After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Prague was dubbed the “Paris of Eastern Europe” or “the new Paris”. Romantics flocked there with visions of Prague being just like Paris in the 30s, when writers like Hemingway and Henry Miller held writers groups and could live cheaply””and eat well, and drink even better.

These days, Prague isn't as cheap as it used to be so fulfilling your artistic Bohemian fantasies will cost you more, but its still one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with its tangle of cobble stoned streets and dozens of spires. Unlike Paris, it's a city of a manageable size”” much like Boston or Edinburgh””so even if you only have a few days to spend in the city, you won't feel overwhelmed. And like Edinburgh, the city is dominated by the view of the spectacular castle up on a hill.

Prague is coming up to an international level, and growing up. Food-wise, forget dumplings, beer and sausage. There are a growing number of gourmet restaurants opening in the city which will appeal to an international palate. The newest restaurants offer sushi, sashimi, Korean, Greek and French cuisine.

When it comes to shopping, Prague has plenty of unique boutiques but they're spread out, and you have to dig around from them (like Rio de Janiero, it's a city that slowly reveals itself to you). And don't forget to bring comfortable shoes, as most of the streets are cobble stoned.

GET ORIENTED

Prague is divided by the River Vlatva, and all addresses are listed by the neighbourhood. In the middle of the river is Kampa Island, and the upscale Kampa Park restaurant has the best views of the riverbanks. The main neighbourhoods are the Josefov, the Jewish Quarter; Stare Mesto which is Old Town; and across the river near Prague Castle is Mala Strana (Small Quarter), sometimes known as the Left Bank. Mala Strana is much quieter, and some would say prettier, than Old Town. Most of the key shops and attractions are in Prague 1, which is central Prague. Many guidebooks will steer you towards Wenceslas Square which really isn't a square but a long street crammed with high street stores. If you want picturesque Prague, head to Old Town Square where you'll find the Astronomical clock and a maze of tiny streets. 

SURVIVAL TIPS

Watch out for rogue taxi drivers. Some of them have a so called “turbo button” on their meters that they press to double or triple the fares (we got stung once). Always, always ask for the rate before you get into the car, or have your hotel call a taxi. The subway is small and easy enough to navigate, although we never figured out the correct way to purchase a ticket. If you are out and about, don't expect to just wander around and find a decent place to eat. Unless you want to eat bar food, it's very hard to find a stylish place to eat as these kind of restaurants are few and far between. To save yourself wandering around for hours, don't leave your hotel without addresses for restaurants. Be wary of hotels which tell you they are near Prague Castle”” its like hotels in Paris claiming to be “near” the Eiffel Tower. The Castle is in Prague 7 in Mala Strana (left Bank) so very few top hotels are near it with the exception of The Aria Hotel and the Four Seasons. 

CULTURE BREAK

A visit to the Prague Castle is a must, and fans of art nouveau should check out the Mucha Museum. Every visitor to Prague should make time to attend a concert and there is one for every budget and taste. Concerts at the grand Opera House tend to last three hours so if that's too much, go to a concert in a church. Every day people hand out flyers in the street for various concerts, usually at 5:30 and 8pm, and are a bargain at about 300 krowns. One word of warning: some of the concerts which take place in churches, such as The Church of St Nicholas (Chram sv. Mikulase) on Staromestske Namesti 27, position the orchestra behind you, so you are left facing the altar and spacing out for an hour with nothing to focus on. Some of the best places to hear concerts include the National Museum, the Marble Hall in the Clam-Gallas Palace on Husova Street, and the Art Nouveau Hall in the Municipal House. 

HOTELS

Prague has a handful of very good boutique hotels and some bigger business hotels. All of these are clustered in Prague 1 except for Andel's, which will appeal more to business travellers. 

The Aria

The Aria is a music themed boutique hotel located in Mala Strana, or the Left Bank. Each room is named after a composer or musician, from Billie Holiday to Elvis, and the look blends contemporary design with Baroque architecture. There's a resident music director who oversees the hotel's collection of dvds and cds, and can help secure concert tickets. Rooms are well appointed and have a contemporary, streamlined look””and the in-room music. Rates start at €250.

www.ariahotel.net

Four Seasons

If you're looking for a luxury, five star hotel with every conceivable service, there's no better place to stay than the Four Seasons. Located on the bank of the Vltava in Staré Mesto, the guest rooms have some of the best views in the city. Service is seamless and the in-house restaurant, Allegro, is helmed by Italian chef Vito Mollica and his menus feature contemporary Italian cuisine. Try to time your visit in early fall when Mollica whips up a special white truffle menu. Rates start at €320.

www.fourseasons.com

Hotel Josef

Along with The Aria, the Hotel Josef is one of the smartest boutique hotels in town. Where the two hotels differ is location, and design. Hotel Josef is located near the Jewish Quarter and a short walk from picturesque Old Town Square. The overall look is industrial modern, with a frosted glass and steel exterior. Bedrooms have thick underfoot rugs, Lucite chairs and platform beds. Rates start at 7,728Kc.

www.hoteljosef.com

Hotel Neruda

The Hotel Neruda is a sexy little hotel on the top of Nerudova Street, which leads to Prague Castle. Although the steep walk could be a bit of a challenge because of too many shopping bags or pints, it's well worth the hike. Located in Mala Strana, or the Left Bank, this 20-room hotel combines modern interiors with a 14^th century shell. The in-house Café Restaurant Carolina is a perfect place to stop for hot chocolate and pastries before hiking up to the castle. Rates start at €200.

www.hotelneruda-praha.cz

Andel's Design Hotel

Andel's Hotel is one of the best designed business hotels we've ever seen and there's nothing stuffy about it. Located outside the center of town in Andel City (Prague 5), everything about the hotel is smooth and streamlined, from the glass exterior to the white marble lobby. Conference rooms have smartly designed concertina walls and the best meeting room is a glass cube suspended over the sidewalk. All public areas have wi-fi access, and the rooms are decorated in neutral tones. The hotel rooms have oak floors and furniture is eye popping red. The new Andel suites are more like mini-loft apartments than hotel rooms, and are ideal for long-term guests. Rates start at €235.

www.andelshotel.com 

Radisson SAS Alcron Hotel

Although the Radisson SAS is ideal for business travelers, its location just off Wenceslas Square, makes it a perfect base for leisure travellers as well. This big tower of a hotel, with 211 rooms, was first opened in 1932 and still retains an Art Deco look and feel. The in-house Alcron Restaurant seats only 24, and the menu focuses solely on seafood. There's also the Be Bop Bar for jazz and a wide selection of cocktails, and in the summer the chefs host barbecues in the courtyard. Rates start at €235.

www.radisson.com

Budget Option:

Although the Tulip Inn Terminus is a 10 minute walk from the center of Prague the rooms are surprisingly stylish for the price. Bathrooms are spacious and newly renovated and the complimentary breakfast buffet offers both continental and cooked options. One thing to watch though, ask for a room on the quiet side of the hotel as the other side faces an expressway. Rates start at €130.

www.tulipinnterminus.com

SHOPPING

Overall impression

You have to do a bit of digging to separate the tourist tat from the quality finds, but it's well worth the hunt. All the guidebooks will steer you towards Prague's various malls but the most interesting stores are scattered around the city, especially around Dlouhá and Dušni streets. Every third store seems to sell garnet and amber jewellery, as well as crystal and wooden toys in the Old Town. Prague is an excellent hunting ground if you like Art Deco and Art Nouveau antiques, ranging from junk shops to upscale antique stores. But the city isn't as much of a bargain as it used to be since the Czech Republic joined the EU. Click here for our Prague Top Shops.

Best Bets: Crystal chandeliers and glassware, garnet jewellery, handmade soaps, fabrics.

We bought: A crystal chandelier, delicate drop earrings from Granat Turnov's, and Christmas ornaments from Manufaktura. We also found an antique silver plated art deco frame near Old Town Square. For gifts to bring home, we stocked up at Dr Stuart's Botanicus and Manufaktura.

Shopping Neighbourhoods:

All of the guidebooks rave about Wenceslas Square (Vaclavske Namesti) as the key shopping area of the city but our advice is to skip it unless you are looking for international high street brands. This long boulevard carries mostly British brands including Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and C&A as well as Sephora, H&M, Levis and a handful of jewellery and homewares stores. One or two worth stopping into include like the seven floor Bata Shoes at Wenceslas Square 6 for well-priced shoes. Its like the Nine West or Office of Prague; affordable but not earth shattering. Promod is a good place to stock up on trendy disposable clothing, similar to Mexx or an H&M. 

Just off Wenceslas Square is Na Prikope, which is full of chain stores such as Benetton, Mango, Zara and Diva, which is like Accessorize in the UK or Claire's in the US. There are also outposts of Lacoste and Hugo Boss on Na Prikope. One place that stood out was the preppy Jackpot & Cottonfield on Na Prikope 13. This Danish store sells corduroy blazers, striped cotton sweaters and wrap dresses. Think of it as a Hackett or a tamer Abercrombie & Fitch. Na Prikope 12 is also home to the exclusive Moser crystal, a favourite among royal families for centuries. 

Just off Wenceslas Square, near the Radisson SAS, is Vodickova Street. Two stand- out shops on this street include Delmas, on Vodickova 36 which is a great place for leather goods, selling everything from handbags and belts to wallets and walking sticks. Also worth a stop is Jan Pazdera, on Vodickova 28, which has a huge selection of antique cameras, microscopes and opera glasses. 

Celetna Street is one of the main shopping streets in the heart of Old Town, and the street links Old Town Square to the Powder Tower. Pohádka at Celetna 32 has a great selection of wooden toys as well as puppets (www.czechtoys.cz ). Many crystal and glassware shops are clustered here, from Swarovski at Celetna 11, to Celetna Crystal at Celetna 15. This shop is more of a department store, selling china, crystal chandeliers and barware. If you want a bargain, opt for the glass stemware in leiu of the crystal. If you can't make it to the Dlouha Street location, Granat Turnov's garnet jewelry is sold at Celetna Crystal. 

Pařížská Street is known as the Champs Elysée of Prague. This wide, tree-lined boulevard is home to the big brand, high end shopping in Prague. This is where the well-heeled come to stroll and shop in Dunhill, Hugo Boss, Escada, and Ferragamo. 

The area around Pařížská Street, especially Dlouhá and Dušni street, are where some of the best up and coming designers and shops are located. Tatiana (www.tatiana.cz) and Bohéme (www.boheme.cz ), both on Dušni Street, are contemporary Czech boutiques and definitely worth a stop. Also worth investigating is Czech designer Klara Nademlynska, who whips up sexy, well cut clothes for women on Dlouhá 3 www.klaranademlynska.cz.

Some of our favourite stores in Prague are clustered around Dlouha Street.  This street is slightly quieter than those you'll find around Old Town Square, and is where you'll find Sejto, Dlouha 24, which sells delicate hand blocked linens, as well as Sirius, Dlouha 32, a hip furniture store with gallery space. On a recent visit Sirius(www.sirius-design.cz) was hosting an exhibit by wunderkind lighting designer Ingo Maurer. Just across the street from Sejto and Sirius is Antik v. Dlouha, which is crammed with art deco clocks, lamps, jewellery and furniture.

Malls and Markets

For the most part we found the clothing sold in the malls to be uninspiring, but a few housed lovely cafes and there were a handful of standout stores. The outdoor markets sell mostly fruit and vegetables, and souvenirs. 

Lucerna Mall

Lucerna Mall stands out from the pack because of its bizarre art installations. At one end there's a sculpture of a hanging Jesus posing as a gymnast, as well as a David Cerny sculpture of St. Wenceslas on an upside-down-horse. The Prague Post voted Lucerna as the best mall in the city, mostly for its architecture and its cinema, where Kafka used to watch silent movies.

Lucerna Pasaz,
Stepanska 31,
Nove Mesto

Cerna Ruze (Black Rose) Shopping Mall

This mall is carved out from two ornate buildings, and has a lovely light filled atrium and art deco inspired curving staircase. Has Mosers as well as Unique for Turkish rugs, plates, bowls and tiles. Madeleine cosmetics shop carries T. LeClerc cosmetics as well as Hermes perfume, and is right next door to a Roberto Cavalli shoe store.

Na Prikope 12

Myslbek Shopping Mall

This mall is very light and airy, and sits on the border between Old Town and New Town. It contains another outpost of Delmas leather, as well as Lancel handbags, Gant and Vagabond for shoes.

Na Prikope 21 or www.myslbek.com

Food and Cafes

The area around Dlouha is home to quite a few very good cafes and restaurants. Bakeshop Praha (www.bakeshop.cz) on 919 Kozi, is a long, narrow space that looks like a transplanted New York City bakery, complete with black-and-white tiled floors and chalkboard menus. This is where hip young moms sip skinny lattes and pick at American style cookies, such as chocolate chip, oatmeal and raisin. Homesick Americans should order the peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches. If you like Magnolia Bakery in New York, you'll love Bakeshop Praha. 

Just down the street on Dlouha 10 is Au Gourmand, a bakery housed in a former butcher's shop. The walls are completely covered with tiles that are remnants from its days as a butcher shop (hence the pigs on the tiles). Au Gourmand sells quiche, brioche, baguette sandwiches and three inch thick brownies. 

Nostress Café & Gallery on DuÅ¡ni 10 is a combination art gallery, housewares store and Asian fusion restaurant. The décor is sleek and very modern, with teak floors and streamlined furniture. www.nostress.cz  

Restaurant Square is located in the shadow of St. Nicholas Church's in Malostranske nam. 5, (Mala Strana) and had a wide-ranging menu. Homesick Britis can order a proper English breakfast as well as fish and chips. There's also an extensive tapas menu and most of the dishes have a Mediterranean touch, such as risotto with chorizo, and pork filet with soft polenta and gorgonzola sauce. The restaurant is owned by the Kampa Group (www.kampagroup.com ) which includes the famous Kampa Park restaurant. If you go to any of the restaurants in the group, you can't go wrong.

For a totally over the top, Liberace type experience, head to Restaurant Alchymist (Hellichova 4- Mala Strana). The concept is rock and roll Italian. Interiors are an explosion of leopard print, zebra, crystal chandeliers, paired with gold and silver trimmed chairs. Ancient alchemy symbols are painted on the walls, and the bill is presented in a small jewelled box. The menu serves mostly Italian fare, like orecchiette with lamb and asparagus, as well as beef fillet wrapped in pancetta. www.alchymist.cz

Nightlife

Nightlife, as with shopping in Prague, doesn't reveal itself to you at first glance. You have to dig around a bit but there are plenty of options, from beer gardens to slick lounges.

M1 Secret Bar on Masna 1, Stare Mesto, looks like it was transplanted from New York City's Meatpacking District. The Lounge is long, narrow and dark with an industrial look-- concrete floors, exposed pipes and velvet banquettes. There's an extensive cocktail list and djs spinning tunes nightly.

Masna 1,
Stare Mesto,
Prague 1

Bar and Books

The Czech outpost of Bar and Books- there are also locations in New York and Budapest””features crimson walls, a book-lined cigar bar and dim lighting. Its a chilled out, sophisticated place for sipping a whisky or a glass of champagne. The martinis are made right at your table.

Týnská 19,
Josefov
www.barandbooks.cz

Defile Fashion Bar and Lounge

This lounge/bar is a popular place for after work cocktails as well as for clubbing. Every night there's a different dj and the club also hosts various fashion events.

Vodickova 17,
Nove Mesto
www.defile.cz 

Parker's

Parker's is a very understated, very chic bar that looks like a New York City loft, with white walls, polished floors and a long white marble bar. Although there is a resident DJ, the crowd would rather pose than drink.

Dusni 9,
Josefov