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Prague, Czechia
  • Elsa Schneider

Prague, Czechia

1-month study abroad in Prague, Czechia. Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 27, 2025
    Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler
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    Arrival & First Day

    June 28 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Today was our very first day in Prague! My flights over here started a little rocky, with my flight out of Pittsburgh getting canceled. While very stressful, the cancelation may have been a blessing in disguise as I was upgraded to Premium for my 8-hour international flight. Today was predominantly a settling-in day; we got our public transport passes, checked into our lodging (a dorm room at Charles University), got shown around the city by our program director Dr. De Vader, and finished the day with an early dinner.

    While we did walk around the city some today, it was mostly just the little neighborhood area surrounding our dorms, mostly getting shown restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, and drug stores. Because of this, my pictures from today were some of the foods I ate.

    The first picture is of an open-faced sandwich that is very popular in Prague. Inside the case were about 2 dozen different versions of these open-faced sandwiches, and while being shown around the neighborhood, De Vader brought us here to try our first authentic Czech dish. Mine was made up of salami, homemade mayo, a hard-boiled egg, a bit of lettuce, a piece of bell pepper, and topped with some other greenery that I didn't know.

    The second picture came from the main course of my dinner. We started with appetizers of grilled Camembert cheese and steak tartar. My main dish was "Old Bohemian Beef Beer Goulash", a beef stew made with a dark beer. It was served with "dumplings", the white, circular pieces on the plate. While not our typical dumplings, made out of bread, these tasted pretty good although the texture was somewhat interesting.

    Overall my first day in Prague went great! Learning the neighborhood I'll be calling home for the next month, trying authentic Czech dishes, and starting to get to know my other classmates, led to a wonderful first experience.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Karlštejn Castle

    June 29 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Today we made the trip slightly out of Prague to Karlštejn Castle. Built in the 14th century, this castle was known as the holding place of the crown jewels.

    The first picture was taken inside the train station in Prague. It is a mural commemorating the fall of communism by highlighting the agrarian culture of Czechia.

    While on this day trip, I discovered my favorite Czech dish, fried cheese. That's it, that's the entree. Typically it comes with tartar sauce, but in the same menu section as Schnitzel and Goulash is the option to get a block of fried cheese. I love this country.

    The Czechs are also known for their apple strudels, which we were fortunate enough to try.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Vyšehrad

    July 1 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    As you may or may not notice, there is a brief hiatus between posts, with a day being skipped. There is nothing to post for yesterday as I spent it solely in my dorm battling against illness. I quite literally slept all day and thus took no pictures or did anything at all for that matter 😔

    During class, we went on a little excursion to Vyšehrad, an ancient castle pre-dating the infamous Prague Castle. As part of the large grounds, a cathedral and cemetery offer beautiful art, architecture, and insights into the famous Czechs laid to rest there.

    The cemetery is famously known to house many prominent Czech figures. Many of the headstones found in the cemetery were made from the ruins of the ancient castle.

    The cathedral was decorated with intricate tile work on its doors and beautiful murals painted within. Interestingly enough, opposed to carvings as seen in many churches in Europe, this church was adorned solely in paintings.

    We finished the day off at a beer garden overlooking the city of Prague.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Morning Cafe and Lennon Wall

    July 2 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Today we had ethics class in a cafe. The cafe is owned by our Professor's daughter and sits in the courtyard of their house. We went there specifically because this house has a long history involving communism. Our professor grew up during communism, and during that time, her family's house was taken by the government. After the fall, she spent 10 years fighting to get her family's ancestral home back. Her family had been living there since the early 1700s, owning a total of 5 houses, that were once used as a soap and perfumery. Her earlier ancestors were in the upper echelon of society as the sole perfumery for the Austrian royalty.

    While at the café, I tried a Kraffin, a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin, with pistachio cream.

    We then walked over to the Lennon Wall, a famous and legal graffiti spot with its most prominent feature being the face of Lennon.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    St. Vitus Cathedral & Old Royal Palace

    July 2 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    After our morning at the cafe and Lennon Wall, we toured Prague Castle. While mostly a historical site now, Prague Castle is still used in government today and offers a residential unit for the Czech President, however the recent ones have declined the offer of residency.

    The tour was not just of the Castle, but of the entire Castle complex. We started at St. Vitus Cathedral before moving to the Old Royal Palace. There we found the large banquet hall, stately rooms, the throne room, and a replica of the crown jewels.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler
    11

    St. George's Basilica & Golden Lane

    July 2 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Still at Prague Castle, we then ventured to St. George's Basilica and the Golden Lane. The Golden Lane houses many shops and cafes and was mentioned in stories of old.

    The castle dungeon and jail was certainly a site to see. With torture devices on display in the cool, dark dungeon, one could only imagine the poor souls who were once cast down there.

    Ending the day at a beer garden, we had beautiful views of the city. I got an alcoholic raspberry lemonade, which was amazing, while enjoying the view. Going down the hill, we noticed a vineyard.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler
    11

    Parish Visit

    July 3 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Today for class we traveled about an hour outside of Prague to visit an old priest. The priest had previously worked at Charles University, the school Loyola has partnered with to do this program, but retired a few years back to run this parish. The church itself was built in the 1300s and during renovations, they discovered the walls were covered in frescoes depicting Biblical figures dating back to the time the church was built.

    After visiting the church, we walked to the Parish House. To get there, we went through a park with a stream and lake, the lake being the biggest in Czechia.

    At the Parish House, the priest talked with us and told us his story for a couple of hours before we went upstairs for lunch. We had a homemade meal of chicken noodle soup, baked chicken and mashed potatoes, and a chocolate mouse-like dessert.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler
    1

    Prague Free Day

    July 4 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Today we were supposed to go on a tour of Prague's municipal building but there was a power outage throughout Prague, so that got rescheduled. Instead, we had a free day to explore.

    We went to a cocktail bar called Anonymous Shrinks Office where the menu was made up of ink blot pictures, no words or descriptions, and you chose a drink based on the picture. I ended up getting a pomegranate-type drink.

    Wandering through the streets of Prague looking for somewhere to grab a snack, I stumbled upon a little bakery/cafe where I got an apricot-filled pastry and a ball of fruity, chocolaty dough covered in nuts.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Český Krumlov

    July 5 in Czech Republic ⋅ 🌙 55 °F

    Today we took a train about 3 hours outside of Prague to this storybook town called Český Krumlov. The town sits in a valley, surrounded by a small river, with a castle overlooking it from the hilltop.

    My morning was spent exploring the streets and shops and taking in the views. We saw the outside of the castle, which is surrounded by a bear moat, which is exactly what it sounds like. For centuries, Český Krumlov has had a bear moat, as both a fortification and a way to legitimize their rule. The king who installed the bear moat claimed he was a descendant of Italian nobility whose family crest consisted of bears. As a way to cement this claim, he brought bears to his castle as "proof" of his lineage. There have been bears here since the 16th century, and they remain to this day.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Český Krumlov Castle

    July 5 in Czech Republic ⋅ 🌙 55 °F

    In the afternoon, I had a tour of Český Krumlov Castle. As part of tradition, the bears from the bear moat are eventually preserved and turned into rugs or statues. This practice dates back to the first bears brought to Český Krumlov and continues to this day as a way to memorialize the bears.

    The castle grounds also contain a garden, where I spent a little more than an hour, just sitting and reading. It was gorgeous, with benches to sit and relax, and it was a lovely way to pass the time before our dinner reservation.

    I had a delicious elderflower lemonade and tried a traditional Czech dessert. It consists of a ball of dough, covered in cinnamon sugar, and filled with fruit. We had ones with plums inside but another common fruit to find is blueberries.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Český Krumlov Day 2

    July 6 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Today was mostly just a travel day as we went back to Prague. We had a little bit of time in the morning before our train, so I decided to go to a cute café and grab some breakfast. I ordered eggs and ham and a cold brew coffee, which was a great way to start my day.Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Municipal House

    July 7 in Czech Republic ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Today we attended the rescheduled tour of the Municipal House, which I discovered is not, in fact, a municipal building, but rather a concert hall whose name happens to translate to "municipal" in English. This building boasted a large number of sitting rooms and parlors in addition to the main concert hall. Each parlor was decorated in different styles and themes, with paintings covering the walls and ceiling. In one room, murals cover every inch of the walls, depicting prominent moments and figures of Czech history. This room is designed in such a way, perfectly circular and domed, that if you stand in the very center and make noise, the sound reverberates back to you amplified. This can only be heard by the person standing in the middle, to others, it sounds normal. When I tried it, I jumped because it startled me so much. You're not expecting the force at which the noise comes back to you, especially after watching others do it and not hearing a difference.Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Astronomical Clock and Czech Wine

    July 8 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    Today after class, I decided to visit the famed Astronomical Clock of Prague. It was built in 1410 and is not your average clock, even by today's standards. Not only does it tell time, but the clock also displays the date, position of the sun and moon, phase of the moon, the zodiac signs, and the position of the sun and moon within the zodiac. It is also known for its hourly show of automated figures and a procession of the 12 apostles.

    I stopped at a coffee shop on my way back to my dorm and got a banana matcha latte.

    Later that day, we met our professor at a local wine speakeasy, where we tasted multiple bottles of Czech wine. It is a small venue and our professor knows the owners, who curated a list based on our preferences and explained each bottle.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler
    1

    Arriving in Kraków, Poland

    July 10 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Today, we took the 7-hour train ride to Kraków, Poland. We arrived later in the evening, so not much sightseeing was done.

    One of the first things we did after we got settled in was go out to dinner. I ordered 2 traditional Polish dishes, beetroot soup, and smoked cheese. I really enjoyed the beetroot soup, it was very light and had beef dumplings (which I did not enjoy) in it. The cheese wasn't my favorite, I think because of the smoked flavor, but I'm glad I tried it.

    After dinner, we went exploring and wandering the beautiful streets. We came across the main square in town and spent quite a bit of time there. There was a covered market, live music, street artists, and an absurd number of pigeons, which I guess Kraków is known for.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Rynek Underground

    July 11 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Today we had a free day in Kraków, so I decided to go to an underground museum. The museum was called Rynek Underground and had exhibits on medieval Poland. The museum was underneath the main town square we had visited yesterday and housed artifacts unearthed during an archeological dig of the square.Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Wieliczka Salt Mine

    July 11 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    After Rynek Underground, I toured a salt mine. This mine is over 750 years old and stopped performing as an active salt mine as recently as the 90s. Underground, there were many statues made entirely from salt, carved predominantly by miners. All of the structural supports of the mine were made from wood, as the salt air petrifies the wood and allows it to last for centuries.

    Interestingly enough, for multiple centuries, horses were used in the mines to transport the salt blocks and crank the pulley systems. Since it was so difficult to get a horse into the mine, these horses stayed there their entire lives. They had stalls and carers and lived long lives because of the salt air, which contains healing properties.

    Within the mine, there are 12 chapels, with the greatest being an entire Catholic cathedral carved entirely from the salt. This cathedral is operational and holds mass every Sunday, 210 feet below the surface. This cathedral was completed by 3 miners over the course of 70 years.

    The salt mine also holds 3 underground lakes whose water is saltier than the Dead Sea.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Auschwitz I

    July 12 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Today was both mentally and physically draining as we did a 6 hour long tour of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II (Birkenau).

    The tour started in Auschwitz I, originally built as a Soviet POW camp, and later transformed into the death camp used in the Final Solution.

    One picture shows a long row of pages. These pages are half of a book filled with the names of the victims. Each page must have had hundreds of names written in small font, the pages having no margins, and each one completely covered. This book isn't complete.

    Since we were doing the longer 6 hour tour, we had access to Block 3, a building that was formerly closed to the public and is now open only to groups 3 times a day. This precaution is to preserve the original interior.

    Directly outside the barbed wire fence, was a crematorium, the only one not destroyed by the fleeing Nazis as it had previously been converted to a storage facility. Here, we got a glimpse of what many saw in their final moments.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Auschwitz Birkenau

    July 12 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    For the second half of the tour, we were in Auschwitz II, Birkenau. To get there, we took a 5-minute shuttle bus from Auschwitz I.

    We started by entering 2 residential buildings. The bunks in the sleeping building were forced to hold 4 people per bed. The bathroom was a ditch covered by concrete slabs with holes cut into them.

    We saw a cattle car that was used to transport the prisoners, hundreds crammed in there at a time.

    Something that struck me was how big this place really was. We walked maybe a quarter of the camp and it was MASSIVE. Row upon row upon row upon row of buildings, walking 15 minutes to get from the train tracks to the one crematorium, and all of it was filled with buildings. In theory, you understand that the camp had to be big to murder as many as it did, but walking it really put it into perspective.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Food & Drink

    July 14 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    I don't have many pictures from today or yesterday as yesterday was a travel day and today was just class and settling back in, but I do have some pictures of foods and a drink that I tried.

    Our Czech program partner bought us a bunch of typical Czech snacks for the train ride. I bought a basil cream soda today which is shockingly good and you can really smell and taste the basil.Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Communism Tour & Nuclear Bunker

    July 16 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Today for my one class, we did a communism tour. Our tour guide took us around to various spots throughout the city where the anti-communist movement protested.

    We then took a tram to a different part of the city to see a nuclear bunker. On our way there we had a great view of the Žižkov Television Tower, which has baby statues climbing on the sides. This art piece is meant to symbolize the infancy of the Czech democracy.

    The nuclear bunker we toured is the largest in Prague, with a capacity of 5,000. Its location was chosen mainly due to the geological factors there. The hill it sits below is predominantly made out of rock, providing solid protection against the blast. It's far enough away from the city center (where an attack was expected to happen) and there is an underground spring providing clean drinking water.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Semtěš & Bone Church

    July 18 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Today we had a little "graduation" ceremony to celebrate the completion of our ethics class. We saw bunnies that live at the university building next to the seminary, which were very cute.

    I then traveled to a small town about 1.5 hours outside of Prague where my ancestors lived called Semtěš. After exploring the cemetery there looking for some specific headstones, I went to a neighboring town which is home to a bone church.

    The bone church has appeared in Atlas Obscura as a unique place to visit as the interior decorations are made entirely out of human bones. Out of respect, photos weren't permitted inside. During the Middle Ages, specifically around the Black Death, cemeteries were filling up. As a way to combat this problem, the bone church was constructed. By using the bones as decoration, the town managed to overcome the full cemetery while also building a memorial to honor those who've died.

    Before heading back to Prague, I stopped at a little bistro and grabbed a hotdog. Hotdogs are pretty common street food in Czechia and ordering a klasik gets you ketchup, brown mustard, and crispy fried onion pieces.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Ghost Tour

    July 20 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Tonight I did a walking ghost tour of Prague. I saw parts of the city I hadn't seen before and certainly heard new stories.

    Some haunted spots included a house where a woman had to watch her son get executed from and where she then died of the Black Death (she is considered patient zero in the outbreak of plague in Prague), St. Agnes Convent where a noble girl was sent by her father to keep her away from her low class love, and where her father then dueled her love, ultimately killing the 2 lovers. It is said that as she was dying, the girl vowed that her soul wouldn't rest as long as the convent walls stood, which they still do to this day. She has been said to appear to people in love, as she was madly in love when she died.

    We also saw the Prague hospital which opened in the 1300s and has remained in operation this entire time. A specific corridor connecting the hospital to the neighboring church was sealed off due to the high number of ghost sightings. People would claim to see doctors wearing blood covered aprons walking through walls or just vanishing. After so many reports, the hospital decided that hallway needed to go.

    We also got to see the beautiful Basilica in Old Town Square which served as an inspiration to Walt Disney's Cinderella' Castle.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Rückl Glass

    July 21 in Czech Republic ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    Today we toured a local Czech glass company, Rückl. This company makes some of the best crystal glass in the world. We got to see each step of the glass-making process, glass blowing, cutting, and painting.

    The company employs about 60 people, and all of the products are blown by 9 glass blowers. To become a master glassblower or cutter, roughly 10-15 years of training is required.

    For this specific technique of glass blowing, wooden molds are used to help form the shapes. Rückl's logo features a stork holding a medicine bottle dropper, which may seem odd, but the stork represents new beginnings, and the company used to be known for medicine container production.

    The area the factory is in is stunning and boasts an ancient Celtic chateau.    Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Ljubljana, Slovenia

    July 23 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Today I arrived in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. As part of this study abroad experience, we're required to do some independent travel. Since today was a bit of a travel day, after I had settled into my hostel, I spent the rest of the day exploring the city. The city itself sits at the bottom of a large hill, where Ljubljana Castle keeps watch from above. To finish the day, I had a nice dinner and tried some Slovenian Orange Wine, the world's oldest wine style.Read more

  • Elsa SchneiderPrague, CzechiaTraveler

    Ljubljana Castle & Boat Tour

    July 24 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Still in Ljubljana, today I decided to take the funicular up the hill to tour Ljubljana Castle. The first known settlers of this area built a fort atop this hill overlooking the Ljubljana River, which later became the site of a temple above the Roman city Emona. After the Huns invaded and destroyed Emona, the hill remained in ruins until the 13th century. To help construct a new fortress/castle, 13th century builders used the ruins of the previous structures and settlements which can be seen today in the walls of the castle. One reused stone is a Roman gravestone.

    After the castle tour,I headed down to the river for a boat tour. I got to see the famous dragon bridge and continued to the outer limits of the city where the protected Ljubljana Marshlands begin.    Read more

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