Crowds of people flooded the center of the capital city, with shops and gardens bursting at the seams on May 21, 2023. For several years, the center of the capital city resembled a ghost town due to the pandemic restrictions that decimated tourism and social activities. However, those days of empty streets are now definitively in the past as Saturday’s atmosphere in Prague harkened back to the vibrant pre-COVID times.
On that Saturday afternoon, the center of Prague was teeming with people, and a linguistic Babylon could be heard from every corner of the world. It was the first hot day of the year, attracting hundreds of visitors to Josefov. The Old-New Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue, and the famous Jewish cemetery traditionally allure tourists to this area.
Luxury shops on Pařížská Street were also popular destinations, while the Marian Column and the Týn Church on the Old Town Square commanded attention. The statue of Saint Wenceslas also witnessed bustling activity as tourists gathered around it. Wenceslas Square was a hub of excitement, with visitors occupying nearby gardens and shops on Můstek. Street musicians provided entertainment, and the National Museum building and the statue of Saint Wenceslas acted as magnets, drawing people in.
Wenceslas Square was lively, with occupied benches, bustling gardens, and packed shops. The upper part of the square saw fully occupied outdoor seating areas in restaurants and cafés while local shops were brimming with customers. The Flow Building, home to a renowned Irish discount fashion chain, was under siege as people crowded the three floors. Those waiting for dressing rooms endured queues of nearly fifteen minutes.
The Saturday atmosphere served as a harbinger of the upcoming summer season, which could bring a more significant influx of Czech and foreign tourists to the capital city. It foreshadowed the return of the bustling visitor scene to Prague, reinstating its status as a vibrant and popular destination.