Prague’s Little Hanoi, known as Sapa, doesn’t show up on those classic postcards adorned with gothic spires and majestic castles. There isn’t a skyline at all in Sapa. Behind a strip mall exterior is a market district built by the Czech Republic’s Vietnamese community over the past three decades. It’s a maze of stalls carved out of an old industrial factory site that breathes the essence of a busy, gritty Asian market. Its buildings are literally rusting around the edges void of any fancy touches.

Once a small bedroom community, Sapa has evolved into a trading center and market. Politics brought the Czech and Vietnamese communities together during their communist regimes where bilateral agreements encouraged Vietnamese to migrate to Prague to work. Today, the Vietnamese are the second largest ethnic minority in the Czech Republic, gaining official status in 2013.

By Day

Don’t expect to find any maps to help you discover Sapa. One local advised me best when he shook his hand out to say: “You just go and you find everything.” Lining Sapa’s connected parking lots are shops and business stalls surrounded by piles of wholesale knick-knacks – straight from Asia. Everything from plastic dolls, metal cans, stuffed animals, flower pots, garden statues, cheap clothing, cheap shoes, cheap gadgets, wigs and mops can be found stacked in colorful heaps.

While you can buy lots of things you may or may not need, it’s the dozens of tin-box-like restaurants that attract visitors. A whiff of fresh ginger, cilantro, steamed tofu, and chili paste waft out of them calling attention to Vietnamese pho or noodle soup, bun cha which is grilled pork and noodles or banh mi sandwiches. Each simple eatery more or less shares the same layout: fluorescent lighting, unmatched and well-worn plastic furniture, tables adorned with a cup of chopsticks and a bottle of chili sauce, a TV blaring in one corner and someone cooking behind a counter in another corner.

Ask around for Pho Quynh Anh restaurant which is famous for its pho bo or beef and rice noodle soup. Another option is Pho Tung restaurant which is known for its pho ga, a chicken and rice noodle soup.  Pho dishes range around 100 Czech koruna or 3.50 euro in Sapa. Dish out some more change to sample nuoc mia which is sugar-cane juice with ice and limes. Top off your Vietnamese dining experience with sweet Asian bubble tea. Ask around for Bobo Bubble Tea where you can sample jasmine tea with lychee balls.

Besides eateries, tea shops and trading posts Sapa is dotted with barbershops, hair salons, tailors, travel agencies and an occasional bridal shop. A few large grocery stores are a haven of ingredients for the Asian foodie where buckets brim with Asian staples including Thai basil, coconuts, lemongrass and bitter melon.

Sapa has one Buddhist temple, a small simple building tucked in a corner of the district. Like most places in Sapa, there’s no exact address so you need to ask and follow the direction you’re being waved to. It’s a peaceful little temple adorned with two large plastic flower trees outside. Peek inside to find statues of Buddha, food offerings and burning incense.

By Night

Most of Sapa’s businesses close daily by 18:00, some by 20:00. The main restaurant at the Sapa entrance, called Dong Do, is the most upscale in town and stays open later. If you’re lucky you might catch a Vietnamese wedding taking place in its enormous banquet hall or a big family party heading into one of the venue’s immaculate mahogany private party rooms.

Otherwise Sapa shuts down by sunset unless the local business hotel called Hotel Lifestyle holds a karaoke night or attracts enough gamblers in its on-premises Casino.

Resident’s Perspective

Tran Thu Trang emigrated to Czech Republic 22 years ago at the age of eight. She studied economics in Prague and works for a law office in Sapa. What she loves about the district is the fact is like a little city within a big city. It’s a place where Vietnamese can come together as a community. “The community is growing, we’re now second generation and some kids only speak Czech. I speak both.” She admits Sapa has its growing pains including merchants who don’t understand Czech law. What makes it unique, she says, is the clash of cultures. “Culturally, Czechs and Vietnamese are so different when it comes to mentality and attitude.”

Local Digs

Sapa isn’t a place most Prague visitors stay. In fact, most Vietnamese have moved outside of the marketplace. There is one hotel, the aforementioned Hotel Lifestyle located right at the entrance which is popular with the business crowd and traders. From Prague’s more central districts, Sapa’s District 4 location is an easy 30-40 minute afternoon trip via metro and bus (take bus 113 from metro station Kacerov C line).

For a more conventional look at the Czech capital, be sure to pass by our Prague city break guide, or our In The Zone guide to the hip Holesovice district. Can’t get enough? Then take a look at the best brew pubs in town or a these stunning photos from the Christmas markets!

About Marissa Tejada

Marissa Tejada is an American journalist, travel writer and author living in Athens. She's a regular contributor to Forbes Travel, Wine Enthusiast, GQ and Urban Travel Blog. Full bio here.

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The Prague that most tourists are familiar with is gobsmackingly gorgeous. It’s Baroque cherubs and winding cobbled streets; gleaming spires and fairytale vistas; the Astrological Clock and Charles Bridge. Disneyland Prague certainly merits your attention. However, once you’ve narrowly avoided colliding with a Segway for the umpteenth time, do yourself a favour – jump on a tram and check out a slice of life in the suburbs.

Once you’ve narrowly avoided colliding with a Segway for the umpteenth time, do yourself a favour – jump on a tram and check out a slice of life in the suburbs…

Holešovice has been my home for the past two years. It’s gritty but not grotty; up-and-coming but not yet gentrified beyond all recognition. Traditionally, it’s a working class district: every day on my way to the tram stop I walk past a plaque commemorating where the Czech Communist Party elected Klement Gottwald their leader. Although in this neighbourhood you won’t be treated to the same eye candy as in the Old Town, there are plenty of pretty Art Nouveau buildings with quirky facades as well as the odd rondo-Cubist apartment block. It’s the place to come if you want authentic Prague and fancy taking in a couple of galleries, sampling some old-school Czech pub grub then heading out for some late night hedonism. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the real Bohemia.

By Day

Gangs of teenage German tourists have already discovered Holešovice – or at least Holešovická Tržnice. It’s a huge indoor and outdoor market offering an eclectic range of goods, including souvenir T-shirts, knuckle dusters, Angelina Jolie beach towels and 12 inch vibrators covered in fake fur. Go figure. Should you feel peckish, the Vietnamese food stalls serve up a mean pho. It’s the farmers’ market that the locals flock here for though, especially on a Saturday. Head for Hall 22 and look out for the signs saying pěstitel: that means the trader is selling his own produce rather than cut price foreign imports.

Holešovice is also home to DOX, Prague’s centre for contemporary art, which recently celebrated its fifth birthday. Think White Cube meets the Tate Modern and you’ll have conjured up a pretty accurate image of the space. The exhibitions held here are anything but orthodox: featured works have included David Černý’s infamous Entropa, the giant sculpture which ruffled feathers by depicting Germany as an autobahn in the shape of a swastika and Bulgaria as a Turkish toilet.

It’s a huge indoor and outdoor market offering an eclectic range of goods, including souvenir T-shirts, knuckle dusters, Angelina Jolie beach towels and 12 inch vibrators covered in fake fur…

Veletržní Palác (Trade Fair Palace), the city’s major public modern art gallery, houses a decent collection of nineteenth- and twentieth-century art by major names (Picasso, Renoir, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Klimt) in its seven floors. The building might look underwhelming from outside but it’s a masterpiece of Functionalist architecture: the vast soaring atrium with its clean geometric lines is bound to impress even those allergic to modernism. It’s not as huge as the Louvre, but you won’t cover it all so be selective. Be prepared to be tailed by over eager gallery assistants.

Nearby café bookstore Ouky Doukey is a good place to stop off and recaffeinate. Back in the so-called Wild Nineties – the years immediately after the Velvet Revolution – this place, then known as The Globe, was Prague’s main expat haunt and hosted readings by literary luminaries such as Alan Ginsberg, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis, Susan Sontag and Julian Barnes. The café-bookshop combo concept remains, but the aspiring Kafkas have moved on. There’s still a limited selection of stuff in English to browse though.

One of Holešovice’s best cafes is Coffee Beans, worth seeking out for its super friendly service, cosy Old World interior and most importantly of all, great coffee. My favourite spot for lunch is Bistro Špajz: špajz means larder and the dining space isn’t much bigger than one but that’s all part of the venue’s appeal. On the menu there’s a choice of hearty Czech soups, respectable versions of Italian classics like gnocchi and risotto along with freshly made sushi. If you don’t find a seat here, Baterka, a modern Czech pub with a self-consciously funky interior, is a decent alternative with a reasonably priced lunch menu.

By Night

Holešovice’s recent facelift is most obvious by the river, where Prague Marina, a complex of luxury apartments designed to appeal to the upwardly mobile, has sprung up on the site of a former port. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Russian oligarch to eat out at nearby Pivovar Marina, a microbrewery pub serving up versions of hearty Czech classics like svíčková: pork sirloin with juniper berries in a creamy sauce served with – yep, you guessed it – dumplings. There’s ample outdoor seating with a view over the water which makes this a lovely spot to while away a summer evening.

Zlatá Kovadlina (The Golden Anvil) is a bustling basement boozer that’s popular with locals but not too spit and sawdust. There’s also a bowling alley upstairs if you want to chance your arm at scoring a strike. Recently opened wine bar Biblioteca Del Vino, specialising in Italian vintages, is proof that the Czechs love the grape just as much as the grain. Despite the name, Bohemia Bagel is famed for its extensive selection of meaty burgers, although they also serve the odd bread bun with a hole in the middle.

If you’re after a hedonistic night out, there’s only one place in the ‘hood to head for: Cross Club. This nightspot with its striking industrial interior – a chaotic mishmash of bolts, cogs and pipes – is best known as a venue for drum n’ bass and all things electronic but… You’ll know you’ve made it to the right place once you spot the bizarre metal sculptures outside. On the first floor, there’s Cross Café, a pub lounge with tribal décor and a more laidback vibe (which might be something to do with all the hash being consumed, judging from the sickly smell) where I catch up with fellow local Markéta Musilová.

Resident’s Perspective

Markéta, 25, who studies at the University of Economics, has lived in Holešovice for three years. “What I really love about the area is that a lot of effort is being made to make it more user-friendly. There are tons of new pubs, restaurants and shops opening all the time. It’s also close to the city centre and there are some decent cycle paths so it’s easy to get out into nature. One of my favourite places is Loděnice, a part of the river where they have a kayaking slalom course. If I want a less active summer afternoon, Pivovar Holešovice’s beer garden is a nice place to chill.”

Local Digs

Backpackers are spoilt for choice in rough and ready Holešovice. Housed in an Art Nouveau building, Sir Toby’s Hostel certainly has kerb appeal: private rooms start from £25 a night; dorm beds from £5 a night. The hostel also hosts social events such as beer tasting and pub quizzes should you be feeling lonesome. Plus Hostel is also based in Holešovice and has a late-night bar, swimming pool and sauna. If you want something swankier, there’s the four star Hotel Belvedere which has the best (ok, the only) Japanese restaurant in the neighbourhood. Rooms start from £43 per night.

For more Prague tips check out our insider’s guide to the Czech capital right here. We’ve also compiled an article on the city’s best brew pubs, for hop lovers. And if you’re coming for Christmas then get into the spirit of things with these gorgeous photos of the Christmas markets!

About Lisette Allen

Lisette is a Prague-based freelance journalist whose work has been featured in Guardian Travel, easyJet Traveller and Wizzair Magazine. An expert on cafes, she loves nothing more than tucking into a big slice of cake in bohemian surroundings.

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Prague is one of the most beautiful European capitals – and during the festive season it gains even more charm. We were very lucky to visit just before Christmas and be there for the 21st December 2012 – according to many believers the day the world would end. (Un)surprisingly the world didn’t end, at least not in Prague! We had both visited the Czech Capital many years ago and had very positive memories still in our minds. This time, the great impression of the stunning Karlův most (Charles Bridge), the charming narrow streets leading to secret little corners, the beautiful mosaic created by the city’s rooftops were all completed by the wonders we found at the Christmas market in Staré Město. The aroma of roasted ham, sausage and mulled wine was guiding us from stand to stand, and we also discovered the delicacy Trdelnik for the first time. It is a sweet pastry with vanilla, almonds and toffee rolled on a stick and roasted over coal. It tastes like heaven and warms up your cold hands at the same time.

An impressive sight is the huge Christmas tree which is beautifully decorated and just makes you wonder how they got it there without breaking the branches. Having visited a few Christmas markets in Europe, certainly the one in Prague stands out with its friendly atmosphere, surroundings, fantastic food and good music. Hopefully our photos below will help complete our story. A big thank you to Little Town Hotel where we stayed, which has a fantastic location, clean rooms and great staff.

Planning your visit? Read on for more Prague travel stories, starting with our Long Weekend guide to the Czech Capital…

About Keven and Krystyna Erickson & Dul

Krystyna Dul and Keven Erickson are a photographic couple based in Luxembourg. Their photography is a compilation of their two different perspectives and their joint experience in portrait, photo reportage and travel photography.

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When thinking of beer in Prague, Pilsner Urquell automatically springs to most people’s minds. While Plzeň’s ubiquitous export is certainly a national treasure for the country ranked #1 in terms of beer per-capita consumption, local specialty microbrews are produced all over the Czech Republic. The capital in particular is the perfect place to hunt down interesting suds that confidently cater to the expanding market for niche beers, and some microbreweries in the city centre have being pouring for centuries. Sipping on the finest unique pivo the city has to offer is certainly a refreshing pastime, whether you’re an avid beer lover looking for a new thrill or an adventurer seeking a true taste of Prague. Here are five microbreweries to try out, all within easy stumbling distance of Prague’s main attractions. It’s worth making reservations before you go, though, as these pubs are just as popular with the locals as with visitors.

Klašterní Pivovar

At the Strahov Monastery, a beautiful Baroque complex close to Prague Castle worth visiting in itself, hoppiness is close to godliness. Brewing here dates back to the turn of the 14th century, and the result is three solid unfiltered varieties of its St. Norbert beer available year-round. The St. Norbert IPA (64 Kč per 0.4 L) is a top-fermented British-influenced Indian Pale Ale, brewed with Czech ingredients and two types of American hops (Amarillo and Cascade). The result is pleasantly bitter, light and hoppy. The amber (59 Kč) is a bottom-fermented all-malt ale inspired by Viennese lagers and the Bavarian Märzan. Extra-cold and refreshing. The dark lager (59 Kč) is brewed based on a recipe from Munich dating to the first half of the 19th century, and has a rich, chocolatey taste with a clear finish.

Strahov Monastic Brewery
Strahovské nádvoří 301
Prague 1–Hradčany
Tel. +420 233 353 155
Klasterni-pivovar.cz

Novoměstský Pivovar

Ignoring the kitschy faux-hops dangling from the ceilings and tacky murals isn’t hard at the New Town Brewery thanks to the venue’s attention-grabbing svelté, or light, lager. The cloudy, unfiltered beer at this central brewhouse, founded in 1993, has hints of lemon and a yeasty drinkability, with no added preservatives, and at 38 Kč per half-litre has a price that goes down just as easily. There is also a dark version on offer, as well as novelty flavoured beers, including banana, which are only available in a four-set tasting menu (for 200 Kč). For those up for the task of tackling — or sharing — a substantial meal, try the famous pork knuckle here, served on a massive board with shredded horseradish and mustard, perfect for soaking up the liquid appetizers.

Novoměstský pivovar
Vodičkova 20,
Prague 1–New Town
Tel. +420 222 232 448
Npivovar.cz

Pivovarský Dům

The “Brewers’ House” opened in 1998, and has probably not seen an empty table since. Locals and tourists cram onto the wooden tables here to sample the excellent beer as well as the reasonably priced fare. Pivovarsky Dum is known especially for its experimentations with beer, such as adding cherry, chilli, coffee or nettle flavourings (not all together, of course), as well as beer champagne and beer aperitifs. The pale lager though shines just as much, as do the dark, wheat and mixed (half-and-half pale and dark) varieties. Nearly all beers are 40 Kč per glass, although some come in larger glasses than others. Most are also available for super-sizing, to the towering 4-litre “Giraffe” which is brought tableside and from which guests draw their own pints. The beers are also eight for the price of seven when ordered this way.

Pivovarský dům
Ječná/Lípová 15
Prague 2–New Town
Tel. +420 296 216 666
www.pivovarskydum.com

U Fleků

If you can beat the tourist mobs to a seat at one of U Fleku’s long, beer-hall tables, hold on to it. The boisterous and smoky atmosphere (or, in warmer months, the expansive beer garden out back) is completed by folk-costumed accordion players and lightning servers who pass around 0.4 litre mugs of the microbrewery’s namesake dark lager (59 Kč), a delicious, chocolately brew with strong cameral notes. Waiters also push trays of Becherovka, a herbal liquor from Karlovy Vary, under patrons’ noses, professing as “anti-freeze” what is actually a pleasant, warming shot strongly evocative of Christmas. U Fleku dates back to the 15th century and is the only brewery in Central Europe to brew beers for 500 years straight. The iconic clock, whose numbers are replaced by the name “Pivovar U Fleků” beckons people in off the street.

U Fleků
Křemencova 11
Prague 1–New Town
Tel. +420 224 934 019
Ufleku.cz

U Medvídků

Located centrally between Wenceslas Square and the National Theater, “At the Bears” boasts one of the strongest beers in the world, its specialty, X33, which has a 12.6% alcohol content and the highest wort density on earth. Arched ceilings and long, wooden tables line the labyrinth of rooms of U Medvídků, which dates to 1466. The microbrewery’s main beer is Old Gott, an unfiltered, amber lager (50 Kč for 0.33 L), a smooth sipper, as well as several other varieties. U Medvídků is also known for its impressive menu of Czech food, where one can sample the traditional svičkova or goulash, or be bold and try the “brewer’s tasting menu” that includes cheese and icecream made from the good stuff itself.

U Medvídků
Na Perštýně 7
Prague 1–Old Town
Tel. +420 224 211 916
Umedvidku.cz

Prague Beer Tours & Experiences

3 hour Microbrewery Tour

If you like the sound of these venues, then you might want to consider signing up for this highly-acclaimed tour offered by GetYourGuide. It calls by three of our top five above – Pivovarsky Dum, U Fleku and U Medvidku – and introduces you to 11 varieties of Czech beer in the company of a tasting expert.

Beer & Czech Tapas Tour

Or else check out this tour by Urban Adventures, which takes you to four beer halls in the less touristic Zizkov and Vinohrady districts, and also introduces you to some signature Czech snacks such as finely smoked pork neck with homemade potato pancakes – a Bohemian specialty.

Czech Museum Tour (with tasting and bottling)

For something even more hands on what about this tour of the Czech Beer Museum, which finishes with tasting four of the country’s finest brews. Best of all you get to operate the on sight brewery’s machinery and bottle your own beer!

Monastic Brewery Tour

And if you want to go even deeper into the region’s brewing history, how about a tour of a millennium old monastery to taste the liquid gold produced by Bohemia’s Black Monks?

Whatever you plan on doing in the Czech capital don’t forget to pass by our ultimate city break guide for bags more great tips!

About Fiona Gaze

Fiona Gaze is a British-American writer and editor based in Roztoky, a small town just outside Prague, where she has long written for The Prague Post as restaurant critic, food blogger and chief copy editor.

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Main Attractions	Getting Here
Hipsters Guide	More Info
Events & More	Read This
Hotels & Beds	Watch This
Food & Restaurants	Listen To This
Bars & Clubs	City Map

Prague is often dubbed “the city of 100 spires”. Whilst we don’t recommend taking the trouble to count them, what you and every first-time visitor will see – no effort required – is the the city’s architectural splendour. Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, town halls and towers clamour for the attention of your camera lens in the picture perfect Old Town, whilst, silently surveying the entire of Prague, the city castle sits across the Vltava on its lofty hill.

Following generations of foreign domination, Nazi occupation and Communist rule, perhaps it’s no surprise that – after the Iron Curtain finally cracked in the early 1990s – the Czech Republic was the first of the Central and East European countries to successfully embrace the West and the sparkling allure of the free market. And whilst coach parties, drunk Brits, tacky tourist shops and M&S became an unfortunate side affect of the capital’s new Westernised identity, overall Prague has stubbornly maintained its character. Interspersed with the city’s more commercial side you’ll still find numerous antique shops, vintage boutiques and shops selling the famous Bohemian glass, whilst sales of vepřo-knedlo-zelo (pork and dumplings) and delicious honey cake still outnumber sales of Big Macs.

The city’s astonishing prettiness can make Prague resemble a toy town at times, but you don’t have to travel far off the track to experience local life in the living. For example in Letna Park skaters practice tricks, racing and shouting at each other, without a care in the world. This was the very spot where once stood a fearsome statue of Stalin, but now weeds have made their home and what remains of the base is obscured by tangles of grass and graffiti.

Best of the Beaten Track

Whether you visit Old Town Square at dawn, dusk or any hour in between, you can’t fail to be impressed by its pristine beauty. Some come to see the famed Astronomical Clock, others the Jan Hus Memorial and many Týn Cathedral with its iconic towers. Few go home disappointed.

Nearby Charles Bridge also deserves the hype surrounding it, but avoid visiting it in the day when crowds of excitable tourists make it difficult to see the statues that line the North and South sides – or to move. Instead visit on a cloudless night, when the crowds have dispersed and the moonlight illuminates the bridge and casts an eerie light over these noble effigies. At this hour you can touch the statue of the martyred St. John of Nepomuk to ensure you return to Prague, and take a look at the Czech capital while it’s semi-sleepy.

From the Charles Bridge it’s a seemingly vertical stroll to the Castle, through Malá Strana and up a lot of steps. But it’s definitely worth sweating for. You can get a panoramic view of the city from above, before exploring this Gothic heavyweight and the nearby cathedral. It’s worth buying skip the line tickets to the Castle to save time and hassle. Also on the top of the hill there’s a an entertaining Toy Museum (the second largest in the world) which includes an army of Barbies from 1959 onwards.

Whilst in Prague you can’t ignore the elephant in the room: the Museum of Communism is located on Na Příkopě 10, just off Wenceslas Square, above McDonald’s and close to a casino, which wouldn’t please Lenin. Today communism in the Czech capital seems as popular amongst residents as the Soviet tanks that enforced it, yet the guest book reveals that the museum attracts both critics and sympathisers of the regime.

If you are planning on visiting the majority of Prague’s main attractions it would be well worth investing in a City Card, which offers free entry to the Castle, National Museum, National Gallery, Historical Bus Tour and even airport express bus – you can buy the City Cards securely here.

Or you might consider this best-selling tour by Urban Adventures, which introduces you to all the unmissable attractions and includes drinking a Pilsner beer on board a (replica) 19th century sailing ship.

Hipster’s Guide

The John Lennon Peace Wall is a bit of a mission to find in the winding streets of Malá Strana, but you’ll be glad of the effort when you get there, if only for the photo opportunity. It became an artistic canvas to commemorate the late Beatle, and was later scrawled on as a sign of protest against the communist regime in the 1980s. It has carried messages of peace ever since, and has been visited by Lennon’s leading lady, Yoko Ono. Don’t forget to take a pen. And a camera.

Another hip district worth exploring is Holesovice, a working class district with art nouveau buildings, bizarre bazaars, contemporary art spaces and no shortage of cool cafes, bars and nightclubs. Read more in our in-depth district guide.

If you want to escape the city – and have a fascination with all that is morbid – take a trip to the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora. If you think churches tend to be dull, this one will certainly change your mind. Unlike the average parish prayer house, the shrine is decorated with the bones of the dead from the Hussite Wars and plague victims. The centrepiece is a huge chandelier made from every bone in the human body several times over.

Experience & Events

Prague has loads of activities on offer during the summer and, unlike many UK festivals, you won’t be plagued by wind, rain and mud. There’s the Prague Fringe Festival, which imitates its Edinburgh sister in June, and both the Czech Beer Festival and Prague Food Festival every May – great if you need fattening up a little bit. Those that get their kicks from the silver screen should head to the city in January when the Prague Short Film Festival is on. You can even apply to enter your own film. If you’re more interested in putting pen to paper then come over in June for the Prague Writers’ Festival.

Meanwhile cool activities to try your hand at might include at Aquazorbing at the Aquapalace. It involves rolling around a swimming pool in a giant ball, which will make a good pub story when you get back home. The freezing winters also make skiing a potential day activity during the season. Head to the Jizerské Hory range, an hour’s drive from Prague, when the snow settles. You could easily combine this with a trip to one of the most romantic Central European Christmas markets around.

Pillow Talk

If you want your holiday with a side helping of servants, try The Golden Well Hotel, where you can have your luggage unpacked and your aromatic oil bath run for you, as well as an in-room massage. Guests also have access to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II’s private entrance into the castle gardens. If only home was this good! If your love of history extends to the boudoir, try the Sax Hotel. The 14th century building has rooms decorated in fifties, sixties and seventies themes. Choose your favourite decade and step in! For a more wallet friendly stay head to Hotel Clementin, which is noticeable for being housed in Prague’s narrowest building. Flashpackers looking for a high class hostel might try Miss Sophie’s with its designer dorms. It’s chic but still cheap.

Fork Out

Czech food is a tempting mix of the meaty and the carb-laden, but not very vegetarian friendly! For authentic Czech fare head to Botel Admiral, an old boat moored on the banks of the Vltava. Try the delicious old-Bohemian-style roast goose. It’s a guaranteed foodgasm, as is the fare at U Pinkasů. Established in 1843, it was the first place to serve Pilsner, and still prides itself on its wide range of brews. And don’t miss the Czech honey cake. Vegetarians may find it more of a mission to find good food in Prague, but definitely not impossible. Maitrea is a vegetarian joint lovingly designed with feng shui principles in mind. The restaurant, with its soothing fountains and cream decor, envelops you in a sense of calm. And importantly the food will leave you wanting a second portion, too.

Drop In

When darkness falls Prague becomes a more flamboyant, hedonistic version of its daytime self, particularly in New Town and Old Town. For pre-drinks try Harley’s Bar. It’s as garish as a neon light in a library, but the atmosphere is always buzzing and the happy (three) hours are cheap. Cocktail freaks should hit Bugsy’s Bar, where 200 varieties are on offer, including the Long Breakfast Belevedere, intriguingly mixed with marmalade. While you’re here take a look at the paraphernalia on display – there’s a 1795 bottle of Madeira roasted wine, a Morris Hennessy signed bottle and the world’s tiniest mixer set. For something a bit twisted try the Cross Club, which is filled with works by local artists, strange inventions and kaleidoscopic lighting. It’ll make you feel like you’re tripping before you even are. The locals and students milling around also make it feel more authentic than other clubs. If you’re looking for a guaranteed good time with other young travellers Prague has some pretty decent organised pub crawls.

Of course you can’t come to the Czech Republic without doing some extensive beer sampling, so without further ado we will refer you to our top five favourite microbreweries in the capital.

Getting There & Around

You can fly cheaply to Prague with low cost airlines easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair, from a variety of UK and Irish cities, such as London, Edinburgh and Dublin. If money’s more plentiful you can choose from British Airways, Czech Airlines or KLM. If you fancy a lift from Vaclav Havel Airport you can reserve a transfer into town with Book Taxi Prague. From continental Europe, instead of flying, you can arrive cheaply by bus or train, with the overnighter to Krakow a staple on the backpacker route. If you are heading to Krakow and have a bit more time, then check out our Olomouc travel guide… it’s a beautiful Czech town en route to Poland.

More Juice

The Czech Tourism website which offers a comprehensive – albeit sanitised – guide to Prague. For the unofficial stamp of approval take a look at Empty Nest Expat, an expat American’s blog on life in the Czech capital. For hip tips and local secrets look no further than Spotted by Locals Prague blog. Finally Travelgeekery is a Czech-run blog with plenty of great travel advice about Prague.

Hard Copy

Before you go, dip into The Visible World by Mark Slouka, which reawakens wartime Czechslovakia and the Nazi occupation. For a guide of what to see and do in Prague pick up a copy of Artel Style by Karen Feldman, a visual treat written by an expat who made her home in the city. It’s full of tips on where to play, eat, and sleep, as well as including more useful information, such as common Czech phrases, metro and tram maps. Of course no serious Bohemian heading to the homeland would forget to pack a little light reading by Kafka or Kundera.

Silver Screen

Sadly the film version of Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being was shot before the fall of the Iron Curtain and therefore filming in Prague was a no-go. Still worth it for a bit of Binoche and Daniel Day Lewis in their prime. Otherwise look no further than this classic INXS video (hat tip to Travel Edits!).

Soundtrack to the City

Druha Trava – Ja Pisnicka
Forgotten Silence – The Sunflames
Khoiba – Not As It Seems
Ticha Dohoda – Vitr
Wohnout – Ganga

City Map

Video Inspiration

Prague is one of our favourite cities, so brush up on all of Urban Travel Blog’s stories on the Czech capital before you go. We also put this Bohemian beauty on our list of great romantic weekend breaks in Europe as well as our favourite gay travel destinations, so head to those articles to find out why (and which other cities made the list!).

About Hannah Carr

Hannah Carr is a freelance journalist, currently studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism. She’s written for a variety of publications, including travel, drawing on her local knowledge gleaned from stints in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Prague.

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