Dresden, Demolished and restored

 

I have decided to go to the German city, which is very close to Prague, and which is very often offered for a weekend-trip for those who are staying in Prague. It is Dresden, the capital of Saxony, 150 kilometres to the north from Prague.

Dresden is divided into two parts by the river Elbe: the new town (Neustadt) and the old town (Altstadt). I have found an affordable hotel in the Neustadt, which is very famous among younger people, because you can discover there an alternative lifestyle rivalling what you would find, for example, in Berlin.

During the World War II, the bombing raids on February 1945 almost destroyed this German city. So, those raids became a symbol of the “terror bombing” campaign against Germany.

However, in the decades following the war, Dresden underwent a remarkable transformation, with many of its iconic buildings and cultural landmarks being restored to their former glory.

Dresden is known primarily for its Baroque buildings. And there are three major architectural landmarks in Dresden: the Baroque Zwinger Palace, Semperoper opera house and the Church of Our Lady (the Frauenkirche).

The rest of the day I have spent in the Neustadt walking, eating and drinking. One of the most amazing impressions was meeting the sunset on the open field...

Italy, The Walls of Lucca

Today I move to another vacation house in Tuscany. And this is going to be quite a long journey, because I want to make several stop-overs. So, I set off early in the morning to be on time. First of all, I went to Lucca. It is not known how soon I will come back to this town, so I want to use any chance to visit this attractive place again.

As soon as I arrived to Lucca, I decided to walk around the old city following the path along the walls, which run for roughly 4 kilometres. As the walls lost their military importance, the top of the walls became a pedestrian promenade, and today it is one of Lucca's main attractions, where people may find rest from sightseeing by unhurried walking or biking. You may be surprised to hear that these walls, built in the 16th and 17th century, were designed by Leonardo Da Vinci.

From the north city walls I have spotted the beautiful garden, which I definitely wanted to see closer. Eventually, I found the entrance to the park and discovered that this is the inner park of the Palazzo Pfanner constructed in 1660. People claim that this palace is one the most worth visiting among many others in the city. With the full ticket of 6.5 euro you can see the interior of the palace and the well-formed park.

So, coming out of the palace I descended an ornate covered staircase that brought me down into the elegant sculpture garden with a fountain and lush foliage.

The garden itself represents the baroque style and consists of the ornamental flowers, forest plants, earthenware pots of lemons and accompanies by the monumental string of 18th century statues depicting the deities of Greek Olympus and the Four Seasons. It is a very romantic place.

They claim that Lucca is one of the most well-preserved medieval town in the whole of Italy, with the planning of an ancient Roman city. Suddenly, I recalled another town from the medieval times, located in Belgium. I keep in view the town of Bruges, which I visited a year ago. Amazingly, these untouched cities are able to immerse you in the unique atmosphere of the historical place. And again I experience the poetic emotions while strolling around Lucca's streets among yellow facades of the old buildings.

After a quick walking around the town I headed for the train station.

First, I need to get to Empoli, which is in the direction of Florence. Meanwhile, I should mention that the direction to Florence from Pisa is very overcrowded! I can hardly imagine how it feels like on the weekend.

So, I had a short stopover at Empoli city. In short, I was not impressed by this mid-sized town. However, after the empty town of Bagni di Lucca I found Empoli very lively.

The next stop was at Ponte a Elsa. It is such a small town, but it has to offer some breathtaking views.

The final stop was at the Granaiolo train station in the Fontanella village, where my guest house is located. It was absolutely dark when I left the train, but it was clearly seen that it was even more isolated and quiet place than Bagni di Lucca, and I am going to spend here the next three days.

Prague, The Castle

The morning starts with the Corners Coffee. Actually, it is 2 kilometers from my apartments, but I am happy to make this little journey on foot. Indeed, it is another opportunity to enjoy the surroundings of the Prague 10 district.

Again, I pass by the television tower and stop at the Riegrovy Sady for a while.

On the way back I stayed at Havlicek Gardens, where I came to the restaurant Vinicini Altan. Here I drank some white wine from the local vineyard. The vine was average to my taste. However, it is definitely worth trying, just for experience, because you may not have another opportunity to taste wine produced in the Czech Republic.

In Havlicek Gardens there is another attraction, which should be visited while you are walking in the park. Actually, it is grotto, the artificial cave with the gracefully decorated fountain in the front. This quite corner might be a real salvation if you feel hot and tired.

In the afternoon I go for lunch to Ceska Kuchyne, the restaurant, which is located not far from the street Na Prikope, close to the market. For the pork with mushrooms, knedlics and a bottle of water I paid 138 crowns. One interesting feature is that you should pay money at the cashier desk when exiting the restaurant. In general, it looks like an ordinary canteen, and to my mind, the food is average here. So, the place itself is not impressive.

This spit roasted pork on the street reminded me of one of the most famous traditional Czech dishes, which is called Veprove Koleno. I definitely should try it while staying in Prague!

Now I am heading for the Prague castle, that is placed on the other side of the river, across the Charles Bridge.

At the entrance to the Castle from Nerudova street there is the hotel Zlata Hvezda, where I used to stay seven years ago. The hotel is really gorgeous outside and inside. I still remember, that the service was superb there. So, I decided to take a table and order a drink to relax before visiting today's main attraction. Honestly, the prices at this restaurant are doubled. For example, Pilsener costs here 75 crowns. Still, I went for the lemonade with the price of 70 crowns. Honestly speaking, it is the unique situation when beer in Prague costs more than water! Anyways, for the superb location you are expected to pay.
By the way, the waiters in Prague very often have the big leather wallets to give you the change as soon as possible.

It is 8 pm. There are no crowds of tourists near the castle. So, I could make some photos without numerous people in the picture. And what is more important, I was able to enjoy the silence while looking at the fascinating things around.

It is getting dark, but I decided to spend some time on the Charles Bridge and admire the colourful sunset.

The atmosphere of the night Prague is totally charming, and the monuments illuminated by electric lights look even more impressive. I wish, I could devote the whole night to strolling in the cobbled streets of the city. Nevertheless, I should go home, because I feel extremely drowsy.