This Art Deco coffee house harks back to the sophistication of the 20s with fine food served till late, and live music every night. The menu focuses on fresh food, simply prepared, with influences ranging from Mediterranean to Middle Eastern - don't miss the fish and chips, fried in crisp beer-and-parsley batter with crunchy fries and delicious herb aioli.

This family-friendly wholefood restaurant sources all its food from local organic farmers. The menu includes fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as vegetable tempura with horseradish dip and buckwheat pancakes filled with onion mash and grilled zucchini. There are also organic wines and unpasteurised beer so you can work up a wholesome hangover.

The restaurant is as bright and fresh as an Alpine morning, decked out in blonde wood and rustic timber set off with salmon-pink tablecloths and seat-cushions. It also operates its own on-site bakery, shop and advice counter offering tips on organic food and healthy eating.

Easily the best of the tourist restaurants on the Old Town Square. The meaty Czech and international menu is big, the food good and service pleasant. Try the fruit dumplings for a refreshing appetizer. Beware - food and beer prices on the terrace outside are up to 50% higher than those charged inside.

If you're after a peaceful meal then the fragrant tendrils of incense will easily entice you into this oriental tearoom. The food is mostly Vietnamese influenced, with lots of vegetarian offerings and an interesting selection of 'healing' wines, though the menu doesn't mention which is recommended for cobblestone-inflicted blisters.

Since '94, Kampa Park has drawn celebrities like moths to a flame. The cuisine is just as famous, from the grilled octopus with roasted broccoli, raisins and capers, to the filet mignon with glazed sweetbread and chanterelles. For a really romantic dinner, reserve a candle-lit table on the terrace with the lights of Charles Bridge glittering on the water.

Built in 1904 in a mix of neo-gothic and Art Nouveau, the stately Paříž remains a bastion of belle époque style in the centre of the city. It has 86 individually designed rooms and suites, many of which are strikingly modern in design, while public areas form a showcase of early 20th-century glamour.

The five-star Paříž is an unashamedly exuberant memorial to the heady days of Alfons Mucha and Gustav Klimt (who, incidentally, have plush suites named in their honour), with stunning mosaic walls, wood panelling, artistic plasterwork and unmistakeably Nouveau chandeliers and paintings. The 'deluxe' and slightly pricier 'executive' rooms are spacious and sunny, furnished largely in contemporary style, with the occasional piece of early-1900s-inspired art to remind you where you are. The shiny bathrooms have everything you need, including that nice extra touch: heated floors. The suites have a bit more character, while for a truly unique experience, the Royal Tower Suite at the top of the house offers (literally) the highest point of luxury and a breathtaking 360° view of Prague. Breakfast isn't included, however, which at these prices seems a bit of a swiz.

This exemplary smoke-free hostel has the brightest facade on the street. It's recently been spruced up inside and out and is planning further development of facilities. Very accommodating staff can provide info on the neighbourhood and Prague in general.

Located north of the river in the suburb of Holešovice, Sir Toby's may seem a little out of the way, but it makes a good base for discovering this less-visited section of the city, and there are excellent local transport links. The dorms have between four and eight bunks, and the bigger dorms are probably the cheapest in Prague. The private rooms, meanwhile, are fitted with metal-framed single beds. All rooms are light, clean and spacious, but don't expect anything fancy. The mattresses are a little on the thin side, too, but all sheets and blankets are provided at no extra cost. There's a communal kitchen for self-caterers to do their thing, a lounge and a relaxing little garden where you can sit back and chat with the sociable crowd of international travellers who call Sir Toby's their temporary home.

Just a 5min walk from Charles Bridge, the William enjoys a great location. Depending on your personal tastes, the design scheme is either fantastically 'fairy tale' or terribly twee. Try to get a room overlooking the garden rather than the street.

Hotel William occupies an imposing neoclassical townhouse in the heart of lovely Malá Strana, perfectly located for sightseeing. It has been recently renovated, and the decor scheme they've gone for is certainly a bold choice. You might feel like you've just walked onto the stage set of a Cinderella pantomime or a Disneyland theme hotel, with all the escutcheons, crenellations, fake stonework and crystal chandeliers, but it's a bit of fun, and certainly singles the place out from the usual, run-of-the-mill three-star hotels dotted around the city. You'll probably be relieved to hear, though, that the 42 rooms themselves are a tad more sober in design, and have a fresh, contemporary look, decorated with a more muted cream and yellow colour scheme. There's a short flight of steps up to reception, so unfortunately the William isn't suited to disabled guests.

This little workshop and studio produces handmade paper using traditional techniques, and sells it in the form of greeting cards, business cards, stationery, calligraphy, antique map prints and photographic prints.

Opened in 2002, this clothing store showcases the designs of Hana Stocklassa and her associates, with collections of knitwear, leather and suede togs for women. Suede skirts, linen blouses and sweaters seem to be the stock in trade, and there's also a range of jewellery.

Multibranch store selling a huge array of quality traditional Czech handicrafts, including the ubiquitous wooden toys, scented soaps (cream and vanilla seem very popular), beeswax candles, ceramics, linen, ironwork and colourful, hand-painted kraslice (Easter eggs), which carry a variety of designs from around the country.

This 318m-high hill is topped with a network of eight parks, comprising one of Prague's largest green spaces. It's great for cool, quiet walks and postcard-perfect views of the 'City of 100 Spires'. You can tone your thigh muscles hiking up from Hradčany or Strahov, or take the funicular railway.

Once upon a time the hill was draped with vineyards, and you can still see the quarry that provided stone for most of Prague's Romanesque and Gothic buildings. Just south of the cable car terminus is Stefanik Observatory, where anyone can enjoy an enhanced view of a clear and starry night. North of the terminus on the summit is Petřín Tower, a 62m-high copy of the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1891 Prague Exposition. You can climb its 299 steps for a small fee. On a clear day you'll be able to take in sublime views of the central Bohemian woodlands.

This much-hyped exhibition on the life and work of Prague's most famous literary son opened here in 2005 after three years in Barcelona and three years in New York. Entitled 'City of K', it explores the intimate relationship between the writer and the city that shaped him through the use of original letters, photographs, quotations, period newspapers and publications, and video and sound installations.

Does it vividly portray the claustrophobic bureaucracy and atmosphere of brooding menace that characterised Kafka's world? Or is it a load of pretentious old bollocks? You decide.

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.

Prague Castle (Pražský Hrad, or just Hrad to the Czechs) claims its 'largest' title with the following figures: 570m long, an average of 128m wide and 7.28 hectares of land. The castle has been the seat of Czech government since Prince Bořivoj founded the first fortified settlement here in the 9th century, though president Václav Havel chose to live in his smaller (and less touristy) home on the outskirts of the city. Some of the complex's highlights, like the Spanish Hall and Rudolf Gallery, are only open one Saturday a year (usually in early May). The rest of the castle's collection of architectural and artistic marvels, created over the course of the last millennium, is on display.

The neo-Renaissance bulk of the National Museum (Národní muzeum), with its staggering natural history collection, commands the southern end of Wenceslas Square. The rooms are suitably cavernous, with wall-to-wall displays of earthly magnificence such as dinosaurs and giant crabs.

The museum had a restless childhood that included a stint in Sternberg Palace in Hradčany before moving to a site on Na příkopé in 1846, and finally settling on its current spot in 1891. If you need some man-made splendour to refocus your attention, sit for a while in the stunning main stairwell. Or practise your stand-up material in front of the captive audience in the Pantheon, with its statues of prominent secular Czech citizens and upper-level murals.

A hanging multitude of authentic, colourfully dressed marionettes from the late-17th to early-19th centuries that will please kids and adults alike. Attractions include the famous Czech figures Spejbl and Hurvínek. The museum (Muzeum Loutkářských Kultur) is upstairs in the courtyard.

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.

Malá Strana started up in the 8th or 9th centuries as a market settlement, and was chartered in 1257 by Premysl Otakar II. Its castle-front location has long attracted visitors, friends and foes alike: It was all but destroyed in the Hussite wars of 1419. Charming churches and palaces in the area date from the 17th and 18th centuries, with Renaissance facades that were later 'baroquified'.

Along the Royal Way, Nerudova Ulice is the quarter's most architecturally important street. Gems like the House of Two Suns, where poet Jan Neruda penned Tales of the Little Quarter (along with plenty of influential liberal essays and articles), and Bretfield Palace are two great examples of Czech artistry.

Dominating the quarter is St Nicholas Church, not to be confused with the eponymous chapel on Old Town Square. This exquisite building, with its huge green cupola, houses the largest fresco in Europe, Johann Kracker's 1770 Life of St Nicholas.

Also fine for strolling are the grounds of Wallestein Palace, where summer concerts are often held, and quiet Vojan Park, established in 1248.

The centrepiece of Staré Město is the huge 1.7-hectare Old Town Square. It has been Prague's working heart since the 10th century, and hosted its largest market until the beginning of the 20th century. It's surrounded by a maze of alleys and is home to some of Prague's most famous monuments.

Despite the over-the-top commercialism and crowds of tourists swarming the place, it's impossible not to enjoy yourself here. The cafes spilling onto the pavement, buskers and performing dogs, and silly horse-drawn beer wagons all conspire to elevate the area from ridiculous to sublime. It's also a great venue for outdoor concerts, political meetings and other public events. Landislav Saloun's brooding Art Nouveau sculpture of Jan Hus dominates the square the same way the martyr's memory dominates Czech history. It was erected on 6 July 1915, 500 years after the religious reformer was burned at the stake. Stroll down the Royal Way to the Vlatava, where the Charles Bridge has endured traffic for 600 years - thanks, legend says, to eggs mixed into the mortar. Watch out for pickpockets, who work the bridge day and night.

Charles Bridge withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years, legend says, due to eggs mixed into the mortar. It was made pedestrian-only after WWII. Strolling its length, admiring the bridge's many monuments and grand Vltava views, seems to be everybody's favourite Prague activity (including pickpockets).

When a flood consumed the Judith Bridge in 1357, work immediately began on another bridge across the Vltava. Completed in 1402, Charles Bridge (Karlův most) was the only structure spanning the river for 460-odd years. Spanning 520m, the sandstone edifice named Stone Bridge didn't become Charles Bridge until 1870. Apart from the towers at either end, the bridge is lined with statues and monuments, the oldest and most popular being the statue of St John of Nepomuk, the Czech patron saint, who was thrown into the Vlatva by bad King Wenceslas IV in 1393.

Founded in 1958, this is Prague's oldest jazz venue The intimate setting draws well-attired patrons into tiered seats and lounges to soak up the swinging big-band, Dixieland atmosphere. It pays to be early, as it occasionally oversells tickets.

This is a superb little drinking den barely five minutes' walk from the castle. Head for the cosy, wood-panelled back room, quirkily decorated with weird art and mechanical curiosities by local artist Kuba Krejci (all for sale), and an ancient juke box crammed with classics. A half-litre of foaming Gambrinus is super cheap and the coffee is damn fine too.

Sedm Vlků (Seven Wolves) is a two-level, art-studenty cafe-bar and club - at street level, there's candlelight, friendly staff, weird wrought-iron work and murals, and the music's low enough to have a conversation. Down in the darkened cellar, DJs pump out techno, breakbeat, drum'n'bass and ragga on Friday and Saturday nights.

Prague's slickest, shiniest and most self-assured club is still capable of pulling in the crowds, especially for its hip hop night, FXbounce (www.fxbounce.com). The place has a chilled out, bohemian atmosphere, with Moroccan-boudoir-meets-Moulin-Rouge decor, and there's an excellent lounge-cum-vegetarian restaurant that's open into the small hours.

Locals gather here to sample the classic Czech lager (in light, dark and mixed varieties) that is brewed on the premises, as well as wheat beer and a range of flavoured beers (including coffee, banana and cherry). The pub itself is a pleasant place to linger, decked out with polished copper vats and brewing implements and smelling faintly of malt and hops.