In 2003 I was in Prague for the first time. At that time, the crowds were especially noticeable: since the fall of communism in 1989, it has become a popular city for weekend trips within Europe. Cheap flights, cheap beer, basically everything is cheap here. I felt uncomfortable amid thick lines of people moving through the historic city center to the castle via the Charles Bridge.

But in the summer of 2020, I dared to visit one more time: after my visit to the WHS of Kladruby, I committed a full day to the Czech capital. Early in the morning, I walked through the streets of the center, loosely connecting a number of well-known and lesser-known highlights. Prague is full of buildings from the 14th to the 20th century. Despite this long flowering period, it is a coherent whole: nothing is too tall, too different or too derelict. There is beautiful Art Nouveau, for example at the central square in the Old Town directly opposite the medieval churches and town hall.

I was there on a Saturday, so unfortunately all the sights in the former Jewish quarter were closed. What is striking is how well the synagogues, related buildings (the very beautiful ceremony hall for example) and the cemetery have been preserved here. The photo above shows the Old New Synagogue from the year 1275, making it the oldest active synagogue in Europe.

Behind an inconspicuous wall lies the Wallenstein Palace. This is now in use by the Czech Senate, but the gardens (with benches, in the shade!) are a pleasant oasis in the stone city center. The Italian-style loggia is the big eye-catcher.

The Saint Nicholas Church is located in the "New Town". This is Prague's most stunning Baroque church. You have to pay an entrance fee, I was the only visitor. There is a lot of gold and marble, and there are statues of saints that are meters high. You can climb to the balcony from where you can have a better look at the paintings on the ceiling.

There are more modern works of art & architecture as well: the Babies sculptures by Czech artist David Cerny are fun. They can be found next to the museum on Kampa Island, which lies in the Vltava River between the Old and New Town. The most modern building in the inner city is the Dancing House of the architects Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry. It is located at a busy intersection on a street with many Art Nouveau buildings. It is not very out of place here, but I found it not really to my taste.