Prague sits at the epicentre of Europe and has been attracting invaders for centuries. These days they come in the form of exuberant party people from across the European continent eager to make the most of the city’s vibrant atmosphere and reasonable prices. You can snag a last-minute long weekend in the Czech capital for little more than a night out in London, Edinburgh, or Azerbaijan.

On this visit, I was staying at the Hilton Prague Old Town, an ideal address to explore Prague Old and New and I noticed a predominance of American and Asian guests, so there’s no end to the city’s global appeal. It is in fact the fifth most visited city in Europe!

Far From The Madding Crowd

Such appeal could lead to a huddle of human activity in the town’s more popular spots such as the Old Town, Charles Bridge, and Prague Castle. I was looking to swerve the Madding Crowd and discover a Prague that is a bit more serene and relaxed. Don’t get me wrong! Prague’s attractions are all worth sampling. But it’s nice to know you can easily take a break!

Prague is essentially a walking city so you’ll need a good pair of shoes. There are easy-going alternatives such as e-bikes, scooters, trams, and trolleys but there’s no way you can avoid a bit of street-level

Prague 1 & 2

At some point, some imaginative bureaucrat divided downtown Prague into two distinct districts, Prague 1 & Prague 2.

Prague 1 encompasses the beating heart of the city including the Staré Město (the Old Town) and Josefov (the Jewish Quarter), Malá Strana (the Little Quarter), Hradčany, and Nové Město (the New Town). This is where tourists flock like birds of a feather, gaggling and gawping along the narrow streets.

Prague 2 is less historic – and less hysterical. It offers a variety of nightlife, restaurants, and pleasant places to hang out. Just for the record, the Prague district numbering system goes all the way up to 10.

The Old Town

Prague 1 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and here you will find the city’s main hotspots including Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, and the Jewish Quarter. The astronomical clock gracing the Old Town Hall was installed in 1410 making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest still in operation.

Built by Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century, the Charles Bridge connects the Old Town (Staré Mesto) with the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) on the other side of the River Vltava. The bridge is more than 500 meters long and 10 meters wide, once sporting four lanes for the passage of carriages. Now it’s fully pedestrianised and a must for photo opportunities. It’s possible to climb the 138 steps of the Charles Bridge Tower for a fabulous view over the bridge, river, and castle.

Off Piste

There are side streets throughout the Old & New Town where you can amble at leisure, not that far from the Madding Crowd but distant enough to enjoy a quiet beer or memorable meal in harmony with the rest of Prague’s citizenry. The quality of these cafes and restaurants is far better than the ‘tourist establishments’ flanking the busier streets and squares – and at a much more reasonable price. You can dip back into the throng at any time only a block away. This is the kind of Prague I like!

On a street called U Luzickeho Seminare, I came across the city’s narrowest street, a passage so narrow that they had to install traffic lights to control the pedestrians. It’s a great bit of fun and there’s a lovely restaurant and courtyard at the far end with views of Charles Bridge and the Vltava River.

Prague’s Passageways

Speaking of passageways, my favourite discovery on this visit was a guided walking tour of the town’s Art Deco arcades. I met my personal guide, Dagmar at Saint Wenceslas Monument and commenced a fascinating amble through a labyrinth of corridors and plazas that once made up the city’s shopping and entertainment centres. They basically line Saint Wenceslas Square, along a boulevard dividing the Old and New towns. This was originally called ‘Horse Square’ because there was a market where horses were traded!

Featuring brass, glass, marble, and metal, these indoor arcades are still impeccable, protected I presume from the cold winters and heat of the summer. They’re still lively and used by the locals for community dancing, cafe culture, dining, and shopping.

Dagmar was a wonderful guide. There’s a lot to take in and it’s a fair bit of walking so I was glad when we reached the Franciscan Garden, a green oasis of peace 100 metres from the frenzy of Saint Wenceslas Square. Tourists just don’t know about this side of Prague. We ended up at an interesting statue portraying Franz Kafka’s head, took some photos and walked back up to the monument. I told you, you need good walking shoes here!

Prague & The Arts

On the Passageway Tour, I noticed lots of little cinemas within the delightful Art Deco arcades. Cinema was strong, particularly in Prague. I presume during the wars and the Communist era, people took to the cinema to escape their rather grim reality. The Czech capital still has a host of arty, independent little cinemas. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is held not far from Prague, one of the oldest film festivals in the world, commencing in 1946 in the aftermath of World War II.

Czechia has fostered a host of artistic appreciation. Franz Kafka was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and lived in Prague. Tom Stoppard, the British playwright and screenwriter and winner of an Oscar for the screenplay for the film Shakespeare in Love, also comes from the Czech Republic. Writers, poets, and artists used to meet in delightful little cafes dotted around town and even Albert Einstein attended the regular Tuesday salons for traditional five o’clock tea.

Food For Thought

One of the best examples of Czech Cafe Culture still exists at Café Imperial which was once the meeting spot for the city’s literati. Today, more than a century after it opened, it retains an unforgettable Grand Café style and atmosphere as I discovered when I went one night for dinner.

The interior décor is hugely impressive, an architectural gem full of unique ceramic decorations. The cafe’s owner and head chef, Zdenek Pohlreich is the ‘Gordon Ramsay’ of Czech cuisine, a culinary television personality, and prodigeous publisher of books as attested by the array of publications at the entrance to his café. He has other restaurants in town such as Divinis, an Italian theme and apparently among the best in Prague. But we’ll have to leave that for my next visit.

Another interesting culinary encounter was Štangl Restaurant, located in Forum Karlín, a taxi ride away from my hotel but worth the short trip for something different. This is a hipster haven, a loft-style restaurant that evolved organically from a bread shop and local eatery that is still located downstairs. Both serve locally sourced foods for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

I settled down for a six-course menu with wine pairings. For starters, I was supplied with a cold, wet towel for my hands and an almond oil moisteuriser closely followed by a panoply of perfect little dishes balanced with biological wines from the southern Moravia area which produces around 96 per cent of the country’s vineyards.

Štangl’s been open for a year and only has 36 seats so you feel you’re being personally looked after by the venerable team who busy themselves around the open plan kitchen, conferring and engaged in what was going on. The experience is quite unique and works very well. Even the cutlery and glasses are sourced from Czech companies working with local artists who produce fine implements, even wooden bowls and spoons although they were a bit ‘Fred Flinstone’ for me… but part of the appeal. Štangl Restaurant is part of the Ambiente Group and perhaps worth checking what else they do for your next visit.

I only stayed in Prague for four days and must admit, I did fit in three rounds of golf as is my want but I proved to myself that there’s a lot more to this popular city destination than the obvious. It was easy to discover an ‘alternative Prague’ and I strongly suggest you do the same.