INTRODUCTION TO PRAGUE - The Rough Guide to Prague - page 28

2MaláStranaGardens ManyofMaláStrana'sgardensarefree,includingthe PragueCastle
Gardens , the Valdštejnská zahrada and the Vojanovy sady . Petřín hill can also be seen for no
cost - if you're prepared to walk.
3 Lunch At a traditional cukrárna or bakery you can easily put together a tasty light lunch
of open sandwiches ( chlebíčky ), soup and pastries for less than 150Kč. U knofličků , near the
lower station of the Petřín funicular, is superb.
4 Charles Bridge You don't need a ticket to enjoy Prague's top Gothic structure to the full.
Take a good look at the statue groups as you go, but mind the dive-bombing seagulls!
5Prague'schurches Almostallofthechurches,includingthemagnificent ChurchofsvJak-
ub near the Old Town Square, are free.
6 Astronomical clock The Apostles' hourly show is one of the city's classic experiences.
7 Dinner Beas is a vegetarian canteen where you can full up on basmati rice and vegetable
curryforapittance.Otherwisepubsoutsidethecitycentresuchas U Houbaře docheapeven-
ing mains.
ART NOUVEAU PRAGUE
The curvaceous sculptural decoration and floral motifs of the turn-of-the-twentieth-century
Art Nouveau movement had an immense effect on the art and architecture of the Czech cap-
ital - the following offers the highlights in a day.
1 Hlavní nádraží Take the metro to Prague's main railway station, where renovation has
brought the old station building back to its former turn-of-the-twentieth-century glory. The
Fantova kavárna will be a top Art Nouveau coffee stop when it reopens following a revamp.
2 Grand Hotel Evropa Walk or take the metro to Wenceslas Square and the ornate Grand
Hotel Evropa . Under renovation, it is set to reopen as a swish period-piece hotel.
3 Obecnídům Prague'sstellarArtNouveauattractionisthecreationofjustabouteverylead-
ing Czech Art Nouveau artist of the period. The most illustrious of the lot is Alfons Mucha,
who designed the stunning Primátorský sál.
4Lunch The Obecní dům is the ideal spot for an Art Nouveau lunch, either in the Francouz-
ská restaurace orthecellar Plzeňská restaurace ,bothofwhichareturn-of-the-twentieth-cen-
tury masterpieces in their own right.
5 Mucha Museum The Primátorský sál in the Obecní dům is just a sample of the amazing
works produced by Alfons Mucha. Get the full picture at this superb art museum.
6 Josefov Amble through the Old Town and across the Old Town Square into the old Jewish
neighbourhood of Josefov, which has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in
the city centre.