Kidnapped by communism for forty years, Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and one of Europe's most beautiful cities, has finally come into full bloom. Its compact medieval center remains an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages and churches beyond number, all watched over by an 1100-year-old castle with liveried guards.

In counterpoint to the city's venerable past, Prague's social life is incredibly youthful, mixing young Czechs in search of urban adventure with hordes of 20-something expats in search of the romanticism of Golden Prague. Though veteran travelers complain that their secret treasure has been discovered by the world, the evening sun still shimmers across the city's domes and spires, the clatter and chatter of Czechs enjoying an after-work drink spills from the open doors of back street pubs, and from the window of the public recreation center, Dvorak's folksy symphonies are recounted with an out-of-tune piano. In some ways, Prague carries on as it always has.