My Home Abroad in Prague

When moving to the Czech Republic the only must haves in my head were a furnished apartment and a big enough bed. I didn’t take into account much else because I had no clue what housing in Prague was like, let alone that there are many different neighborhoods and districts that each have their own strengths and weaknesses. By some magic luck my two roommates and I landed an apartment in the district known as Vrsovice. This area, under investigation, has been dubbed very grungy/hipster but also very up and coming. Plus!

Vrsovice has quickly become known as a hip place to be with plenty of places to get a great coffee or good meal, cool bars and breweries to try as well as a great outdoor scene. On my street alone there are two really great cafes that I frequent regularly. One of the perks of living in Prague is that instead of getting in my car and driving to the closest Starbucks I can walk two minutes down the street from my building and be sitting in a coffee shop sipping local coffee. It’s one of my favorite things.

 The first cafe I love is Café Jen, which is always packed on the weekends because of it’s amazing brunch. I love that they always have a sign outside with funny quotes on it such as, “Coffee is like a punch in the face from an angel.” They always make me smile. I like to bring anyone visiting here as it is a cool atmosphere with good food. The other café I frequent is Prostě Kafé, which in Czech means “just coffee.” Personally it is my favorite place for a cappuccino and a great place to get some work done in a cozy environment.

Another one of my favorite things about the area is that it is easily walkable to get to good restaurants, and even great parks. There is a brewery about a ten minute walk away from where I live called Vinohradsky pivovar and it is one of my favorite places to get dinner! I have taken every visitor I’ve had to eat there and sometimes we even went back a second time! Their menu is full of variety and they have a great selection of beers they make on the premise to try. The main park near my apartment building is called Havlicek Park which features gorgeous fountains, greenery, walking paths and even a vineyard! It has a great view of the city as well. Come spring, this is where I will be spending a lot of my time whether I am there to exercise or lay in the grass with a book.

The area of Vrsovice is great because in my opinion it is a little more residential compared to places my friends live. I like this because there aren’t any loud parties in my building, and we are not on a main street that has a lot of noise at night. This is great for me because during the work week I like to go to bed quite early. While sometimes it feels far removed from the ‘hustle and bustle’ it only takes fifteen or twenty minutes to get to some of the important places in Prague such as the main train station, the Old Town Square, or even where my friends live.

The quickest way for me to get somewhere normally means I stop at the tram/metro stop Namesti Miru, which means “Peace Square.” Here you will find a gorgeous church that is known for its beauty when taking photos. During the Summer it is lusciously green with beautiful flowers and places to sit, and during the Christmas season its sidewalks are filled with a Christmas market. There are also plenty of restaurants close by. Being close to this area is also a big plus about where I live.

The thing that I love most about my neighborhood and my apartment is that I have an amazing view of the skyline before me. I’ve caught some absolutely stunning gorgeous sunsets out of my living room and bedroom window. Every day I take some time to open up my tiny window and soak in the views before me. It will be one of the things I miss most about my time in Europe. It can be intimidating to move to a completely foreign place, especially when you do not have a very long time to find somewhere to live. With proper research and asking for help, I was able to luck out and I don’t think I would want to live anywhere else in Prague.