Prague
Top Tips
Here are some of our favourite things to do in Prague.
back to topMust Sees
Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad –II. Nadvori, Prague
1)
The largest castle in the world. Staggering 9th century bling in
Good King Wenceslas’ chapel. Intrigue in secret communist
bomb-shelter escape tunnels. Old Masters in the gallery, cultural
regression at the world-class Toy Museum. Pleases all of the people
all of the time.
Old Town Square (Starometske Namesti, Prague 1)
Cobbled streets teeming with an explosion of cafes, restaurants and
street entertainment. Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic facades
surround the antiquated Astronomical Clock on the Town Hall.
Kampa Museum (U Sovových Mlýnù 2,
Prague 1)
In old Soca Mill, with fabulous display of post-modernist art and
riverside cafe.
back to topRetail Therapy
This is the city for glass and crystal goods. Founded
in 1857, Moser (Kpt. Jarose 19, 360 00 Karlovy Vary) reputedly
makes the finest unleaded glass in the world. Too fragile to pack?
Exclusive (Vodickova 28, Prague 1) packs and ships Bohemian glass,
jewellery and porcelain direct from the shop floor.
Havel’s market
Biggest market in Prague, between Starometske Namesti and Wenceslas
Square. Nothing you can’t find here. Perfect for holiday
gifts: handmade wooden toys and glitzy decorative bottles a
speciality.
Parizska Prague 1
A label lovers’ paradise just off the Old Town Square.
Exclusive designer outlets to flex the plastic in.
Zizkov
The whole district will get bargain hunters salivating. Worth
rummaging through second-hand shops for one-off vintage threads,
can’t-get Communist-era miscellany.
Teg (V Kolkovne 1, Prague 1)
Fresh, fun looks from the imaginations of Alexandra Pavalova and
Ivana Safrankova, aka "Timoure et Group".
Navarila (Jecna 35, Prague 2)
Known for her knitwear, Martina Nevarilova creates one-off woollen
wonders.
Botanicus (Stare Mesto, Tyn Court 3)
Czech body treats chain. Outlets all over the capital draw you in
with zesty and soothing fragrances. Fans should make a pilgrimage
to the company’s medieval village (35km from Prague) where
products are purchased with old Bohemian "dollars".
Restaurants
The Malá Strana district is full of restaurants. We can
recommend the Mediterranean and fusion cuisine at Square, a
few minutes down the hill on Malostranské Square. Or, for
the arguably the best food in Prague, head down to Kampa
Park on the riverfront.
For a taste of more local fare and some old-style pampering, try
the Palffy Palác for brunch
(Valdštejnská 14, Prague 1) and David for
dinner (Tržište 21, Prague 1).
Other restaurants worth a try are King Solomon (Siroka 8,
Prague 1) and Klub Architektu (Betlemske namesti, 169/5a,
Prague 1), which serves good vegetarian food.
back to topCafes, Bars and Clubs
For the hippest bars and clubs, head over to the the area south of
the National Theatre to Myslikova. Also great are:
Slavia (Narodni 1, Prague 1). Civilised café where
coffee-quaffing intellectuals met, discussed and made cultural
history. Great for people-spotting by the Vltava and National
Theatre.
Rough it at U Cerneho vola (Loertanske namesti 1, Prague 1).
Working men’s pub in the heart of the old town. Cheap drinks
at the cost of courteous service. Win over the regulars with a few
phrases in Czech.
U Sudu (Vodickova 10, Prague 1). Each catacomb more funky
than the next. Cacophony of hiphop, indie and traditional Czech
drinking tunes. For the young (or young at heart).
Karlovy Lazne (Smetanovo nábreží 198,
Prague 1). Prague's first superclub playing headspinning range of
jazz, blues, reggae, disco, tecno in a converted mill house by the
Charles Bridge.
back to topRetreat
Many of the gardens in Prague are walled and you can stumble upon
them almost by accident. Enjoy the tranquillity and amazing Baroque
architecture at the Wallenstein Garden (Letenská) and
the Vrtbov Garden (Karemlitská 25), both in the heart
of the Malá Strana.
Stromovka Park & Vystaviste
Vast green expanse, formerly favoured for hunting by Emperor
Rudolf. Now a prime spot for romantic strolls, joggers and escapees
of the stickiness of summer in the city. Vystaviste is the
city’s exhibition district - muse in the Museum of Modern
Art, then splash in the Krizik Fountain.