Prague ditches the stags, keeps the beer |
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FORUM & ARTICLES
Prague ditches the stags, keeps the beer |
2006-07-17 10:17:28 |
| autor: NICK WATSON |
PRAGUE ? Prague has a long history, but relatively little experience when it comes to modern-day tourism. Nonetheless, this pearl of a Central European city has gone through a number of transformations over the past 15 years or so, from being a magnet for aspiring Western writers and other artists sniffing out a Bohemian life in the early 1990s, to one for armies of stag parties bent on a weekend of lap-dancing clubs and pub crawls in the late 1990s.
Prague has gotten relatively pricey compared with its eastern neighbours such as Tallinn in Estonia ? though it remains cheaper over all than any Western European capital ? and the more discerning travellers are once again reclaiming this city's winding, cobblestone streets.
If you've never been to Prague, you've almost certainly seen it in the movies ? possibly without knowing it. Location mangers have found in this city ? largely spared the ravages of war ? with its spires, hidden courtyards, gothic churches and wedding cake-like, creamy pastel buildings, the embodiment of the old European city. What's coming upPrague has always been a city steeped in the arts, especially music ? Mozart's Don Giovanni was completed and first performed here ? and it is for this reason that many tourists come to visit.
Given the city's importance in Mozart's life, Prague is playing host to a major series of concerts and exhibitions to celebrate the composer's 250th centenary. Mozart Prague 2006 (www.mozartprague2006.com) will feature performances by leading orchestras and soloists from around the world throughout the rest of the year.
There are also plenty of short concerts featuring music by Czech-native Antonin Dvorak and other favourites throughout the year at the churches dotted around the city. You will have plenty of flyers stuffed into your hands about these. DiversionsTop of the list of things to do is to take a stroll across the pedestrian-only Charles Bridge, which spans the Vltava River and connects the Old Town Square and its astronomical clock with the hilly part of Prague atop which sits the castle. The trouble is that this stroll is the top of everyone else's list too, so it can be a little crowded.
A little way outside Prague, in the suburb of a small town called Kutna Hora, there is a small gothic chapel filled with chandeliers, paintings, statues and other bits of assorted furniture made from human bones. This ossuary was filled to the brim toward the end of the last century so the authorities asked a local woodcarver, Franti{scaron}ek Rint, to be creative.
Where to eatThe Czech Republic clearly believes that music is the food of life, because the country's contributions to international cuisine are few and far between. The Czechs are justifiably proud of the fact they are world-beaters when it comes not only to making beer but also to drinking the stuff (Czechs drink three times the European Union average), yet this means food often plays second fiddle.
There are excellent restaurants in Prague, but you have to choose wisely. Below are three restaurants that wouldn't be out of place in any Western capital and the only thing you'll find substandard are the prices.
Top of the list is Aromi (Manesova 78, Prague 2; 420 2 227-13222), a relatively new and attractively designed trattoria owned by an Italian restaurateur who spent time playing his trade in London before decamping in Prague. Located in the leafy, upmarket residential area of Vinohrady, it is famous for its fresh seafood, especially sea bass cooked in crusted salt. Main courses are a reasonable $10 to $21.
For more traditional fare, there is Stoleti (Karoliny Svetle 21, Prague 1; 420 2 222-20008; www.stoleti.cz), the perennial favourite among the Prague cognoscenti. This restaurant, meaning ?century,? is famed for its dishes named after luminaries of the past hundred years, such as the Ernest Hemingway ? a sirloin steak flambéed in gin.
For breakfast, brunch and lunch, try Cafe Savoy (Vitezna 5, Prague 5; 4202-573-11562), a superbly renovated turn-of-the-century coffee house that was once a favourite haunt of artists, writers and wannabes after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The huge windows, high ceilings and crystal chandeliers form the perfect backdrop for enjoying your eggs and coffee, rounded off with a selection of their outstanding fresh pastries and sweets. Where to stayPrague's rich architecture means, of course, there are a slew of hotels in converted historical buildings. One of the best is the four-star At the Charles Bridge (Dum u Karlova mostu, Na Kampe 15, Prague 1; 4202-339-20118; www.nakampe15.com). This 15th-century building housing the hotel and adjoining pub lies right below the Charles Bridge on the banks of the river. Its location inevitably meant the hotel suffered mightily during the floods of 2002, though all the rooms have now been restored ? all exposed beams and wooden furniture. Doubles $140-$246, depending on the season.
Far from the crowds ? though still no more than a tram ride away ? is Le Palais (U Zvonarky 1, Prague 2; 4202-346-34111; www.palaishotel.cz) in the exclusive neighbourhood of Vinohrady. Originally built as a private palace, Le Palais was converted into a five-star hotel in 2002. Rooms from $430. Best beer garden in Prague is a short hop away.
After darkThe best clubs in Prague are slightly outside the centre: Radost (Belohradska 120, Prague 2; 4202-242-54776) and Mecca (U Pruhonu 3, Prague 7; 4202-838-70522; www.mecca.cz). A closer option is Celnice (V Celnici 4, Prague 1, +420 224 212 240; www.celnice.com), which has tables and chairs outside during the summer and a downstairs bar for partying. If you still have the energy, try the after-hours club Le Clan (Balbinova 23, Prague 2; www.leclan.cz). Climb the stairs to the front door, ring the bell, and when the large man answers the door, mumble good evening in Czech ( dobre vecer ? pronounced ?dobrey vechair?) and stroll in. Nick Watson has been working as a foreign correspondent in Prague for the past four years. |
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