As the weather slowly starts to become nicer, more tourists will start visiting Prague so be prepared for that. Especially at Easter. Most people are well aware of the Christmas markets which I’ve already mentioned, but no one saw fit to warn me about the easter markets, which can be just as much of a nuisance. Granted, this is still very fun to visit, and I did manage to buy some beautiful jewellery, however, it will still get in the way for those travelling between Celetna and the faculty of Arts buildings.
Something I found interesting, and very sweet, were the traditions on international women day. It’s not a national holiday but people do have ways of showing appreciation which are fairly wide spread. One way is to buy flowers for women that you are close to, which me and my friends received. Another way is to visit partners at work to show appreciation for their handwork. This is largely due to the origins of the celebrations coming from the communist times of the Czech Republic, so women contributing to the work force was very important. That mentality has drifted in the present age but the acknowledgement is an interesting change from the more minimal response in the UK.
I include April alongside March as the beginning of spring was fairly repetitive for me. In April, I was a little more active – I went to see Romeo and Juliet at the Opera, which was in French but did have subtitles. As far I’m aware, most theatre performances will have subtitles though it is important to check. I went back home for a weekend, which doesn’t really hold much relevance for a year abroad blog, so I’ll use it as an opportunity to talk about Prague airport. Personally, I’ve never encountered an airport that has its security checks right before the gate but I am aware that some airports do do this – Prague being one of them. This is just important to know when you are flying out, as if you head to the gate too late, you may not get through security in time.
Lastly, I visited Budapest with friends for a weekend. If like me, you make friends who are only studying for a term, you may want to use that connection to visit another country. We were hosted by our friends mother so didn’t have to pay for accommodation, but even without that bonus, having locals to help show you around can save you money by avoiding tourist traps and taking you to decently priced restaurants.
- Easter Market
Like I mentioned above, you will get sick of the markets when the tourists start to get in your way, however its nice to take a look around in the earlier days. With both the Christmas and Easter Markets as reference, I’d say my favourite place to go for these is Namesti Miru. Its much smaller than the Old Town Square and A LOT less busy. It close to the Laskava Cafe that recommended in an earlier blog and just has a less rushed feel to it.
- Mind Maze escape rooms
Thanks to a Czech friend who works here, my friends and I were able to go for free so I can’t talk much about pricing but as an avid escape room fan back in London, I give this place a 5/5. The rooms are excellently prepared and highly immersive. The puzzles challenge you but aren’t overly complicated (though they do have challenge ratings if you want to try something harder). They give you a free picture and a magnet too with your team name as souvenirs. They have a few locations in the centre of Prague though their locations are changing so I won’t give a precise location (though they are still in the city centre). I highly recommend doing at least one with friends and seeing if you can escape in time.
- Chocolate cafe
There are a few of these around Prague so feel free to visit any of them, if you like chocolate of course. The one I went to was near Narodni Trida and did have some no chocolate options though in case you wanted to bring a less enthusiastic person. My favourite thing about this place is the customisation as you can pick and choose what chocolates you want and mix and match different toppings. My personal favourite part was being able to try chilli hot chocolate as it was something I had always wanted to try.