Friday, 25, Feb 2011 04:53

Prague has a bit of everything - history, culture, food and drink and although not as cheap as in the 1990s is still relatively good value. If you're pushed for time in what is one of the top European city break destinations, read Travelbite.co.uk's city guide to a weekend in Prague.

Prague is unusual for a European capital city in that it escaped relatively unscathed from Nazi occupation and its cultural glories are still preserved for all to see. It is fairly small and compact by European standards, which is a blessing when you have limited time - for example a long weekend - or if the weather is hot, as it can be in July and August.

For short trips the best method of exploring is on foot around the Stare Mesto ('Old Town') and Mala Strana districts, taking the right trams and metros where necessary to other destinations. On the way you can take in some great cafes, restaurants, museums and cultural experiences, having your fill of the fantastic beer or their delicious, light cakes.

The city has a young population, swelled by many foreign students and if you keep your eyes open you may even come across a film set or two as many movies now use this ancient city as a backdrop. So keep a lookout to see if you appear in the background of the latest film.

Arrive

After arriving at Prague's main airport, exit the Terminal building and take a bus - number 119 - from the stand. This will take you to Dejvicka, a metro stop at the end of Line A, from where you should be able to get to your hotel. You have to buy a ticket before you board - either from the Information Desk in the airport terminal, or from the ticket machine in the bus stand itself.

Explore

The area bounded by 3 metro stations: Mustek, NamestiRepubliky and Staromestska, forms the Old Town, and this is best explored on foot. Start your exploring from any of these stations.

See the sights

The beauty of Prague is in its history and in the Old Town it's all around you. In Staromestske Namesti, the main square, you will be surrounded by beautiful buildings, the most eye-catching of which is the astronomical clock. At each hour the bell sounds and crowds gather to watch as the 12 apostles appear at the window and a trumpeter sounds a fanfare from a balcony up the tower. It's well worth paying for a visit to the top of the tower as it affords some of the best views of Prague you can get, and from a central location rather than miles away.

Even if you are not a history buff like me, a visit to the Museum of Communism will give you a flavour of some of the momentous events that have forged the city and its inhabitants. This museum strikes the right balance between educating and entertaining the visitor - in the posters and artefacts you will see the extent to which the communists attempted to brainwash and intimidate Czechs and in the English-subtitled film that shows on a loop you will see how Vaclav Havel and ordinary Czechs created their 'Velvet Revolution' that helped bring democracy to the country.

Round the corner from that is the 'Powder Tower', one of Prague's majestic pieces of architecture. Walk 2 minutes beyond that and you will find yourself at Mustek metro station. Turn left and you can amble down Wenceslas Square, the epicentre of the city. There is plenty here for the shopaholic.

TIP: the museum has some highly entertaining postcards and memorabilia which are far better than the usual tourist tat for sale in the souvenir shops.

Museums are widespread in Prague and other good bets include the Marionette Museum and the Museum of Torture (Krizovnickénámestí 194/1, 11100 Prague-StaréMesto, +420 723 360 479. Take Tram No 17 or 18 to Krizovnická and the museum is next to the McDonalds on the way to Prague Castle). Prague has a long history of puppetry and the Marionette Museum makes for an entertaining visit. The torture museum is truly fascinating, but not for the faint-hearted; the instruments and the descriptions in there are guaranteed to make you squirm. However it's good value for 140Kr.

Prague Castle is a must as it has a dominating position on the Prague skyline and great views from its vicinity. The largest castle in the world, you can wander through it on your own or the Information Centres in the second and third courtyards provide professional tours in a variety of languages.

TIP: if you don't get to see the changing of the guards you can sneak up alongside the lone sentries and have get a picture next to them. They don't move and they don't bite!

Prague has a great history of literature, music and plays and one of the joys of the city, possibly the best thing for me, is spending the afternoon in one of the famous cafes or restaurants and just relaxing. It will make you feel Bohemian - as indeed it should, since Prague has historically been considered part of Bohemia.

From Prague Castle walk down to MalostranskeNamesti (the square) and take the number 22 tram. This will take you past a wooded area on your right, across one of the bridges (Most Legii).

Eating and drinking

On a different day (or perhaps the same day!) continue walking down Narodni, or stay on the 22 tram if you are on it. Get off at NarodniDivaldo (the National Theatre). In front of you will be the famous Café Louvre, the haunt of many of Prague's intellectuals. This is a great place to have lunch, or even just coffee and a snack. The chocolate cake in Cafe Louvre is amazing, very light and moist. The décor in the downstairs restaurant is also great.

Immediately at the end of the Most Legii bridge you should visit Café Slavia, a beautiful old café with great views over the river. I strongly recommend their savoury pancackes. Czechs also like to have sweet dishes as a main meal, rather than as a dessert like in the UK, so maybe you could try a sweet pancake as a main too?

If you are peckish during the day but don't quite fancy a full meal, try buying a trdelnik, a sort of sweet pastry sold at street snack booths for about 49Kc. They're yummy, and should still leave you with enough space for a meal a little later.

By Richard Lacquiere

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