In my years of traveling and living abroad, Prague had always been high on my bucket list. It’s just one of those major European cities you have to visit and I knew I had to go see it for myself. From the cafés and restaurants to the museums, street art, and river walks, it all sounded like my kind of place.

Having lived in Europe for over two years now, I’ve gotten to visit many incredible destinations. One of the best parts about being based in Germany is how easy it is to travel between countries. Since I now live in Nuremberg, I’m much closer to Czech Republic—and with Prague just 3.5 to 4 hours away, a weekend with nothing to do seemed like the perfect chance to finally make it happen. I invited a friend of mine and she was all in!

Planning the Trip

First things first: how to get there. I considered the train, but it involved transfers and took way longer than expected. Flights were pricey on short notice. Actually, scratch that. They’re just always expensive out of Germany! Luckily, FlixBus had a great round-trip deal, so we went ahead and booked that for the following morning. Sometimes last-minute plans are the best kind!

For accommodation, I checked Hostelworld. I was surprised by how cheap the hostels in Prague were compared to other major tourist cities. We ended up finding a couple beds in a women-only dorm at Safestay Prague (near Charles Bridge) for just €12 a night! Pretty central and a solid price.

The Journey Begins

Friday morning started early with the bus ride. Most of my FlixBus experiences have been smooth, but this time, we were stopped for a random police search. I’d heard about this happening but didn’t expect it myself. The patrol dogs were super cute and crazy energetic, and I wanted to video. But after someone else got yelled at for doing exactly that, I decided against it. It delayed us by about a bit over an hour, then we were back on the road.

Once we arrived in Prague, I was immediately struck by the city’s charm. Just walking from the bus stop toward the hostel gave us a wonderful first impression. We crossed the river into Old Town, soaking in the views.

It took a bit of time to get into the hostel since you have to be buzzed in. I started to worry that no one was at the front desk, but eventually, some people came out and let us in. Turns out, there was someone there after all. The check in, then took a while, but once we settled into our spacious (and at that point, empty!) room, we were ready to explore.

We made our way toward Old Town and grabbed a quick bite at a small burrito place nearby. As a fan of Mexican food, which can be hard to come by in Europe, I was happy! And it definitely hit the spot. Our location turned out to be super convenient for everything we wanted to see.

Exploring the City

One of our first stops was Charles Bridge. It’s one of those places that lives up to the hype. The views of the river, the skyline, the detailed statues, the artists and musicians—it all felt so vibrant. We lingered there, enjoying the atmosphere and the creative market stalls. Even the handful of tourists dressed up in costumes added to the fun.

We kept seeing shops selling Baumstriezel, so we decided to get one. It’s a sweet dough rolled on a stick, baked, and coated in cinnamon sugar, often with fillings like Nutella or soft serve. We chose a raspberry-flavored one and loved it!

From there, we headed up to the palace grounds of the Old Royal Palace for a panoramic view of the city. The skyline seemed to stretch endlessly, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. Prague seemed to stretch on for ages!

We continued wandering through more of Prague, eventually ending up in the main square. It was bustling with energy: people laughing, dining outdoors and kids chasing bubbles. It also felt like the city was glowing from the sunshine!

A Night Out in Prague

That night, we decided to check out the nightlife. The area around our hostel had tons of options, but we were hoping for a cozy bar instead of a loud club. Many places were already full or required reservations—so pro tip: make a reservation if you’re going out in Prague!

While walking around, we ran into two local girls who were also looking for a place to hang out. They invited us to join them, and we ended up bar-hopping together. One bar had a dark, intriguing vibe, I can only describe it as elegant and mysterious in the best way. It’s called Groove Bar and is definitely worth a visit! Afterwards we continued on to different locations, and it was a blast.

We wrapped up the night with a Döner (a kebab pretty much), just like back in Germany. It reminded me of how everyone in the U.S. goes to Taco Bell after a night out. Does that mean I’m fully German now?!

Also getting back to the room, which had 8 beds total, we were still the only two there: Score!!!

Saturday

The next morning, we set out to find brunch. Most places were packed with giant lines making it difficult. We eventually found a table at Coffee & Waffles, which was semi-quick to get us in. I hadn’t had waffles in such a long time and I was hungry. Although it looks good, the waffles ended up being pretty bland and the coffee wasn’t that great. A bit disappointing sadly.

Moving on, we spent the rest of the day exploring more corners of the city. We walked so much, my legs were killing me by the end of it!

One of my favorite experiences was visiting the Natural History Museum. It was beautiful inside and out, with exhibits ranging from fossils and wildlife to Czech cultural history. The interior architecture was truly stunning, I couldn’t get over it. I kept thinking a photoshoot there would have been amazing! I didn’t expect it to be such a highlight, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Later, I met back up with my friend, and we went to a riverside café called (A)void Cafe. We referred to it as the “circle window café” and everyone knows what you’re talking about when you say that. I mean, the picture is pretty self-explanatory, being the whole door itself!

It definitely has to be seen in person though. It’s a great place to grab a coffee or lemonade while people watching and basking in the sun.

Before heading home, we squeezed in some thrifting—because that’s what you do in Prague! The top in the picture was a successful find. We wrapped up the day with one last quick meal before heading to the bus terminal.

The weekend had flown by, but it left such a great impression. As we boarded our FlixBus back to Nuremberg, I found myself already thinking about when I could come back.

All in all, Prague blew me away. I was not expecting to like the city as much as I did and I actually can’t wait to return sometime soon. Hopefully for a longer period of time!

Hostel Thoughts: Safestay Prague

Safestay was a good budget choice. The location was unbeatable, and the €12 price for a bed was a steal. The room was clean and quiet, though I do prefer hostels with privacy curtains on the beds. It wasn’t a very social atmosphere, since the common area stayed empty most of the time. But for a central, safe, and affordable place to sleep, it did the job.

Highlights: 

• Baumstriesel
• Charles Bridge
• Lookout at the palace
• Natural History Museum