While we did spend considerably more time on the Old Town side of Prague, Chris and I crossed the Charles Bridge over to Malá Strana to get a feel for the area otherwise known as Lesser Town. And the bridge is a destination in itself, so on the way we spent time exploring the surrounding statues, shopping the artists’ stands, and listening to a talented busker or two.
As soon as we crossed over, the first thing we tackled was the climb up the Lesser Town Bridge Tower to survey the bridge from up high. Admission was 90 CZK each (about $3.50 USD), and we considered it an inexpensive workout for the day. I lost count of how many steps take you to the top, but it’s several flights. The 360-degree view is totally worth it!
From the east side of the tower you can watch people milling about on the bridge, and from the west side you have a rooftop view of Malá Strana and the Prague Castle. We visited the tower on a Friday just after lunch and we had the lookout almost completely to ourselves.
After we took as many photos as our hearts desired, we walked over to see a quirky attraction (I love those) – the narrowest street in Prague. Traffic lights regulate passage through the narrow walkway, though we noticed not everyone obeyed the stop/walk rules. I wonder if someone could be issued a ticket for running the stop light! (I patiently waited my turn and followed the signal.)
Another fun sight in Malá Strana, the Lennon wall has been continually graffitied since 1980 with Beatles song lyrics, John Lennon portraits, anti-Communist messages of peace, and other random tags. As a stop on walking tours and a perfectly Instagrammable backdrop, we shared the wall with at least fifty other people that day.
In addition to charming cobblestone streets and pastel-painted Baroque buildings, I was surprised to discover a small series of lovely waterway canals on this side of the city. River tours are offered, though we didn’t end up taking one. I did, however, buy a watercolor painting of the paddle wheel in the photo below.
As we planned it, our next stop in Lesser Town would have been to see Prague Castle. Sadly, I came down with a cold on this last day of our two-week trip, and at this moment I completely ran out of steam. We decided not to tour the castle and to give ourselves the perfect excuse to return to Prague in the future.
We crossed back over the Karlův most, spotting more details along the bridge, and returned to our flat to pack for the trip back home. Prague turned out to win the title of favorite city on this trip and I can’t wait to return again someday!
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