Issue 158

European City Break: Prague

22nd October 2007

At the beginning of the summer, Dawn Lewis had her heart set on going to Rome. However, on a student's budget, the increasingly popular city of Prague was a more practical option. She tells Front how she was pleasantly surprised by this beautiful city.

Prague originally grabbed my attention because of its value for money, but it's also one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with a wealth of history and things to do and I'm so glad that I ended up there.

Prague is in the Czech Republic - a country that doesn't really have much of a reputation besides Skodas and Absinth. Its capital, however, is a destination that is definitely on the up.

We stayed near St Wenceslas Square, which is in the heart of Prague. This is fairly disappointing as it could be any main square anywhere in the world, with it's McDonalds, Marks and Spencer and even a Debenhams. However, many shops are tucked away down alleys along with a selection of the restaurants that are underground and entered by a single doorway.

Away from the main square, you'll find the Astronomical Clock, along with a hoard of tourists crowding around waiting for the hour to chime, whereupon a fairly small figurine will pop its head out, do a turn and then quickly disappear again. The clock itself is beautiful, just like the numerous towers in Prague, all of which have stunning gothic architecture. Most are open for a small fee allowing you to walk up and have a look at the view of the city.

Prague is also famous for is its Sex Toy Museum, which holds one of the largest collection of toys in Europe. The prices were ridiculously high though, so we gave it a miss. Another unusual site in Prague is the Dancing House; situated next to the river, this building has some fairly contemporary architecture and is a total contrast to the rest of Prague's gothic buildings.

Charles Bridge is packed with street sellers during the day and beautifully lit at night. It's definitely worth getting up early to avoid the crowds and let you appreciate the river and bridge. Once over the bridge you can walk up to Prague's Castle and Palace, which is one of the more expensive attractions, but a must-see.

The far side of the river bank offers a much calmer pace of life to the centre of the city. On the top of the hill is Petrin Tower - a replica of the Eiffel Tower. It's a lot of effort to get up there, but well worth it. Alternatively, a tram goes up and down the hill.

We visited Prague mid-week which not only makes it cheaper but also means that you get to avoid the stag and hen parties that descend on the city at the end of the week. The people are very friendly and helpful and it felt like a safe city to be in. The night life was excellent; in particular the Jazz clubs were brilliant for chilling out in the evenings and sipping cocktails. We spent five days in Prague which was the perfect amount of time.

Where to stay: We stayed at The Hotel Venezia, which, though fairly cheap and basic, was really nice and had all essential creature comforts, hot water, and served a good continental breakfast. We booked through www.lastminute.com
Public transport: A mere fifty pence will give seventy five minutes of travel on any form of public transport, which is more than enough to get you where you want to be.
Food & drink:A two course meal for two and drinks will set you back about fifteen pounds, with beer starting at sixty pence a pint and the same for a glass of wine.

Dawn Lewis