Geography
One of Europe's major cities and arguably the unofficial capital of Central Europe as well as the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague lies in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river. Around 1.3 million people live in Prague, a number that swells to more than 2 million if you include the smaller towns and villages that encircle the main urban centre.
Founded more than 1,000 years ago, Prague has always played an important role in history, acting as a cultural and political crossroads for cultures from east, west, north and south. One of the most architecturally striking cities on the planet, many people view it as Europe's most attractive capital, helping turn it into one of the continent's major tourist attractions with more than 4 million visitors every year.
The climate is warm in summer but cold in winter, with snow cover likely from early December until mid-March.
airBaltic lands at Prague Vaclav Havel airport, from which flights to other cities in the Czech Republic and beyond can be taken. In the other direction, airBaltic provides excellent onward connections to Czech travellers via Riga to destinations in Scandinavia, Western Europe and the CIS countries.
Languages
Czech, a Slavic language closely related to Slovak, is the official language of the Czech Republic. English and German are also widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas.
See and Do
Luckily, Prague suffered less during the Second World War than many other major European capitals, leaving its architectural legacy largely intact. The major tourist attractions include Prague Castle, the iconic Charles Bridge, medieval Old Town Square and the Jewish Quarter while virtually every street contains architectural gems from different eras.
The most popular museums include those dedicated to writer Franz Kafka and Decorative Arts, while the National Gallery contains numerous masterpieces including the monumental Slav Epic by Alfons Mucha. If you like it, you can then go to the Mucha museum itself.
Prague's "other" castle at Vysehrad on the other side of town from the is perfect for escaping the crowds of the main castle and gives fantastic views across the city while listening to the bells of the numerous churches echoing across the rooftops.
Other interesting options away from the main tourist sites include catching a concert at the Rudolfinum venue, visiting the Dox modern art museum and following a trail of sculptures by controversial internationally-renowned Czech artist David Cerny.
In the evenings Prague's beer halls come to life and are the perfect place to enjoy filling food and the clear, refreshing style of beer that is one of the Czech Republic's greatest gifts to the world! |
