Timberwolves Europe 2013. Extra Days, Prague. 16 May.

[Categories: TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY, EUROPE, WWII]

(See previous posts for what this tour is about.) (As always, click on photos to enlarge or play movie.)

Two full days to walk, walk, walk. No taxis today. A 100 yds. from the hotel to Nametsti Republiky where we buy 90 minute tram tickets for 32CZK ($1.60) each. We hop the #8 northbound, get off at Malostranske Nametsti about 12 minutes later, and hop the #22 northbound for 5+ minutes to Prazsky Hrad (sp?) just north of the massive Prague Castle complex.

We first tour the grounds of the Summer Palace:

Next we stumble upon The Changing of the Guard, Prague Castle, north gate. We happened upon it just before the hourly occurrence as we were entering from that direction.

From there we enter the Second Courtyard of the castle. We buy tickets for entrance to St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George Church, and the Golden Lane. There are picture galleries and sumptuous palace rooms to visit too. ‘Next’ time.

St. Vitus Cathedral in the Prague Castle:

We find for a fee we can walk up the 287-step stone spiral staircase in the cathedral bell tower for spectacular views of Prague:

We get refreshments in a castle cafe and move on to the St. George Church:

From there we visit Golden Lane (formerly tiny guards quarters, now tiny shops and exhibits) and make our way back through the entire castle complex to outside the main gate and the First Courtyard:

Are you still with me? It’s about 2:15pm now. Let’s see if we can wrap this day in another 30 photos… or so.

We walk down the castle hill and through New Town (old, but newer than Old Town) to the medieval, touristy Charles Bridge (Karluv Most). Charles IV was big in Czech history, if you are researching. Across the bridge we eventually come to Old Town Square not far from the hotel.