Prague

Prague survived the 20th century almost architecturally intact, which is not something most Central European capitals can claim. It missed the worst of World War II's bombing campaigns, so the Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau buildings that make up the historic center are largely original, not postwar reconstructions. Walking from the Old Town Square to Charles Bridge means passing through roughly six centuries of architecture without a single jarring gap.

The castle complex, visible from most of the city on its hill above the river, is worth treating as a half-day commitment rather than a quick photo stop. It's not one building but a walled district — St. Vitus Cathedral's Gothic spires dominate the skyline, the old Royal Palace sits behind it, and Golden Lane's row of tiny, colorful houses (allegedly once home to castle guards and goldsmiths, though the exact history is debated) is easy to rush past if you're not paying attention.

One practical fact catches a surprising number of visitors off guard: Czechia is in the EU but has not adopted the euro. The currency is the Czech koruna, and while some restaurants in the most tourist-heavy blocks will accept euros, the exchange rate they apply is reliably bad. Pull korunas from an ATM and pay locally — it's a meaningfully cheaper trip that way.

Prague earned a reputation in the 2000s and 2010s as a budget stag-and-bachelor-party capital, and that scene still exists, concentrated on a handful of streets near Wenceslas Square and parts of Old Town. It's avoidable without much effort — most of the city, including large parts of the historic center after about 9pm, operates as a quiet, ordinary Central European capital rather than the loud version some visitors expect from the reputation.

Beer here isn't just cheap, it's a genuine point of local pride — Czechia has the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world, and Pilsner-style lager was invented not far from Prague, in the town of Plzeň. A half-liter at a proper pub, away from the main tourist squares, often costs less than a bottle of water at the same establishment.