Travel guide Prague

A true marker of Czech literary and artistic creation, the sense of the absurd has been born over the centuries through occupation and external domination, against which the only weapon remained the pen and irony. This is particularly true of all the main Czech writings, Soldier Švejk of Hašek, and Kafka or Kundera.

Pivo is the Czechs' national drink. In fact, they are by far the world's biggest consumers of this popular beverage, consuming almost 150 liters of beer per capita each year, nearly 50 liters more than Austria and Germany. Any occasion is good for a beer!

This architectural style flourished in Prague at the turn of the ^19th and ^20th centuries. More comfort and light, use of new shapes and materials such as glass, ceramics and metal, following the example of Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe. Two districts represent this movement: Vinohrady and the Jewish quarter, Josefov.

A Bohemian speciality, crystal is sold everywhere in Prague. Its tradition dates back to the 13th century in the mountains of northern Bohemia. The most emblematic factory located in the city of Jablonec nad Nisou. The best place to buy crystal is Erpet or Moser shops, located in the old town square.

Ice hockey is a national religion: its great stars Jaromír Jágr and Dominik Hašek are idolized! Unlike rival nations Canada and Russia. And with good reason: with twelve titles (six as Czechoslovakia), they are third in the rankings of the greatest ice hockey nations of all time.

Equivalent to a bistro or a French tavern, the hospoda is a central place in Czech social life. A clever mix of classes, genres and ages, where everyone meets. As consumption is much cheaper than in France, meetings with friends are almost systematically held in hospodas rather than at home!

Kavarnas are to Prague what literary cafés are to Paris. Often adjacent to cultural venues, they are elegant places where intellectuals, students and philosophers always rub shoulders over a cup of coffee. In Prague, the Slavia (opposite the National Theatre), Arco and Imperial (opposite Masarykovo station) cafés are over a hundred years old.

In Prague, you will notice objects, plush toys and other illustrations of a mole that look innocent and adorable. This is Krtek (which means mole in Czech), the hero of a Czech cartoon from the 1950s. The cartoon was also exported to the four corners of the world, bringing unparalleled fame to this small silent animal..

An important part of popular culture, puppets have been used since the Renaissance to educate children. Some of them, such as the mythical Hurvínek, are the symbol of the first children's television programmes. Puppets have also often been used by adults, offering political and social caricatures.

This Czech version of the wafer is served hot, sweet (honey) and stuffed with vanilla nuts. The dessert comes from the spa of Karlovy Vary, where it was given to people taking the waters: oplatky are particularly easy to digest. They are served at Christmas dinner. They can be found in supermarkets and souvenir shops.

The purpose of many Czechoslovakians' lives was to own a Škoda (pronounced Chkoda). Since then, the former national company has been acquired by the German giant Volkswagen (1991) and is attracting more and more customers in Western Europe with its models. Czech irony again, Škoda means "bad luck" or "damage" in Czech!

The symbol of the Czech mentality in all its facets and with all its clichés: quiet, ironic, political, sometimes lazy, bon vivant. A literary creation by Jaroslav Hašek, who describes in his novel Le Brave Soldat Chvéïk (in French) the adventures of a sergeant, drinker and impostor before and during the First World War.