SIGHTSEEING
Matt and Mike arrived a day before I did, so they already had the city mapped out. When I met them at my hotel I asked how they liked Praha. Both excitedly said it might be their new favorite city. I asked why, and they said the architecture -- comprising Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance buildings � is amazing. I was surprised by their decisive statements, because both have traveled extensively. Needless to say, I was excited to explore. Obviously I can�t list every place to visit, so I highly recommend a good guidebook. I used Frommer�s, but there are plenty to choose from.

CHARLES BRIDGE
My favorite attraction was the famous Charles Bridge. Built in 1357 and originally called the Stone Bridge, it was renamed in 1870 to honor King Charles IV. The 1700-foot bridge spans the Vlatava River, and links Prague Castle with Old Town. The 100-foot wide, pedestrian-only cobblestone walkway is filled with tourists checking out the 30 mostly Baroque-style statues, erected around 1700. This amazing structure is my new favorite bridge in the world. TIP: The best time to walk on the bridge is at sunrise, when no one else is around. If you watch the JohnnyJet video below you�ll see I got up very early to experience what it must have been like in medieval times.

THE CASTLE
A short walk from the Charles Bridge (and even shorter from the Alchymist hotel) is the monster complex of Prague Castle, built around 880. It sits high on the hill. If you�re not up for the moderately steep walk, take tram number 22 or 23 and get off at either the Kr�lovsk� letohr�dek, Pra�sk� hrad or Pohorelec stops. There is no fee to walk around the complex, but you are charged to enter any of the top sights (St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, the Powder Tower and Golden Lane). There are individual ticket options; purchase a combination costs adults 350 CSK ($15). Children under 6 are free. The attractions close at 5 p.m., but you can walk around the area at night, dine and see the incredible views. For more information, log on to the Prague Castle Information Center or MyCzechRepublic.com.

RIVER CRUISE ON THE VLTAVA RIVER
I had been told that no trip to Praha is complete without a river cruise. There are many options, including lunch and dinner cruises. However, all we wanted was a basic cruise. We didn�t go with the company that aggressively approaches customers on the Charles Bridge, and was three times as expensive as the little one we found on the other side, down below on the Charles Bridge. We paid 150 CSK ($7) for a 50-minute boat tour. The old adage "You get what you pay for" is definitely true. This tour is only for people wanting the bare minimum river cruise (with a nonstop 4-language recording that is very annoying).

OLD TOWN
Old Town was one of my favorite areas. This is where many historical events took place -- both good and bad. During our visit, there was a lot going on. Besides the beautiful pastel-colored buildings, and all the shops, restaurants, cafes and street vendors, we stumbled upon a military demonstration, a shop shaped like a soccer ball (to promote the World Cup), and the Long Beach, CA high school choir performing at famous St Nicholas Church. (That beautiful building, constructed in 1735, features a glorious high ceiling.)