Prague, Czech Republic 

Another “One and Done” …

Of course, Prague is a legitimate vacation destination. This historical Central European cultural hub, with all its intact splendors of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is an easy and hospitable city to visit. It was home to the Habsburgs, Sigmund Freud, Mozart, and the original Budweiser Beer. However, behind its 19th-century splendors, it’s another reminder, like Budapest and Vienna, of just how far and fast empires can screw up a good thing and fail.   

While the Bohemian capital is still magnificent, I think it’s a place you’ll visit once and unlikely to return.  Its charms are quickly overshadowed by crowds, the proliferation of souvenir shops, fast foods, and costs approaching those of Western European capitals.  That overpriced “Pint” takes some of the luster off the place.  Prague appears to be joining Florence, Lisbon, or Barcelona (for good or bad) as another global “box czeck” tourist destination.