he lived, loved, and struggled.
I bought Kafka’s book “The Trial”, which ended up shaking something inside me long after the trip.
✦ Travel Note
Kafka Rotating Head (K oněvova 19)
📍 Next to Quadrio Shopping Center
How to get there:
– Metro B Line to Národní třída
– Tram 9, 22 to Lazarská
Of everything I saw in Prague, the National Museum stayed with me the longest.
The architecture alone felt like stepping inside a palace; marble floors, high ceilings, grand staircases. I wandered through rooms for hours, absorbing stories, events, artifacts, timelines… and I didn’t want to leave.
This was the first city where history didn’t feel distant.
It felt alive.
It felt human.
It felt like something I was meant to understand.
It changed how I see travel.
It even changed how I see myself.
✦ Travel Note
National Museum (Národní muzeum)
📍 Wenceslas Square
How to get there:
– Metro A/C Line to Muzeum (it’s right outside the station)
Later that afternoon, we visited Terasa U Prince, the rooftop bar overlooking Old Town Square. We had drinks in the warm daylight, and from up high, the city looked even more magical; towers, rooftops, the square full of life.
A kind family we met offered to take a photo of me.
It was one of those tender travel moments I’ll never forget.
✦ Travel Note
Terasa U Prince
📍 Atop Hotel U Prince, Old Town Square
How to get there:
– Already in Old Town; 3-minute walk from the Astronomical Clock
As we continued exploring, Prague kept revealing its tender little details.
The red vintage trams gliding past.
The tiny bookstores.
Cafés overflowing with pastries.
Dogs sitting beside their owners at outdoor tables.
Shops with wooden signs and hand-painted windows.
Every corner felt like it held a quiet piece of magic.
Prague isn’t loud in its beauty; it’s gentle, elegant, poetic.
Later in the evening, we walked down to the riverbank just beneath Charles Bridge, where swans gather peacefully along the shore. The sun was low by then, painting the river gold.
We fed the swans as the lights of the city started to glow.
It was quiet.
Still.
Soft.
Letting the water settle my thoughts felt healing, like the city was giving me space to breathe for the first time since arriving in Europe.
✦ Travel Note
Swan Area (near Čertovka / Na Kampě)
📍 Under Charles Bridge, Lesser Town side
How to get there:
– Walk down the bridge stairs toward Kampa Park
– Or arrive via tram 22 to Malostranská
Another day, we found ourselves in Riegrovy Sady, a park where locals gather for sunset. There were tents selling food and drinks, people chatting on the grass, music floating through the air… and then the sky turned gold.
We watched the sun melt into the rooftops of Prague.
The whole city glowed.
It felt infinite.
✦ Travel Note
Riegrovy Sady Park
📍 Prague 2
How to get there:
– Tram 11 or 13 to Vinohrady
– Metro A Line to Jiřího z Poděbrad (10-min walk)
