Thursday was a very long day for most of us, myself included. Whilst I’m not going to the clubs with everyone, I am an insomniac and have spent most nights reading or working on Photoshop projects.
Anyhow, we met in the lobby around 8:20 and headed to Terezin to explore a darker element of Czechia’s history. Located about an hour away from Prague, Terezin was a ghetto in WWII, though it was originally built as a military fortress.
As we walked through, I noticed that very little was spoken, and most of us were nearly in tears at some points. This was one of the things I was most looking forward to on this trip, and I’m so glad everyone came and saw just how horrible people were treated not even 100 years ago.
We all learn about the Holocaust in school, but very few of us have the opportunity to actually visit a concentration camp, and even though Terezin was a smaller, non-death one, it still was just as important to the Nazis to utilize. I think the most haunting thing I saw was the drawings from the children who died. Seeing almost perfectly preserved drawings that 10 year olds made, only to be killed in a horrible way, shocked me. How could Nazis and the SS keep these seemingly meaningless arts after knowing that the children who made them died under their hand?
Later that day, I went to the Národní Muzeum with Professor Murray and we wandered around. As a huge natural history fam, this museum was at the top of my list when I was figuring out what to do in Prague. The museum covered the history of Czechia and Prague, along with plenty of natural history.
On Friday, we got up early again and visited the Pilsner Urquell Brewery. I’m not a huge fan of beer, but the sample they gave us was the best I’ve ever tasted and I could only get 1/3 of the glass down.
This leads me to The Lesser-Known Sights of Prague: Exploring Niche Tourist Destinations Beyond the Crowds. When I asked my fellow classmates if they wanted to go to the museum, a handful said no, which shocked me a little. Personally, I love to know the history of places I visit. History, especially the history of Prague, fits into the niche tourism category.
Although it’s not in Prague, the Terezin memorial is also a niche tourism destination, as dark tourism has risen in popularity. In the US alone, the Northeast is full of Revolutionary War sites and cemeteries, and the South has Civil War sites. True crime podcasts and shows have risen in popularity over the last 10 or so years, making dark tourism a much more popular thing when it comes to travel.
Again, not in Prague, but the Pilsner Urquell Brewery is another niche tourist spot. Prague is a big food and beverage city, and especially those who prefer beer, visiting the brewery may be a key attraction on their travels. As with most places in Czechia, the brewery is full of history and it’s interesting to learn how they’ve maintained their original process and recipe for over 180 years.
Overall, niche tourism is definitely on the rise. Typically, when people travel for work or study abroad, or even vacation, they have a free day to explore their destination on their own. Some do research, and they’ll have a list of a few places they want to go. Other times, vacations will be planned for one event or sight, like going to a concert or to a certain museum.
Experiencing something that is unachievable elsewhere is niche tourism. Revolving a trip around a famous painting or taxidermy mount is niche tourism. People may not understand why one wants to see it, but so many have the same idea and mindset nowadays when it comes to travel.