At a glance
Maticka Praha - 'little mother Prague' - was largely undamaged by WWII, and the cityscape is stunning. Its compact medieval centre remains an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages and churches beyond number, all watched over by an 1100-year-old castle. Kidnapped by communism for 40 years, Prague has become one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. Its traditional pubs and eateries have been augmented by a wave of gourmet restaurants, cocktail bars and trendy cafes - though you can still feast on pork and dumplings washed down with a beer.

When To Go
While attractions across much of the Czech Republic are closed or keep limited hours outside the summer season, Prague caters for visitors all year round. Periods when the tourist crush is especially oppressive include the Easter and Christmas/New Year holidays, as well as May and June. Many Czechs go on holiday in July and August, during which time the supply of bottom-end accommodation actually increases, as student hostels are opened to visitors. If you can put up with the cold and the periodic smog alerts during weather inversions, hotel space is plentiful in winter (outside Christmas/New Year), and Prague is gorgeous under a mantle of snow.

Places to See
Sightseeing in Prague means wandering through an invigorating diversity of neighbourhoods and pounding the cobblestones between old fortifications, historically resplendent squares and streets, majestic church-fronts, green open-air cuttings, and countless museum and gallery ticket booths.

Places to Eat
Ethnic restaurants are burgeoning in Prague, so your diet can stretch beyond standard meaty Czech fare. There are also plenty of restaurants and pubs that move beyond the frumpy dumpling approach to embrace top-quality local food presented in creative and international ways.

Night Time Venues
Prague's past plays a big part in its entertainment scene by providing centuries-old stone cellars for musicians to blaze away in, sculpted facades for beerhalls to make noise behind, or grand auditoriums for the staging of classical events. Competing with these are suavely modern bars and clubs.

Places to Shop
Prices are getting steeper but there are still plenty of bargains, and hunting them through the city's dim winding streets can be half the fun. Beautiful items like Bohemian crystal, garnets and traditional ceramics sit beside inspired home-grown fashions, music, decorative glassware and wines.

Tipping
After fair service in a restaurant, round up the bill to the next CZK10.00 (or the next CZK20.00 if it's over about CZK200.00). The same applies to tipping taxi drivers. If your driver is honest and turns on the meter then you should round up the fare at the end of your journey. In restaurants, the usual protocol is for the waiter or waitress to show you the bill and for you, as you hand over the money, to tell them the total amount you want to pay with the tip included. Change is usually counted out starting with the big notes, on down to the littlest coins. In more posh restaurants, if you say dekuji (thank you) during this process, your waiter may assume the rest is a tip.

CITY BREAKS TO PRAGUE