In th city of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic

 "Prague is a threshold between the life on Earth and Heaven." ― Gustav Meyrink

====================================================================(on the Vltava river in the capital of the Czech Republic) The city of 100 spires, Prague has enchanted its visitors for centuries. The bohemian allure and fairytale features of Prague make it a great destination for those who want to immerse themselves in history, art, music, and architecture. You could devote an entire day to exploring Prazsky hrad (Prague Castle), then refuel over dinner at a classic Czech tavern. Spend some time wandering the Old Town Square before heading over to the Astronomical Clock as it performs a mechinical promenade on the hour. Prague’s best bars are often historic pubs where you can spend the better part of a night tipping back central Europe's best known beers.

+ The largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia, Prague is a political, cultural, and economic hub of central Europe, with a rich history and Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architectures It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably Charles IV.
+ The 1989 Velvet Revolution that freed Czechs from communism bequeathed to Europe a gem of a city to stand beside stalwarts such as Rome, Paris, and London. Since then, visitors from around the world have come in droves. Yet, even the crowds cannot take away from the spectacle of a 14th-century stone bridge, a hilltop castle, and a lovely, lazy river (the Vltava), which inspired one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of 19th-century classical music, Smetana’s Moldau symphony.

+ Bohemian art offers much to admire here, from the glowing Gothic altarpieces in the Convent of St Agnes, to the luscious art nouveau of Alfons Mucha, and the magnificent collection of 20th-century surrealists, cubists, and constructivists in the Veletržní Palác. The weird and witty sculpture of David Černý punctuates Prague's public spaces, and the city itself offers a smorgasbord of great architecture, from the soaring verticals of Gothic and the exuberance of baroque to the sensual elegance of art nouveau and the chiselled cheekbones of cubist facades.

+ Prague's maze of cobbled lanes and hidden courtyards is a paradise for the aimless wanderer, always beckoning you to explore a little further. Just a few blocks away from the Old Town Square you can find ancient chapels, unexpected gardens, cute cafes, and old-fashioned bars with hardly a tourist in sight. One of the great joys of the city is its potential for exploration -- neighborhoods such as Vinohrady and Bubeneč can reward the urban adventurer with countless memorable cameos, from the setting sun glinting off church domes, to the strains of Dvořák wafting from an open window.

+ Since 1992, the historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The city has more than ten major museums, along with theaters, galleries, and other historical exhibits.