The oldest evidence of human habitation in the Prague valley dates from around 6000 BC. Permanent farming communities were established in the area by Germanic and Celtic tribes around 4000 BC. Slavs came into the picture around the turn of the millennium, and by the 600 AD had settled opposite sides of a particularly appealing stretch of the Vltava River. They successfully defended the land now known as Bohemia for generations, but by the 9th century it had been conquered by the Great Moravian Empire. The short-lived empire introduced the locals to Christianity, but it was 'Good King Wenceslas' of Christmas-carol fame (he was actually a duke) who made it the state religion of Bohemia in the 930s. He remains the patron saint of the Czech Republic. It was under the rule of Charles IV (ruled 1346-78) that Prague truly came into its own, becoming one of the continent's largest and most prosperous cities, acquiring its fine Gothic face and landmark buildings like Charles University, Charles Bridge and St Vitus Cathedral. Jan Hus, who attended Charles University in the late 1380s, rallied popular support for the Church-reform movement; when he was burned at the stake in 1415, the rabble was roused enough to hurl various Catholic officials from the upper stories of Prague's New Town Hall, introducing the word 'defenestration' (literally, to toss someone out a window) into the popular political lexicon. While the 1526 ascent of the Catholic Hapsburg family to power in the region cooled things off briefly, a second round of defenestrations in 1618 made it clear that the matter was not quite settled. In fact, the insurrection catalyzed the Thirty Years War, which devastated much of Europe; a quarter of Bohemia perished. Their defeat slammed the door on Czech independence for almost three centuries. The Czech national spirit was not so easily crushed, however, and by the 19th century, Prague - which had been unified in 1784 by imperial decree - had become the centre of the so-called Czech National Revival. Czech literature, architecture and journalism were celebrated, even as Czechs were denied participation in the political process. Nationalist sentiment was growing as waves of pro-democracy protests swept the continent. An 1848 uprising was summarily squelched, but in 1861 the Czech majority defeated German candidates in the Prague council elections. It was a watershed event for Czech independence.

The 20th century solidified the Czech nationalist movement. Czechs had no interest in fighting for their Austrian masters in WWI, and neighbouring Slovakia was equally reluctant to take up arms for their German occupiers. Leaders from both independence movements approached US President Wilson, who was actively trying to build the League of Nations, asking for his help in achieving their dream. With Allied support, Czechoslovakia became an independent nation in 1918; Prague became its first capital. The young country weathered the Great Depression only to be occupied by Nazi Germany in 1939 - Bohemia and Moravia were labelled a 'protectorate' and Slovakia an 'independent' (puppet) state. Prague's community of some 120,000 Jews was all but wiped out; almost three-quarters of them either starved or were murdered in concentration camps. On May 5, 1945, the population of Prague rose up against German occupation forces as the Red Army approached from the east. Most of Prague was liberated before the Soviets arrived. Liberation Day is now celebrated on May 8; under communism it was May 9. In the 1946 elections, the communists became the young republic's dominant party, and in 1948 did away with the inefficiencies of a multi-party system with a Soviet-backed coup d'état. In 1968, after years of gradual liberalisation under General Secretary Dubcek, the 'Prague Spring' came into full bloom. Full democracy, an end to censorship, and 'socialism with a human face' were the goals of this popular movement. Moscow was miffed and sent tanks into Prague. Fifty-eight people died, almost 300,000 sympathisers lost their jobs and, in something of a step down, Dubcek was forced to find employment with the Slovak Forestry Department. The newly stringent communist leadership maintained control until the breaching of the Berlin Wall in 1989. A series of peaceful demonstrations beginning on November 17 became confrontational, though the essentially nonviolent character of the uprising earned it the name 'Velvet Revolution'. Free elections were held in 1990, and the Czech and Slovakian separatist movements subsequently inspired the smooth 1993 split into the Czech and Slovak Republics, remembered as the 'Velvet Divorce'. Prague quickly became one of the top tourist destinations in the world during the 1990s, and the ringing of cash registers combined with a solid industrial base has left its citizens in better economic shape than those in the rest of the country. Much of this spare change has been reinvested in the city itself, making for an even more pleasant visit.

The Czech Republic has become a member state of the EU, and Prague will preside gracefully as the country finds a new place in the world. In August 2002 Prague experienced the worst floods in almost two centuries, with the river Vltava sweeping the city. Sixteen people died, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes and businesses, the historic city centre was closed off and there were fears - not realised - that the 14th-century Charles Bridge would be washed away. The final damage was calculated in the billions of US dollars, with the city's low-lying Jewish Quarter suffering considerable damage, as well as the Karlin and Troja districts, the metro system and numerous cultural and tourist attractions. Despite the disastrous damage, Prague and its citizens managed to bounce back, demonstrating once again that the spirit of the city really is indomitable.

As in most big cities, pickpockets gather wherever there are large crowds of tourists. There are also a few scams around. Over the last few years there have been an increasing amount of reports fromforeigners who have been robbed by bogus police.Men who claim that they are plain-clothespolice investigating counterfeiting or illegalmoney-changing approach tourists and askto see their money, which is returned afterbeing examined. The unsuspecting touristfinds out later when they check their walletthat a substantial amount of money has beentaken.Another ploy involves a 'lost tourist' askingfor directions (usually in halting English).Once you have been in conversation for afew minutes, two of the tourist's 'friends' interrupt,claiming to be plain-clothes policemenand accusing you of changing moneyillegally. They will demand to see your walletand passport, but if you hand them overthey are likely to run off with them. If indoubt, insist on accompanying them to apolice station.

Prague has plenty of outdoor activities in the warmer months. Stroll the city's high spots, paddle along the Vltava or rent a bicycle; you can always mix sightseeing with exercise. Other ways to sweat it out are swimming, tennis, squash, golf, horse riding or the Prague International Marathon.

A Žižkov institution, this eccentric cafe features quirky light fittings and the work of local artist František Skála. The menu has a good selection of vegetarian dishes, from nachos to gnocchi, plus great garlic soup, searingly hot buffalo wings and steak tartare. Kids are welcome - you'll find toys and colouring books (though it can get a bit smoky).

Kubelíkova 27

Žižkov

telephone or fax: 

open hours:11:30-13:00

Most attractions atop this lookout point were built in the late 19th to early 20th century, creating a slightly innocent, fun-fair atmosphere. The huge stone fortifications that run from Újezd to Strahov, cutting across Petrín's peak, are different. This so-called Hunger Wall was built in 1362 under Charles IV, constructed by the city's poor in return for food under an early job-creation scheme.

Malá Strana

Take the train to Národní Trída, then the tram to Újezd. Funicular access is from Újezd, Praha 1.

Petrín Hill

Don't be deterred by the Oedipus-complex psychobabble at the start of this modern museum. Go with the flow. Enjoy the trippy movie about Prague, the exhibits that curve through translucent netting, the rows of filing cabinets, a claustrophobic, strobe-lit section and original documents and photos. Although some call it pretentious and it's more fulfilling for speakers of Kafka's native German, no serious fan will want to miss this.

Cihelná 2b

N Malá Strana

Hergetova Cíhelná

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.kafkamuseum.cz

open hours:10:00-18:00

prices:

With a magnificent clifftop outlook, a 1000-year-old history going back to a simple walled-in compound in the 9th century, and a breathtaking scale that qualifies it as the biggest ancient castle in the world, Prague Castle is the indisputable centrepiece of the Czech capital. Spend at least half a day in awe here.

Hradcanské námestí

Hradcany

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.hrad.cz/en/prazsky_hrad/navsteva_hradu.shtml

open hours:09:00-17:00

prices:

Big plans are afoot for the most popular thoroughfare across the Vltava River, connecting Malá Strana and Staré Mesto. A 100-million Koruna renovation of the 650-year-old stone bridge began in 2007 and might run into 2008. During work, either the left or right side will be roped off at any one time, creating an even tighter bottleneck.

Karluv most

Staré Mesto

Malá Strana (the Small Quarter) clusters around the foot of Prague Castle. Most visitors pass through on steep Royal Way, as they climb to the castle, but the narrow side streets of this baroque quarter are worth examining. Almost too picturesque for its own good, the district is now a favourite for movie and commercial sets.

below Prague Castle

Malá Strana

If you're keen to try slivovice (plum brandy), there's no better place to start than this cafe-cum-wine bar. A temple to the fiery spirit, it stocks more than a dozen varieties, as well as jablkovice (apple brandy), hruškovice (pear brandy), merunkovice (apricot brandy) and a range of Moravian wines.

Josefov

Rámová 3

telephone or fax: 

open hours:08:00-22.00

As interesting to visit as it is pronounce after a few beers, Klub Újezd (u-yez-d) is one of Prague's many 'alternative' bars, filled with a fascinating collection of handmade furniture and fittings, original art and weird wrought-iron sculptures. The three-floor venue progresses from a cellar DJ bar to a ground-floor pub and an upstairs café.

Újezd 18

Malá Strana

telephone or fax: 

open hours:14:00-04:00

'Seven Wolves' is a cool, two-level, art-studenty café-bar and club - at street level there's candlelight, friendly staff, weird wrought-iron work and funky murals; down in the darkened cellar DJs pump out techno, breakbeat, drum'n'bass and ragga from 21:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.

Vlkova 7

Žižkov

telephone or fax: 

Web: http://www.sedmvlku.cz

open hours:17:00-03:00

A city of just over 1.2 million, Prague receives 10 times as many visitors as twenty years ago. But if you think Prague is crowded now, don't tarry too long: forecasters believe visitor numbers to the city - 7.4 million in 2004 - may double by the end of the decade.

Getting in and out of Prague is a snap, thanks to the cheap and well-run trains of Czech Railways (CD) and the buses, which are even cheaper still, run more frequently and are quite comfortable. The budget prices and convenience of these modes of transports mean that air travellers to Prague are comparatively rare; if you do fly into the city, you'll fetch up in Ruzyne, the international airport.

Prague's compact historic centre is best appreciated on foot, with the help of cheap, widespread public transportation. To think of driving is just foolhardy - the city's not set up too well for cars (or, for that matter, for bicycles). If you take taxis, beware of inflated fares; your best bet is a radio taxi.