We’d heard so much about Prague, that we were afraid it would not live up to its reputation. Founded around the 9th century along the banks of the Vltava river, Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire for a while. The historic centre of the city is a UNESCO world heritage site and did not disappoint us at all.
View from the top of the clock tower
We chose to stay at a hotel near Wenceslas Square, where most of the demonstrations occurred during the Velvet Revolution of 1989 which saw the downfall of the communist government. Getting there from the airport was relatively simple using the metro, which still has a very communist-style look to its stations and trains. The location was great as it was walking distance to most Old Town attractions like the square with the 14th century astronomical clock (the only one in the world still in working order) and St Nicholas church. We went up to the bell tower above the clock and it afforded a good view of the Old Town area.
Mosaic at St Vitus' Basilica
The next day, we signed up for a walking tour and headed off to Prague Castle to begin with. Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world and houses the Basilicas of St Vitus and St George, which are really beautiful structures. We learned that the two spires of the Basilicas are of different widths – to signify Adam and Eve, with Adam being larger to shield Eve from the elements. The President of the Czech Republic has his offices in one of the buildings in the castle. We were a group of about 10 and our guide was a Ph.D. in history and kept us entertained with tales of Czech history but taking care not to overload us with information. Thanks to him, we got to see the changing of the guard at the Presidential palace at very close quarters by cleverly avoiding the traditional crowded spots.
View from Charles Bridge
After lunch at a medieval restaurant, we walked around taking in sights like the Bridge of Locks, Lennon Wall, a church of the Knights of Malta and the Church of Our Lady of Victory which has the famous statue of Infant Jesus. Then we walked over Charles Bridge, names after Charles IV during whose reign the city flourished. We took a ride in a boat on the Vltava which included unlimited beer, soft drinks and even ice cream 
Wenceslas Square
The walking tour then resumed and we took a short walk through the Jewish Quarter, with its ‘Old New Synagogue’, the oldest active one in Europe. Final stop was the Old Town Square, where our guide gave us some insights on the astronomical clock before bidding us adieu.
