By Lisa Arcella

Want to take a journey back to 18^th century Paris? Well, you can find it on a journey to modern day Prague, just like the cast of the hit drama, Outlander. Fans have been anxiously awaiting the drama’s return for its second season on April 9^th. Last year, viewers were treated to an exquisite tour of the Scottish countryside as the landscape where the romance between Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan) played out.

When we last left our intrepid and hopelessly good looking duo, they were sailing to France to try to change the course of history by infiltrating the French aristocracy in an effort to stop the doomed Battle of Culloden. There was only one problem: modern day Paris hardly resembles its former self. “We’re looking for street scenes; a place that looks like Paris in the 18th century,” producer Ron Moore said at the end of last season. “We looked around and Prague was the closest we could do.”

The largest and capital city of the Czech Republic is something of a throwback to a simpler time. Even though it’s a popular tourist destination, it is regularly named one of the safest cities in the world and despite years of foreign invasions, many sites have remained untouched since the 10th century.

Where should you go if you want to follow in Jamie and Claire’s fairytale footsteps? Here are a few must-see 18-century throwbacks for any traveler making the pilgrimage to Prague:

 

Old Town Square — Colorful characters mix with alfresco diners while surrounded by fascinating architecture that is over 1,000 years old, with the Rococo Kinsky Palace, the Baroque St Nicholas Church and the Gothic Tyn Cathedral among them.

 

Prague Castle – A humongous—we’re talking seven football fields long—fortress that has been built and rebuilt over 13 centuries, making it the largest ancient castle in the world. There are museums, art galleries, Art Nouveau stained glass windows, and of course cultural treasures all found within its walls.

Related: Our 10 Favorite Castles in Europe

 

Charles Bridge — It was built in 1357 by Charles IV and became a pedestrian-only walkway after WWII. Today it’s lined with vendors and tourists. Those in the know say the best way to experience it is at dawn, when you can have the nearly 700-year-old structure almost entirely to yourself.

 

The National Theater — The beautiful Renaissance Revival art center started construction in 1844 and finally opened its doors in 1962. Today many especially low priced opera performances (under $5!) are performed here with English subtitles, so it’s easy to follow along.

 

The Prague Astronomical Clock – Found in the Old Town Square, the clock has been in existence since the 15th century, but don’t look to it to reset your watch. This contraption was meant to determine the phases of the moon and the equinoxes.

Related: Zagreb, Croatia – A European Delight

 

Not quite as old but still worth visiting…

The Jewish Museum — The museum was opened in 1906 to preserve Jewish culture, and consists of several different monuments and a cemetery. Ironically it was taken over by the Nazis in WWII, and they shipped artifacts here from across Europe with the intention of eventually creating a museum for an “extinct race.” As a result, the museum now houses one of the largest collections in Europe.

Bunkr Parukarka—This was an actual 1950s bunker during the Cold War. Today, however, it is a funky nightclub that gets packed to the gills with music fans who come to hear electro-pop played by the city’s most popular DJs.

Memorial to the Victims of Communism—More than 200,000 Czechs were arrested under the country’s Communist rule, and more than 300 were shot dead trying to escape its borders. The photos, videos, and sculptures here take visitors though a more recent historical journey.

Ujezd—If you are still looking for a little bit of Paris in Prague, take the funicular 1,000 ft. up to Petrin Hill where you can take in lovely gardens and a miniature version of the Eiffel Tower. There is also the 17th century timbered Church of St. Michael, which was moved here from a village in the Ukraine in 1929.

 

Outlander photos courtesy Starz