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| My photo doesn't do it justice, theres far better on the website |
Hemingway bar was one of my favourite places in Prague that we visited, and probably the coolest. Named after the man himself and a short walk away from old town square it is a sophisticated den of leather chesterfield sofas with church candle lighting. When we visited the bar was quite empty, but it was only about 5pm. Nonetheless I quite liked this as the bartenders were really attentive and we didn't have to leave our seat once! (He even took a picture of us all which was lovely)
It seems that they've changed the cocktail menu since we were there and it's making me want to go back as they look amazing (particularly the Applepearska, yum)
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| 'Red Carpet' - served on its own piece of red carpet! |
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| Apricot Jam - in its own jam jar with a spoon! |
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| My Pauline Pfeiffer with a beautiful crystal glass |
Though the cocktail menu has changed I thought I'd post some pictures of what we had to show how beautiful the cocktails are and how innovative their serving is! They were all amazing and made with really high quality spirits which I think is always a good thing but especially in foreign countries where the alcohol may have very different regulations!
Here's a video I got from the website-
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| One of my favourite quotes from the wall - 'Independence is a hell of a drug' |
We visited this wall in Mala Strana just at the right time it seemed, as shortly after we had taken photos, it became engulfed by a horde of italian high schoolers (who seemed to follow us around for one day I swear, it felt like we saw them everywhere!). The John Lennon wall was created after his death in 1980 as he became a sort of pacifist hero. It was repeatedly painted over but became a political standpoint regarding western pop music being banned by the communists. In recent years, no one bothers to paint the wall, accepting the inevitability of the art.
Some of the art on the wall is very detailed and intricate whilst others write personal messages or sign their names. There was also a busker there when we visited who sang John Lennon and Beatles songs with a guitar. He was really good and it made the wall seem all that more magical.
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| Had to throw in a selfie - my jumper is from topshop - I blogged about it before! |
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| Another great and thought provoking quote on the wall |
I know this isn't the only Ice Bar in the world, and that there is in fact one in London, but that doesn't make it any less cool. I know the Ice Bar is a bit of a gimmick but I loved every minute of it! Plus it is a lot cheaper than the one in London; at 200CZK per person - roughly £7 including a drink served in a glass of ice.
As you can see they provide you with a coat and gloves (no unfortunately we didn't all buy matching sliver parkas - disappointing I know.) You get 30 minutes in the bar, which is just enough I think, before you start getting a bit too cold! My highlight - cheesy as it was - was the playing of the classic 'Ice Ice Baby' as the last song. It potentially made that day for me! The italian students seemed to follow us here aswell - swear they were stalking us - and one of them actually took off his top and was in there half naked - I would NOT recommend that!!
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| No editing at all - it is beautiful! |
This library is the largest monastic library in Prague, and albeit the prettiest. Just minutes walk from Prague Castle and Cathedral is this gem. The picture above is of the theology hall, with its ornate baroque ceiling depicting the theme of 'true wisdom', and astronomical globes scattered throughout
Unfortunately you can't actually go in the libraries rooms, to stop them from becoming damaged, but the ceiling in the corridor outside is just as endearing. The attendant pointed this out for me to take a picture of which I thought was a very thoughtful gesture!
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The philosophy hall ceiling has some beautiful artwork on 'Mankinds Quest for True Wisdom' which is very fitting for a library, and has figures from Adam and Eve to Greek Philosophers.
I can't remember how much it was to get in, but I remember it wasn't expensive at all, maybe about the equivalent to £5? It was 30CZK to take a picture, but this is literally about £1 so it hardly breaks the bank, plus all proceeds go towards the upkeep of the library :) Also, a helpful tip, if you are a student do take your NUS card as you get discounts here as well as other places such as the Jewish Museum - I was stupid and didn't bring mine out and couldn't get the discount :(
St Vitus cathedral is an impressive display of architecture, built over almost 600 years with its foundation stone being laid in1344! The best bit though is that it is completely free to go inside - you have to pay to explore the whole cathedral but you can just go in and have a look for free.
When we visited there was a wedding taking place, and the bride and groom were having pictures taken outside, I hate to think how much it would cost to get married there, but it was very beautiful in any case.
Inside the stained glass was beautiful, in many different colours and designs across the whole of the cathedral - much better than just a clear pane! If you go in and see a small door with seven locks - this leads to the chamber where the bohemian crown jewels are kept, but unfortunately these are not open to the public.
So there it is, my top 5 things to do in Prague. However these aren't the only things we did and there are many other recommendations I would make of places to go: Prague Castle, the Jewish Museum, the 360 bar, the Astronomical Clock and Bar & Books to name but a few!
If you are looking for somewhere to go this summer, I would definitely recommend Prague! :)
Tamsin xo
