Elite Traveler Winter 2020

EXPLORE PRAGUE

MAGICAL MONUMENTS

Clockwise St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle; St Nicholas Church; Astronomical Clock; Old Town Square; Church of Our Lady Before Týn

Dating back over 1,000 years, Prague Castle is both a Unesco World Heritage Site and the largest ancient castle in the world. It’s a great place to uncover Prague’s history as its grounds are home to palaces, religious buildings — and the home of the Czech President. Looking over the city from its hilltop position, the best spot to capture its regal beauty is from the banks of the Vltava River, with its swan- filled waters in the foreground. Church of Our Lady Before Týn is a Gothic church with striking twin towers that can be seen from all over Prague; it is rumoured to have inspired Walt

Disney’s design for the castle in Sleeping Beauty . It’s worth visiting by day, or by night when it is lit up with a warming amber glow. Its organ is the oldest in Prague, and is frequently played in the church’s many classical music concerts. Often heralded as one of the most beautiful sights in Europe, and another Unesco World Heritage Site, the Old Town Square showcases the city’s perfectly preserved dramatic medieval architecture alongside ice-cream-colored townhouses and cafe terraces that buzz with people-watchers and coffee drinkers. Climb the tower of the square’s Old Town Hall with its fairy-tale turrets, to reach an observation deck that offers spectacular views of the square below. Dating back to the 15th century, the Astronomical Clock (Orloj) is the oldest astronomical clock still

Photos Shutterstock