John and I spent some time Czech-ing out Prague and exploring beautiful Vienna this weekend! We really put ourselves through it deciding on two amazing places in just three and half days. I can honestly say I have no regrets and we did our best seeing as much as possible in the time we had.
We landed in Prague Thursday night and caught an uber to the airbnb to settle in. It was much chillier than I expected, so I’ve made a mental note to pay more attention to weather forecasts in the future. We caught dinner around the corner at a place called Na Brezance. The restaurant was very meat centric serving pheasant, venison, veal and boar. All of which are very different than what we’ve gotten used to in Rome. It was delicious and we were extremely hungry.
After dinner we walked around the block and found a place for drinks and dessert. We ordered a chocolate fondant cake with ice cream and berry sauce. I regret not getting a picture, it was scrumptious. After another round of drinks we headed back to get some sleep for our full day in Prague.
Friday morning we woke up and got some coffee. We saw that this Costa place was very prominent in the area and decided to give it a try. I ordered a mocha and I promise the picture does not do the size justice. It was completely massive!
After leaving the cafe we went to a barber shop that we had found the night before. John was ready for a cut so we made a quick stop.
We decided that the main things we wanted to see were across the river so we started heading over when we stumbled upon this gorgeous park with a church. We had to stop to take a picture before continuing on.
My amazing roommate Marley recommended we go to the Cafe Louvre so we stopped there for breakfast. It was upstairs a couple floors and so precious. It’s a very old and historic cafe that had served important people like Albert Einstein. I ordered the Raspberry Pancakes and John ordered the traditional Czech breakfast. The pancakes were a very different texture; very thick and spongey. It was delicious and we had a nice view of the street!
From there we headed towards the river. Along the way we got caught up at a farmers market and I made a stop at Manufaktura. I saw multiple while walking through the city and if you’re in the area I recommend it for some quality toiletries that smell amazing.
Finally we reached the bridge and we were definitely not prepared for how gorgeous it would be. Along the entirety of it are statues on both sides, and the entrance of the bridge has a tower. It was crowded with vendors and tourists and gave a gorgeous view.
After the bridge we wandered and shopped a bit until we got hungry again. We wanted another authentic meal for lunch so we found a row of restaurants and had our pick. I couldn’t tell you the name of it if I tried because Czech is so hard for me to read and pronounce, I should have taken a picture of it. I ordered a chicken dish and John ordered boar. We had a lovely view of the square from our table.
From there we started towards the John Lennon wall. We stumbled upon this small but ornate church along the way and decided to take a peak. It was beautiful on the inside with an ornate and gold decorated interior.
The Lennon wall was gorgeous. So many layers of messages and beautiful pieces. My favorite was this dotted vision of Lennon. The wall wasn’t as large as I expected from all of the pictures I had seen here. Definitely worth the stop though.
From there we decided to visit the Castle of Prague. Of course we got side tracked yet again when we saw what we thought was a good view of the river. Upon further inspection it was a park with swans all around! It was so fun to hangout with these friendly and sassy birds for a bit.
Our day in Prague was a trek for sure, at the end we were 6 miles from where we started that morning. The Castle of Prague was gorgeous though and worth the walk. Along the way there were some look out points with gorgeous views of the city.
Prague had been a satisfying adventure. The food was delicious, the buildings were ornately decorated and stunning. After lots of walking we stopped at, yes, another cafe. This one prided themselves on their chocolate, so of course I had to try their chocolate wine.
Boy oh boy Saturday was a long one. We hopped on a bus at 6am and headed on down to Vienna, Austria. Five hours later we were dropped off just South of the city center. At this point in the semester, I’ve stopped checking the language and currency until I arrive because I just can’t keep up. I was surprised to find that in Vienna the language used is German! I don’t know why that surprised me but it did. Anyway, we arrived, checked in and decided to just walk towards the city center with no real goal. A couple minutes in and I saw an electric scooter. All weekend long we had been seeing them in Prague and I kept wanting to ride one. You can see where this is going, and honestly I should become a spokesperson for electric scooters cause those babies are SO. SO. FUN!!
We were able to see so much of Vienna in one day, it was relatively cheap (€11 total) and we rode for 5.37 miles combined. It made the adventure much more exhilarating. We were able to find some really amazing sights and get a good feel for Vienna in just a couple hours.
Following the circle of the City center we found Resselpark and had to stop to grab some pictures. The building was just so beautiful and the reflection across the water made it even more glamorous.
We happened upon this square and stopped for a brat. Just about every building in sight was beautiful so we decided it was a good place to ditch the scooters and walk.
We turned a corner and found the Burgarten. It’s a beautiful park that has some gorgeous buildings around it. One of them happens to be the Butterfly House. We had seen reviews for it and decided to give it a try.
There were some huge and gorgeous butterflies inside and it felt like a dream walking amongst them. I wish I could catch a video of them flying but let’s be honest i’m not that skilled to be able to follow them across the ceiling-I did try though. Thankfully, I was able to get pictures of the butterflies when they were perched.
From there we kept on walking and found the Sisi museum. It was stunningly beautiful and located at the convergence of multiple retail streets. We had found the high end fashion district. There were statues and fountains decorated in gold throughout the area. Vienna has got to be one of the most stunning places so far, because every building and every turn really has gorgeous decorations. I don’t think I could ever get used to it.
From there we found some scooters and kept on exploring the city at a faster pace. When we got too cold we headed back to the airbnb to regroup and find a spot for dinner. We ended up going to Figlmüller, an authentic Viennese restaurant that has been around since 1905. I ordered the chicken schnitzel and John their original pork one. It was yummy, but honestly a lot like a big chicken nugget. For the record, that’s not necessarily a complaint.
After finishing our plates we were completely stuffed, and very tired from the day. We headed back so we could wake up early.
On Sunday when we stepped outside we realized very quickly that the day was going to need some rethinking. It was beyond chilly and windy outside. Neither of us had really prepared for that level of cold. To make matters worse, a couple minutes into our first scooter ride it started to rain. We stopped quickly and hopped into a cafe nearby. To our delight it was another Viennese staple that had been around over 100 years as well. Café Prückle had a very old fashioned but fresh environment. The chandeliers were elegant, and the green couches felt very 70s inspired. We got their original espresso and cream drink and waited out the drizzle.
From the warmth we came up with a plan for the day. Vienna is known for their art and their museums so we picked the Leopald Museum to visit. It wasn’t necessarily close by but with scooters the town was ours for the taking.
We spent a couple hours exploring their exhibits. I really enjoyed the work of Gustav Klimt. Art museums are always a good time, and this was the perfect place to escape the chill.
From there we wandered down the street and found some food. It was so cold that time spent outside seemed impossible. Of course it’s only fitting that we decided to visit the Belvedere Gardens that were so close by. I’m very glad we were able to see them. Tip from someone who prefers their phalanges to maintain their feeling: visit in the summer instead.
At this point it was getting drizzly again, and we were chilly enough to call it a day. We headed back to the train station to collect our luggage and find our way to the airport.
This weekend was challenging because it had very little downtime. Two big cities in one weekend was a daunting task but I feel more than satisfied with the time we spent. Both Prague and Vienna were rich in culture and experiences. The gothic style in parts of Prague is breathtaking, and the sheer number of gorgeous buildings in Vienna is astounding. If i had to pick between the two to visit again, I would love to spend more time in Vienna. There are so many museums, gardens, and scooters that I didn’t get to experience.
This weekend was also significant because it marks the halfway mark of our semester in Europe. The more I get to see, the more bittersweet it is to realize that there will be an end to this chapter. At the same time, this semester feels a lifetime long and I can’t wait to be reunited with friends and family for Christmas. Bittersweet, bittersweet.
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