Super excited to share this travel guide with you! It’s been long coming, but it’s finally here. Ladies and Gentlemen, PRAGUE!

Before we jump into the juicy details, let me give you a bit of an intro to the city: Prague is very affordable, full of art and design, with the perfect mix of historic sites and modern interiors, it truly is beautiful! And it’s also fucking busy and full of flashy tourist traps that are tacky and expensive. So, be warned! This city will steal your heart if you know where to look. I fell in love with the real Prague, where the locals hang out, away from the busy old town (which, granted, you at least gotta explore it once), secluded from all the selfie sticks and bus tours.

This guide is full of my faves where you can eat, gawk at art and design, and shop like a pro. Here we go!

EAT & DRINK
– Cafe Louvre: ok, this may be the only exception to a “tourist trap”. The food is meh (a bit sloppy) but the interiors are so worth the visit. I recommend you arrive early in the AM for a coffee and a few pastries so you can snag a table by the window.
– Cafe Savoy: this is a total gem, the interiors are insane and the food is delicious. We had the best duck confit and chicken schnitzel, the pastries are pretty solid too.
– Eska: this trendy/cool spot is my top favourite, the interiors
are pretty simple but cool. They had lots of delicious home made drinks (their own kombucha which was great and some plum soda that was unreal). You can go for lunch or for dinner (make resos for dinner). The food is the best!
– Nejen Bistro: casual food with nice interiors. The burgers are super good, ask for the soup of the day!
– Against the Stream (Proti Proudu) Small and cute. Great sandwiches and casual food. A cool spot for lunch
– Grand Cru: fancy pants. Don’t be fooled by the outdated website, the food is superb and the service is excellent. If you have a bit extra on your budget and wanna blow some $$$ on a nice french style dinner, then go here.
– Gran Fierro: hipstery spot for meat lovers. This place is all about meat, chorizo, and all the good stuff. It’s always packed, so make a reso ahead of time.
– Food market at the Church of the Most Sacred Heart: so I’m not sure how often the market is there, but I went there two times on the weekend and they had lots of food trucks, wine, and little tables to eat your food. In here I had the best sausages with mustard and bread (and super cheap too!). Check with the locals or your hotel to see if they know the schedule (that area is pretty happening anyways, so you should check it out either way).
– L’Fleur: this cocktail bar is very unique, it has some really interesting cocktails (like one called the Mona Lisa which comes served in a picture frame, or this other one with a little French flag attached). The staff is very nice and knowledgeable, so if you don’t know what to drink, just ask them for suggestions.
– Hemmingway Bar: I didn’t make it inside this bar since it was packed every night we went by it, but I heard great reviews and the atmosphere was always lively. It’s very cozy and the drink menu was solid.

CAFES & PLACES TO WORK REMOTELY
There are tons of little cafes in Prague, but here are the best ones with internet, great coffee, and delicious nibbles. If you need some time to do work on your laptop, any of these spots will work.

– Cafe Jedna: this cafe is attached to Prague’s National Gallery, so you can do both on the same day. They have a nice selection of wine, coffee, and simple/casual food. The space is super bright and there’s cool art in there too. I fell in love with the vintage chairs (which are for sale!).
– SmetanaQ Cafe & Bistro: this is near the city centre but it’s not touristy. The decor and interiors are bright and open. It’s attached to a super cool gallery and shop. Service is ok (servers seemed to always be out of it) and food is ok, but you can get wine, some hummus, and have views of the river while you write some emails.
– Kavarna: I was OBSESSED with this place. For reals, I went like 4 times in one week and spent hours editing photos and just people watching. It’s kinda tucked in behind a parking lot, but when you go in it’s super pretty, there’s a massive chestnut tree at the entrance, the staff is very friendly, the nibbles are super, and there’s art all over the walls. Seriously, you gotta go there! And, like with many cafes in Prague, it also has a gallery attached to it.
– Bistro 8: this cafe/bistro is very cute and small, the breakfast board is sooo yummy, and the staff is also super sweet. It’s quiet and cozy, perfect to read and chill.
– Phill’s Corner: this one is a bit out of the way (but you can go there if you happen to go to the DOX Centre of arts). It has fresh food, salads, smoothies and juices.
– EMA Espresso Bar: this one is really hipstery, so if you’re into really good coffee that’s brewed to perfection, go here. They have just a few little snacks (didn’t eat there) but they looked pretty good. All the cool peeps hang in here, it seems.

SHOPS & ART
A few nice shops with local artists.

– SmetanaQ: one of my fave shops. It has loads of stuff made in Prague by local designers and artists. They have a small clothing section in the back (for men and women) which really nice stuff.
– K-A-V-K-A: this tiny art book store is tucked away in a small street near the city centre and it’s awesome! It’s not huge but they have some solid choices of national artists and a few international. I got a few books of Czech photography in here.
– FOX Gallery: this one has a good mix of art and design (home wares, some women’s clothes, and utensils). I got some beautiful espresso ceramic cups for my friends from this shop. Definitely check it out.
– Showroom: this one is a bit more lady gaga, but in a good way! They have rad clothing pieces and very unique jewelry, mostly local artists. I found an amazing jacket in here but didn’t end up buying it ’cause I knew it was a tad too much for Vancouver haha.
– DOX Contemporary Art: this gallery has cool minimal architecture and great exhibitions. The shop is also full of treasures! Not your average museum shop.
– Atelier Josefa Sudka: tiny, and I mean tiny, little gallery tucked inside an apartment complex (which is cool to see). The space is only for photography, the exhibition I saw was pretty small and it was ok, but visiting the space is a nice experience. When you get to the address make sure to ring the buzzer! (I almost left because the door is closed).
– Page Five: a really rad magazine shop. They have everything in art, design, and photography (with a few food publications too). If you want to find something new to read, make sure to pop by!

One last note, if you have the time you should visit the Zizkov Tower, I think it’s really cool, and I loved the design and feel, it’s almost like you’re in a Star Wars movie set. Mind you, if you go up the tower be prepared to sniff some stuffy air and stale farts..seriously, it was gross, but the view was great.

As you can see this city is quite unique, and I cannot wait to go back. Hope you enjoyed this guide!