Picturesque Prague: City of Kings, Beer Aficionados, and Spellbound Sightseers

An architectural dream world envisioned by emperors and Hapsburgs animated by the casual Czechs and beer chasing tourists.

Dobrý den! (Good day in Czech) from Central Europe!

“World building” is a clichéd term that has become boilerplate word vomit babbled by tech nerds, sci-fi writers, and Metaverse junkies the world over. Writer / commentator Charlie Anders tells us the key to world-building is to make one feel at home, to render taste, smell, and beauty so real it triggers an emotional effect. It seems the emperors, aristocrats, Hapsburg imperials among others whose dreamworld is manifest in Praha (Czech for Prague) more than accomplished this mission. That Prague is beautiful is self-evident and yet an insufficient descriptive. The streets, alleyways, churches, squares, parks, and museums are symphonic, humming a rhapsodic chorus of Greco-Roman, Gothic, and Baroque fractals that vibrate through the air like the pitter patter of water molecules skipping across a creek bed. The casual fanboy flocks to Paris, seasoned travelers flash Florentine trinkets, those looking for a “sense of place” sojourn to Prague.

Tourism is huge in Europe and Prague’s attractions are elite among them. In many ways the city was crafted perfectly for a bustling tourist industry. It is charming – as in pleasant to experience – and digestible – as in not overwhelming – like it’s cousin’s Budapest and Vienna. Prices are not overly expensive and despite the cobble stones that strewn the streets it is very walkable; the entire city can be maneuvered in a few hours. The Old Town Square nestled in between Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square looks like a watercolor canvas doodled for a king, and it was. Praha was the residence of several Holy Roman Emperors – Charles the IV – being the most famous way back in the 14th century. A job well done as the scenic overlook across the Vltava River demonstrates.