On our fourth day, we got to visit the beautiful Prague Castle! I remember only seeing it from a distance the first time we arrived, so actually getting to see it up close felt surreal. The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior; inside there were these gorgeous stained-glass windows and the overall architecture was amazing. Later in the day, we got the chance to check out one of the Christmas markets in Old Town Square. It was a very nice experience getting to walk around and see the variety of items that vendors were selling, from ornaments to hot beverages to winter clothing. If I’m being completely honest, I would have preferred to visit the Christmas market at night because that’s when it looked the most magical to me. The one we went to was supposed to be a more local market, but the weather was gloomy, and it didn’t really have that same holiday feel as the larger markets I would see at night. Nonetheless, I still had a good time and did some shopping. I got to try this “Christmas sausage” which tasted delicious and bought some homemade bath items.
The next day, we went to Terezin Memorial (a WWII ghetto) and visited a former concentration camp. It was difficult having to walk through the camp, knowing the history of what the Jews were going through during those times of the Holocaust. It made me think about this movie The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which is about a young boy who becomes friends with this Jewish boy staying in a concentration camp. It made me teary-eyed in the Terezin Memorial Museum having to learn what happened to all these young children, and then seeing all the poems and drawings they did. It was an overall emotional experience.
From what I’ve seen so far being here in Prague during the month of December, Christmas is something that is definitely recognized among most of the locals. Whenever I’ve walked around Old Town Square or any other area in Prague, it looks so magical; whether it’s lights stringed up around the trees and lampposts, or the iconic Christmas markets with the large tree and the festive songs playing, it truly feels like a Christmas wonderland. I believe these markets are really what make Prague special during the holiday season and are something to look forward to if you visit around this time of year.