Where to stay in Prague

The neighborhood with more pubs per capita than anywhere in the Czech Republic — and possibly the world. Historic working-class district, now with a young creative community. The Žižkov Television Tower (the one with crawling babies on it) dominates the skyline. The National Memorial on Vítkov hill has sweeping views. Far from the tourists, close to the best cheap beer.

Prague's Shoreditch: a former industrial district north of the centre that's been colonized by galleries, studios, independent restaurants, and a thriving craft beer scene. The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art and the Manifesto Market container food park are here. Not yet on most tourist itineraries — that's changing fast.

The preserved medieval city centre — the Astronomical Clock, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, and a thousand Gothic and Baroque towers. Beautiful in a way that feels almost unreal. Also the most tourist-concentrated area in the country: navigating the crowds is part of the experience. Worth staying here once; explore the quieter neighborhoods for a more honest view of Prague.

South of Wenceslas Square, Vinohrady is the neighborhood where Praguers who can afford a choice actually live. Art Nouveau apartment buildings, independent coffee shops, wine bars, and weekend farmers' markets. Náměstí Míru square has a beautiful neo-Gothic church and a relaxed café terrace culture that feels more Vienna than tourist-Prague.

The hilltop neighborhood that contains Prague Castle and not much else — which means it's nearly deserted in the evenings after the day-trippers leave. The Golden Lane (alchemists' houses within the castle walls), St. Vitus Cathedral, and the view from the castle ramparts over the red-tiled city are the rewards for the climb.

The hillside neighborhood below Prague Castle — Baroque palaces, hidden gardens, and the kind of empty cobblestone streets at 7am that make you feel like you've stepped into a 17th-century painting. Quieter than Old Town, better restaurants, and the best approach to the castle is on foot through here.