Things to See in Prague

Prague's oldest jazz club was founded in 1958 during the communist era, but is best known as the venue where US president Bill Clinton played the saxophone in 1994. It has an intimate setting, with smartly dressed (and sometimes bored-looking) patrons squeezing into tiered seats and lounges to soak up the big-band, swing and dixieland atmosphere. You can also book ahead through www.ticketpro.cz.

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 jukebox crammed with Beatles, Stones and Czech rock. Foaming Gambrinus is only 20K a half-litre, and the coffee is damn fine too.

'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.

A booklike drinks menu more than 80 pages long, a selection of 400 cocktails, a glinting display of rum, tequila and whisky and a cigar humidor - this New York-style bar wheels in a reasonably sophisticated mix of international and local guests.

While the tourists flock to U Flek (below), locals gather here to sample the classic Czech lager (in light, dark and mixed varieties) that is produced 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.

If you're coming to Dahab, do it properly and spend time lounging in the dimly lit main restaurant, which is like a North African souk, scattered with oriental rugs and cushions. The menu encompasses the usual - couscous, tajine (meat and vegetable stew), lamb and chicken dishes, baklava and even hookahs (hubble-bubble pipes). The longer-hours takeaway isn't so salubrious.

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.

This small vegetarian Indian cafe is hidden away in a little courtyard off Týnská. There's a simple menu of the lentil-soup-and-salad variety, and some outdoor seating. Breakfast is also available, and they have a good range of mouthwatering Indian sweets. Both chefs were specially recruited from Northern India.

The first in a chain of bizarrely titled 'living restaurants', this cheerful, truly atmospheric Vinohrady restaurant still buzzes. The American barbecue ribs, fajitas, steaks and chicken wings are complemented by tasty pasta dishes, salads and some excellent house wines.

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.

To say - truthfully - that knitwear forms the basis of this collection makes it sound less interesting than it is. Designer Hana Stocklassa has woven plastic black stripes into grey vests, knitted sleeveless turtlenecks and added coarse-stitched denim pieces to create an overall preppy/fashionable look. The shirts and jumpers discreetly embroidered with a Czech lion make stylish souvenirs.

There are several Manufaktura outlets across town, but this small branch right near Charles Bridge seems to keep its trim inventory especially enticing. You'll find great Czech wooden toys, beautiful-looking (if extremely chewy) honey gingerbread made from elaborate medieval moulds, and seasonal gifts like charming hand-painted Easter eggs. The branch up the hill at Nerudova 31 specialises in cosmetics.

Built in 1904 in a mix of neo-gothic and art nouveau, the stately Paí¸ 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.

This exemplary smoke-free hostel has very accommodating staff who can provide info on the neighbourhood and Prague in general. A real sense of pride is evidenced by its regular spic-and-span spruce-ups. One of Prague's best hostels, and deservedly so.

Central location? Tick. Low-key and stylish décor? Mmmm, maybe not. Hotel William is not one for the cool crowd, but the fairy-tale atmosphere (think of the original Disneyland castle) is certainly unique, and kind of suits Prague in a romantic way.

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 Petín'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.

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.

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.

Looming above Wenceslas Square is the neo-Renaissance bulk of the National Museum, designed in the 1880s by Josef Schulz as an architectural symbol of the Czech National Revival.

The displays of rocks, fossils and stuffed animals have a rather old-fashioned feel - serried ranks of glass display cabinets arranged on creaking parquet floors - but even if taxidermy isn't your thing it's still worth a visit just to enjoy the marbled splendour of the interior and the views down Wenceslas Square.

Rooms filled with a multitude of authentic, colourfully dressed marionettes from the late 17th to early 19th centuries make up the Museum of Marionette Culture. Star attractions are the Czech figures Spejbl and Hurvínek. The museum is upstairs inside the courtyard.

Strolling across Charles Bridge is everybody's favourite Prague activity. However, by 09:00 it's a 500m-long fairground, with an army of tourists squeezing through a gauntlet of hawkers and buskers, beneath the impassive gaze of the imposing baroque statues that line the parapets (see the boxed text, ). If you want to experience the bridge at its most atmospheric it's best appreciated at dawn.

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.

The centrepiece of Staré Msto 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.