Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, is bisected by the Vltava River. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” it's known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show. Completed in 1402, pedestrian Charles Bridge is lined with statues of Catholic saints. Here is our guide to Prague.

STAY

MANDARIN ORIENTAL A 5-minute walk from the Charles Bridge, this upscale hotel on the site of a former 14th-century monastery is also 1.1 km from Prague Castle and 1.6 km from the Old Town Square. There's an upscale Asian restaurant, and a chic cocktail lounge and terrace. Take a Vltava Boat Tour and cruise down the river, exploring its hidden byways. Nebovidská 459/1, 118 00 Malá Strana; mandarinoriental.com/en/prague

FOUR SEASONS In 3 Old Town buildings featuring Baroque and Renaissance styles, this refined, high-end hotel is less than a minute's walk from a metro station and 5 minutes on foot from the Charles Bridge. Visit the Italian restaurant Cotto Crudo. The truffle menu is a delight, as is the selection of delicate raw plates. Try the white truffle, butter and parmesan tagliatelle for quite possibly the best plate of fresh pasta you've had in years.Veleslavínova 1098/2a, 110 00 Josefov; fourseasons.com/prague

ANDAZ Follow in the footsteps of Prague’s most famous author, Franz Kafka, when you order coffee at a local cafe along the avenue Národní Třída. Or partake in a graffiti art experience by Andaz Prague, known as Spray Can Symphony, and leave your mark on the city’s urban canvas. Back at the property, enjoy a deep dive into the city’s culinary roots during Palette & Palate, an immersive and decadent multicourse dinner where each dish is featured alongside artwork curated by the contemporary DSC Gallery. All it takes is one stroll down a cobbled alleyway in Prague to become spellbound by the city’s eclectic art and architecture. Situated along the delightful Vltava River, with its many bridges and charming viewpoints, this storied European city is known for its Old Town center, which harbors historic architectural influences spanning the 11th to 18th centuries. In the Old Town Square, the Gothic style of architecture is most visible, as are Baroque, Art Nouveau, and Renaissance styles. Senovážné nám. 976/31, 110 00 Nové Město; hyatt.com/andaz/prgaz-andaz-prague

W PRAGUE (Coming Soon) Located in the heart of the capital, W Prague will open its doors at the former and well-renowned Grand Hotel Evropa. This radical art nouveau-style property pushed boundaries when it opened in 1905 and will do so again with the W brand’s progressive design and innovative spirit. The hotel is a renovation of the former Grand Hotel Evropa and, with its historic structure and lasting elements, will be combined with a new modern oval-shaped extension to create an intriguing blend of old-world glamour and bold new concepts. The new hotel will revive the Grand Cafe, and feature a Rooftop bar with an outdoor terrace.

THE GRAND MARK A minute's walk from trains at Masarykovo Nádraží, this refined hotel is 6 km from Prague Castle and a 9-minute walk from Old Town Square. Other amenities include an elegant restaurant, a cocktail lounge and a landscaped garden. There's also 2 terraces (1 is covered) and a gym, plus a spa, and meeting and event space. Hybernská 12, 110 00 Nové Město; grandmark.cz

AUGUSTINE Set in a group of buildings, including a former monastery, dating from 1284, this genteel hotel is 4 minutes' walk from Malostranská metro station, an 8-minute walk from Charles Bridge and 1 km from Prague Castle. There's a glass-enclosed European restaurant with a terrace, and a posh bar, along with a chic spa, a 24-hour gym and gardens. Letenská 12/33, 118 00 Malá Strana; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/prglc-augustine-a-luxury-collection-hotel-prague

GRAND HOTEL PRAGUE Set at medieval Old Town Square, this relaxed hotel in a 14th-century building is opposite the iconic Prague Astronomical Clock and a 10-minute walk from Charles Bridge. There's also a formal cafe with regular live music. Staroměstské nám. 481/22, 110 00 Staré Město; grandhotelpraha.cz

GRAND HOTEL PUPP Located in the spa city of Karlovy Vary, about 2 hours from Prague, but worth it to stay in this grand 1701 hotel with a neo-baroque facade. You might recognize it from the Queen Latifah film “Last Holiday.” Mírové nám. 2, 360 01 Karlovy Vary 1; pupp.cz

CORINTHIA HOTEL The glass-and-steel Corinthia, built in 1987 to serve the Prague Congress Centre across the road, stands as a five-star tribute to the last days of Communism.tep inside and you can experience some of the finest panoramic views of the city. Try to book a room on one of the highest floors and you will be able to look down on the whole of the city from the atmospheric 11th-century Vyšehrad fortress. Kongresová 1, 140 69 Praha 4-Nusle; corinthia.com

THE ALCHEMYST For those who turn up their noses at the clinical perfection of The Four Seasons, then The Alchymist is a superb alternative. It almost looks like a film set for a majestic palace. Originally, it was a monastery. It's been done up enough that it now feels like a hotel, but not so much that you can't imagine its humble origins. The hotel certainly feels like it's stuck in the past – there isn't a touch of modernity about it. No surface remains un-gilded, no ceiling escapes the weight of a tiered chandelier and the Imperial Suite has a four-poster bed. Tržiště 19, 118 00 Malá Strana; alchymisthotel.com

FALKENSTEINER HOTEL PRAGUE A branch of an upscale Austrian resort chain, offers recently refurbished rooms with bold color schemes not far from Prague’s main train station and Wenceslas Square. Opletalova 1402/21, 110 00 Nové Město; falkensteiner.com/hotel-prague

MAMA SHELTER The oblong glass-and-concrete tower where Mama Shelter resides was originally built in the 1960s, and displays the brute geometry characteristic of that period. However, once you step inside, the modernism fades and it’s pure whimsy. The lobby is long and narrow, with brightly patterned curtains, a foosball table, and glass cabinets filled with different books, toys, and old cameras sourced from a local flea market. eletržní 1502/20, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice; mamashelter.com/prague

DRINK | DINE

LA DEGUSTATION BOHÊME BOURGEOISE This became Prague’s first restaurant worthy of the global stage. Under the Ambiente umbrella, and commanded by chef Oldřich Sahajdák, La Degustation is currently one of only two restaurants in Prague that carries a Michelin star. Within an intimate, 35-seat dining room across from an open kitchen, guests embark on eight courses, which present a modern interpretation of classic Czech flavors, using prime seasonal ingredients collected from nearby producers. It’s also here that patrons can partake in a pairing of natural wines, most of which are sourced from tiny local producers. Haštalská 18, 110 00 Staré Město, ladegustation.cz

LA FINESTRA A five-minute walk from the Four Seasons, this rustic-looking Italian restaurant specializes in meat over pasta. Staff will bring great slabs of meat on a trolley for you to choose from, which, incredibly, still manage to look appetizing. Make sure you listen to the sommelier's recommendations. Platnéřská 90/13, 110 00 Staré Město; lafinestra.lacollezione.cz

CAFE SAVOY An elegant eatery set within a grand building—consistently counts long lines for apple strudel and unfussy eggs. Vítězná 124/5, 150 00 Malá Strana; cafesavoy.ambi.cz

ESKA A spacious, white-washed multi-purpose restaurant, bakery, and retail space where you’ll find some of the city’s most excellent sourdough bread. In addition to functioning as a bakery-commissary for the group’s restaurants, here, chef Martin Štangl likewise reinvents rustic Czech plates like beef tartare and anchovy-laced cauliflower with seasonal and locally-grown ingredients. Pernerova 49, 186 00 Praha 8-Karlín; eska.ambi.cz

SANSHO Brought to you by ex-Nobu London chef Paul Day. Locals will tell you Day cooks some of the best Asian cuisine in town, with dishes that cross countries, from salmon sashimi to ocra tofu sambal. Petrská 1170/25, 110 00 Nové Město; sansho.cz

THE REAL MEAT SOCIETY A much-lauded free-range, nitrate-free butcher shop. Náplavní 2011/5, 120 00 Nové Město; shop.trms.cz

SPICES During warmer months, enjoy an alfresco meal at the Mandarin Oriental. The former 14th century monastery is stunningly renovated, and its pan-Asian eatery Spices offers plush outdoor lounge seating and a zen-like ambiance, protected from street sounds thanks to tall abbey walls. Nebovidská 459/1, 118 00 Malá Strana; mandarinoriental.com/en/prague

HEMINGWAY BAR Named after the American author with an affinity for rum, celebrates the sugarcane-based distillate with over 200 bottles. Karoliny Světlé 26, 110 00 Staré Město; hemingwaybar.cz/bar-prague

L’FLEUR Parisian-inspired excels in expert tipples flavored with ingredients from around the world, alongside a smart list of small-production Champagnes. It is a member of the lite 50 Best Bars. V Kolkovně 920, 110 00 Staré Město

PILSNER URQUELL Prague’s most famous brewery tastes best in its home country. pilsnerexperience.com

LOKAL A contemporary take on Czech pubs from the past, has become one of city’s top haunts for the beer on tap. lokal-dlouha.ambi.cz

U FLEKU Prague’s oldest brewery, get the classic house-made 13° dark lager. Křemencova 11, 110 00 Nové Město; ufleku.cz

U MODRÉ KACHNIČKY A quaint bistro that recalls the city’s early 20th-century cosmopolitanism. Here, game takes center stage with favorites including deer saddle with rosehip sauce and Carlsbad dumplings, while vintage interiors of medieval portraits and ornate chairs recall a bygone era. umodrekachnicky.cz

U ZLATEHO TYGRA The arched-ceiling pub has hosted revered patrons ranging from Bill Clinton to Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal, all in search of the perfect pint over its 300-year history. Husova 228/17 Staré Město Praha 1; uzlatehotygra.cz

KUCHYN Located at Prague Castle, dishing out fine food unlike anywhere else in town, with creative Czech cuisine inspired by the palace’s guarded 16th-century recipes. From roasted pork belly with fried sauerkraut to pumpkin cake with cottage cheese, meals are served on the castle’s ramparts, with sweeping views of the city below. Hradčanské nám. 186/1, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany; kuchyn.ambi.cz

CAFE LOUVRE The former Austro-Hungarian Empire’s grand cafés still thrive in Prague, such as this one frequented by the likes of Kafka and Einstein. Little has changed since it opened in 1902, where you can enjoy a leisurely Café Viennois while debating literature, politics or just the local weather. Národní 22, 110 00 Nové Město; cafelouvre.cz

MANIFESTO MARKET A little like London’s POP Brixton, it’s a clever structure constructed from pastel-blue scaffolding, designed to be easily modified, and various reclaimed materials such as aluminum sheets, lighting, and furniture from previous pop-up markets. Pick up a Proud craft ale from the bar and peruse the various menus. There are Ukrainian varenyky dumplings at Barva, empanadas at Dame Dos, and Korean bibimbap at Babyryze, although our favorite is Taiko for its tonkotsu and ramen. manifestomarket.com/prague

STRAHOV MONASTERY BREWERY Set atop Petrin Hill, this 17th-century brewery has been restored and reopened as a craft brewery in 2000, with restaurant & courtyard. Strahovské nádvoří 301, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany; klasterni-pivovar.cz

DVA KOHOUTI For a contemporary drinking hole, head to DVA Kohouti in the Karlin district, where craft ales and classic brews are listed on a cinema-style billboard above dungaree-clad bartenders. Sokolovská 81/55, 186 00 Praha 8-Karlín; dvakohouti.cz

DIAN A delicious Vietnamese option. Vyskočilova 4, 140 00 Praha 4; dianrestaurant.cz

KUS KOLÁČE The best place for Czech baked goods and pastries. Korunní 90, 101 00 Vinohrady

V ZÁTIŠ You might think it odd to find Indian and Czech cuisine colliding under one roof – particularly in a city as gastronomically unadventurous as Prague. And yet, V Zátiší boldly offers diners a Czech menu and an Indian menu, as well as a menu that offers the best of both. The interior is splendid: with a rich Indian decor of plush red and purple, without being overbearing. Liliová 1, Liliová 216, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 1; vzatisi.cz/en

BLACK ANGELS BAR Incongruously located in the basement of the touristy Hotel U Prince, Black Angel’s is a bar that takes itself seriously. The gothic-speakeasy interior demands sophistication and suggests a level of quality that it delivers on wholeheartedly. Whether it’s the hand cut ice, made-to-order Moser glasses or homemade syrups, you get the impression that cutting corners isn’t something that has ever crossed the minds of the team here. The result? World-class cocktails and an atmosphere that will leave you longing for a bygone era. Once the live piano-saxophone duo start playing it’s easy to forget you’re in 21st-century Central Europe and not 1920s New York. Staroměstské nám. 29, 110 00 Staré Město; blackangelsbar.com

MASARYCKA A restaurant that combines the neoclassical décor of the Masaryk Railway Station with a contemporary beer hall atmosphere. Havlíčkova 1014/2, 110 00 Nové Město; masaryckarestaurace.cz

BOHEMIA GOOSE The newest brewery in a city that truly loves beer. Vodičkova 682/20, 110 00 Nové Město; bohemiagoose.cz

SODO An intimate bistro with excellent coffee and a menu featuring locally uncommon ingredients. Wuchterlova 1, 160 00 Praha 6-Dejvice; pridejsisodo.cz

MISTO One of the best places for coffee and breakfast in a neighborhood filled with many great contenders. Bubenečská 12, 160 00 Praha 6; mistoprovas.cz

AUTOMAT MATUSKA Serves Texas-style barbecue and craft beer to a mostly young crowd. Dejvická 4, 160 00 Praha 6; automatmatuska.cz

ALMA Serves funky fermentations from its “lab” as well as clever updates to Central European fare. almaprague.cz

BAR COBRA Every hip art district needs a gorgeous coffee oasis, and Bar Cobra, with its stark industrial design and black tile walls, certainly fits the bill. barcobra.cz

ERHART CAFÉ Satisfy your sweet tooth at this charming 1930s-era bakery, which proves that no matter what time period we find ourselves in, there will always be a hunger for dainty, beautifully arranged macarons, Sacher tortes, and cakes. erhartovacukrarna.cz

ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

PRAGUE CASTLE Also known as Hradcany Castle, a looming presence above the River Vltava—is a must. A sprawling UNESCO World Heritage site that mixes Gothic, baroque, and Renaissance architecture, the Castle district comprises several buildings. It’s possible to walk around the grounds for free, but buying a ticket gets you entry into the St. Vitus Cathedral, a wondrous twin-towered achievement that was begun in 1644 and only completed in 1929. You’ll find the tomb of St. Wenceslas here, along with the crown jewels, numerous gargoyles, and kaleidoscopic stained-glass windows—look out for the one made by 19th-century Art Nouveau artist Alfons Mucha. Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1; hrad.cz

STATE OPERA It is part of the National Theatre of the Czech Republic, founded by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic in 1992. The theatre itself originally opened in 1888 as the New German Theatre and from 1949 to 1989 it was known as the Smetana Theatre. Wilsonova 4, 110 00 Praha 1-Vinohrady; narodni-divadlo.cz

KUNSTHALLE A contemporary art space, which opened in 2022 in a former electric station in the centre of Prague, and it’s worth visiting for its café terrace alone, which has brilliant views over Petrin Hill and Prague Castle. Klárov 5, Malá Strana 118 00, 1 Praha 1; kunsthallepraha.org

TRAFO GALLERY A contemporary art gallery set in a former slaughterhouse. Bubenské nábřeží 306/13, Hala 14, Holešovice, 170 00 Praha 7; trafogallery.cz

KAMPA MUSEUM Founded in 2003 by Meda Mladeks, occupying a series of 14th-century mills on the River Vltava and containing a wonderful collection of mainly Czech artists, including abstract pioneer Frantisek Kupka. U Sovových mlýnů 2, 118 00 Malá Strana; museumkampa.cz

NATIONAL THEATRE Prague was Mozart’s favorite city, and with good reason. This majestic theatre a repertoire ranging from operas to family-friendly ballets, as well as Czech-themed circus performances. Národní 2, 110 00 Nové Město; narodni-divadlo.cz

TROJA PALACE A Baroque palace located in Troja, Prague's north-west borough. It was built for the Counts of Sternberg from 1679 to 1691. The palace is owned by the city of Prague and hosts the 19th-century Czech art collections of the City Gallery. U Trojského zámku 4/1, 171 00 Praha 7; ghmp.cz/budovy/zamek-troja

PRAGUE ZOO Home to 4,000 animals. It was opened in 1931 with the goal to "advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public" in the district of Troja in the north of Prague. U Trojského zámku 120/3, 171 00 Praha 7; zoopraha.cz

BOTANICAL GARDENS The Prague Botanical Garden is situated on a picturesque hillside in Troja, a place for the whole family. botanicka.cz

ST. CLAIRE’S VINEYARDS The vineyard house is a Baroque building and one of the very few preserved vineyard houses. Pod Havránkou 34/7, 171 00 Praha-Troja; botanicka.cz/vinice-sv.klary

KARLSTEJN Escape Prague’s spires and hop on a 30-minute train to a picture-perfect market town surrounded by dense woods. Head up to the Disney-like castle, once home to the monarchy’s crown jewels, before hiking into the neighboring forests. Karlštejn 172, 267 18 Karlštejn; hrad-karlstejn.cz

ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH
A wonderful example of Baroque architecture, this cathedral is home to an extravagant organ with over 6,000 pipes – and in 1787, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself played it. Come for the ceiling frescos, stay for the life-size statues. stnicholas.cz

OLD TOWN SQUARE
With its mix of gothic and Baroque architecture, monuments to burned and beheaded historical figures, and a town hall built in the 1300s that is open to visitors, Prague’s Old Town Square is a must-see.

CHARLES BRIDGE
Built in 1357, Baroque-style statues line the Charles Bridge walkway that connects the Old Town Square to Prague Castle. Karlův most, 110 00 Praha 1; prague.eu/cs/objekt/mista/93/karluv-most

ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK
Prague’s medieval Astronomical Clock, built in 1410, is the oldest clock still in operation. Figurines perform 'The Walk of the Apostles' every hour to mark the time. Staroměstské nám. 1, 110 00 Josefov; prague.eu/cs/objekt/mista/188/staromestska-radnice-s-orlojem

DAVID ČERNÝ SCULPTURES
Sculptures by the controversial Czech artist, David Černý (born 1967), dot the landscape of his home city. Famed for his political statements, including a work called Shark that represented Saddam Hussein in a tank of formaldehyde (a la Damian Hirst), Černý’s Crawling Babies (pictured) can be found at Kampa Park, next to the museum.

DOX CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART An art hub with temporary exhibitions, a library, a chic design store & a cafe with an outdoor terrace. Don’t miss the Gulliver floating wooden airship, which stretches across two buildings, and functions as a natural-light-filled reading room. Poupětova 1, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice; dox.cz

JOHN LENNON WALL
When the Czech Republic was part of the USSR in the 1980s, young Prague residents started painting this wall (opposite the French embassy) in John Lennon-inspired graffiti as a peaceful protest against the harsh Communist regime they lived under. Velkopřevorské nám., 118 00 Malá Strana; prague.eu/en/object/places/128/john-lennon-wall

STRAHOV MONASTERY Founded in 1143, the Stahov Monastery has an extraordinary library that features rotating shelves and a frescoed ceiling. Strahovské nádvoří 1/132, 118 00 Praha 1-Strahov; strahovskyklaster.cz

VNITROBLOCK A former steam mill that now contains a cinema, cafés and a repurposed US school bus. Tusarova 791/31, 170 00 Praha 7-Holešovice; vnitroblock.cz

TOWERS Prague is such a scenic city that its architects have thoughtfully built several towers over the centuries to provide good vantage points—useful for spotting approaching enemies and for proclaiming important announcements. They’re also handy for a quick work-out, as several steps are involved. The city has around 120 towers (not counting church towers), with highlights including the Old Town Bridge Tower (Gothic, great views over the Castle district), the Powder Gate Tower (186 spiral stair steps) and the Novomlynská Water Tower (only six stories high but you get an exhibition about famous fires in the city). My favorite, though, is Petrin Lookout Tower, which bears a striking resemblance to a famous Parisian eye-full and makes more of a day out, involving a fun funicular ride up Petrin Hill and a climb of 299 slightly wobbly wooden steps to the top. It’s much smaller than the Eiffel, but—because of the hill the tower—is of the same elevation. While you’re up here (take the 22 tram), a wander around the mirror maze and Stefanik Observatory is more or less obligatory. Those of a poetic disposition may want to pay their respects to 19th-century bard Karel Hynek Macha, who is buried nearby.

RETRO MUSEUM Set on the top floor of the Kotva department store—itself a classic of brutalist architecture—it provides a time-warp glimpse of Czechoslovakia during the 1970s and ’80s, the socialist period between the Prague Spring of 1969 and the Velvet Revolution two decades later when the Communist government dissolved. Replica apartment rooms, filled with furniture, toys, clothes, and food packets from the time, alongside a mock-up classroom, show what everyday life was like. There are exhibitions on camping, fashion, TV advertising, and sports too. Náměstí Republiky 8, 110 00 Staré Město; retromuzeumpraha.cz

BADEN BADEN STVANIC A century-old public bathing area where artistic locals cool off, drink and tan, has reopened after a long closure. ostrov Štvanice, 170 00 Praha 7

CLAM-GALLAS PALACE A recently restored masterpiece of Baroque architecture with ballrooms and grand staircases to gawk at. 20, Husova 158, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha; clam-gallas.cz

SHOP

MOSER Bohemian glass makes for exquisite gifting. Its craftsmanship dates back to the Renaissance, with crystal that brilliantly reflects light in rainbow hues. You’ll find the city’s finest pieces at Moser, a 19th-century glassworks that once supplied royalty from Austria to England. moser.com

RONY PLESL Czech design has taken off in recent years, especially glassware and ceramics, with names to drop including Rony Plesl, who showed at the Venice Biennale in 2022. vedle vchodu A, Šaldova 219/1, 186 00 Praha 8; ronyplesl.com

MAXIM VELCOVSKY This artists playful creations include porcelain vases cast from snow. lasvit.com/designer/maxim-velcovsky

DEELIVE A design shop near the National Theatre. Smetanovo nábř. 334/4, 110 00 Staré Město; deelive.cz

KUBISTA Located in the House of the Black Madonna, selling originals and copies of Art Deco and cubist designs (while you’re here, stop at the Museum of Czech Cubism). Ovocný trh 569, 110 00 Staré Město; kubista.cz

MODERNISTA A compilation of the greatest hits of the past century in the world of Czech design, from factory wooden building blocks and Artel’s “devil box” toys to keep sweets in to modernist furniture such as the UP’s Recliner H70 in streamlined bentwood, and the Janak cubist chair. modernista.cz

DEBUT GALLERY This boutique shop is a gallery of contemporary design from young Czech and internationally established artists. Malé Nám. 458/12, 110 00 Staré Město; debutgallery.cz

DESIGNUM From jewelry to glass-wear and home decor, Designum Gallery offers a curation of unique pieces from various contemporary Czech artists and designers. Nerudova 243/27, 118 00 Malá Strana; designum-galerie.cz

BOHO Sells vintage fashion and jewelry from local artisans at its all-day cafe. Ondříčkova 6, 130 00 Praha 3-Vinohrady; boho.cz

SPA

THE GRAND RELAX SPA Prague’s world-famous pilsners do double duty at home, used for both imbibing and immersion. The latter is one of the most romantic things to do in Prague for couples and you’ll find a high-end take here where you can soak in a beer bath for 30 minutes before being ushered towards traditional head and body massages. Hybernska 999/6, Praha 1; grandrelax.cz

FOUR SEASONS SPA Take a trip to the hotel’s basement spa, which might hold one of the best-kept secret views in the city. The little basement windows in each treatment room peep out onto the famous Charles Bridge, and get the best sun throughout the day. The couples 50-minute Swedish massage, (£500), incorporated one of the best foot massages we'd ever experienced. Veleslavínova 1098/2a, 110 00 Josefov; fourseasons.com/prague/spa