Category: Europe

Fun and Cheap Things To Do in Prague

Published on by maddieadams7Leave a comment

I love exploring Prague when I am not in class and I especially love finding things to do that don’t cost a ton of money. While it is still a working list, I’ve complied some of my favorite, inexpensive things to do in Prague.

-Visit the Národní Muzeum (National Museum)

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The National Museum is very easy to get to by tram or metro. If you take the tram, it is only a couple minutes walk from the stop Václavské náměstí. The metro is even more direct, as the museum has its own stop (Muzeum). Tickets to the National Museum are not too expensive, as they offer a student discount. A student ticket costs 150 CZK (~$6)

The museum is a giant, grand building. There are multiple floors with various exhibits in the old, historic section and even more to see in the new museum building. The two buildings are connected via an underground tunnel and I highly recommend walking through it. As my Art & Architecture professor put it: “The tunnel is an exhibit in itself”. Some of my favorite exhibits is the Hall of Minerals, Ancient history, and Czech composers.

-Visit the Autumn and Christmas Markets (and snack on a Trdelník)

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In downtown Prague, you will see various stalls and carts loaded with trinkets and food. While the Christmas markets are super popular in late November and December, I also enjoyed walking through downtown when they had Autumn markets decorated with colorful leaves. One of the most common treats sold at the markets is called a Trdelník (Chimney Cake). It is dough that is rolled and baked until golden. I love getting mine filled with ice cream, but you can also purchase nutella or jam filled chimney cakes. My roommates and I crave them every so often, so I know I will definitely miss them once I go back home. A Trdelník typcially costs anywhere from 100-180 CZK (~$4-$7) depending on the fillings you choose.

-Stroll through Letná Park

I love walking through all of the different parks in Prague. It is absolutely free and you can get amazing views of the city without all the tourists. One of my favorites is Letná Park. It’s situated near the Vltava River and offers amazing views of Old Town. The park has lots of tree lined pathways and benches to relax and enjoy the view. It even has a restaurant near one of the entrances.

-Watch a show or opera at Národní divadlo (National Theatre)

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One of the excursions during my Czech Intensive course was to visit Národní divadlo and watch a Czech opera. It was a fun experience and very easy to get to since the threatre has its own tram stop (Národní divadlo). Operas run 3 hours long, so it is time-consuming, but the theatre is beautiful and it’s a fun excuse to dress up in fancy clothes. Many people take attending a performance at the National Theatre seriously, as lots of people were dressed as if they were attending a wedding. However, as long as you do not wear jeans and a t-shirt, you can wear whatever feels comfortable. The opera I watched was called Rusalka. It reminded me of a dark version of the Little Mermaid. Fortunately, the opera had English subtitles. The ticket prices vary based on your seat selection. Standing room tickets are cheapest (although 3 hours is a long time to stand). Regardless, there are various seating options and watching a Czech performance is a unique cultural experience that you might want to try at least once.

-Walk around Vyšehrad

My apartment is located near Vyšehrad, so I might be biased, but it is one of my favorite spots in Prague. You can tour some of the buildings for a small fee, but the tours are only conducted in Czech, so I haven’t gone on one. Walking around the complex is free and I love going around sunset because the views are great. Vyšehrad has a neo-Gothic church that is a neat photo op, there are at least two cafes you can stop at, and lots of green space.

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Bon Anniversaire! (From Annecy)

Published on by taliafrankelLeave a comment

While the south of France has been filled with sunshine and warm weather up until November, over the past two weeks Aix has begun making the transition to winter, bringing with it cloudy skies and rapidly dropping temperatures. Instead of taking the weekend to escape the cold weather, my friends and I decided to embrace the incoming winter season with a trip up north to the beautiful town of Annecy! Fondly nicknamed “the French Venice,” Annecy is a beautiful and historic town situated on the edge of the French Alps and centered around a crystal blue lake, complete with no shortage of beautiful architecture and canals. This town is not just the perfect place for a weekend getaway, but also the perfect place to spend a birthday, which is exactly what we were going there to do!

We began our weekend/birthday festivities with a beautiful bus ride through the French countryside, which took us to our Airbnb that resembled nothing less than the home of a 19th century French noble. This Airbnb was selected by none less than the birthday girl herself, because what is a queen’s birthday without a castle? We spent our weekend enjoying our temporary home, exploring the cobblestone streets and beautiful lakeside, and eating as much as we could stuff ourselves with. As a Vermonter at heart, the Annecy landscape, complete with the mountain-surrounded lake and autumn foliage, reminded me of home… despite Vermont’s devastating lack of castles.

While every second in Annecy made me feel like I was living in a real-life fairytale, this trip for me was more importantly a reflection on the relationships I’ve built since coming abroad. Spending a weekend in a beautiful place, surrounded by people I didn’t know the names of just two months ago, and celebrating one of my best friends, I felt overwhelmed by love and appreciation. I went abroad for many reasons. For the culture, for the language, for the learning experience… but being able to share this experience with new people and learning how to form deep connections in different situations has only allowed for deeper personal growth.

So instead of this being a post to the town of Annecy (although its beauty should not be overlooked), this is a post for my friends. As we enter the last month of our abroad semester, I can already feel that the last few weeks are going to fly by. Instead of being sad about the end of this chapter I hope to cherish every moment of my time left here, in this beautiful place and surrounded by the amazing people I’ve met along the way. Starting a new life somewhere, even for just a few months, can be both terrifying and thrilling, but being rewarded by new experiences, new memories, and new life-long relationships could not be more fulfilling. These newfound friendships have helped me grow both as my own person and as a global citizen and only make me more excited for my future travels and what new people I may meet along the way.