Malá Strana and hidden corners of Prague

... because the medieval statues on both sides of the bridge, especially the statue of Saint John Nepomuk, which we have to touch for good luck, require at least one photo, and the walkers are also entertained by street vendors and souvenir sellers. However, this medieval bridge is not only famous for its location and history, but also for pickpockets who are reputed to be the 'best' in the world, so let's not only watch the sights, but also our bags and pockets. Most of us enjoy the hustle and bustle, but not always, and although it sounds incredible, Prague also offers its quiet corners. Just before the end of the bridge, on the left bank of the Vltava, we leave the bridge by the side stairs and a different Prague will open before us.

Where to is the name of an island that is part of one of the most picturesque and peaceful parts of Prague, called Malá Strana, but separated from it by the Čertovka stream. Suddenly the noise subsides and we can walk undisturbed along the cobbled alley almost alone At Kampa, which resembles the main square of a small country town with benches, beautiful street lamps and acacia trees, with a row of small lodgings and restaurants on either side. This is a place where you can relax, have a small picnic by the Vltava, which inspired the famous composer Bedřich Smetana to create his masterpiece Má Vlast (My Homeland), or enjoy reading a good book.

A small bridge over Čertovka will take us to the heart of Mala Strana. The greatest architectural wealth that we will find in the winding streets of Mala Strana are churches and rich aristocratic palaces, as nobles and opportunists always wanted to stay near the rulers. It is the largest and most impressive palace Waldstein Palace (Valdštějnský palác), which was built in the 17th century by one of the most influential Czech noblemen General Albrecht Vaclav Eusebius of Waldstein. In order to build his dream palace, in which the Czech sebat lives today, he had as many as 26 houses demolished, and he wanted his home to be comparable to Prague Castle itself. Next to the palace there is an extensive baroque Waldstein garden (Valdstejnska zahrada), which is open to visitors. Today, the palaces are mostly occupied by embassies, museums and academies, one of them, the palace Smiřických, but today it is the seat of the Czech Parliament. In addition to palaces, rich noble families also arranged beautiful gardens and some of them, especially Kolovratská zahrada and Vrtbovská zahrada, offer one of the most beautiful views of Prague's rooftops, and it is with a panoramic view of the city that we will find out why Prague is nicknamed the city of a thousand bell towers.

One of the important events of the democratization process in Eastern Europe took place in 1989 in the Baroque garden Lobkowicz Palace, where the West German Embassy was located before German unification. Just before the fall of the Berlin Wall, several thousand defectors from East Germany took refuge in the embassy garden. In early November 1989, the Czechoslovakian government allowed East Germans to travel to West Germany, bringing down the Iron Curtain once and for all. A golden Trabant placed in the garden of the German Embassy reminds us of these events today. In Prague, however, things were already boiling before the so-called Velvet Revolution, which is reminded of by the John Lennon wall in the square Velkopřevorske Námestí, covered in graffiti. Lennon was the hero of the pacifist youth of Central and Eastern Europe who lived under communist oppression. Lennon's songs encouraged the young people of Prague to write their feelings and dreams on the wall and fight a little war with the police, who cleaned the wall again and again, but were never successful. In addition to Lennon's portrait, his words are still written on the wall today: "People don't die, they turn into flowers".

It's not all about dumplings
In the last few years, Prague has taken a huge step towards gourmet excellence, but not only because of the fact that the restaurant Allegro at the Four Seasons Hotel, it received its first and so far only Michelin star, but mainly because of the new, daring ideas of young chefs who create their works of art in restaurants in beautiful locations. It is one of the best restaurants in Prague Kampa Park, right next to the river and in the immediate vicinity of the Charles Bridge. Their menu is dominated by fresh fish dishes, classic Czech game dishes and innovative meat specialties. With the meal, you can enjoy Czech and international wines from the extensive wine list. The Kampa Group, which runs the restaurant, boasts another elegant restaurant right by the Vltava, called Hergetova Cihelna, in which, in addition to juicy steaks, you can also enjoy pasta, salads and richly topped pizzas, and in the evenings, the action moves to the bar and lounge, where you can have a drink after dinner. In the restaurant Cowboys Steak & Cocktails, which is one of the best steakhouses in Prague, we will enjoy meat specialties and American desserts in the spacious cellar from the 17th century, so it will not be unusual if Christina Aguilera or another American star will be enjoying steaks at the next table. In any case, proteins will give us the strength to climb the mountain more easily after a hearty "cowboy" lunch Neruda Street, where there is a restaurant, towards Prague Castle. The elegance of mala Strana is personified by the restaurants Palffy Palace, Piano Nobile and Piano Terra, where we will enjoy the food and ambience of palaces and villas. One of the sweetest secrets of Mala Strana is the restaurant Terrace In Zlatá Studná, where the master chef will Pavel Sapík did his best to ensure that Czech specialties, served in a modern guise, will convince us that Czech cuisine is not just dumplings and cabbage.

Sleeping for a gentleman
Since Mala Strana has always been the residence of the wealthier class, some of the most exclusive hotels in the world open their doors to guests in this area. For example, the website TripAdvisor.com awarded the hotel the hotel with the most helpful staff in the fierce competition of 700 hotels from all over the world. In Zlatá Studná, and they are in the category of the best luxury hotels Alchemist Residence and the hotel Aria won third and seventh place. Each of the hotels has its own story. Hotel U Zlaté Studně has only 17 elegant rooms and 2 suites, but it is in a building from the 16th century, right below Prague Castle, where Emperor Rudolf II himself once lived. Hotel Aria is dedicated to music, as 52 rooms are dedicated to different musical styles, artists and composers. Whether it be the music at a concert in the baroque church of St. Nicholas, which is the central church of Mala Strana, on the romantic terrace of an elegant restaurant by the Vltava river, wild rhythms in pubs and clubs on the crowded Mostecki street, or just the sound of footsteps while walking through the hidden gardens - Melodies of Mala The pages will ring in our ears for a long time, and the images of the romantic area will remain in our hearts forever.