The metamorphosis of Prague
The astronomical clock in Prague strikes ten o'clock. The toothed spheres rotate, the twelve figures of angels dance their particular dance leaning out the window, the skeleton rings the bell and warns that all this is over and we have to wake up by nodding vehemently while the representations of the greed, lust and vanity they look the other way and shake their heads as if the thing was not with them.
The rooster sings. The new hour arrives. And so the curtain falls and the small theater is concluded, the main tourist attraction of prague that swirls every sixty minutes (from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.) an authentic anthill around the town hall tower of the Old City (Stare Mesto).
One of the old trams in the city
This is ground zero in Prague . The first stop for anyone who comes for the first time, that place where the Japanese are crazy about taking their wedding portraits, digging their way between selfie sticks and giant pandas in search of their opportunity with some unsuspecting tourist, and the guides explain in all the Languages possible the origin of the 'twin towers' and the sculpture of Jan Hus.
Prague is not what it was. Not a trace remains of what was the capital of the former Czechoslovakia, which celebrated a century of independence this year. First came the end of communism, then the opening to Europe, and then everything else.
The metamorphosis is seen with the naked eye , and especially walking through Parížská, the most exclusive street in the city, where Balenciagas, Guccis and Diores occupy the ground floor of modernist buildings crowned with twisted dragons, brave warriors or delicate nymphs, or by the Josefov jewish quarter , Prague's golden mile where only the lucky few who can afford it live (at almost Parisian prices) .
GYMKANASY SPEAKEASIES
You have to come to the Old City to see the mythical princess story square , to visit the ** Klementinum ,** a prodigy of a baroque library full of centennial globes; to keep up to date with the photo exhibitions at the Museum of Decorative Arts and also to cross (once only) the Bridge of Carlos , that footbridge over the Vltava as photogenic as it is saturated and pseudo-bohemian that has become a gymkhana of legends and superstitious rituals.
Charles bridge night view
If there is an option, it is always better bird's eye view from its tower and at sunset.
In Stare Mesto there are also the most starred hotels , the most incisive antique dealers, the most pompous restaurants, the souvenir shops that squeeze Kafka to the last drop of it, the infinity of spas that offer Thai massages (from 9 euros) and the cocktail bars where more and more bachelor parties are celebrated.
Definitely, Prague is not what it was . It is appreciated at a glance. And so do the numbers. Today is the seventh most touristic city in Europe, with a total of 7,652,865 visitors in 2017.
Most of them don't, but walking a couple of streets away from the tourist almond can lead to a very different vibe than this look-me-don't-touch-me Prague.
Avoiding the repetitive and bland places there are gems like the champagne bar , a wine and champagne bar in an alley with live jazz; the restaurant Field , with its contemporary agricultural aesthetic; Local , an old typical Czech brewery passed through the filter of modernity where pick up the jug and nibble on some national specialty until late hours (something that is not the norm here) or the surprising speakeasy Black Angel's , in a Gothic cellar under the U Prince Hotel, in the same square of the Old Town Hall.
If you cross the Charles Bridge you get to Mala Strana (the small town), separated from the Kampa Island by an artificial channel. It is another of the manual visits. It has everything for it: its bucolic parks and baroque palaces, its medieval corners and also a museum of contemporary art, the Kampa , which programs interesting exhibitions and whose cafeteria, next to the river, it is one of the most pleasant places to enjoy the Prague spring.
From here it is easy to reach other totems such as the Castle , with the spectacular cathedral, the Mucha's stained glass windows and the street of gold ; the petrin hill , crowned with a graceful copy of the Eiffel Tower which is climbed by funicular; the Vysehrad neighborhood , with his cemetery of famous people and that picnic area where Prague people like to spend Sunday and eat a barbecue...
But aside from all this postcard Prague, the baroque, the modernist (including cubist) ; the one with the photo of the bride with a sunset and swans forming a heart, there is also a Prague where people live, love and cry , some neighborhoods with personality that are undergoing their own transformation.
Malá Strana (the small town)
That Prague where every morning children tighten their scarves and adjust their earmuffs before leaving home and teenagers kiss in the parks, no matter if it's 30 degrees outside or -10.
The one that in winter the sun closes at three in the afternoon and in summer installs beach volleyball courts and mojito beach bars on the banks of the majestic Vltava. Only the where varies.
Expats do it in Vinohrady , a neighborhood still close to the center (in Prague 2) where the day stretches a couple of hours longer and it is possible to go out to dinner after 9 (in restaurants like Aromi ).
Once it was a land of vineyards, now of wine bars, wine bars and scrupulously restored pastel-colored modernist houses.
It is the equivalent of Las Salesas in Madrid, Le Marais in Paris: the boho neighborhood by definition and the closest thing to a gay district in the capital of the Czech Republic.
Namesti Miru (the Plaza de la Paz) is its center and Vinohradska its main avenue, full of Italian cafes and beautiful designer shops such as Pavilion , an old iron market converted into a kind of concept store.
Following it for about ten minutes you will reach a park surrounded by some of the most interesting places in Prague, bakeries, ice cream parlors, bistros and Vietnamese takeaway , where on Saturdays they hold a popular farmers' market.
Flower stall at the Prague Market in Holesovice
In the center, is one of the best examples of modern city architecture , the Sacred Heart Church and, from there too, you can see almost the entire TV tower, an icon of Žizkov neighborhood.
It is a late modernist building, on the base of which the quintessential Czech contemporary artist , David Cerný, designed his famous installation Babies , some big-headed babies trying to climb to the top.
In it there is a fine dining restaurant, Oblaca, and a peculiar five-star hotel that has a single room and unbeatable views.
Žižkov was once a working class and industrial neighborhood and a border that not all Praguers dared to cross due to his reputation as a rebel.
Now everyone likes to come, especially their traditional and very cheap breweries (do not forget that the Czechs drink 143 liters a year per person), in which many lines of The adventures of the good soldier Švejk in the World War , by Jaroslav Seifert, the only Czech author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Žižkov is bordered to the south by Karlín, another industrial neighborhood (and the only one with a grid layout) that has witnessed this Prague metamorphosis.
One of the vintage cars that do city tours
Hardly anyone imagined just a decade ago that they would like to move there today. But it is thanks to the rehabilitation after the 2002 floods (which took away half the city) has been reborn with a new life (and an aesthetic that does not forget its past).
And it seems that in the previous one he must have behaved well and karma has done justice, because in this one he has become one of the most interesting places in Prague, especially when it comes to sustainable architecture , Like the office buildings Nile House, Danube House, Main Point (a Prague DaM project that in 2011 won the award for the best office building in the world, the MIPIM Awards) or Corso Karlin (designed by Ricardo Bofill on a 19th century building), as well as art galleries, workshops or premises with celebrated interior designs such as Proti Proudu or the restaurant Eska , and multifunctional rooms such as Forum Karlín.
MOVING THE SKIN
One of the great advantages of the Czech capital is its size, its good communication links and the fact that to go from almost any point A to any point B, the distance is always constant: fifteen minutes.
Across the river, north of the old city (and fifteen minutes away as well), on the letna hill , this Holešovice , possibly the most avant-garde corner of the city and almost everyone's favourite.
It has it all: far enough from the center and close enough, with a strategic position that gives you the best sunsets.
Dome of the National Theater in the Old City, which was rebuilt by the citizens themselves
Prague's former riverside slaughterhouses have been converted into markets and restaurants, bookstores and shops, and independent cinemas have sprung up in their shadow ( Bio Oko ) and contemporary art centers such as the DOX .
Here an eternal spring constantly brings cultural manifestations, circus events, theater, dance or conceptual art. Definitely Cobra , with its chipped walls and bare light bulbs, has become one of the hottest spots.
Also a good neighborhood metaphor: rich coffee and cocktails to instagram, Live DJ's and some snacks and an atmosphere that changes its offer throughout the day. A snake that sheds its skin with the season and leaves behind the remnants. Like Holešovice himself. Like the same Prague of the 21st century.
PRAGUE TRAVEL NOTEBOOK
WHERE TO SLEEP
InterContinental Hotel (from €201)
There is no better located hotel when it comes to discovering the historic part of the city. Two meters from the river, in the same Pařížská , three minutes from the old town hall square and in a building with brutalist architecture, is this five-star hotel that has renovated rooms and a restaurant. This one, on the top floor, It has one of the best views in Prague. and its gym with swimming pool is one of the most complete and modern.
Mandarin Oriental (from €374)
In a former 14th century monastery in Mala Strana This hotel is located whose luxurious suites of classic contemporary design have views of the Castle. Also make a reservation at its oriental restaurant, Spices, that combines different Asian cuisines.
Patio of the vegetarian restaurant Etnosvet
WHERE TO EAT
Field
In a quiet little street in the Old City is this beautiful fine dining restaurant decorated with utensils and clothing from the countryside and murals by Czech artists on the ceiling . They are (along with their name) a declaration of intent of what is served there: the most natural products touched just right . Everything exudes a Nordic aftertaste.
La Tasting Bohême Bourgeoise
Chef Oldřich Sahajdák is a repeat star at this old town restaurant. Seasonal products from local providers with French inspiration. It only serves a tasting menu, with or without pairing (of wines or juices).
Plevel
Raw and vegetarian cuisine at a good price and a youthful and fun atmosphere in the Vinohrady neighbourhood. To escape the tourist.
Etnosvet
One of my favorite bistros Petra Nemcova. It has an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu and friendly service. Ask for a table in the charming interior patio.
Petra Nemcova at Meet Factory, the independent center for contemporary art in the Smíchov neighborhood
Aromi
It has been one of the best restaurants in the city for several years now. It is an elegant Italian in Vinhorady , with good genre, pasta in perfect points and days of gourmet pizza or specific products from time to time. In summer it has a lovely garden.
Manifest Market
One of the main novelties of this year, a outdoor food market to eat hamburgers, fish, vegetarian dishes... which are bought at stalls and eaten at shared tables. Also, art, design and music.
Kantyna
As its name suggests, it is the traditional Czech tavern... but in a modern version. At the entrance there is a counter with different types of meats, sausages and hamburgers to buy by the weight they prepare, they serve on trays on pape and are eaten standing at the bar with a beer. For long meals, the back dining room is more recommended. Close to Wenceslas Square.
WHERE TO DRINK
Jazz Dock Club
Musical reference next to the mythical reduta, This club under the bank of Janáček, in the Smíchov district, programs small and large concerts.
WHERE TO BUY
vnitroblock
Multicultural Center in the former industrial area of Holešovice : design shop, café, dance studio, art exhibitions and independent cinema
Pavilion
Design furniture, exhibitions and cafeteria in an old market in the neighborhood of Vinohrady.
vnitroblock
TO DO
Czech Cubism Museum
On the different floors of the House of the Black Madonna , a building created by architect Josef Gočár, exhibits furniture, decorative arts, etc. of the main names of cubism in the Czech Republic: Janák, Čapek, Kubín... It is essential to go through its beautiful cafeteria , Grand Cafe Orient. Ask for the typical dessert, the věneček , which is usually round but here they make it... square.
Municipal House
Lovers of Mucha, if the Mucha Museum (which will be for you) falls short, visit this modernist building with murals intervened by the painter. There are tours in English, an American bar and cafe.
Villa Muller
Adolf Loos designed this spectacular house for the Müller marriage with a mixture of functionalism and English style. Restored, it was opened to visitors in the year 2000. It opens Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 hours. Reservation essential.
MeetFactory
Art center next to the train tracks in the Smíchov neighborhood. Music, theater and underground exhibitions.
*This report was published in **number 123 of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (December)**. Subscribe to the printed edition (11 printed issues and a digital version for €24.75, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website) and enjoy free access to the digital version of Condé Nast Traveler for iPad. The December issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device.
The railway tracks in the Smíchov neighborhood