Everything you have heard about the glorious elegance of this Czech capital is true.
15 February 2006
In spring time the city blooms as street cafes start to fill up and the sun throws a glow on the city’s buildings showing off every style from Romanesque to contemporary.
Classical music renditions beckon at every corner and at around 300Kc 7.50 euros a ticket, it sounds good value. And when not strolling in the ornately walled gardens of the Valdstenjska zaharad or rowing up stream on the city’s watery dividing land mark the River Vlatava in a chocolate box style row boat, you could be whetting your appetite with a glass of Prague’s finest brew. And if that doesn’t tempt you, how about this: where else can you find a beacon of Prague’s recent past – the Museum of Communism – sharing a palatial building with painted ceilings and sweeping staircases with a casino and even more, bizarrely a branch of MacDonald’s?
MUST VISITS
Prague Castle
Prague Castle is located in the Western half of the city and it was once the seat of the mad Emperor Rudolph II (1583-1612). Thanks to his efforts during the late Renaissance, artists and alchemists made their way to this city. The fine silhouette of this towering castle hints at the many reasons that draw you to it: a palace, cathedral, two museums, a Romanesque monastery and a handful of galleries and concert halls – in fact it is a district all of its own. You will have to ramble through two courtyards just to reach the Gothic St Vitus’s Cathedral. At the eastern end of a third courtyard is the St George’s Basilica (Bazilika sv Jir(?) and from here you can reach Franz Kafka former home in a street hugging the castle’s north walls at 22 Golden Lane, (now a book shop where you can buy a copy of his book). It is easy to see how he drew so much of his own inspiration from the sobriety of Prague Castle. This popularly visited street is made extremely quaint with its tiny multi-coloured 16th century cottages. Golden Lane leads to the Black tower (Cerna Vez) and reaches out to the wonderfully pretty Old Castle Steps onto a huge staircase to the district of Male Strana.
Male Strana
Male Strana means ‘little quarter’, and this little quarter spreads out in a grid of narrow, sometimes winding streets just below the castle. Darkened streets harbour small drinking parlours where chilly fingers can warm themselves on mulled wine. The charm of this quarter is in its hidden restaurants and even hidden palaces. From here a stroll through Mostecka leads to Charles Bridge. You can also visit the green area called ‘Palace Gardens Beneath Prague Castle’ between 10am-6pm and enjoy fruit trees, vegetables and gorgeous flower beds.
Charles Bridge
This is not just a bridge over the River Vlatava. This is a monumental 13th century pedestrianised bridge which unites Prague’s old town with Mal? Strana. King Charles IV built it to hold tournaments for his knights but though that activity has stopped, simply walking across it remains an event in itself. Throngs of people enjoy the souvenir stands, the street musicians and the seventy five ornamental statues added later in the seventeenth century. Once at the other end of the bridge you have arrived at the old town.
Staromestske Namesti
This pretty yet palatial square with its beautiful ancient buildings, impressive churches and its famous Astronomical Clock (Orloj) is a tourist delight – and the place to pick up a horse-drawn carriage. For 600 years onlookers have gathered on the hour to watch as its wooden doors open to let the twelve apostles led by Christ emerge with illustrations of greed, vanity and death. No need to hang around though, because this can be viewed easily from one of the nearby outdoor cafes.
So can the fourteenth century Old Town Hall on which it is located. For a nominal entry fee you can climb to its top for some great views over the square. This is also where the tourist office can be found.
Dominating one side of the square is the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. Though it has a Gothic exterior, it has a baroque interior. The almost mystical looking church much haunted Kafka, and visitors today are still moved by its bulk and its two black unsymmetrical towers.
The Jewish Quarter
For eight hundred years up to WWII the area of Josefov had a thriving Jewish community including their most famous son Franz Kafka (who incidentally died of natural causes not Nazi causes). The former Jewish Ghetto includes six significant synagogues, the Jewish Town Hall famous for its belfry with a Hebrew clock whose hands move counter-clockwise, the Old-New Synagogue and a cemetery where graves are heart-breakingly ten deep. They all form part of the Jewish Museum.
This Jewish Ghetto is the most in tact of its kind in Europe for heart wrenching reasons: the Nazi’s considered the area to be quite beautiful as they were wiping out the Jewish race, they would keep it as a living museum of an extinct race of people.
High Culture
In most churches, and even palaces, during most evenings, will have a classical concert going on. Don’t worry about finding them, they will find you. Leaflets are handed out constantly, and they are worth looking at as they tell of concerts in some stunning venues. Best of all there is so much competition you can even haggle on the price.
Mozart conducted the premiere of his the opera he wrote specially for Prague, Don Giovanni, in 1787 at the Estates Theatre. For around 25 euros, you can still hear his masterpiece at renditions at the theatre throughout the year.
There is also a puppet version of the Don Giovanni opera which shows at the National Marionette Theatre. Watching marionettes sing opera with every flap of their artificial mouths offers a darkly humorous experience as lust, jealousy and even terror are expressed in stiff wooden terms. After the show you may well feel compelled to buy a puppet. If so, head for the side streets where they are cheaper and more authentic.
FACT FILE
GETTING THERE
Czech Airlines (0870 4443 747; www.csa.cz) flies from Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow; British Airways (0870 850 9 850; www.ba.com) from Heathrow; easyJet (0905 821 0905; www.easyJet.com) from Nottingham, Bristol, Stansted, Gatwick and Newcastle; and Jet2 (0870 737 82 82; www.jet2.com) from Leeds-Bradford and Belfast.
From Ruzyne airport, about 10km north of the city, the easiest way into the city is to take a minibus. Cedaz (00 420 224 281 005) will take up to four people to one address for 480Kc (?12). Alternatively, pay (1 euro) for a transfer ticket which gets you a ride on the 119 bus as far as Dejvicka metro station, from where you can travel to anywhere on the three-line underground network. Tickets for public-transport cost 1 euros and are available at newsagents. Or Book a shuttle for around 15 euros www.prague-airport-shuttle.com
Accommodation
Prague Inn
28 Rijna 378/15
Prague 1
+420 226 014 444
www.hotelpragueinn.cz
Doubles from 175 euros ?125.00 b&b
This is a new hotel within an ancient building. The restaurant is in its ancient cellar where you can have breakfast while watching TV.
Esplanade
Washingtonova Street 1600/19
Prague 1
Doubles 99 euros
An old-world style five star hotel but without the five star prices.
Dan & Resha’s Great Eats
Dan and Resha chose Prague to tie the knot because ‘because it is the city my parents were born and bred in’ said Dan, ‘it is simply the most beautiful and romantic city we know, and we were able to have 5x as luxurious a wedding as we could have afforded in the UK.’
Here are some of their recommendations for eating out in Prague:
Albio
Truhlarska 20
Albio makes the healthiest and tastiest food we know - great fish, vegan and whole food cooking. It is an ideal venue if you want a break from the dumplings (Resha's favourite restaurant of all as she is Vegan).
PALFFY Palac
Valdstejnska 14
Tel: 257 530 522
This lovely old style atmospheric eatery has outside and inside space; the brunch menu offers everything from a bowl of muesli to a full blown sunday dinner and anything in between.
Kolkovna
V Kolkovne 8, Praha 1.
Tel: 224819701
Kolkovna offers great Czech and international food.
Cafe Louvre
Narodni Trida 20 Praha 1
Enjoy an authentic Czech experience. In the summer you can also dine outside in the courtyard space. There is also a bar with pool/billiard tables at back too.
Directory of Venues
Prague Castle
Pra?sk? hrad, Hradcany
Tram Stop: Prazsky Hrad (trams 22,23) or walk up from Charles Bridge through Nerudova street
Entrance 350Kc ?8.75 and allows entry to all exhibits including the Basilica, St Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane.
The Astronomical Clock:
open 24 hours.
Old Town Hall Tower:
Apr-Oct: Mon 11:00-18:00, Tue-Sun 9:00-18:00.
Old Town Hall Tourist Information Centre:
Apr-Oct: Mon-Fri 09:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 09:00-18:00
Nov-Mar: Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 09:00-17:00.
Tourist Office
Old Town Hall
+420 12 444
www.pis.cz
Open 9am-7pm daily (to 6pm at weekends)
The Jewish Quarter - Zidovske mesto
Josefov, Prague 1
Open 9am-4.30pm except Saturdays and Jewish Holidays.
Entry 300Kc (?7.50) + 200Kc (?5) for entry to Old-New Synagogue
Estates Theatre
Ovocn? trh, Prague 1
http://www.estatestheatre.cz/
close to the bottom side of Wenceslas Square, at the Old Town
Museum of Communism
Na Prikope 10
New Town, Prague 1
Czech Republic.
http://www.muzeumkomunismu.cz
Metro: Mustek (lines A & B).
National Marionette Theatre
?ateck? 1
http://www.mozart.cz
+ 00 224 819 322
Shows daily