Closer to Nice than London, Prague is a fascinating destination. Mike Meade recently visited the capital of Bohemia and the Czech Republic

This is an supremely walkable city (free walking maps are readily available) and on the first day, our French-speaking guide, Lucie Troskova, accompanied us by bus up the Petrin Hill for lunch at the scenic Petrìnské Terasy restaurant before a colourful downhill jaunt to the flatter city centre across the Vltava River.
The first part of the stroll was down through the many levels of the city’s most popular tourist site, the Prague Castle. Built in the 9th century, it is the largest ancient castle in the world, and contains many palaces, chapels and galleries. History buffs should allow at least half a day to appreciate it fully. An hour is probably enough for the less culturally minded like myself.
Mother Prague

In Staré Mesto, try to synchronise your visit to the Old Town Square with the hourly chiming of the astronomical clock, a unique curiosity. Its complex movement dates back over 500 years and the elaborate animation as it strikes the hour draws applause from an ever present crowd. Have your camera at the ready though - it only lasts a few seconds.
The Bohemians: Polite but remote

Vestiges of Communism

The Praguer lives for his weekend home in the country and this is where the new economic and social differences become apparent. Over 60% of Praguers have a country “residence”, ranging from shabby allotment shacks thrown together with a few nails and old doors, to elegant dacha-like villas of impressive proportions. It’s here in the nearby countryside where the city neighbours - the factory worker and the nouveau-riche businessman - part company for weekends and holidays separated by wealth and social class.
Beyond Prague

Lunch in the elegant and immense dining hall of the 18th century Grand Hotel Pupp (117 rooms) was a delight - more for the atmosphere than for the cuisine. Potato is a mainstay of the Czech diet and accompanies almost every meal in potato pancakes, steamed spuds or in dumplings. Czech wine is singularly unimpressive but the excellent beer in this Plizen (Pilsner) motherland is rich and heady.
We returned to Prague via the little burg of Loket where we chanced upon the President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, on an electoral campaign tour. The fall of the Iron Curtain became starkly clear as President Klaus uncomfortably fielded a protester’s heckling from the crowd. That couldn’t have happened in Communist times and a trip to the Czech Republic is a welcome eye-opener of what is now gone and will never return.

CZECH LIST
Accommodation: In Prague I stayed at the simple but adequate Holiday Inn Express across from the the main railway station. There’s BBC World on satellite in your room and an excellent buffet breakfast. Perfectly multilingual staff.
Money: Local currency is the Czech crown or koruna (CZK or Kc) composed of 100 groats (h).
Exchange rate: approx. 25 Kc = 1 euro. ATM machines are not quite as common as in western Europe but there is one at the airport and at several banks in Prague city centre. Do not change money with touts on the street.
Climate: Prague has a typical mid-continental climate, mild with warm, damp summers and cold winters. Spring and autumn are particularly pleasant.
Communications: French and British mobile phones with roaming option work well in most parts of the Czech Republic.
Press: The weekly Prague Post in English is available from most news-stands.
Conveniences: Public toilets are rare but there are several McDonalds in Prague city centre which offer clean toilet facilities for a 5 Kc entry chit (reimbursed if you eat at the McDonalds... but why would you?).
From Riviera Reporter N° 115