The end of our guided walk

Commissioned by Charles IV in 1357 and completed in the early 15th century, Charles Bridge is a magnificent medieval stone bridge, which crosses the River Vltava, linking the Old Town with Malá Strana, beneath Prague Castle.  According to tradition, Charles IV deliberately chose to lay its foundation stone at 5:31 am on 9 July 1357. Written as 1357 9 7 5:31, the numbers form the palindrome 135797531, which reads the same forwards and backwards. The sequence was believed to bring strength and good fortune to the bridge. 

The bridge is lined with 30 beautiful statues and sculptural groups, mostly dating from the Baroque period, but the most fascinating for me was the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. According to legend, John was thrown into the river in 1393, on the orders of King Wenceslas IV because he refused to reveal the secrets of the queen's confession. Historians believe his death was actually connected to a power struggle between the king and the Church. Today, visitors queue to rub the bronze reliefs beneath his statue, believing it will bring good luck or ensure their return to Prague. The metal has been polished to a brilliant shine by thousands of hands! A little further along the bridge, a brass cross surrounded by five stars marks the traditional spot where John was thrown into the river, and touching it is said to make a wish come true. It's fascinating to see these traditions continuing in a country that is now largely secular. Unfortunately, the bridge was absolutely heaving with tourists, making it difficult to appreciate its atmosphere properly, but even through the crowds, its history and architecture are extraordinary. Perhaps I'll have to return very early one morning to experience it in a quieter moment!

After crossing the bridge, we had a toilet break in a traditional pub that only serves Prague's famous beer - Pilsner Urquell. Micha insisted that it has healing properties and therefore refers to it as her daily medicine!

We then took a tram three stops up to Prague Castle, where our wonderful walking tour of Prague with Micha finished. The castle perches high above the city, overlooking the River Vltava. What an extraordinary place! Dating back to around 880, when it was founded by Prince Bořivoj of the Přemyslid dynasty, Prague Castle has been at the heart of Czech history for more than 1,100 years. And it's not really a castle in the traditional sense, but an enormous complex of palaces, churches, courtyards, towers and gardens, covering almost 70,000 square metres. In fact, it's officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest ancient castle complex in the world! Over the centuries, it has been home to Bohemian kings, Holy Roman emperors and, more recently, Czech presidents, who still use it as their official seat today. 

Each generation has left its mark, creating a fascinating mixture of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. The spectacular St Vitus Cathedral dominates the skyline, but there is so much more to discover within the castle walls. 

After saying goodbye to Micha and the rest of our group, and exchanging numbers with Channi, I decided that I couldn't possibly leave without exploring further, so I bought a ticket for the main castle circuit and spent the next few hours discovering four of its historic buildings. 

Before beginning my exploration, I went for lunch in the castle canteen and had my first taste of Czech goulash served with bread dumplings! It was very tasty and surprisingly lighter than it looked!Read more