Entertainment

The stunning Charles Bridge, with its ever-changing crop of street artists and buskers, together with shopping haven Wenceslas Square are not only top must-sees for tourists but have provided the unforgettable backdrop to a vast array of internationally-acclaimed films such as Amadeus, based on the life of Mozart, Polanski’s Oliver Twist and the James Bond classic Casino Royale.

From chamber music performed in grand auditoria to rock bands raising the roof at centuries-old beer cellars, and from traditional Czech theatre to puppet theatre or street, Prague has something for everyone.

Since the Iron Curtain was lifted, Prague has become a mecca for modern jazz too, with a number of venues attracting top international as well as local talent, while the city’s three opera houses present a varied repertoire of opera, ballet and classical concerts.

If it’s the genius of Mozart that has drawn you to this city, try to catch a performance of Don Giovanni at the exquisite 18th-century Estates Theatre; the auditorium for which it was originally commissioned and where it’s usually to be found in repertory.

Away from the tourist trail, don’t miss the less well-publicised but equally impressive classical busking and impromptu performing that goes on every day in churches and cafes up and down the city.