The 5 biggest attractions in Prague

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is really a beautiful old city which has a fascinating history going back centuries.

Brimming with architectural interest, the city is loaded with medieval bridges, ancient castles, beautiful cathedrals and quirky modern shops and cafés.

Although cheap and cheerful Prague is a very popular destination among tourists hunting for a quick weekend away in Europe, the city has an abundance of sights to entertain travellers with more time to spare. Read on for a list of Prague's must-see highlights.

Visiting Prague without seeing the castle is similar to visiting L.A. without seeing the famous Hollywood sign.

It is considered to be the oldest surviving castle in the world, dating back to the end of the ninth century. First home of the king, it is now the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. At peak times of the year the castle can attract long lines of holidaymakers, so try to arrive early in the morning to avoid queuing. In the centre of the castle lies the magnificent St Vitus's Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece. Ownership over the cathedral continues to be the subject of much legal wrangling between church and state.

The Charles Bridge was constructed in the second half of the fourteenth century, and today stands for many people as a symbol for the city itself. The statues that stand upon it were a baroque addition, and date from the seventeenth century.

Until 1841 the bridge was the only method of crossing the Vltava; today its beautiful arches attract crowds of visitors keen for walks along along and admire the vista towards the castle. The bridge is best photographed early in the morning, before it becomes crowded, or at sunset, when it looks its most magical, with the castle rising above it.

Spend some time walking around the picturesque Old Town (Staré Mesto) district in Prague.

The gorgeous streets and squares of the old town contain a wealth of sights for visitors, and a wide variety of hostels and hotels are located here, making it an excellent base for a stay in the city. Even though there are plenty of interesting things to tick off your list during a visit to the Old Town, such as the astronomical clock, the Jan Hus statue, the Old Town Square, and the Museum of Communism and of Czech Cubism, don't just race around the streets from sight to sight - the Old Town is a location to get lost in, and wander about without any particular aim in mind, just taking in the atmosphere.

Prague was the home of one of the greatest European writers, the German-speaking-Jewish-Czech, Franz Kafka. Kafka was born in a house overlooking the Old Town Square in Prague, and spent nearly all his life in the city, composing his dark absurdist novels like The Trial and Metamorphosis.

Fans of his work can visit the Kafka Museum at 2b Cihelna, hunt down the plaques marking the various houses he lived in, and even sip a coffee in Kafka's favourite café, Café Slavia, a literary haunt also favoured by Milan Kundera and Vaclav Havel.

Hidden on a wall at 20 Narodni, close to the Café Louvre, lies a simple brass plaque commemorating the historic events of 1989, when Prague underwent the Velvet Revolution, casting off the tight grip of the Soviet Union. It is worth pausing here to reflect upon the people who fought to create the Czech Republic as it stands today.