Attractions
Prague is divided into 22 numbered sections. But Prague 1 (Old Town, Mala Strana, the castle district known as Hradcany) and Prague 2 (Nove Mesto, or New Town, which encapsulates Wenceslas Square and the under-visited neighborhood Vinohrady) is all tourists need to remember.
The best way to see Prague is by foot. Unless your hotel is far from the city center, or you loathe a good walk, there may be no reason at all to step on public transportation during your stay in the Czech capital. If you do, you'll soon realize the city's Soviet-built subway system consists of just three lines, making it very easy to use. Built in the '60s and '70s at the height of the Cold War, the stations were intentionally built deep into the earth to double as bomb shelters should a nuclear war commence (some escalators can take minutes to descend!). Buy a ticket and validate it in the yellow box before hitting the escalator that will bring you down to the platform. Also, an extensive tram/street car system will take you anywhere you want in the city (buy tickets from the machines on the tram platforms – or in subway stations – and then validate with the small yellow boxes when you get on). If you can help it, steer clear of using taxis. Even though the Prague taxi industry has slowly begun to clean itself up (thanks a high-publicity stunt by the city's mayor in which he took a taxi, dressed incognito as an Italian tourist, and was charged five times the regular amount), finding an alternative is always safer.
The Prague Information Service (www.pis.cz) operates three offices (in Old Town Hall; in the Charles Bridge tower on the Mala Strana side of the river; and Hlavni Nadrazi, the main railway station) and can book walking tours, day trips, accommodations, transportation information, concert tickets, and historical information. Hours vary depending on location and season. Prague Tours (Hajní 1363; 222/518-259; www.guidingprague.com) a private company started by a Czech-American woman, offers walking tours that can be customized to your interests.
Wenceslas Square
The best place to start your tour is on Wenceslas Square, the tree-lined, Paris-like boulevard that's crowned by the dark neo-Renaissance National Museum (Václavské námestí 68; May-Sept 10am-6pm, Apr-Oct 10am-5pm; 224/497-111; 110kc; www.nm.cz). The museum itself isn't very interesting (unless you've come all this way to look at whale bones and fossilized rocks), but take note of the equestrian statue in front of the museum – sitting atop the boulevard is Saint Wenceslas, of Christmas carol fame. It was here, at the top of the king's eponymous square that in August 1968, the Russian-led invasion bulldozed the Czech reform movement known as the Prague Spring. Soviet troops fired on the National Museum, thinking it was the Czech parliament. Twenty-one years later, hundreds of thousands of Czechs filled this space to help usher out the Russians and sweep in a new era of their history, the most poignant moment being when the crowd shook their keys in unison, a not-so-subtle way of saying, good riddance. Today, upscale shops and cafés line the long boulevard.
If you're standing at the bottom of Wenceslas Square and facing the museum, turn left, walking down the pedestrian-only street Na Príkope, which means "on the moat"; during the Middle Ages, the spot where this street runs literally was a moat, forming the border between the Old Town walls and the outside world. Some of the best shopping exists along this stretch – everything from United Colors of Benetton to Marks and Spencer line the street. For a look at what the city was like before the international chains arrived, try the Museum of Communism (Na Príkope 10; daily 9am-9pm; 224/212-966; 180kc; www.muzeumkomunismu.cz), which is worth a quick visit for gaining a better understanding of the 41 years of Socialist rule. The video reel of the Velvet Revolution is worth the visit alone.
Further on, the imposing Powder Tower (Na Príkope; daily 10am-6pm; 50kc), is the only one of the city's 13 original remaining medieval gates. Kings usually entered the city through these gates on their way up to the castle; today, tourists gawk and locals walk by without noticing it. For a fantastic view – and a good way to get a sense of the city's layout – climb the tower to the top.
Old Town
After passing through the Powder Tower, let the pedestrian-friendly Celetna Street guide your way. On the left is the building known as the House at the Black Madonna, which houses the Museum of Czech Cubism (Ovocný trh 19; Tue-Sun 10am-6pm; 224/211-746; 100kc; www.ngprague.cz), reflecting the short-lived movement in the 1920s when a handful of Czech architects and designers were turning everyday objects into Cubist masterpieces. For a breather, head to the recently restored (and recently opened) Café Grand Orient, which is decked out with angular Cubist chairs, tables, lamps, and wall decorations.
Celetna Street eventually spills out onto Old Town Square, arguably one of the most beautiful public spaces in Europe. Undoubtedly, you'll first notice the Old Town Hall, the tall Gothic "skyscraper" that once took up the entire western side of the square until the Nazis set it on fire just before retreating from the advancing Russians (it was one of the few architectural casualties Prague suffered during World War II). Note the 27 Xs in front of Old Town Hall. They mark the spot where, in 1621, 27 protestants were publicly beheaded (they were on the wrong side of the 30 Years War, an imbroglio that was part of the wars of religion that ravished Europe for centuries). The 15th-century Orloj, or astronomical clock, is one of the biggest draws in Prague (despite the underwhelming show of moving mechanical figurines it puts on hourly). For a great view, climb to the top of the tower (Prague 1; Apr-Oct Tues–Sun 9am-6pm, Mon 11am-6pm, Nov-Mar Tues–Sun 9am-5pm, Mon 11am-5pm; 50kc).
Continue on through Male Namesti (or Small Square) until it bottlenecks into a series of winding alleys. It's here where Prague's side streets become a disorienting (but fun) wander through one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. The best thing to do is to put away the map and get lost. You'll stumble upon churches, intimate squares, and tiny cobbled lanes. You may even stumble upon the Mucha Museum (Panská 7; daily 10am-6pm; 224/216-415; 120kc; www.mucha.cz), dedicated to the fin de siecle Czech artist who became well know in France and Bohemia for his posters and panels, oil paintings, and stained glass – a stop in is a must. The museum exhibits some of Mucha's work and gives an informative overview of his life.
Josefov
Prague's Jewish Ghetto, situated between Old Town Square and the Vltava River, looks a lot different than it did when thousands of Jews lived in the once-cramped quarters for centuries. Named after 18th-century Austrian emperor, Joseph II (many might remember his characterization in the film Amadeus), the neighborhood was largely razed at the end of the 19th century. Today, it's a hodgepodge of gorgeous Art Nouveau buildings sprinkled with Jewish sites including the Old-New Synagogue, the oldest working synagogue on the continent; and the Old Jewish Cemetery, one of the most beautiful and haunting cemeteries in Europe – over 100,000 people are buried here in a space the size of a small city block. One price allows admission into the cemetery as well as five synagogues (Old-New, Pinkas, Spanish, Klausen, and Maisel), the Robert Guttman Gallery, and the Ceremonial Hall. Purchase tickets at the Reservation Centre at U Starého hrbitova 3a or at the Jewish Museum (U Staré školy 1; daily 9am-4.30pm; 290kc; www.jewishmuseum.cz).
Near the river, and on the border of Josefov, aficionados of historic interior design will delight in the Museum of Decorative Arts (17 Listopad 2; Wed–Sun 10am-6pm, Tues 10am-7pm; 251/093-111; 120kc; www.upm.cz), a fascinating tour through Czech design. Housed in a neo-Renaissance palace and founded in 1885, the museum exhibits an impressive permanent 20th-century collection of Art Nouveau and avant-garde sculptures as well as stained glass. We especially like the display of toys throughout the ages, which include a fascinating display of dolls from centuries past.
Mala Strana and Prague Castle (Hradcany)
Take the 14th-century Charles Bridge to Mala Strana, situated in the shadow of the castle and Prague's most breathtaking neighborhood. Photo opp: the pedestrian bridge is the city's most popular landmark. Flanked by two Gothic bridge towers and lined with Baroque sculptures, the bridge is crammed with tourists and the souvenir-hocking merchants who love them. But don't let that you stop you – if you're weary of crowds, go early in the morning, when you'll have the stone span all to yourself. Stroll across at night, when Prague Castle and many of the city's spires and towers are illuminated, for one of the most magical walks you'll have in long time.
The narrow cobbled alleyways that make up Mala Strana are a lure for filmmakers (countless period pieces have been shot here, including Amadeus and Les Miserables), thanks to the neighborhood's less trampled lanes that appear – at least on the surface – relatively untouched by modern times. Be sure to stop into St. Nicholas Church (Malostranske Namesti 25; Mar-Oct 9am-5pm, Nov-Feb 9am-4pm; 50kc) the 18th-century powder blue-domed church that dominates the Mala Strana skyline. The high-Baroque interior, complete with flourishes of cherubs and larger-than-life saintly sculptures, is one of the finest examples of the period.
Prague Castle (Prague 1; hours vary by season; 350kc), is known in Czech as Hradcany and is one of the biggest complexes in the world, housing the office of the president, a post office, the stunning gothic St. Vitus Cathedral (Prague 1; hours vary by season; 100kc) and the simpler, but equally as stunning Romanesque basilica of St. George (Prague 1; hours vary by season; 224/373-368; 50kc). St. Vitus is a fun wander: head up the high campanile for a stunning view of the entire city, examine the intricate stained glass windows (some of which were made by Alfons Mucha), and take a trip down to the crypt to see where Czech kings rest.
After a stroll around St. Vitus Cathedral, pass behind it, stopping into the church of St. George and Golden Lane. This tiny cobbled lane, flanked by colorful connected houses, was once the home of several alchemists (hence the name of the street) who were employed by Emperor Rudolf II in an attempt to turn metal into gold. Later, in 1917, Franz Kafka lived in house number 22.
In front of the castle is the branch of the National Gallery (Hradcankse Namestí 15; Tues–Sun 10am-6pm; 220/514-634-7; 150kc; www.ngprague.cz) that houses a collection of old European masters. The Czech collection of medieval and Renaissance art is not as impressive as you might find in, say, Florence or Paris, but the gallery boasts a number of great canvases from the likes of Albrecht Durer, Rembrandt, El Greco, and Bronzino.
Further Afield
While most of Prague's tourists stick to the historic center, they're missing out by not venturing outside Old Town and Mala Strana. Vinohrady, which is encompassed in the bigger area known as Nove Mesto (literally "New Town"), is a leafy and charming neighborhood that boasts quiet streets and great restaurant, bars, and cafes. The neighborhood is easily reached by subway (take the green line to Jirího z Podebrod) or by foot. It's also home to one of Prague's (and Europe's) most intriguing churches: The Church of the Sacred Heart (Námestí Jirího z Podebrad; 9am-4.30pm; free) looks like a cruise liner crashed into a Timex somewhere in the Mediterranean. The architect, a Slovenian named Joze Plecnik, incorporates early 20th-century modernism with classical elements that offer a feast for the eyes. The Art Nouveau apartment-lined square isn't bad either.
Further on in Vinohrady, you won't be able to miss the Zizkov TV Tower (Mahlerovy sady 1; 10am-11.30pm; 242/418-778; free; www.tower.cz). This Orwellian-looking shaft was built by the Soviets (for, among other reasons, to help block out propaganda frequencies coming from the West). Praguers have hated the dominating tower ever since it was built, but thanks to local (and infamous) artist David Cerný, opinions may be changing. The artist installed van-sized babies that appear to be crawling up and down the moon rocket-like tower – standing directly underneath the tower and looking up is one of most underrated off-the-beaten-path outings in Prague. After craning your neck looking up for a while, take the lift up to the tower's lookout point.
You don't have to be an architecture buff to appreciate the "Dancing Building" (Rasinovo nabrezi 80) as locals call it. Situated two bridges south of the Charles Bridge (on the Old Town side of the river) this curvy building was designed in the mid-90s by "star-chitect" Frank Gehry, perhaps the most famous living architect today. The building earned its nickname because the structure, a swirling glass façade attached to the more rigid core of the building, resembles a man and a skirt-wearing woman dancing.
