Rick Steves Tours Prague at Night
 

Did You Know?

The subject of the Christmas carol, "Good King Wenceslas", is Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia from 907-935. From all accounts, King Wenceslaus really WAS a good king. He is the main patron saint of the Czech Republic.
 
 
 
"When I was very young and the urge to be someplace was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch. When years described me as mature, the remedy prescribed was middle age. In middle age I was assured that greater age would calm my fever and now that I am fifty-eight perhaps senility will do the job. Nothing has worked.... In other words, I don't improve, in further words, once a bum always a bum. I fear the disease is incurable."
 
~John Steinbeck~
 
 
 

Desktop Wallpaper

If you'd like to use one of our photos as the desktop wallpaper for your computer, please visit the Wallpaper page. There's some great shots available in several different resolutions. Enjoy!
 


 
 

St Vitus

St Vitus was a Christian martyr who is the patron of Prague. There is a nervous disorder (St Vitus' Dance) which is named after him. Legend has it that the "dance" may refer to the jerky movements made by Vitus when he was thrown in to a cauldron of boiling pitch.

 

Day 2

Monday, September 24: Prague of Kings and Nobles

The day at a glance: We awoke to a gorgeous day today! After breakfast, we hopped aboard the tram and headed up to Castle Hill, where the majestic St. Vitus Cathedral dominates the city skyline. We also visited the Prague Castle, the Basilica of St. George, the whimsical Golden Lane and the Strahov Monastery with its fascinating & beautiful Baroque library. The views from the castle area are truly spectacular and showcase this "golden city of a hundred spires." Many Czech saints and royalty are buried inside St. Vitus Cathedral.


Video Clip (00:31)
Katka talks about the Art Nouveau stained glass window by Alfons Mucha at St. Vitus Cathedral
St Vitus Cathedral St Vitus Cathedral
St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle
St Vitus Cathedral From Gothic to Baroque to Art Nouveau, the Prague Castle complex has it all. On the right is the beautiful Mucha window in the cathedral. Below, a stoic Castle guard stands watch in the courtyard. To the left is a view inside the Cathedral.
Guarding the Castle		 The Mucha Window
Statuesque Heather Heather finds an empty alcove and strikes a statuesque pose. Below you can see a sign leading to the Barbie exhibition (of all things!) located at the castle complex. On the right, Rosa stands beneath the Czech flag with beautiful Prague in the background.
Barbie Exhibit Rosa With Czech Flag
Golden Lane The whimsical Golden Lane at Prague Castle. Kafka lived in the turquoise house at one time. Prague From Castle Hill View of Prague from Castle Hill.
Glorious!		 Path to Lesser Town Path from Castle Hill down to Lesser Town
Lesser Town (The Little Quarter) Lesser Town
(The Little Quarter)		 St John of Nepomuk Statue on the Charles Bridge St John of Nepomuk Statue on the Charles Bridge On the Charles Bridge After touring Castle Hill, we made our way down the hill through charming Lesser Town, then across the Charles Bridge back to the hotel. The statue in the middle picture is the oldest of the 30 statues adorning Charles Bridge and is said to bring good luck and ensure a return trip to Prague for those who touch it! It is polished to a golden shine where people have touched it over the centuries.
Jeweler This man had a stand in the open-air Havelská market in Old Town. He made us 3 sets of jewelry (earrings & necklace) while we watched. Great prices too! Souvenirs Stacking dolls and music boxes are popular souvenir/gift items. Other popular items are Bohemian glass and cashmere pashminas. Souvenirs Kitchen witches at Havelská market. These witches and the "Czech me out" t-shirts were among the cheesier souvenirs available.