The Sunday Times May 29, 2022 13
Travel City breaks
I
f you’re a first-timer, base yourself
either in Mala Strana (translated as
“lesser quarter”, but don’t let that
put you off ) or the old town. Then
zip from place to place on the
Soviet-era red-and-beige trams that clatter
around the city, admiring ornate gothic
and baroque architecture as you go.
Welcome to the capital of Bohemia.WHAT TO DO
W Save the pilsner for later and first get
your bearings on a walking tour with 1-2
Tours. Aris, your guide, will take you from
the hard stares of the 30 saintly statues on
Charles Bridge to the higgledy-piggledy
medieval buildings in Old Town Square
and the astronomical clock, Prague’s
most famed attraction — even the most
cynical of anti-tour visitors can’t help but
be captivated by Aris’s description of its
600-year history and hourly “dance with
Death” (free; 12tours.com).
WIs that the Eiffel Tower on the horizon?
No, it’s the Petrin, and Czechs take great
pride in it offering a higher viewpoint
above sea level than the former. Board a
clackety funicular at the river and ascend
to the top of the steel-latticed structure,
which has two lookout platforms (from
£5; prague.eu). Afterwards, a detour
through the gardens brings you to the
quaint, 17th-century Strahov Monastery
Brewery for that pilsner reward — you
earned it (klasterni-pivovar.cz).
W Don’t miss the Kafka Museum in Mala
Strana for an engaging account of his life
and works, with audiovisual displays and
personal letters (£8; kafkamuseum.cz).
The author was born in the city’s Jewish
Quarter, and it’s here that you can find
a suitably uncanny statue of him riding
on the shoulders of a headless figure.
W The 9th-century castle and cathedral
complex high on a hill in Mala Strana is
worth the hike for views, even if you don’t
pay to go in. Then, for something more
offbeat, make your way through the
pretty Fürstenberg walled gardens and
stop at the St Wenceslas micro-vineyard
— here, inside the castle walls, you can
sip wine among the vines (hrad.cz).
W There’s a sense of calm at the Old Jewish
Cemetery, one of the earliest such burial
grounds in the world, dating from the 15th
century; miraculously it survived the Nazi
occupation. Crumbling, moss-covered
gravestones teeter below maple trees —
though there are 12,000, it’s estimated
that 100,000 people are buried here.
The adjoining museum has a fascinating
exhibition on the history of the Jewish
ghetto — your ticket buys you entry to
this and the cemetery, plus three
synagogues (£12; jewishmuseum.cz).THE COOLEST NEIGHBOURHOOD
It might not be much of a looker, but
Holesovice — the old meatpacking district
just west of Mala Strana — has a huge
student population, and design boutiques
and brunch spots popping up as a
consequence. Walk around its sprawling
network of warehouses and visit the
huge fruit and vegetable market at Hala
22 (full of residents doing their weekly
shop). Then check out boutiques and
cafés such as SaSaZu — one of the best
Asian restaurants in the city, with an
adjoining club (mains from £10;
sasazu.com) — and Vnitroblock, an
exposed-brick co-working space with
a café and florist (vnitroblock.cz).WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Lokal
The city’s chain of Lokal pubs are a
lifesaver; its potato dumplings and½ mileHolesovice
Jewish
QuarterLetna Park
Prague
CastleAugustine
PragueCharles Bridge
Petrin
Hotel
Hastal/
Hotel
Josef
Old Town
SquareVaclav Havel
Airport Prague
10 milesMala
StranaPR AGUE
lashings of goulash will fill you up for a
long day of sightseeing. Head for the one
in Dlouha, in the old town, with an arched
roof and no-frills wooden furniture
(mains from £5; lokal-dlouha.ambi.cz).Field
Forget about “stodgy” Czech food. At
Field, a Michelin-approved restaurant
on the edge of the Jewish Quarter, young
chefs dazzle with experimental plates that
pair eel, shiitake and ginger with Austrian
grüner veltliner wine. Diners are served
in a simple, gallery-like room where a
painted metal plough hangs overhead
(six courses from £83; fieldrestaurant.cz).Café Savoy
For an afternoon pick-me-up, watch
dainty pastries being made through aHanau Pavilion
At Letna Park, on a hill in Mala Strana,
watch couples promenading, skaters
kick-flipping and families out walking.
When hungry follow the path through the
park and past the 75ft-tall, ticking Prague
Metronome to the kitsch, baroque-style
Hanau Pavilion. Built in 1891 it has the
best terrace views of the city (mains from
£11; hanavsky-pavilon.cz).Bokovka
When you’ve had your fill of beer,
descend to the candlelit basement of
Bokovka, a chichi wine bar in the old
town with peeling paintwork, French,
Austrian and Czech wines and small
plates of cold meats and sardines
(bottles from £29; bokovka.com).WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Hastal
This budget stay in the old town — owned
by the same family for five generations —
is a chintzy art nouveau riot: chandeliers
adorn the corridors and the wood-
panelled lounge feels like something out
of a Stephen King novel. (B&B doubles
from £80; hotelhastalprague.com).Hotel Josef
Hipsters stop at its bakery for sourdough
or take boxing classes in the rooftop gym,
then convene for negronis in the low-lit
bar. Guests love this solid, mid-range
hotel, with a minimalist glass-and-steel
aesthetic and pops of orange in neutral
bedrooms (B&B doubles from £99;
hoteljosef.com).Augustine Prague
You’ll tick off Prague Castle and the
cathedral simply by staying at this
converted 13th-century monastery with
expansive city views in Mala Strana.
Monks still roam the grounds as their
friary stands just across the courtyard.
Some rooms have original frescoes and
beamed ceilings, with traditional interiors
by the British hotelier Olga Polizzi (B&B
doubles from £320; marriott.co.uk).IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING
Bag a seat at the State Opera, which has
undergone an extensive refurb and packs
high-drama punch with its white-marble
lobby, plush red-velvet seats and show-
stopping gilded chandelier (tickets from
£10; narodni-divadlo.cz).Katie Gatens travelled independently
JULIAN OSBALDSTONE, MATTHEW CORNICKglass wall in the basement of Café Savoy,
then order a hot chocolate so thick you
can stand a spoon in it. Or brunch on
pancakes heaped with fruit and sour
cream, served in the opulent,
high-ceilinged café (mains from
£6; cafesavoy.ambi.cz).U Fleku
It’s a bit cheesy, and also a
tourist favourite, but visiting
U Fleku is an experience you
don’t want to miss — the pub
has been brewing since 1499.
Waiters waltz around eight
medieval-style dining rooms,
depositing Fleku’s own brand of
syrupy dark lager from trays, while
accordion-playing musicians shuffle from
room to room (mains from £8; ufleku.cz).The Czech capital is so rich in culture, says Katie Gatens
T Travel
For dozens more guides to your
favourite city-break destinations,
and those you’re still to discover,
see our dedicated Times Travel
website thetimes.co.uk/travelHanau Pavilion,
built in 1891,
has the best
terrace views
of the city
THE BIG WEEKEND