Mucha painted 20 huge canvases, inspired by the Czechoslovak and other Slav nations and with his trademark Art-Nouveau style. Monumental and stunning, with an excellent interpretive leaflet, see it while you can as they are destined for a permanent home, when Prague can agree where, and how to fund it.

www.ngprague.cz
Dukelských hrdinů 530/47, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice, Czech Republic
+420 224 301 122
Google map: bit.ly/WRdxtw

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Prague Castle is equally gorgeous in snow or sunshine. However, as with any popular tourist attraction, the crowds can be a little overwhelming at times. Ducking into one of the small galleries dotted around the site is one way of escaping the throngs of visitors as well as any inclement weather. The Prague Riding School’s current offering – a retrospective of Stanislav Kolibal’s work – is an engaging collection of abstract sculptures and barely touched canvases which both know-nothings and connoisseurs can enjoy. The highlight for me was the exact replica of Kolibal’s 1967 debut exhibition where his talent and range as an artist are already in ample evidence. The minimalism of the massive iron installations dominating the gallery’s main hall are neatly juxtaposed by the familiar imposing gothic outline of St Vitus Cathedral which can clearly be seen through the huge windows. There’s no need to buy a ticket for the whole site: you can just pay for entrance to the gallery without coughing up the required 250kc to do a tour of the cathedral.
On until 6 January 2013

www.kulturanahrade.cz/en/exhibitions/programme/programme/stanislav-kolibal-another-world-324.shtml
Pražský hrad, 119 08 Praha 1 Czech Republic
+420 224 373 531
Google map: bit.ly/ZkE7xO

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

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If you’re keen to do more while on Old Town Square than take in the Astrological Clock, wander around the Christmas market and sample the mulled wine, make sure you pay a visit to the Czech Press Photo exhibition. This photojournalism competition, which takes place annually, spans two floors of the Old Town Hall and is an excellent way to get an insight into Czech society beyond beer and dumplings. Unsurprisingly the overall first prize was awarded to a shot capturing the national outpouring of grief following former Czech President Vaclav Havel’s death but the variety of images on display is impressive. Those which document contemporary Czech life are among the most interesting such as the shots of a zabijačka, or pig killing, the eighty six year old twins who wear identical clothing and the jockeys at the Velky Pardubice steepchase.

czechpressphoto.cz/en
Old Town Hall, Old Town Square
Google map: bit.ly/TXwa9N


* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

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When sightseeing in Prague’s gorgeous Old Town, it’s tough to find somewhere for a coffee and a sit-down that isn’t a tourist trap. K4 is an underground student hangout – literally – housed in the basement of the Faculty of Arts on Celetna Street, a stone’s throw from Staromeskske Namesti. Push back the vast wooden door at number 20, descend the stairs on the left opposite the porter’s glass booth and you’ll find a cavernous collection of rooms replete with lounging undergrads pouring over their lecture notes or playing chess. Prices are super reasonable (as you would expect given the clientele) and there’s a small gallery too with free exhibitions featuring local up-and-coming artists. There’s no table service though – make your way to the bar in the back room and then take your pick from coffee, draught beer or a shot of that infamous Czech spirit Becherova to fortify you before continuing your wanderings.

galeriek4.cz/
Celetna 20, Prague 1
Google map: bit.ly/UQEFU5

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

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The contemporary art gallery DOX takes its name from the ancient Greek word ‘doxa’ meaning ‘common belief’ or ‘popular opinion’. Don’t be fooled though: the exhibitions held in this relatively new space are anything but orthodox. Since opening to the public almost four years ago, featured works have included David Cerny’s infamous Entropa, a giant sculpture which controversially depicted Germany as an autobahn in the shape of a swastika and Bulgaria as a Turkish toilet as well as an eclectic range of paintings, installations and drawings by both emerging and established artists. It may be a little off the beaten track but still DOX remains the ideal place for visiting art lovers to check out what it means to be a 21st century Bohemian.

DOX, Poupětova 1, Prague 7
dox.cz/en/
Google map: bit.ly/YMaLEz

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

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A rather surprising new, albeit temporary, addition to a previously bland building, the café on the ground floor of Veletrzni Palace seems more of a science laboratory than a traditional cafe. Large bowl-shaped test tubes and gargantuan funnels and filter papers combine to offer up fresh filter and siphon coffee brews. (From 70 czk for a filter coffee).
An incredibly modern cafe frequented by tourists and Prague hipsters - the perfect place to rest gallery-wearied feet.
Offers tea, coffee and a small range of sweet snacks.
Open throughout summer 2012.

www.ngprague.cz/en/5/sekce/veletrzni-palace/
Dukelských hrdinů 47, 170 00 Prague 7
Google map: bit.ly/HYoRvw

* Helen is our Been there local for Prague. Her page is here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-helen-ford.jsp and she has her own blog here: czechingin.wordpress.com/

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As well as larger museums and galleries, Prague is chock-a-block with smaller and more intimate spaces. The Leica Gallery Prague is one such gallery, run by a not-for-profit organization with the aim of providing high quality photography exhibitions and workshops, seminars and lectures.
The small but airy gallery space is well accompanied by a book shop and small café serving very good coffee as well as other soft drinks and wine.
Its very full exhibition schedule and central location means this is a great place to see the work of some Czech and international photographers and enjoy a drink and browse some art books.
Entry is usually 50 CZK.

Skolska 28, Praha 1
+420608963523
Nearest Metro – Musek
Nearest Tram – 3, 9, 14 or 24 – Vodickova
www.lgp.cz/
Google map: bit.ly/meH6Hp

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What better way to view an excellent collection of modern art than in an iconic modernist building? Prague’s impressive Veletrzni Palac was built as an exhibition venue in the 1920s to showcase Czech industrial achievements, and the building itself is a real work of art in its own right. Today it is the Czech National Gallery of 'Art of the 20th and 21st Centuries'. Stand in the huge and lofty central atrium and let your eyes wander upwards to the tiers of galleries above you – it is said that even Le Corbusier was taken aback by the sheer scale, proportion and simplicity of the structure. Move onwards and upwards to the fine permanent collections of European and Czech modern art. There are works by Picasso, Rodin, Rouseau, Van Goch and the like, plus pieces by less well-known Czech artists of that era. If you love art you will not be disappointed. Then, if time allows, there will always be the current temporary shows of work by today's artists. Refreshingly, the Veletrzni Palac is situated off Prague’s well-trodden tourist trail but only minutes from the centre via the city’s efficient public transport network.

Dukelských hrdinů 530/45, 170 00 Praha 7, Czech Republic
+420 224 301 024
www.ngprague.cz/en/
Google map: bit.ly/hvhdni

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Stromovka park is very worth visiting. It's popular but you can find quiet parts as it is huge, and it has a few lakes. The planetarium is here, near the entrance in the park, and is a good diversion. Outside the park and nearby is the Exhibition Grounds, in a few buildings, which I thoroughly recommend as there are very interesting exhibitions for the public on nearly all of the time, and a few really good permanent exhibitions (and a famous big fountain). Take a look at what is on.

The modern art palace of the National Gallery is not far from here and is a great gallery which many tourists miss because it is not near the Old Town, the Castle or Malostranska. It is usually quite quiet and I really recommend seeing it. It could take most of a whole day with a lunch break to visit all of the floors, so one and a half hours is the minimum time I recommend. You can have tea or coffee or a cold drink and snacks there.

The vast majority of people who visit Prague see only the three main areas with maybe also the Jewish Quarter and/or New Town and miss these attractions I mention. But especially if you have been to Prague before, make a point not to miss them. Don't forget the great value of Pension Vltava and recommend it to those who would like a very basic, clean and quiet place to stay with the added bonus of cheap drinks in your room at any hour.

For £7 or £8, have a sauna for a few hours in a basement private day spa near Holesovice station. Another similarly priced sauna in Holesovice is infinit (infinit.cz) which also has a jacuzzi.

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It is a special show with "dancing water" or waterfalls and a small troupe of ballet dancers.The best is in summer in the late hours of the evening when the show is accompanied by lights too.

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Lovely old building with a fine collection of glass, silver, china, etc.

Listopadu 2
www.upm.cz/index.php?page=108&language=en

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A little esoteric maybe, but it’s a very cute lamppost. It’s hidden away in its own little mini-square behind the lower southern side of Wenceslas Square. It’s also just in front of one of the entrances to the wonderfully named Church of Our Lady of the Snows. It’s one of those objects to photograph each other by and, in its own small way, seems to sum up the atmosphere of the city - and it is the only one in the world.

Panny Marie Snezne

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Restoration of old gallery after floods. Sits on river bank and has strange sculptures in courtyard and modern arcitectural bits added to old building.

Don't know its name but its towards the south end of Kampa island right on river bank.

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Fantastic art nouveau concert hall and suite of rooms. Guided tour 10am Sunday morning recommended, followed by coffee in the cafe on the main frontage.

Near Revolution Square

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Modern and contemporary Central European art from a private collection of Meda Mladkova, including a large number of Kupka's paintings, Gutfreund's sculptures and one huge wooden chair in the river outside the museum. Walk there down the Vltava riverbank, called Kampa, which is a picturesque part of Prague.

U Sovových mlýnů 2, Praha 1 www.museumkampa.cz
nearest tram station: Hellichova
nearest tube station: Malostranska

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Alphonse Mucha (1860 - 1939) achieved international fame as a master of Art Nouveau, the decorative style of sensuous and opulent decoration that captured the fin-de-siecle world but was rapidly supplanted by the harsher vision of modernism. His poster art remains familiar over sixty years after his death, but the work he considered his masterpiece is sadly neglected.

The Mucha museum houses one hundred or so of his works. The 'Slav Epic' series however is now on public display in the Czech village Moravský Krumlov - for this worthwhile (90 minute) trip you'll need either a map and a hire car or a helpful train enquiries desk.

www.slav-epic.org.uk

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It doesn't nestle in quite as closely with many of Prague's other attractions, but it is well signposted once you get to the vicinity on foot or by tram. The villa is called Bertramka, and was a 17th century farmhouse, though it doesn't now look at all rural, and housed Mozart while he was working on Don Giovanni. He didn't stay for long, but the house has acquired one of his pianos and various other memorabilia.

Mozartova St 169 150 00 Tel: +420 257 31 74 65 www.bertramka.cz (has a good location map)

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