"The capital of Czech republic is also a capital of hippie life-forms here in Czech and also for a quite a lot of them from other countries. Mary Jane is not legal, but there are a lot of small clubs, organizing the festivals, concerts, theatre and a lot of other actions, where the MJ smoke is tolerated. It has a kind of legality as by our law you can smoke it, but can not grow it, trade it etc."

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The city of Prague is blessed with classical music, at every corner and turn there is a poster announcing this or that concert. Usually with the likes of Mozart, Dvořák or Smetana on the bill, a concert is a great thing to experience in this lovely city.

In terms of venues, besides the impromptu concerts organized in every church, cathedral, concert hall and open square, the city of Prague offers two large established opera houses, with four major orchestras.

During Prague’s annual Spring Festival there is even more to offer than at other times of the year. The Prague Spring International Music Festival is a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists, symphony orchestras and chamber music ensembles of the world. Since 1952 the festival has opened with Bedřich Smetana´s cycle of symphonic poems Má vlast (My Country), and it closes with the ninth symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven.

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Holidays for 2006 are:
January 1 Novy rok (New Year’s Day)
May 1 Svatek prace (May Day)
May 5 Kvetnove povstani ceskeho lidu 1945 (Prague Uprising 1945)
May 8 Den osvobozeni od fasismu 1945 (Liberation from Fascism Day 1945)
July 5 Den slovanskych verozvestu Cyrila a Metodeje (St. Cyril & St. Methodius Day)
July 6 Mistr Jan Hus 1415 (John Huss Day)
September 28 Day of Czech Statehood
October 28 Den vzniku samostatneho ceskoslovenskeho statu 1918 (Independence Day)
November 17 Den boje studentu za svobodu a demokracii 1989 (Students’ fight for freedom and democracy 1989)
December 24 Stedry den (Christmas Eve)
December 25 Svatek vanocni 1 (Christmas)
December 26 Svatek vanocni 2 (2nd day of Christmas)

One of the great pleasures of life is to dine well. In Prague this pleasure is considered to be part of life, not something reserved for special occasions. In fact few European capitals can claim a greater variety or more sophisticated cuisine than can be enjoyed in Prague’s hundreds of restaurants. And when you consider the low cost of dining out in Prague, you can understand why it’s so hip to visit this culinary mecca.

To start there is Czech cuisine, which like most central European food, is centered around meat and potatoes, with vegetables and excellent salads. Whether you like goulash or not, a meal in a traditional Czech restaurant is an unforgetable experience, if not a gastronomic high point. For that kind of experience you need only visit one of the many French restaurants dotting the city. From hardy French country food to Nouvelle cuisine, Prague does justice to the epicurian palate. World class restaurants serve up excellent fare, in elegant, classical surroundings. In many of these places you can easily imagine you’re in Old Europe with many restaurant buildings in the Old Town dating back 500 to 1000 years. So ambiance plays a big part in the Prague dining experience.

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West of Prague, near the German border lies several spa resort towns. The largest and most famous of these is Karlovy Vary, which has been serving the needs of health seekers since the Middle Ages. There are 12 hot springs in the area, and a huge resort complex to serve the needs of the millions of tourists (mostly German) who visit annually.

The history of the area goes back to the mid 1300s when Charles IV was impressed with the springs and the surrounding area. The springs pump out three million liters of water from 42 to 73 degrees Celsius. A variety of health restoring treatments are available including mud and peat baths. The water itself supposedly has rejuvenating effects, especially with digestive problems and metabolic disorders.

Franz Kafka was born in the Old Town Square in Prague in 1883. The son of German/Jewish/Czech parents, he wrote exclusively in German. He was a very influential writer, and his stories dealt with faceless bureaucracy and social alientation. His most famous works are The Trial and Metamophosis.

Kafka’s work wasn’t published until after his death, then the Nazis and Communists both banned his work. Yet his books managed to strike a chord with many writers who felt he’d broken new ground with his social commentary fiction.

This exhibition displays some of Kafka’s original works and photographs from the period. It’s worth a visit to pay homage to a man who influenced so many writers (this one included!).

Location: Prague 1, U Radnice 5 (Old Town Square)
Open: Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 6pm, Saturdays 10am – 5pm Entrance Fee: 20 crowns

Sculpture & National Museum

The National Museum lies at one end of Wenceslas Square. It’s the oldest museum in the country, founded in 1818. The museum’s exhibitions focus on the natural history of the region. These include mineralogy, paleontology, anthropology and zoology.

Hours: Mon- Sun 10:00 – 18:00 (May-Sept.), 9:00 – 17:00 (Oct.-Apr.) Closed first Tuesday every month.
Entrance fee: adults 80 CZK, reduced fee 40 CZK, children up to 6 years of age free
Family entrance fee (max. 2 adults, total 4 persons) 90 CZK
School groups (on days of school education) each 20 CZK
Every first Monday entrance free
Location: Praha 1, Václavské náměstí 68
Website: https://www.nm.cz/english/