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Prague

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Prague
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Prague Travel Guide

  • About Prague
Few cities in Europe can rival the old-world beauty and charm of Prague. Yet there is more to this colourful Czech capital then meets the eye, with a layered appeal that goes beyond its cobbled streets and lovely, meandering river.The bridges, spires and hilltop castles of the city combine to heart-melting effect, particularly if you’re lucky enough to stumble into an unexpected garden within its hidden courtyards. Prague’s flourishing art and dining scene thrive, and its live entertainment is almost as renowned as its graceful and varied architecture.A smorgasbord of classical sites and exuberant monuments, it goes without saying that the city is no longer a secret. There was a time when Prague’s impeccably preserved Old City seemed to emerge onto travellers’ maps out of nowhere; its medieval lanes and squares untouched by extensive wartime bombing.These days it’s become a key stop-off on the continental tour, and despite the summer throng, it remains a very special place. If you’re canny enough to visit over winter, when its snow-crusted roofs and icicle-laden churches add to the atmosphere, you’ll find far fewer visitors.The city’s past makes for a labyrinthine tale of both high living and hard fortune, and its dramatic history informs much of its character. It’s lived through royal upheavals and renaissance movements and spent time under Nazi occupation and Soviet control. For heritage buffs, there’s a huge amount to delve into.Quintessential sights include the statue-studded Charles Bridge and the immense Prague Castle. Wander historic alleyways in search of secluded chapels, concealed courtyards and traditional Czech pubs selling world-class beers. The appeal of this UNESCO-listed historic centre never ends; with the bonus of a burgeoning array of luxury hotels, contemporary dining, shopping and entertainment.There are superb galleries, sobering museums and speaker-shaking nightclubs. Food, drink and nights out are all taken seriously here, so those in search of meaningful nightlife will find far more to enjoy than the stag-do clichés.The Czech capital is a city you can fall in love with. It’s somewhere to feast on delicious and traditional cuisine and sink into a blend of architecture that ranges from Gothic to cubism. It’s a place to enjoy bold, humorous works of art before taking a walk in a riverside park. Prague is somewhere to enjoy at length.
  • Prague History
Prague’s history goes back much further than its mediaeval skyline, beginning in the distant days of the Celtic Boii tribe who founded the city around 500BC. Unlike the Celts in the rest of Europe, it wasn’t the Romans who displaced the tribe in AD9 but the German Marcomanni.The Marcomanni gave birth to the ruling Přemyslid dynasty, which remained pre-eminent in Prague until the 14th century. Among the Přemyslid rulers was Wenceslas (he of Christmas carol fame) who was killed by his brother Boleslav and now lies buried beneath St. Vitus’s Cathedral. Despite political convulsions, the era saw Prague grow in importance as a trading centre.But for all the Přemyslid’s success, Prague’s real golden age commenced when Charles IV of Bohemia was elected Holy Roman Emperor in the mid-14th century. Flush with cash, Charles decided to overhaul the city and initiated an ambitious building programme, with St Vitus Cathedral and the Charles Bridge among the completed projects.His feckless descendants, however, frittered Charles’ legacy away and when the last direct heir died childless, a Calvinist king called Frederick V of Pfalz was elected. His religion brought him into conflict with the powerful Hapsburgs, and Catholic armies rode out and defeated him in 1620, leaving Emperor Ferdinand II in charge. With political power now concentrated in Vienna, Prague began to decline.After 400 relatively uneventful years of Hapsburg rule, the 20th century was traumatic for Prague: first, it was occupied by the Nazis and then yoked to the oppressive Soviet Union. The Russians, leaving Prague’s inhabitants cowed and despairing, ruthlessly crushed any dissent, most notably during the 1968 Prague Spring.Although daunted, the Czech spirit remained undimmed, and when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the people took the opportunity to break away from Communism in what is now known as the Velvet Revolution. The Velvet Divorce followed as the Slovak portion of the old Czechoslovakia went its own way, leaving Prague the capital of the brand new Czech Republic.
  • Did you know?
Prague was the first Eastern Bloc city to gain a Michelin-starred restaurant – the Allegro at the Four Seasons Hotel which is now closed. It was in Prague in 2006 that Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet. The grave of hard-line Communist president Antonín Novotný doesn’t have his name on it – the only sign of his presence is a carved signature.
  • Weather in Prague
Prague is a rewarding place to visit at any time of year.Spring (March to May) in Prague is pleasant as temperatures climb from 4°C (39°F) in March to 15°C (59°F) in May. May is also a month of celebrations – the prominent Prague Spring International Music Festival and the Czech Beer Festival draw large crowds.Summer (June to August) in Prague is idyllic. The city bustles with tourists in July and August. Summer can be quite wet, so pack an umbrella with you.Autumn (September to November) is also a great time to visit Prague as the city experiences a low amount of rainfall. Average temperatures drop from 14°C (57°F) in September to 3°C (37°) in November. Winter (December to February) is long and cold in Prague, but there are fewer tourists, and the city’s snow-dusted bridges and castles are at their most atmospheric.For a picture-perfect snow scene, visit Prague in December and January when you’re most likely to see a dusting of the white stuff.

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