A taxi will cost around €20 or you could take a bus to the city centre.
A sumptuous restored art deco pile in a central but quiet location, up to ���300 for a double room.
: U Obecniho Dom 1; Tel: 222 195 195; Nearest metro: Namesti Republiky; www.hotel-pariz.cz/
A neat little hotel in a great location with a cheap and good French-style bistro next door. Around ���120 for a double room.
Hastalska 14; Tel: +420225303111; www.maximilianhotel.com/
Czech New Wave classic from the 60s, directed by Jiri Menzel, the film is a poignant allegory about wartime resistance under Nazi occupation with pointed defiance of the then communist regime.
A clattering old tram running through the little quarter, down to and across the river is a cheap and efficient way of seeing the city. Also, take a boat trip down the river from the quaysides by the national theatre or Charles University.
Tram no.22 for the city from the Castle, tram no.91 for the historic tram from the Vystaviste in Prague & through Mala Strana, to the National Theatre, through Wenceslas Square, Namesti Republiky and back through Prague 7; Open: Historic Tram Sat and Sun and holidays from Easter to mid Nov, leaves Vystaviste every hour from 2pm-7pm, 40min ride; Tickets: 20kc for adults, 10kc for children.
The Letna park above the river.
British lager louts and the increasingly ubiquitous British stag or hen weekends. A wretched sight.
Even when crowded with visitors, notably around Karlova street and the Charles Bridge connecting the old town to the little quarter, it is surprising how little detours from the main drag take you into relatively quiet and delightful squares and alleys.
One of the many cafes on the Old Town Square.
English language weekly newspaper, available at kiosks and grocer’s in the city centre, has a decent listings of what’s on, where to eat, drink, and stay.
Good quality Czech food, excellent lamb, at around ���20.
Vodickova 36, inside the Lucerna Palace; Tel: +420224212659
High-class international food on the riverside served with flair. Up to ���60.
Na Kampe 8b; Tel: +420257532685; www.kampapark.cz/
Perfectly decent, just out of the centre at around ��50 per night for a double with breakfast.
Legerova 32
Jan Neruda���s Tales of the Little Quarter is steeped in Prague lore. Jaroslav Hasek���s The Good Soldier Schweik is a hilarious romp and exploration of the Czech national character.
Great beer and hearty Czech pork, duck, and chicken dishes for around ���10.
Seifertova 26, Zizkov, just out of the centre; Tel: 420 2227 34212
On the river to the north in Prague 7, the city zoo offers a decent day-out. The charming palace of Troja is next door also on the river and worth a peek.
Zoologicka zahrada v Praze U Trojskeho zamku 3, Troja, Prague 7; Tel: 296 112 230; Nearest metro: Nadrazi; Open: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec 9am-4pm daily. Mar 9am-5pm daily. Apr-May & Sept-Oct 9am-6pm daily. June-Aug 9am-7pm daily; Admission: 80kc, 50kc children and students, 230kc family, under-3s free (no credit cards); www.zoopraha.cz/
On the south-eastern edge of the city, you should be able to find a quiet spot amid the 500 acres of Pruhonice park, at its best in spring.
You can eat well in Prague these days, but cuisine is not the reason for visiting. On a cold winter���s night, however, roast duck, fruity red cabbage and dumplings have a certain appeal.
Very good flea markets, but hard to find, unreliable in their timings, and rarely in the centre. Ask around, depending on the time of year. The Globe English language bookstore, coffee house and internet cafe, just outside the city centre, is the ideal place to ask about what���s on.
Pstrossova 6; Tel: +420224 934 203; www.globebookstore.cz/
The sandy, tree-lined waterfront at the Kampa on the Vltava under the castle is a lovely spot.
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