Three Central European Countries
First stop: Prague
The Old Town has a nice feel, and the clock tower is very distinctive. Charles Bridge left me with a beautiful yet melancholic impression, probably because of winter. St. Vitus Cathedral is my favorite Gothic style, with its imposing presence. Climbing to the top of the tower, you can overlook the whole of Prague. St. Nicholas Church is small and beautiful in Baroque style, with a delicate color like a cream cake. The Jewish synagogue is small, decorated mainly with golden patterns, and next to it is Kafka's statue. Remembering his 'Metamorphosis' is both shocking and sad. Prague overall feels beautiful but seems to lack a bit of liveliness.
Second stop: Český Krumlov
Still in a beautiful style, looking down from the windows of the castle is like a painting.
The pork knuckle in the cellar restaurant is very good, cheap and delicious.
Third stop: Salzburg
With the backdrop of the Alps' snow-capped mountains, hiking up to the castle offers a 360-degree beauty. The city streets are pretty, and the small restaurant served a very nice lunch. It's nice to have a coffee and pass the time. Walking on the Love Lock Bridge is a pity we didn't bring a lock. The church didn't leave a strong impression.
The next day, we took three bus transfers to Hallstatt, touted as Europe's most beautiful town. It is indeed beautiful, with snow-capped mountains, lakes, and scattered pretty houses, but there were a bit too many tourists.
Fourth stop: Vienna
A high-end, classy big city. The buildings in the city center are exquisite and grand. The Gothic St. Stephen's Cathedral captures the heart at first sight, as does the Gothic City Hall, the Greek-style Parliament Building, the Baroque Opera House, Karlskirche, etc. The museums were very rewarding, especially the Klimt's works at the Belvedere Palace. The exquisite rooms in the Albertina Museum, coffee and cake in the popular café in the Art History Museum, the architecture is indescribably beautiful, and the prices are surprisingly similar to other cafés. Also visited the Sisi Museum and the Treasury in the Hofburg Palace, the library, etc. Schönbrunn Palace was rather average. In the evening, attended a concert in the Golden Hall. In short, Vienna is a visual feast.
Additionally, the apartment on this trip was very cost-effective, allowing us to cook what we like. The Chinese restaurant downstairs also tasted good.
Fifth stop: Budapest
The city is romantic and charming because of the Danube River. Pest on the left, Buda on the right. Pest's Gothic Parliament Building is majestic, and the New Renaissance-style St. Stephen's Basilica is consistently grand and spectacular. The shopping street is quite lively. Buda's castle is a bit old. Visited the National Gallery inside, which has a rich collection. Drinking floral tea at sunset in Fisherman's Bastion, watching the sun set on the Parliament Building opposite until the lights come on, feels really good. Walked back and forth across the Danube's three bridges: Chain Bridge, Green Bridge, and White Bridge. Took a dip in the thermal bath, checked in at the New York Café, enjoyed coffee and lunch inside, listened to a performance, perfect!
Beautiful scenery, it is almost unable to miss this bridge as you walk around Prague. It’s low season but still full of tourists, it makes it harder to take good pictures but definitely worth a visit. Keep the best scene in your memory.
Crossed the historic Charles Bridge and learnt about the history behind it with a free walking tour in Prague, Czech Republic 🇨🇿 Amazing structure to be built so many years ago with lovely river view.
One of Prague's most famous and visited bridges. It features statues on both sides and offers great views.
查理大桥是捷克的标志性景点。位于布拉格,景色宜人。大桥上的小贩和街头艺人云集。 游客穿梭桥上,享受碧波粼粼的伏尔塔瓦河美景,好不惬意!
nice bridge with a nice view. it was quite empty when we went but I hear it can get crowded.
查理大桥建于1357年,是一座极具艺术价值的石桥。大桥横跨伏尔塔瓦河,长520米,宽10米,有16座桥墩,两端分别是布拉格城堡区和旧城区,以前这里还是历代国王加冕游行的必经之路。桥上可以观赏到街头艺人的表演和一些手工艺创作,还可以买到很多艺术品,例如表现查理大桥的水彩画,以及身着传统捷克服装和宫廷服装的木偶等。这座欧洲最古老最长的桥上有30尊圣者雕像,都是17-18世纪捷克巴洛克艺术大师的杰作,被欧洲人称为“欧洲的露天巴洛克塑像美术馆”。雕像的原件现保存在博物馆内,桥上大部分已经换成复制品。其中桥右侧的第8尊圣约翰雕像,是查理桥的守护者,围栏中间刻着一个金色十字架位置,就是当年圣约翰从桥上被扔下的地点。