For no rhyme or reason I decided to endeavor upon the unknown and for the first time ever my lack of planning, naivety, and thrill of going against the grain, and my parents’ wishes for that matter, truly paid off in the long-run. That special day two years ago I was watching Gossip Girl on a late night Netflix binge, and there it was staring me in the face, my abroad destination – Prague, Czech Republic – the glamorous vacation spot of Chuck Bass in that particular episode (I will leave out the fact that Chuck also got shot in the city, but that’s just a minor detail).
But, why Prague? At the time of my choosing I couldn’t locate the city on a map nor could I tell you the country the city was native to, but my gut feeling told me Prague sounded “cultured” (whatever that means) and it was unlike Florence, Madrid, London, Paris, and other cliché abroad destination. It is for all of your benefit now that I have taken it upon myself to advertise this undervalued jewel of a city nestled in Central Europe so you too can experience a momentous cultural change in the land of goulash, hockey, architectural marvels, and original Pilsner beer, where the locals are as fun and interesting as their charming city. It is hard to out-rival a country easy on the eyes and budget with fun social attractions, which also importantly sparks the interest of the intellectual curious with a multifaceted thousand year history. Besides the obvious, here are seven reasons to ship off to Prague for a semester, as only can be told by an ex-resident.
1) Easy on Your Pocket
Studying abroad is about budgeting your time, energy, and money effectively. Fortunately, budgeting efficiently was an easy task for me because my everyday lifestyle was truly a bargain. In Prague I was never breaking the bank to travel to foreign places on a poor woman’s budget so I could actually live – take in all the sites and cuisine-- without feeling half bad about it. US News Report & Travel has named Prague #2 on its list of “12 Most Affordable Destinations in Europe.” Luckily, Prague is not on the euro, but rather the Koruna (1 Koruna= 0.041 USD). I often laughed at friends living in expensive destinations using the pound or euro, living off of baguette and lunch meat for days when I was able to feast on a three course meal for $17, buy a 5-star hotel room for $90 or a high-end winter coat for $40.
2) The Beer and Party Culture
If there is one Czech word to know and memorize by heart it is “pivo,” or beer, and for good reason because Czech beer is the best beer. The Czechs take this acclaim very seriously and they proudly boast they drink the most beer per head in the world! Not only is the quality of their original Pilsner divine, and a staple of the country, but what is better is that it is served OFTEN, and by often I mean during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Did I mention beer is cheaper than water at around $1 to $2? The Czechs also house some of the most spectacular clubs and old-school pubs that locals and tourists alike enjoy Monday through Sunday. At the top of the list is Lucerna, a massive music bar, and Karlovy lázně, a five story club with a different theme on every floor, ranging from hip hop to disco and open until 5 a.m.
3) Every Day is a Fairy Tale
Even during a bad day in which you may not have scored as high as you wanted to on that history test, you will still have peace of mind knowing you are in one of the most aesthetically pleasing cities in the world. Its unrivaled medieval charm appears like the backdrop setting of a fairy tale in a fictional far-away city too beautiful to be real. The details adding to the fairy tale attractiveness are endless cobblestone streets, burnt orange rooftops, gothic cathedrals, rich gold trim, and horse-drawn carriages. There is even a real life princess castle majestically located atop the city, the main focal point of the city. The Prague Castle is the only surviving prehistoric castle left on Earth.
4) The Street Food
The Czech’s traditional communist-era cuisine shows a great deficiency in creativity—consisting mostly of heavy, well done meets, dumplings, and brown gravy-- but, what they lack in main courses they make up for with their inventive street foods. Vendors in and around the city sell varying renditions of sausage and also ooey gooey, melt-in-your-mouth fried cheese sandwiches, a wacky version of the American grilled cheese. The utmost favorite street food desert is the coveted trdelnik, the closest American equivalent would probably be a combination of a cinnamon roll and fried dough in one. Although originally a Hungarian dessert, this rolled pastry sweetened with toppings of sugar, nuts, and cinnamon is a Czech favorite, made even more delectable with Nutella or ice cream stuffed in the middle.
5) For You History Buffs
Prague is a historical gold mine underutilized in American textbooks, a city that will make the most adverse student a history buff in a matter of seconds. Although the Czech Republic is a very new country, Prague offers centurys' old history. It was the seat of the Kingdom of Bohemia and a party to the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Prague was also under wrath by arguably the two most evil empires—the Third Reich and the USSR. Hitler during WW2 even famously stayed the night in the Prague Castle. Prague also was under siege by communists, not fully becoming a true country with its own identity until after the Velvet Divorce, the split of Czechoslovakia. Whether you are taking a tram around town, gallivanting through Old Town, or walking across Charles Bridge, you are living and breathing history and doing so beyond the confines of a textbook, an education-lover's dream.
6) Quirky Prague
To rid Prague of its no so glamorous communist past where freedoms were barred, the eccentric and controversial David Černý has given a quirky flare to Prague in celebration of free expression with equally as unconventional art at unexpected turns around the city. A must-see attraction is the infamous Žižkov Television Tower, an old and ugly transmitter tower reminiscent of communist oppression, that Černý remodeled with an added accessory that makes tourists second guess their own eyes: life size, baby toddlers crawling the length of the freestanding structure. Another quirky art piece by Černý that is a bit more contentious is a structure of two men finished in bronze that shows both figures peeing in a pond the outline of the Czech Republic. David Černý fuels tourists’ quirky fix—gracing us with unexpected surprises of modern art in the land of traditional and old-time attractions.
7) Christmas Markets
The Prague Christmas market in Old Town Square offers a magical experience amid a medieval backdrop—the luminous astronomical clock and a famed gothic church—with vendors selling an assortment of Czech delicacies ranging from hand-crafted artwork to malt wine. The entire square is teeming with the smell of sweet holiday snacks and street food; the holiday fervor is heightened by the sound of cheery Christmas carols. At the center of this festive spectacle is an enormous Christmas tree decorated with twinkling lights and giant ornament bulbs. At night this marvel is even more enchanting at night, a true Christmas paradise.
