Prague

You’re right, that’s not Prague. It’s Český Krumlov, a city in the deep south of the Czech Republic’s Bohemia region – and what a pretty place it is. The Renaissance Old Town is virtually encircled by a bend of the Vltava River and views like this can be had from the 12th century castle above. (Fortunately it was worth the 160-step climb to the top of the castle’s bell tower).

But the Czech Republic is really all about the capital, Prague, and that’s where we spent most of our time.

Prague has long been regarded as one of Europe's most charming and beautiful capitals

And there's no denying this is one of the world's great cities

Prague's medieval centre has achieved UNESCO World Heritage status

It's not hard to see why

The famous astronomical clock dates back to 1410

Making it the third-oldest in the world, and the oldest still working

Charles Bridge, one of Prague's 17 bridges, was completed in the 15th century

Here's what Charles Bridge looks like in peak season summer - it's packed!

The Czech capital attracts more than 8 million visitors a year

But who can blame us all for wanting to enjoy a city like this?

As with other cities, though, (Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam) ...

... there's some disquiet about the number of tourists pouring into Prague

For the most part locals are very welcoming to visitors but, understandably, they're not so keen on the pub-crawl tourists

But it's only the 'must-see' locations that are very crowded

Elsewhere it's possible to wander and enjoy

Mostly with eyes up, marvelling at Prague's beauty

 

Just across the Vltava River, there's a little oasis in the middle of this busy city

Petrin Gardens

And Petrin Tower, a former communications tower that's now a popular viewing platform; looks a bit familiar that tower 🙂

 

The library of the Strahov Monastery; more than 200,000 texts are stored here

The library's Baroque 'Theological Hall', established in the 1670s

The monks weren't only keen readers, they were handy brewers as well

After our wander along the Right Bank of the river, we ended up at Prague Castle

And back among the crowds in St Vitus Cathedral

But Prague isn't all Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque

The 1990s Dancing House - known locally as Fred and Ginger; you won't be surprised to know that Frank Gehry was one of the architects on the project

But before we leave the Czech Republic ...

... here's another look at lovely Český Krumlov