Beautiful buildings, bargain-price beer and Bohemian beads.

Matička Praha - 'little mother Prague' - was largely undamaged by WWII, and the cityscape is stunning. Its compact medieval centre remains an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages and churches beyond number, all watched over by an 1100-year-old castle.
Kidnapped by communism for 40 years, Prague has become one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. Its traditional pubs and eateries have been augmented by a wave of gourmet restaurants, cocktail bars and trendy cafes - though you can still feast on pork and dumplings washed down with a beer.


When to go

While attractions across much of the Czech Republic are closed or keep limited hours outside the summer season, Prague caters for visitors all year round. Periods when the tourist crush is especially oppressive include the Easter and Christmas/New Year holidays, as well as May and June. Many Czechs go on holiday in July and August, during which time the supply of bottom-end accommodation actually increases, as student hostels are opened to visitors. If you can put up with the cold and the periodic smog alerts during weather inversions, hotel space is plentiful in winter (outside Christmas/New Year), and Prague is gorgeous under a mantle of snow.

Pounding the Cobbles

With three days at your disposal, you can devote a day each to Malá Strana, Staré Město, and Nové Město. Spend your first morning at the castle, and after lunch with a view at U Zlaté Studné enjoy a leisurely afternoon exploring the sights of Malá Strana before rounding off the day with a romantic dinner at Kampa Park and an evening stroll across Charles Bridge.
On day two, kick off with a wander round Old Town Square, then devote an hour or two to the various sights that make up the Prague Jewish Museum. Have lunch at a swanky Pařížská restaurant then go on the guided tour of the Obecní dům that you booked in the morning, followed by a look around the Mucha Museum. Have a quick dinner then head for and Old Town jazz club. Your final day is for shopping and exploring the passages and arcades around Wenceslas Square. Round off a memorable three days with a classical concert and an indulgent dinner somewhere in the Old Town.

A Top Day in Prague

A day in Prague usually involves a lot of walking, so I like to start with a quick caffeine dose; one of my favourite spots is the friendly Bakeshop Praha. They do some very tasty muffins, and the English newspapers they provide are a bonus too. After that, I take a leisurely wander down to Old Town Square. Despite the heavy commercialisation, this is still a breathtaking sight, picture-postcard perfect from almost every angle. I walk along to nearby Týn Court for a browse round its shops, and then head to a gallery, either the House at the Golden Ring, with its typically surreal Czech artworks, or the new Museum of Czech Cubism, which occupies Prague's most important cubist building, the House of the Black Madonna. Prague is the only place in the world where you'll find cubist architecture, and the angular style clearly appealed to the inventive, off-the-wall nature of the Czech people - unique cubist coffee sets, sofas and bookcases are also displayed here. I love the clean lines and geometric patterns of it all. After the crush of the Old Town I crave some greenery and open spaces, so I go north and cross the river to the peaceful Letná Gardens, and refresh myself with a couple of glasses of some of Prague's cheapest beer at the informal alfresco bar. The views over the city from up here are magical. I'll probably be pretty hungry by now, so I'll have lunch at the excellent Brasserie Ullman in the park before heading back to the Old Town. A walk down the riverbank will clear my head and in the evening I'll head over to Vinohrady for dinner, or, if I'm in the mood for a bit of culture, I'll go along to a concert at the magnificent Rudolfinum, enjoying a glass of Bohemian champagne in the interval.


Orientation

Prague sits amid the gentle landscapes of the Bohemian plateau, straddling the Vltava River, the Czech Republic's longest river. Central Prague consists of five historical towns: Hradčany, the castle district, on a hill above the west bank; Malá Strana, the 13th-century 'Little Quarter', between the river and castle; Staré Mêsto, the gothic 'Old Town' on the Vltava's east bank; adjacent Josefov, the former Jewish ghetto; and Nové Mêsto or 'New Town,' (new in the 14th century), to the south and east of Staré Mêsto.
Within these historical districts - linked by the landmark Charles Bridge - are most of the city's attractions. The whole compact maze is best appreciated on foot, aided by Prague's fine public transportation system. Beyond the centre is 19th- and 20th-century Prague, many of whose districts began as separate towns.


Getting There, Getting Around

Getting There

Getting in and out of Prague is a snap, thanks to the cheap and well-run trains of Czech Railways (ČD) and the buses, which are even cheaper still, run more frequently and are quite comfortable. The budget prices and convenience of these modes of transports mean that air travellers to Prague are comparatively rare; if you do fly into the city, you'll fetch up in Ruzyně, the international airport.
Bus
Buses tend to be faster, more frequent and marginally cheaper than the train. All domestic long-distance buses and most regional services depart the Florenc station, though many regional buses depart other terminals scattered throughout the city.


Getting Around

Prague's compact historic centre is best appreciated on foot, with the help of cheap, widespread public transportation. To think of driving is just foolhardy - the city's not set up too well for cars (or, for that matter, for bicycles). If you take taxis, beware of inflated fares; your best bet is a radio taxi.

Car
Driving through the narrow, winding cobbled streets of Old Town, particularly during rush hour, should be attempted only by masochists. However, if you can handle the parking, trams, pedestrianised zones, other cars, cyclists and police looking for a handout, at least you get to stay on your own schedule, as opposed to the city's timetables.

Taxi
Prague is plagued with unscrupulous cabbies; a 2002 crackdown exposed the extent of the problem and introduced harsher penalties, but hailing a taxi on the street, at least in a tourist zone, still holds the risk of an inflated fare. Calling a radio taxi will probably be better value.

Bicycle
Bicycling is somewhat problematic, as traffic is heavy and there are few bicycle lanes. Be sure to lock both your frame and tyres!

Water
Weather and water levels permitting, various outfits ply boats up and down the Vltava River. These are more sightseeing cruises than transport.

Disabled Travellers
Increasing, but still limited, attention is being paid to facilities for the disabled in Prague. Wheelchair ramps are becoming more common, especially at major street intersections and in top-end hotels. For the blind or vision-impaired, most pedestrian-crossing lights in central Prague have a sound signal to indicate when it's safe to cross. The Stavovské Theatre is equipped for the hearing-impaired, and this and several other theatres are wheelchair-accessible. The monthly what's-on booklet Prehled indicates venues with wheelchair access. Few buses and no trams have wheelchair access; special wheelchair-accessible buses operate Monday to Friday on line Nos 1 and 3, including between Florenc bus station and námestí Republiky, and between Holešovice train station and námestí Republiky. Praha hlavní nádraží, Holešovice train station and a handful of metro stations (Hlavní nádraží, Hurka, Luka, Lužiny, nádraží Holešovice, Stodulky and Zlicín) have self-operating lifts. Other metro stations (Chodov, Dejvická, Florenc C line, Háje, IP Pavlova, Opatov, Pankrác, Roztyly and Skalka) have modified lifts that can be used with the help of station staff. Czech Railways (CD) claims that every large station in the country has wheelchair ramps and lifts, but in fact the service is poor.
When flying, disabled travellers should inform the airline of their needs when booking, and again when reconfirming, and again when checking in. Most international airports (including Prague's) have ramps, lifts, accessible toilets and telephones. Aircraft toilets, on the other hand, present problems for wheelchair travellers, who should discuss this early on with the airline and/or their doctor.

Shopping

Prices are getting steeper but there are still plenty of bargains, and hunting them through the city's dim winding streets can be half the fun. Beautiful items like Bohemian crystal, garnets and traditional ceramics sit beside inspired home-grown fashions, music, decorative glassware and wines.

Activities

Prague has plenty of outdoor activities in the warmer months. Stroll the city's high spots, paddle along the Vltava or rent a bicycle; you can always mix sightseeing with exercise. Other ways to sweat it out are swimming, tennis, squash, golf, horse riding or the Prague International Marathon.

Walking, Cycling, Paddle Boating

Walking
Stroll through the greenbelt atop Petřín Hill and fill both your lungs and your eyes. The views of the city are magnificent and you're far enough above the fug of the city to breath fresh air.

Cycling
Cycling in Prague is a hairy proposition - those steep cobblestones can be tricky, and the traffic is as thick as the air - but once out of the more populated areas, the freedom and mobility are their own reward.

Paddle Boating
Renting a rowboat or pedal-boat to tour the Vltava River on your own power can give you an interesting new perspective on the city.


Money & Costs

ATMs are very common, even in small towns, and accept most debit and credit cards including Cirrus and Plus. Credit cards are perhaps less accepted than in other Western European countries but will get you by at most mid to top-end places. As a general rule, you can get by in the Czech Republic with plastic, it's safer than cash but carrying a bit of change comes in handy for public phones, toilets and ticket machines.

Changing Your Money, Money Tips, Price Guide, Tipping

Changing Your Money
Travellers cheques are easily cashed throughout the Czech Republic. Eurocheques are cashed free of charge at Komercní banks, and there are American Express and Thomas Cook offices in Prague which will change their cheques at bank rates free of charge. Upper end hotels and restaurants in major tourist centres accept some credit cards, usually American Express, Visa or MasterCard (Access) and sometimes Eurocard, Diners Club or JCB. Most travel agencies and some tourist shops in Prague accept credit cards, but most shops prefer crowns. Don't bother exchanging money on the black market: the usual rate is barely above the bank rate and there are plenty of scammers ripping off tourists with discontinued old crown notes or worthless Polish zlotys. Be especially vigilant when changing money anywhere in central Prague, especially around Wenceslas Square.

Money Tips
Costs in the biggest tourist centres - Prague especially, but also the Bohemian spas, are higher than elsewhere, though things are still fairly cheap for Western visitors. The big exception is accommodation in Prague, for which tourist prices are in line with those across Western Europe. By staying at cheap hostels and campsites, sticking to self-catering, pub grub and stand-up cafeterias, you might get away with Kč500 per person per day in summer. In a private home or better hostel, with meals at cheap restaurants and using public transport, you can get by on Kč700 - Kč850 . To share a clean double room with bath in a mid-range hotel or pension, and enjoy good local or Western meals, plan on at least Kč1000 - Kč1300 . In Prague, figure a third to half again as much, and even more if you want to be close to the centre. On the other hand, except for Easter and Christmas-New Year, many bottom and mid-range hotels drop their prices by a third or more outside the summer season.

Sample Price Guide

loaf of bread
Kč 20.00
chocolate bar
Kč 12.00
litre of milk
Kč 18.00
24-hr travel card
Kč 80.00
small bottle of beer
Kč 25.00
double room in Malá Strana hotel
Kč 4500.00
pork & dumplings
Kč 100.00
portrait by Charles Bridge caricaturist
Kč 200.00
souvenir t-shirt
Kč 300.00
Average Room Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
Kč500-2500 Kč2500-5499 Kč5500-7500 Kč7500+
Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
Kč150-300 Kč300-600 Kč600-1000 Kč1000+

Tipping
After fair service in a restaurant, round up the bill to the next Kč10.00 (or the next Kč20.00 if it's over about Kč200.00 ). The same applies to tipping taxi drivers. If your driver is honest and turns on the meter then you should round up the fare at the end of your journey. In restaurants, the usual protocol is for the waiter or waitress to show you the bill and for you, as you hand over the money, to tell them the total amount you want to pay with the tip included. Change is usually counted out starting with the big notes, on down to the littlest coins. In more posh restaurants, if you say děkuji (thank you) during this process, your waiter may assume the rest is a tip.


Dancing House Prague

Thank you for the post about the beautiful city Prague. I just wanted to correct you that a loaf of bread costs 20.00Kč not 0.20Kč, a chocolate bar costs 12.00Kč not 0.12Kč and a litre of milk costs 18.00Kč not 0.18Kč.

I did edit my post.Hope it is correct now!

Yes it is correct now