DK Travel : Prague

At the geographical heart of Europe, Prague’s beautiful cityscape has been carved and sustained by a variety of emperors, artists and religious communities, from the Gothic exuberance of its castle and cathedral, to the dignity of the medieval Jewish Cemetery, and the 19th-century opulence of the “new” town. Under Communist rule, Prague was off the tourist map, but since 1989 the city has seen a surge of visitors eager to take in this spectacular city.

Bar 23

The wooden door looks a bit suspect, but inside is a welcoming beer-and-a-shot neighbour-hood bar. A good place to practise the intricate rituals of absinthe drinking.
Bar Bar

The salads, waffles and crêpes served here make an excellent light lunch, but you’ll have trouble finding a seat in the evening.
Barrandov Studios

The Nazis turned Prague’s film studios into a propaganda mill during World War II, as did the Communists, but today they are thriving as western filmmakers discover Prague (see Film Locations).
Battle of White Mountain

The Protestant nobility and the emperor continued to provoke each other until hostilities broke into open war. Imperial forces devastated the Czechs in the first battle of the Thirty Years’ War in 1620. Czech lands were re-Catholicized, but resentment against Vienna and Rome continued to smoulder.
Bazaar Mediterranée

The marvellous views from the rooftop terrace outdo the culinary aspects of this chic dinner club. Italian and Mediterranean specialities, plus the occasional transvestite show.
Bedřich Smetana

The composer wrote his opera Libuše , based on the legendary princess, for the reopening of Prague’s National Theatre in 1883. Smetana vies with Antonin Dvořák for the title of best-loved Czech composer; the former’s ode to beer in The Bartered Bride gives him a certain advantage.
Bellevue

A gorgeous view of the castle rising above Charles Bridge, and formal, Continental dining.
Bernard

This unpasteurized beer has a distinct, bitter-sweet flavour and a hoppy aroma.
Bertramka

The house where Mozart and his wife stayed while the composer worked on Don Giovanni has been turned into a small museum on his life.
Bethlehem Square

The 15th-century Catholic reformer Jan Hus preached in the reconstructed chapel on the square’s north side. The original church was converted into apartments in the 18th century but had a loving restoration to its former state in the 1950s.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under Kč300
- Kč300–Kč500
- Kč500–Kč700
- Kč700–Kč1000
- over Kč1000