Prague an ideal city break for the family

In Prague the best way to get from one place to another is by walking, for there are so many magnificent, well-maintained buildings to admire en route, along with small alleys to explore. The architecture ranges from Gothic spires to Baroque façades. However be sure to wear comfortable shoes, preferably flat ones because nearly all the roads and pavements are cobbled!

Some interesting places we visited:

• the Old Town Square with its grandiose architectural buildings, cafés, restaurants, market stalls, street entertainers and a fascinating astronomical clock on the side of the Old Town Hall, from which the twelve apostles appear, when it strikes the hours;
• a ride on the funicular railway to the top of Petrin Hill, where having ascended the viewing tower on foot (a total of 299 steps), there are wonderful panoramic views across the city;
• a walk across the famous 13th century  Charles IV bridge to Prague Castle and the 14th century gothic St Vitus Cathedral;
• a river trip on the Vltava, which included going along  some of the smaller waterways;
• a theatre trip to see the Prague Marionette Company perform Don Giovanni;
• the famous Wenceslas Square, which was the scene of the demonstrations in 1989, at the end of communist rule;
• the Museum of Decorative Arts with its fine examples of china, glassware and furniture.

Other places of interest to younger travellers:

• The National Museum
• The Museum of Torture
• The Ghosts and Legends Museum
• Renting a rowing boat or pedalo on the Vltava

Transport in Prague

There is an extensive and efficient public transport system comprising the metro, buses and trams. Provided a journey is completed within 75 minutes, you can purchase one ticket from a machine, either in the metro stations or at bus stops, costing 26 Czech koruna (about £1 sterling at the current rate of exchange). These tickets are interchangeable throughout the transport network, with a half price rate for five to 15 year olds plus reductions if you purchase a ticket for a whole day.

Accommodation in Prague
We stayed at the Top Hotel Prague, which cost 22 euros per person a night for a twin bedded room with a buffet breakfast included. This was out of the city centre but only took about 30 minutes to reach by public transport. At an extra cost guests can also use the swimming pool, tennis courts and bowling lanes. 

Food
There are numerous restaurants in which to eat with choices, ranging from the inexpensive, three course daily menus offering traditional Czech cuisine, to the more expensive à la carte menus. If you enjoy delicious desserts be sure to try the traditional apple strudel with vanilla sauce.

There are also many restaurants serving pizzas, paninis, baguettes, salads and ice cream, which may be more attractive for younger travellers.

Getting there

The flight was booked online with easyJet and cost £77.98p return from London Stansted to Prague. In order to keep costs to a minimum we used public transport to get from the airport to our hotel.