Prague, a city on 7 hills and straddling the river Vltava, has a history going back over a thousand years. It is a modern, bustling city of commerce but it is also one of old and beautiful buildings and bridges; one with a glimpse of bygone times around almost every corner. The tourist can explore the many churches, cathedrals, museums and galleries and enjoy concerts and the theatre. Within the city limits can be found vistas of peaceful parks and rivers contrasting with the vibrant street life in the city's centre. Varied architectural styles, dating back over the centuries, jostle one another, existing side by side in this amazing city.

Prague has an 'Old' Town, mention of which can be found as early as 1091, although it only became know as 'Old' Prague when the'New' Town was founded by Charles IV in 1348. Old Prague was designated a town, with the associated privileges, in the 13th century. The centre of the Old Town is the Old Town Hall Square overlooked by the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn and the Town Hall. Larger than the Old Town, the New Town was to become the centre for tradesmen and craftsmen. 19th century demolition and re-development of the town's outer fortifications gave it its present day appearance.

Prague also has a 'Lesser' Town. This part of the city was founded, on the slopes below Prague castle, in 1257.

The castle is one of the 'must-see' sights of Prague and is the largest ancient castle ever constructed, being 570m long, averaging a width of 128m and covering an area of approximately 18 acres (just over 7.25 hectares). This castle has always been the seat of the Czech rulers. Building, of a wooden construction, was started in the late 9th century by Prince Borivoj and then, in the early part of the 12th century, work began on replacing the timber structures with stone. Successive rulers made their own additions, in a mixture of styles, creating the castle as we see it today.

Yet another distinct area of Prague is the Jewish Quarter (Josefov) named after the Emperor Josef II who introduced reforms to improve living conditions for the Jewish people of the city. It lies between the Old Town Square and the River Vltava and its history dates back to the 11th century. Within this Quarter can be found the remains of the old ghetto. Many inhabitants of The Jewish Quarter died or were displaced during the Second World War and then under the subsequent Soviet administration. Today the Jewish community numbers less than 6,000 people. Two famous figures associated with the Quarter are the writers Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924) and Jehuda ben Bezalel (Rabbi Loew) who wrote the story of the homunculus Golem which was set in the Jewish Quarter of Prague. He died in 1609 and is buried in the Jewish Cemetery there.
The Old Jewish Cemetery dates from the first half of the 15th century and is considered a site of historical importance. The oldest gravestone to be found is that of Avigdor Karo, a poet, and dates back to 1439. Burials continued up until 1787 and the graveyard now contains 12,000 tombstones although it contains probably 100,000 actual bodies. Graves are in layers, up to 12 deep, one above another and, as more soil was added, the existing stones were raised to the surface to stand in ever closer proximity to one another.