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13 décembre 2017
We are nearly mid-December, and I just have the feeling that I came back from this weekend in Prague, which was at the end of September. All the effervescence in between, as well as my travels here and there, totally caught me over the last few weeks. And here I am again, rather happy to finally enjoy a few calm days to sit down again. My come-back to Berlin daily life wasn’t the most peaceful one as I had to deal once again with blog sh*ts over the last 2 weeks, which didn’t really help me to stick to my posting schedule.
Winter temperatures that took over Berlin push me even more to share my pictures in the travel & food guide to Prague, which could barely let perceive that Fall was already there. Excepting its central and quite touristic areas, especially around Old Town Square and the castle, Prague is an enjoyable city, which is also ideal to quickly break the usual routine for two or three days. As I ended up there a bit t the last minute and for only 2 days, I unfortunately didn’t have time to do all the main things, but at least I got quite a wide overview of a few places that are really worth to stop by, as well visually as gustatory speaking.
Coffee shops
EMA Coffee Shop: one of the must-go coffee shops in Prague, who also has a great selection of homemade desserts. Must try: the buchty buns, stuffed with some fresh cheese curd and jam. To die for !
Cafe Jen: slightly away from the center, on Kodaňská street in Prague 10 area, the place is tiny but welcoming and having great coffee, friendly staff and excellent banana bread – even greater when eaten during hangover.
Tricafe: located right in the city center and only two foot steps from Old Town Square, this place stands away from all the crowd of tourists. It’s the perfect place to drink good coffee in a peaceful and heartwarming environment, far from the bustle.
Food
Bakeshop: huge bakery in the city center, with a large selection of homemade pastries and baked goods. Sour cherry galettes are sooo good, however I didn’t like so much the salted caramel brownies, which were quite dry and hard to chew.
Eska: my personal food crush of the weekend. It’s warmly recommended to book a table before to go there as the place is victim of its success. The staff is very friendly, everything is homemade and aiming to refresh or highlight old cooking methods like fermenting, smoking, woodfire roasting… everything made with seasonal and quality ingredients. The savory porridge with trout is amazing, as well as the sourdough or the granola. You can also find a corner selling some of the local products that are served / used in the restaurant.
Pho Vietnam Tuan & Lan: the restaurant is located downstairs and doesn’t catch the attention from outside, but the bun bo served there is great and affordable.
Sisters: the specialty of the place is to make Chlebíčky, aka. open faced sandwiches, which is also known to be a local dish. I tried 3 versions: beetroot hummus & goat cheese (I’m usually not a beetroot addict but this one is amazing!) , smoked salmon & horseradish, and roastbeef with remoulade celeriac.
Sightseeing
Strahov Monastery: this is a great occasion to make a nice stroll to the top of the hill. You can also take the funicular railway to go up there if you want. If you’re ready to queue for a bit, you can also go to the top of the Petřín tower and enjoy one of the best views over the city. Then go down towards Mala Straná area.
Tančící dům (The Dancing House): located on the edge of the Vltava river, the shape of this tower is quite surprising, which is also the reason behind its name.
Mala Straná: this area is quite touristic but the paved streets are super charming with lots of little shops, restaurants and colorful old buildings.
Letna Park: another nice spot where you can enjoy a great view over the city, and get away from the crowd of the city center. When it’s sunny, you can also enjoy open-air music while drinking a local beer.
Old Town Square: one of the most touristic areas of the city, but also one of the most impressive, mostly through the astronomical clock, a few big art galleries, St Nicholas church, or Jan Hus memorial, which is right in the center of the square. .
Shopping
Botanicus: probably the hell for every natural cosmetic, essential oil and plant-based remedy lovers. I came back with a few products, struggling to not come back with the whole shop. You can find a few Botanicus shops all over the city.
Botas 66: the Czech brand is well-known for its colorful and handcrafted sneakers for decades. Shoe addicts might find a pair that fits their expectations for sure.
Shakespeare and Sons: an old independent bookstore in Mala Straná, full of charm, selling mostly english books. One whole section is dedicated to French litterature in the basement of the shop.
