12-Day Independent Trip to Austria, Hungary, and Czech Republic: Prague

Day 11 Astronomical Clock Old Town City Walk — Market (Havelska 13) — Lennon Wall (Velkoprevorseke nam) — After experiencing the reserved atmosphere and very early closing times in Vienna, arriving in Prague felt incredibly convenient. Most supermarkets stay open until 10 PM, and many restaurants operate until 11 or 12 at night. Meal times during travel are always irregular, especially with afternoon coffee and tea, often leading to late dinners. In Prague, there’s no worry about restaurants being closed at night, and prices are considerably cheaper compared to Austria. 🚇 Transportation: Downloaded the PID Litacka app in advance and purchased two day passes and one single-ride ticket. The usage is similar to Budapest and Vienna. 🍰 Dessert recommendation: Černá Madona. I ordered a cake called "COVID-19," which was surprisingly delicious and not sweet. The shop also offers many other beautifully presented desserts, all highly recommended from previous reviews. 🛍️ Shopping recommendation: Darky gifts. This store has the most complete collection of colorful building fridge magnets, and their canvas bags are especially beautiful, with styles you won’t find on Taobao. Day 12 Charles Bridge — St. Vitus Cathedral — Tower Climb Tickets for St. Vitus Cathedral and the tower climb are purchased separately, and their closing times differ. During winter time, the cathedral closes at 4 PM, while the tower closes at 6 PM. The tower has 287 steps; it’s tiring but manageable. The spiral staircase can be dizzying, so it’s recommended to climb before sunset. Watching the entire city of Prague under the sunset is especially beautiful and highly recommended. During the climb, you can also see some of the stained glass windows. Inside the cathedral, you can see Mucha’s stained glass windows. Not expecting the cathedral to close so early, missing the stained glass was my biggest regret on this Prague trip. The whole castle district can be explored for a long time. A little side story: For some reason, my credit card stopped working at multiple places on the last day of the trip. With sunset approaching, I almost gave up on climbing the tower. But I didn’t give up and hoped to find a helpful Chinese person. Later, I met a Chinese couple; after explaining my situation, the woman immediately agreed to help me buy the ticket with their credit card, and I reimbursed them via WeChat Pay. It was wonderful to meet them that evening on the last day. 🛍️ Shopping recommendation: Fransýr, Plny Spajz Belehradska 94 — both have delicious cheeses. 🍽️ Food recommendation: U Tří Prasátek — roasted pork ribs