Czech-ed Off The Bucket List!

True to the stereotypical study-abroad experience, over the last two months I have spent my weekends in various cities across Europe. If I am nothing else, I am a chronic over-planner; so each trip was accompanied by a jam-packed agenda. As I think back and reflect on my journeys, here are some of the highlights of my adventures. The best memories, recommendations, and lessons I took away from my trips.

Prague, Czech Republic 

• I was convinced to visit Prague rather spontaneously, after hearing a rumor that the streets smelled like soap. I am happy to confirm that it’s true, Prague is an incredibly clean city, and if you need another reason to visit, very affordable compared to most countries in Europe.
• I went in early February, and I think we went at a perfect time. I believe in leaning into the seasons as they come, so I wanted to enjoy winter while winter was still around. Prague was the perfect place for this. We primarily spent our time in old town, and spent a long time looking around Prague Castle.
• One of the coolest things about Prague is the number of unique museums that they have. The city is home to the Museum of Communism, the Museum of Senses, the IAM Illusion Art Museum (which is full of optical illusions and tricks on the eyes), the Beer Museum, and more.
• As for favorite places, I’d say that Mistral Cafe stands out. My friends and I went once for a late lunch, and EVERYTHING there was phenomenal. In fact, it was so good that we had to go back for breakfast the next day, before we all departed home. I’ve also included a picture of the food we got here, down at the bottom of the blog.
• In Golden Lane, which is inside the Prague Castle grounds, there's a tiny little shop called "little houses". The owner is possibly the sweetest man alive, and when we stopped by, he told me about the shop's history and work. They make miniature models, to scale, of the entire Old Town in Prague. As in, EVERY building. You can buy any miniature model that you'd like, and then on their website, learn more about the history of that particular building. I got one while I was here, and it made the perfect souvenir. If you scroll down, you can see that I included a photo of me standing with my miniature in front of the real building in Old Town. You can learn more about their work at littlehouses.cz  

Lisbon, Portugal

• I only got to spend a whopping 36 hours in Lisbon, but when I say that we made the most of it, I mean in. In fact, I believe we only slept for five of those thirty-six hours.
• One of my favorite moments was on late Friday evening (technically early Saturday morning, but semantics, semantics), we walked by a carnival at two in the morning. A real carnival, complete with a Ferris wheel and rides and everything. So of course we had to stop by, and we got some snacks, and then my friend and I rode the ferris wheel, and from the top we could see so much of the city. The carnival is right on the ocean too, so the view was beautiful.
• A sunset sangria cruise is a MUST, I have to say. I get pretty motion sick, so I was skeptical, but this was absolutely one of the best moments of the trip. The bottom floor is where they serve bottomless sangria, and they blast music super loud, so people can dance. The upper level was open, so we sat up there and watched the coast of Lisbon go by.
• Castello St. Jorge! Absolutely stunning, and at the top of the city, so the view is incredible. The grounds are also covered in peacocks, which was cool, but did y’all know that they can fly?? I did not, and when one jumped from its perch in a tree and flew straight at me, I had a heart attack.
• Other recommendations….we had breakfast at this place in the old city, called “Breakfast Lovers”, and honestly, it has been over a month, but I still think about the acai bowl I had there regularly. 

London, England

• Firstly, London is MASSIVE. I was visiting some friends who are studying away here, so luckily I had some guides who knew their way around town. But if you aren’t as lucky, just use Google Maps, the tube is super easy to use, and you don’t need a MetroCard, you can just tap in with Apple Pay or a credit card.
• We went to Borough Market and got the infamous chocolate-covered strawberries, which were totally worth the wait. We also visited the National Gallery, which I LOVED and was completely freaking out in. Unfortunately, I do have somewhat of a reputation for being a walking-fun-fact dispenser, so my friends were wonderfully patient with me in here haha. But! Make sure that if you go, you see the Picassos and the Monets.
• If you’re pressed for time, I think you can skip shopping on Oxford street. It’s mostly chain or luxury brands.
• We had lots of amazing food in London, but I think my favorite was at Dishroom, an Indian restaurant near King’s Cross.

Florence, Italy

• If you’re studying away in Milan like I am, you can take a high-speed train to Florence and be there in two hours. Also, I think you could totally hit the highlights of Florence in a day or two, if you’re not a super big art or history nerd.
• Some of my must-sees:
  • Galleria Uffizi, which is the state museum of Florence, and home to countless beautiful and infamous pieces of art.
  • Palazzo Pitti, the palace that was the seat of the duchy in Tuscany for a long time. Famous nobles such as the Medici’s, the Hapsburg-Lorraine family, and the Savoy family lived here at some point.
  • The leather markets, impossible to miss, there are leather shops and stands everywhere in this city. The leather is such good quality for an amazing price too.
  • One of the highlights of my visits was going to Vivoli, where you can get a classic Italian affogato. Scroll down to see a picture of ours :)
  • And finally, Piazzale Michelangelo, a plaza that overlooks the whole city and has a stunning view. I recommend going at sunset!
• I’ve visited Florence twice now, but between my two weekends there, I’m still thinking about two places where we ate. One is called Melaleuca, which has famous cinnamon rolls and incredible brunch options. The other is called Osteria Pastella, which is a family-run resturant with a very kind staff. They also have the infamous cheese wheel pasta here!
  • Fun fact, “Osteria” means “tavern” in Italian! Which is why you see a lot of restaurants with that in the name.