Prague holidays

You won’t find any natural sandy stretches in landlocked Prague, but Vltava Beach makes up for it. It’s a manmade number, sat on the riverbank, and there are plenty of sunloungers to stretch out on. You’ll also find a huge swimming pool, as well as beach volleyball and badminton courts on offer.

A 40-minute drive out of the city gets you to Lhota Lake, a 25-hectare lake that lines up a sandy beach, a volleyball court, and a café. The water’s really clean here, so taking a refreshing dip’s the order of the day.

You’ll find Divoká Šárka pool nestled in a sprawling nature reserve, about 40 minutes’ drive from Prague city centre. To get to the water, you’ll need to walk through a narrow, rocky valley. There are two open-air swimming pools, a paddling spot for youngsters, and loads of sunbathing space.

Havel’s market’s the oldest in Prague – it sprung to life in 1232. It started out as a local fruit and vegetable market, but today you’ll see the likes of handmade leather goods, artisan honey, and plenty of souvenirs. It stays open all year round, and you’ll find it just off of the Old Town Square.

More than 170 shops are housed in the Palladium shopping centre, with lots of big-name brands on the roster. It’s one of the biggest malls in the Czech Republic, so it’s ideal for a shopping spree. And just over the road, you’ve got the Kotva department store, too, with its high-end cosmetics section.

Czech glass and crystal have been high-profile purchases for hundreds of years, with the products having to meet specific standards in order to be genuine. If you’re looking to buy a piece, try holding it up to the light – it should cast a rainbow if it’s real. You’ll see plenty of painted crystal and engraved glass on display in shops all over Prague. You can take tours of the glass factories in the area, too.

Prague’s beer scene is legendary, and for good reason. Dating back to the 10th century, breweries sprang up in monasteries all over the city. Today, you can pick up a pint of ale pretty much everywhere – you can even knock back a glass over breakfast. Beer gardens are a firm presence in the city – head to Letna Beer Garden for an unrivalled view of Prague from the roof.

Prague’s home to Karlovy Lazne – one of the biggest nightclubs in Europe. It’s spread out across five floors, with each floor playing a different music genre, and it’s even got its own ice bar. Plus, it’s really central – just a minute’s walk from the Charles Bridge.

Prague is a world-class destination for microbrewed beer, and there are countless breweries dotted around to visit – there’s even a beer spa. You’ll mostly find pale lagers on offer – they’ve got a light flavour and a warm golden colour.

A Czech and Slovakian delicacy, tlacenka’s not one for fussy eaters. It’s a cold cut of meat, which comes in a few different varieties. Usually, it’s the meat from a pig’s head, mixed with other meat off-cuts, and is seasoned with cloves, garlic and pepper.

A close cousin of its German and Austrian counterparts, Czech schnitzel is commonly made of pork, veal or chicken coated in breadcrumbs, and served with mashed potatoes and salad. Czechs wouldn’t go to a picnic without it.

Known as smazeny syr, this meal became popular during the communist period, when meat for making schnitzel was hard to come by. In this dish, a slice of cheese is coated in breadcrumbs, deep-fried, and served up with salad, potatoes, and a dash of mayonnaise.

Anyone with a sweet tooth will love this traditional dessert. Sweet rolls are filled with jam, and baked so they form one large cake. They’re then torn apart and topped with vanilla sauce.