Najifa Hussain, ’25, is a Management Information Systems major studying at the American University of Rome this Fall 2022.
The best part about studying abroad in Europe for me has been the easy access when it comes to traveling to other countries outside of Italy. Since Rome is in such a central location in Europe, I took advantage of this and aimed to visit other countries in Europe that were on my bucket list on various week-ends throughout my semester here. The one city I visited that I found myself falling in love with and really enjoying was Prague, Czech Republic.
I didn’t do a great amount of research before having visited Prague, which I’m kind of glad I didn’t because it was nice being able to take in a city I hadn’t heard a lot about it previously and then being pleasantly surprised by everything I saw and experienced. My time in Prague was filled with lots of good foods, endless landmarks, and meeting extremely nice people. My friends and I had stayed a walking distance from Old Town which was one of my most favorite parts of the city. I walked through there every night that I had spent in Prague. Old Town was a lovely cobblestoned hub with medieval landmark attractions and lined with boutiques, pubs, and eateries. My first day there was Thanksgiving Day and I found myself in the Hard Rock Cafe in Old Town enjoying a delicious lunch and watching the FIFA game. Afterwards, we explored Old Town and got to see and walk through the Christmas Market in the square and also saw the Medieval Astronomical Clock and the Gothic Church of Our Lady Before Ten.
Every night there was always bustling filled with students and families. My favorite landmark of all in Old Town was the Charles Bridge. This bridge is also where the Old Town Bridge Tower is located which had me in awe as I walked down the bridge. The tower is a stunning gothic gateway that you pass through as you walk onto the bridge and has unforgettable views of the whole city. On the bridge there was a group of violinists playing off to the side which really did enhance the beauty of the walk down the bridge. On the other side was a town referred to as the Lesser Town. This was a hillside area among the riverside that had more traditional Czech eateries and was a cuter and more quaint little town compared to the hustle and bustle of Old Town.
Overall, I would say that Prague was truly a gem of a city and somewhere that I would love to go back to again one day. It was also extremely budget friendly and easy to walk around. Not to mention, the dessert they are known for which is usually referred to as chimney cakes was insanely good.
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