The Prettiest Little Market in Prague

Markets! Visiting local markets is one of my favorite things to do when I'm travelling. If you've visited this blog before than you might have stumbled across some of my posts on markets in Barcelona, Venice, and London. I visited not one, but two farmer's markets, or farmářské trhy, during my trip to Prague. The first, and my favorite, was the market in the lovely Vinohrady neighborhood.

Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad, or Jiřák, is the one. The market was bustling when I visited on Halloween Eve last fall. Full of moms with toddlers, housewives shopping for their evening meal, and backpackers looking for a cheap, good lunch. And bonus - lots and lots of puppies! Though the market site is compact, the stalls are comprehensive. Beautiful bread and produce and meat and pickles! Plus plenty of ready to eat options.

The market had a distinct family friendly vibe. Early in the day there was a booth where kids could create Halloween themed crafts like bags for trick or treating. When I swung back in the late afternoon most of the market stalls were gone but there was live music and tons of people strolling around after work.

It seemed like everyone at the market was eating a cup of vibrantly orange pumpkin soup. I figured they must be in the know and joined the longest queue for some of my own. It was good stuff. Smooth with enough body to fill you up, topped with a spoonful of crunchy seeds for texture. I bought a cup of hot pear cider to drink and now consider it the most perfect fall beverage in existence. Why don't we drink this in the US? Or do we, just not around my Midwest home base? For dessert, a slice of poppyseed cheesecake so dense with seeds that it was more crunch than cream. The dark, nutty taste of the poppyseed was fantastically unique but a bit intense. I saved half for an after dinner treat.

The market is super simple to find in Prague 3. It's walkable, but you can easily take the metro or tram. I took the tram over then, after a trip up the Žižkov Television Tower, walked leisurely back to my hotel in the city center. Overall, I found Prague's public transportation very simple to navigate (just remember to validate your ticket when you enter.) Vinohrady is a really beautiful area with tons to see, nice architecture, shopping, and restaurants to explore. If you have more than a few days in Prague I would highly recommend venturing out from Old Town Square and spending some time in the neighborhood. The market is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m through mid afternoon.

Five Things You Must Do When Visiting Venice

This year Venice's world famous Carnival runs from February 15th through March 5th. I wish I could be in Italy for the 2014 Carnival, unfortunately I'm stuck in frigid, snowy Southern, Indiana. Instead here's a look back at the highlights from my visit, they're a perfect escape from the festive madness of Carnivale! Last spring I spent six days on the island and covered most of the main attractions as well as quite a few lesser known sites. Since the trip I've had some time to reflect on my visit and these five highlights stand out as the most positive and memorable experiences. Of course there are many, many, more things to do and see in Venice, but if you have just a few days in the city here's where I think you should start.

Venice - Rialto Market / Mercato di Rialto

I've said it before, but give me a foreign country and a food market and I'm a happy girl. Venice's Rialto Market is smaller in scope and size than Borough Market and La Boqueria, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm. For one thing, it's open air, so natural light and fresh air are much easier to come by. The fish market housed under tall columns while the fresh market is shaded by tents, and the view of the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge is unbeatable!

Rialto is clearly geared towards Venetians shopping for groceries. There are no prepared food stalls (though Pronto Pesce and plenty of restaurants are just around the corner,) just lots and lots of fish, fruit, and vegetables. It's located right off the Grand Canal in an easy to find (for Venice) location. Take vaporetto #2 down the Grand Canal and disembark at the Rialto stop, cross the big white bridge and follow the masses. Take some time to browse the market, there are so many opportunities for great photographs. If you're feeling peckish there are plenty of options around the market for a snack. Pick up some fresh fruit from one of the stalls or venture out of the market to one of the bakeries around the corner.

Venice - Pronto Pesce

Twice I tried to find Pronto Pesce and failed. I honestly don't know how I missed it. In general, I had a hard time with food in Venice. Despite some extensive research, blog recommendations, and a google map full of potential restaurants, things just didn't come together like I'd hoped. That's not to say I didn't eat any good food (I did, read on!) but I barely made it to any of my planned culinary destinations. Everyone says get a good map and don't worry about getting lost. Well, I didn't worry about getting lost, but even with a so-called 'good map,' Venice is a maze of canals and alleys, restaurants are tucked around odd corners and hidden in plain sight.

London - Camden Lock

Before Dim Sum, before Diwali, there was Camden Lock Market. On our first Sunday in London, Katy and I spent the morning people watching and window shopping our way around Camden Lock.

London - Camden Lock & Regents Park - Wordless Wednesdays

London - Borough Market

One of my favorite things to do when I'm travelling is to explore local markets. On my arrival in Barcelona I headed straight for La Boqueria for some local food and culture. That experience was a perfect introduction to the city. So, Katy and I did the same in London, making Borough Market our very first destination. Our train pass from the airport gave us unlimited access to the tube so we grabbed a subway map and with just a little trouble found our way to the market.

For our first food of the day we shared a chorizo sandwich from the Brindisa Counter. The spicy, chewy chorizo was balanced nicely by acidic piquillo peppers and some peppery greens. As we traded bites we analyzed the queue across the street at Monmouth Coffee, eventually determining the steady pace would result in some much needed caffeine sooner rather than later.

The best thing I ate in Barcelona: El Quim + La Boqueria

La Boqueria is the bustling market tucked right in the middle of La Rambla, Barcelona's tree lined central boulevard. Most hours of the day La Boqueria (and La Rambla) is overrun with tourists but it's well worth the effort spent braving the crush. Inside is foodie mecca. I spent several of my mornings at the market, including my first and second in the city, splurging on seafood breakfasts, buying souvenirs and gifts, and photographing just about everything.

Thursday morning (day two) I was prepared to fight the crowds to get to El Quim, one of the more popular mini-restaurants sprinkled throughout the market. Despite warnings of long waits, there were plenty of open stools when I visited around 11 am. On the recommendations of too many bloggers to count, I ordered  huevos con chipirones. They were fantastic, probably my favorite meal of the trip.

The thimble sized baby squids are served on top of two perfectly fried eggs. Through gestures, your server will tell you to slash through the eggs to release the yolk, enriching the purple sauce of squid ink. The dish is liberally sprinkled with crisp, flaky sea salt adding seasoning and a subtle crunch. Super tender and just a bit sweet, the squid tasted of the sea, not overly salty in the least. At El Quim I also had my first taste of Spanish coffee. I ordered un cortado, a espresso cut with a little milk. Unsurprisingly, it was excellent. I hear cava is popular too, even in the morning, so feel free to order a little bubbly with your breakfast.

Another must-try: zumos. Sold for 1-2 euros, they're the ultra fresh juices sold at the fruit stalls near the front of the market. I tried multiple flavors over the course of the week; coconut strawberry, strawberry lime, kiwi coconut banana, and mango orange. My favorite was the pretty green kiwi coconut banana, the little kiwi seeds add just enough texture and acid to cut through the creamy coconut and banana.

La Boqueria boasts several fantastic restaurants but its main attraction is the hundreds of stalls stocking every kind of meat, seafood, spice, and produce you could possibly need. Though the market is always stuffed with tourists, plenty of locals patiently brave the crowds to buy their groceries.

Itty bitty chorizos and sausages at one of the many ham stalls. And more salted cod, aka bacalao, than anyone in America would know what to do with.

Oozy razor clams are actually delicious when cooked up on la plancha, a flattop griddle.

Pretty little truffles and turrones (Spanish nougat-like almond candy)  are everywhere. But don't touch! It's rude and totally unhygienic, point out which you want and let the owner serve or package it up for you.

Zumos and fresh fruit! Still kicking myself for not trying out the pitahaya flavor, just for the amazing fuchsia color.