The capital of the Czech
Republic, Prague is a city of beautiful architecture
dating back 600 years and its center has been designated
a World Heritage Site. Since the Velvet Revolution
in 1989, the city has cast off the repressive atmosphere
of its years behind the Iron Curtain and begun to
regain its former reputation as one of Europe's great
cities of romance and culture.
In the Old Town you can walk along a maze of cobbled
streets past historic buildings and the picturesque
Old Town Square. On the other side of the Charles
Bridge, the New Town by contrast has fashionable shop
lined boulevards which lead to the National Gallery
and Wenceslas Square. Popular tourist attractions
include the Cathedral and the Castle and cultural
attractions include the classical concerts, opera
and the art galleries.
Visitors are advised not to drive in Prague, as large
parts of the city are pedestrianized, parking is difficult
and renting a car is relatively expensive. Public
transport is cheap and efficient, with trams and the
metro providing a good way to explore the city. Buses
tend to run outside of the city center and along with
the trams provide a limited service after midnight.
Rather than buying a ticket before each journey, travel
passes can be purchased which only need to be stamped
once. Taxis should be booked over the phone with reputable
companies, as unregistered taxi drivers will often
overcharge tourists.
