Walking Across Charles Bridge Again and Again

While in the UK, during a busy work schedule, we managed to snatch a short three-day trip to Prague. To save time, we arrived at a small airport near London in the middle of the night, ready to catch the earliest flight to Prague the next day. The modest waiting hall, with benches and corridors, was filled with backpackers sitting or lying down. And I, a leisurely soul, stumbled into this herd at an indescribable hour, starting my romantic first stop.

The plane, delayed by half an hour, finally arrived. In the early morning at half past six, with a refreshing breeze, we boarded the domestic flight to the European continent. Having slept at the airport for a night, we climbed onto the plane, tired and thirsty. But as the aircraft ascended, the word 'Prague,' synonymous with romance, slowly transformed from a fantasy in my mind into a tangible, touchable, smellable, and reachable reality, all fatigue vanished. However, I forced myself to take a nap to conserve energy for the next three days, walking across Charles Bridge again and again.

At half past eight, the plane gently landed at Prague Airport. We smoothly entered the capital of Czech Republic, gazing at the city up close, my heart felt as peaceful as coming home. As usual, I didn't plan the itinerary; I just bought the ticket, booked accommodation, packed my bags, and set off. So upon arrival, the first thing I did was pick up some travel brochures at the airport, officially embarking on this adventure. To be honest, up to this point, all that was in my mind about this place was just the words 'Prague's Charles Bridge'... So, let's just walk across this bridge a few times in the coming days!

Whenever I travel independently to a destination, regardless of the length of stay, I always need to sort out some daily necessities. Fortunately, this time we only spent three hours exchanging currency for Czech koruna, took about 45 minutes on a Greyhound bus to the train station, spent some time buying a three-day unlimited public transport pass at the station, then took a bus and metro to finally find our hotel, and even visited McDonald's for a cheeseburger. After checking our luggage, we boarded a bus heading to the city center; it was only noon.

The friendly hat-seller not only reminded us of tips for visiting Prague but also took photos for us, so we took a group photo with him.

Prague, neither too big nor too small, has its attractions quite concentrated. There was a bus stop right outside the hotel heading to the city center. So our travel mode for these few days was to start from the hotel, take different buses across the bridges, aiming to cross the eight bridges over the Vltava River, enjoying the views from different angles, and also catching sight of the famous Charles Bridge in the distance. After getting off, we explored the Lesser Town, Castle District, squares, churches, museums on foot...

The first bus we hopped on happened to go directly to the castle, so it naturally became our first stop. The slope was the必经之路 to enter the castle area, bustling with tourists. In July, the sun in Prague was no joke. Under the scorching sun, with no shade along the way, it was quite exhausting. But precisely because of this, we could fully enjoy the sea of red roofs outside the walls. From every angle, we could overlook this ancient city—the famous red-roofed houses of Prague spread out before us, extending endlessly like a boundless sea of flowers, with green trees as embellishments and tower tops as accents, striving to complete the first impression shaped by others of Prague.

So we walked and took photos, hoping to capture the most beautiful images both with our eyes and with our cameras. Entering the castle area, attractions like St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and Golden Lane were all to our own liking; each could find their favorite spots to appreciate.

Walking forward from St. George's Basilica and turning a corner, we reached the long-famous Golden Lane. Golden Lane is short, fitting its small and cute image, but unfortunately, it has been commercialized. Every small house inside has turned into a shop. Even the famous Kafka House was crowded with tourists. What attracted me instead was an exhibition hall directly opposite the entrance, displaying armor and ancient weapons. The hall showcased various kinds of ancient armor, including bird-shaped armor. On the outer wall of the exhibition hall, there were even small holes for archery, suggesting it might have been part of a defensive fortress in the past.

There were too many tourists today—no, not just today, but it should be said that there are too many tourists here, all flocking to the 'must-see' spots mentioned in travel guides. So after struggling with the crowds at the Old Royal Palace and having intimate contact with others at St. Vitus Cathedral, we shifted our focus. However, aside from some medieval artworks and small museums about astronomy, there wasn't much to explore. Instead, we lingered for a long time at the Toy Museum, playing with unknown toys of various ages. Coming out from Golden Lane, we reached the Toy Museum, said to be the second largest toy museum in the world. Even the display cabinets on the walls upstairs looked adorable!

Exiting the castle area, the castle gate opened to a small square, containing all the elements of a tourist attraction: people lounging, lying, sitting; some feeding pigeons; groups taking photos and chasing each other; and street bands... Especially the band performances, which were not uncommon here.

Coming out of the Castle Square was another small slope. Just like ascending to the castle area, on the other side of the slope, we could see the red roofs again, stretching endlessly before our eyes—like houses from fairy tales. On this side, we could also see St. Nicholas Church, with its light-colored small dome standing among them.

After exploring the castle area, we descended to the Lesser Town, then along Charles Street to Charles Bridge, then to Old Town Square, and further to Wenceslas Square.

Leaving the castle area and heading to Charles Bridge, Nerudova Street is almost the必经之路...

Nerudova Street is not wide; it can barely accommodate two cars side by side. It extends upward not very straight. This simple, charming, and distinctive small street is famous for No. 47, the home of Czech literary giant Jan Neruda. Wandering through the narrow alleys, you can see picturesque town scenery everywhere. Both sides of the street are filled with souvenir shops and restaurants of various flavors, making for a leisurely stroll.

Passing through Charles Bridge, we arrived at Old Town Square, surrounded by Prague-style buildings and statues.

'Old Town Square' can be considered the most essential part of Prague! Because around the square alone, there are several popular attractions: Týn Church, the Astronomical Clock, St. Nicholas Church, etc., all neighbors. If the weather is good and luck is on our side, we might also enjoy pop music performances or exciting art events. The Astronomical Clock draws the most tourists, as on the hour, little wooden figures inside the clock dance lively steps to announce the time...

In this city known as the City of a Hundred Spires, Týn Church still stands out, not submerged at all. The two black spires of Týn Church shine against the blue sky, visible from afar towering on the horizon...

There are many stalls around the square, and around the corner, many shops, but they are not messy; they are well-organized stalls with wooden hut packaging, arranged together not only aesthetically but also giving a cleaner feel, forming another kind of urban landscape.

There is even a small area on the square dedicated to open-air cafes. Facing Týn Church, there is a row of open-air cafes. However, I chose to sit on the low steps next to the Astronomical Clock, feeling the residual warmth of the stone ground, and eating ice cream while gazing at the spires of Týn Church and the sky.

St. Nicholas Church had become a major gathering place at Old Town Square since the 12th century. Its copper-green roof and white facade stand out strikingly in the Old Town. During the tourist season, the church holds concerts daily. Listening to the magnificent Baroque frescoes on the walls and the giant pipe organ accompanied by various orchestral instruments, the music sounds like celestial music, making one forget where they are.

What most evokes girlish sentiments are the carriages in front of St. Nicholas Church. Though no longer young, seeing horses easily stirs nostalgic feelings. The tourist carriages are parked diagonally in front of the white St. Nicholas Church. Under the blue sky, the white walls shimmer dazzlingly.

Walking on the streets of Prague, no matter where you are, you can easily see the castle district's St. Vitus Cathedral towering high to the northwest. It looks so close yet so far; approaching it is not easy! This most famous cathedral in Prague is grand and magnificent. Precisely because of this, it troubles many tourists like me holding point-and-shoot cameras, unsure from which angle to capture its full view.

The Powder Tower was originally a city gate, rebuilt after the 15th century, and used for storing gunpowder in the 17th century, hence its name. Now a small museum, the Powder Tower still allows climbing to overlook the streets of the Old Town.

Adjacent to it is the New Town Hall, which can be considered a classic representative of Prague's Art Nouveau. This official gathering place features walls with mosaic tiles, and the design of beams, columns, corridors, and the restaurant on the first floor all exhibit Art Nouveau style.

With the Powder Tower as the boundary, stepping out of the Powder Tower means leaving the Old Town.

From noon to dusk, we inevitably found ourselves walking towards Charles Bridge again.

The book 'Peerless Prague' once wrote: 'Just stepping onto Charles Bridge makes you feel like a poet!' This might be an exaggeration, but as one of Prague's major tourist attractions, it has its own charm. 'Charles Bridge' is only for pedestrians, so it is always crowded. Especially at dusk, the railings are always lined with people.

Charles Bridge is famous for its array of statues. Additionally, eight other bridges stand over the Vltava River. Most of the road bridges have pedestrian walkways, so crossing another bridge allows a view of the entire front of Charles Bridge. And when you stand on any bridge, you can see one arched base bridge after another along the winding river: Charles Bridge, Legion Bridge, Mánes Bridge... forming a beautiful scene.

Although the sky was getting dark and tourists were thinning, there were always people standing on the bridge, silently gazing at the river, perhaps mourning lost emotions or praying for future determination. And the guardian of this bridge is him.

The next day, the sun showed no intention of resting. We took a tram, crossing the Vltava River to Vyšehrad. On this quiet and rustic hill, we spent some time leisurely wandering. From the edge of the hill at Vyšehrad, we could take in the scenery of both sides of the Vltava River. The distant forest and the sparkling river surface had a unique charm. No matter which corner of Vyšehrad we walked to, we could see two Gothic spires towering into the clouds—that was the Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

The Vyšehrad area is the birthplace of Prague, rich in ancient legends and historical sites, suitable for travelers who love exploration and nostalgia. Additionally, there are jogging trails and park areas, quite suitable for local families with elderly and children. Besides the laughter of toddlers, there were also barks from their family dogs. We spent a warm and pleasant part of our journey here. Near the exit, there was a café. After enjoying carefully prepared salads, hot dogs, and omelets, along with a glass of iced cola, it was a perfect ending.

Whenever I visit a city, I always like to wander around the metro stations, because I think the metro station is a microcosm of the city. In the station shopping areas, you can see the daily habits of ordinary citizens and also get a glimpse of their manners and civilization.

This time, to visit the National Museum, we chose to take the red metro line. Due to limited time, we couldn't fully explore this museum city, which itself is like a museum. Calling Prague a museum city is no exaggeration, as it boasts various museums—from solemn, historical, and cultural ones to Communist, toy, gunpowder, military, and even sex museums, all can be found here.

So we came to the National Museum at the end of Wenceslas Square. This Neo-Renaissance building is one of the landmarks of the New Town. From the National Museum, you can overlook Wenceslas Square from a high vantage point, so all day long, tourists sit or stand on the steps. This was the most crowded place we encountered in Prague, gathering not only tourists with cameras and maps but also groups of young people chasing and laughing... This museum integrates history and culture; you can even see mineral fossils, animal specimens, and dinosaur bones. Those interested will find it eye-opening. I personally was fond of the atmosphere in front of the museum, and the museum's exterior was also impressive, with statues of the gods of natural history and history on both sides of the entrance. The design surrounding the building was quite artistic; even the eco-friendly trash bins were exquisite!

Prague's metro is quiet and clean, giving me a strong sense of security. We entered the metro station near 11 p.m., initially feeling a bit anxious about whether it was safe inside, whether there were drunkards loitering or even sleeping. But as we descended the stairs, we suddenly saw a bright, clean station, with only a few young people waiting for the train. It was obvious we were tourists, but they seemed accustomed to it, not giving us a second glance, nor causing any discomfort or threat from being stared at.

On the third day, since we had to leave in the afternoon, we spent the remaining half day wandering again around Old Town Square, of course, including another slow walk across Charles Bridge. And to see Charles Bridge in Prague, besides walking, you can also take a boat or a carriage.

This time, our focus was on the ancient winding alleys around Old Town Square, lined with shops selling cute puppets, wooden toys, and Bohemian-style clothing. We lingered there, unable to tear ourselves away. We had our last meal of this trip at an open-air restaurant with an Italian flair, leisurely ending this quick trip to Prague.