In the city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic

 "Icon of Prague, the medieval bridge crossed the Vltava between Old Town and the Little Quarter. Gothic bridge towers rose on both sides, and the whole span, pedestrian-only, was lined by monumental statues of saints." -- Laini Taylor

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(in the capital city of the Czech Republic) Strolling across Charles Bridge is everybody’s favorite Prague activity. However, by mid-morning it’s a 500 meters-long fairground, with crowds of tourists squeezing through a gauntlet of hawkers and buskers beneath the impassive gaze of the baroque statues that line the parapets. If you want to experience the bridge at its most atmospheric, try to visit it at dawn -- or dusk.
+ In 1357 Charles IV commissioned Peter Parler (the architect of St. Vitus Cathedral) to replace the 12th-century Judith Bridge, which had been washed away by floods in 1342 -- you can see the only surviving arch of the Judith Bridge by taking a boat trip under the bridge. The new bridge was completed in 1390, and took Charles’ name only in the 19th century -- before that it was known as Kamenný most (Stone Bridge). Despite occasional flood damage, it withstood wheeled traffic for some 500 years -– until it was made pedestrian-only after WWII. The first monument erected on the bridge was the crucifix near the eastern end, in 1657. The first statue (the Jesuits’ 1683 tribute to St John of Nepomuk) inspired other Catholic orders, and over the next 30 years twenty more went up, like ecclesiastical billboards. New ones were added in the mid-19th century, and one (plus replacements for some lost to floods) in the 20th. As most of the statues were carved from soft sandstone, several weathered originals have been replaced with copies. Some originals are housed in the Casements at Vyšehrad; others are in the Lapidárium in Holešovice. The most famous figure is the monument to St John of Nepomuk. According to the legend on the base of the statue, Wenceslas IV had him trussed up in armor and thrown off the bridge in 1393 for refusing to divulge the queen’s confessions (he was her priest), though the real reason had to do with the bitter conflict between church and state. The stars in his halo allegedly followed his corpse down the river. Tradition says that if you rub the bronze plaque, you will one day return to Prague. (A bronze cross set in the parapet between statues 17 and 19 marks the point where he was thrown off.)

+ The bohemian allure and fairytale features of Prague make it a perfect destination for culture seekers who want to immerse themselves in history, art, music, and architecture. You could devote an entire day to exploring Prazsky hrad (Prague Castle), then relax over a hearty dinner at a classic Czech tavern. Spend time wandering Old Town Square before heading over to the Astronomical Clock as it performs a mechinical promenade on the hour. Prague’s historic pubs are known as popular places wgere you can spend the better part of a night tipping back central Europe's better beers.