Time Out Prague (Time Out Guides)

The poet-president Václav Havel may have stepped down and returned to scribbling, but the opening up of Bohemia is still gaining momentum every year. As the newest member of the European Union, the Czech Republic has formally shed its East Bloc past, but that development only formalizes what's been a roller coaster of change since the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Written and researched by Prague residents, the Time Out guide leads travelers to the new design bars of medieval Old Town, the classic pubs of the Zizkov district, the romantic restaurants of Malà Strana, and the hippest clubs in the reclaimed industrial quarter of Holesovice. The guide includes a detailed survey of Czech cuisine, beer, and spirits, with more than 150 personally vetted restaurant and bar reviews; an insider's guide to the Prague literary scene, with a complete rundown of small presses, Czech writing in translation, poetry slams, and publications hungry for submissions; tips on the best junk shops and antique dealers for scoring Bohemian crystal and Soviet worker hero medallions; and information on visiting the Czech Republic's breathtaking castles, spa towns, and wineries.

"'Time Out has the best written city guides.' Sunday Telegraph"