Founded by prince boΩivoj in the 9th century, Prague Castle and its attendant cathedral tower above the city from the long hill known as Hradčany. The surrounding town was founded in 1320, becoming home to servants’ hovels and, after the cataclysmic fire of 1541, grand palaces. Baroque and Renaissance reconstructions in the area created much of what visitors see today. The Loreto shrine to the Virgin Mary demonstrated the growing importance of Prague to the Church. At the castle, primitive defences were removed, making room for gardens, parade grounds and other needs of a modern empire. When the Habsburgs removed the imperial seat to Vienna, Hradčany seemed to become preserved in time, saving it from the ravages of war and modernization. The area abounds with interesting sights for art and history lovers, as well as romantic hidden lanes and parks – in short, a total expression of the Czech nation’s shifting epochs and politics.
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Morning
Start your day with a brisk climb up the New Castle Steps, and time your ascent to hear the 10am Castle Guard brass quartet. Leaving the castle behind you, walk west through Hradčanské náměstí. As you pass the Schwarzenberg Palace, check to see if the reinstallation of the Military History Museum is complete – if so, take a look at the exhibitions of weapons and uniforms (Hradčanské náměstí 2 220 202020 Open daily Adm).
Now walk up Loretánská to Loretánské náměstí, where you’ll find the vast Černín Palace staring down at the lovely Loreto (see The Loreto). Explore the latter and its odd gallery of saints before lunch next door at Restaurant u Lorety .
Afternoon
Exit Loretánské náměstí past the Capuchin monastery and follow Černínská downhill, pausing on Nový Svět. Coo over the street’s piebald houses and follow Kanovnická back to Hradčanské náměstí.
The rest of the afternoon will be taken up with a tour of the unmissable Prague Castle , St Vitus’s Cathedral , and the myriad of other attractions in the castle complex.
To end the day, find your way back to Loretánské náměstí 1 and the famed pub U Černého vola for a pickled sausage and a glass of beer.
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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.
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Visitors can escape the crowds at this café hidden under the Black Tower at the castle’s eastern en`. Relax with coffee and strudel, or beer and sandwiches.
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In the narrow alleys leading into Golden Lane are a number of pavement cafés offering coffees, sandwiches, wine and spirits. Outdoor seating in good weather.
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An out-of-the-way, peaceful café in the castle’s Gardens on the Bastion, where you can rest over a cup of tea or coffee. Light snacks, too.
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The “Little Pub on the Steps” seems strategically located to relieve exhausted tourists climbing Radnické schody. Inexpensive, and popular with the locals.
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Adjacent to Hradčany’s former town hall, this old-fashioned pub serves a standard menu of beer, utopence (see Utopence) and goulash. The noon bells next door at St Benedict’s let you know when it’s lunchtime.
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Many visitors enter this square backwards, trying to fit St Vitus’s spires in their view-finders. Tear your eyes away from the castle’s western face and you’ll see, among other Renaissance buildings, the colourful Archbishop’s Palace and the grim Schwarzenberg Palace across the way. In the green centre is a plague column from 1726; opposite the castle is the Toskánský Palace, now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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This fine-dining restaurant at the Hotel Savoy serves a sushi buffet every Sunday from noon to 2pm.
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Sip an espresso on the rooftop while peering through one of the telescopes at the city below. The quiet patio has large tables where you can lunch and plan your visit to the castle next door.
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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.
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