The Vltava is the longest river in Czech Republic and comes from the old Germanic words for wild water. It runs past attractions like Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Prague Parliament, Mala Strana, the National Theatre and Vvsehrad Fortress, which makes a cruise a perfect direction to sail.

There are a variety of cruises to choose from in Prague. They include meal-time excursions, musical tours and booze cruises for the burgeoning number of stags and hens looking for a different way to party. Trips can also be tailored to include the type of entertainment and embarkation you desire.

Places on the regular cruises are limited, so it is recommended you book a river cruise in advance as well as one of the best hotels in Prague to dock before sailing.

Booze cruise

This cruise would be ideal for the growing number of grooms and brides-to-be choosing Prague as their stag and hen party destinations. These cruises generally leave in the evening from the centre of the city, with a special party planned for New Year's Eve.

Over the course of five hours, guests will be able to taste a variety of specialist beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks. A large glass of wine is touted as good value for money at 70czk (£2.31). A hot and cold buffet dinner is served inside the boat, with the deck an ideal place to party to your requests from the on-board DJ.

On New Year's Eve, guests will be invited to come onto the deck to watch the fireworks at Charles Bridge at midnight with the boat leaving at 21:00 local time and returning at 02:00.

Jazz on the water

Cruise past some of the most magnificent sights in Prague which are lit up at night while listening to one of the riverboat jazz bands. Cruises leave regularly from the city centre and the affordable accommodation in Prague. Directions are provided with booking confirmation.

Guests can enjoy a varied programme of jazz from traditional, Latin, Cuban and Brazilian as well as swing and blues. Regular musicians include the Ondrej Pivec Trio, Matej Benko and the Bossa Nova Sensation which contain all the regular instruments, but for particular favourites, ask when reserving.

Dinner is not included in the price, but traditional Czech fare and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available inside the boat or on the deck. The price of the jazz boat tour is 590czk per person and the dress code is smart casual.

Cruises with food

No matter what time of day you would like to see Prague's parliament, castle and other historic buildings by river, there is a food cruise for you. A lunch cruise involves a buffet of Czech cuisine and run past the picturesque attractions in Prague from 12:00 until 14:00 for 690czk.

To see these attractions by night, a dinner cruise is recommended from 19:00 to 22:00. A hot and cold buffet is served so guests can dine inside or wander onto the decking at their leisure for 790 czk.

Tailored sailing

Get on and off when you want and choose the type of entertainment you would like to see on a tailored cruise of the Vltava. The captain will arrange the musician, caricaturist or magician for you.

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Strippers, magicians, snake dancers and alligators have trodden the boards at this rooftop bar which should be a must for any alternative visitors to Prague.

Bazaar Mediterranee is just that, according to reviewers. It's plain weird.

Follow 69 steps to the top of Nerudova for a rewarding panorama which takes in the Czech capital's castle and opera house.

It's a wonderful place to eat for sunset, as Mediterranean cuisine is served up in the rooftop garden as well as cafe/restaurant in the Gothic brick cellar below.

This is where all the indoor action takes place, with dancers nightly and special shows on New Year's Eve and Christmas as well as a resident pianist.

Antics take place between noon and midnight every day and booking is essential.

The Guardian describes the Bazaar as one very odd "show".

Regulars recommend getting in early to avoid the mad rush of tourists who jostle clientele for a view of Prague's busiest street.

During the day, Prague is a picture perfect place to visit.

Stay in a cheap hotel in Prague and take your camera to wander around some of Europe's most beautiful architectural wonders.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague's is the largest ancient castle in the world.

Prague is the perfect place to pick up unique handicrafts for Christmas while sampling traditional food and drink.

The capital of the Czech Republic becomes a winter wonderland of markets of all shapes and sizes from November 29th.

Specialist glass is on sale alongside wooden toys, scented candles, hand-made jewellery, ceramic mugs, knitwear and ornaments.

Traditional food is made in front of passers by who can sample some of the specialities as well as the normal tummy-fillers like hot sausages or corn on the cob.

Shopping is also much easier with a glass of mulled wine or two, so make sure you check out the local svarene vino or svarak.

While wandering round the stalls there's also plenty for the children to do, with sheep, goats and llama to stroke and a Christmas manger to see.

The main attraction in the 12th century Old Town Square is the enormous Christmas tree that is chopped down from the Sumava Mountains in the south of the country each year.

Lights are switched on here and in the other market squares at about 17:00, local time, which adds to the atmospherics, especially if it has been snowing.

Other markets take place at Wenceslas Square, where a statue of St Wenceslas cuts a fine figure for Christmas.

Wenceslas Square is large enough to fit 400,000 people, so if more intimate venues are more your thing why not check out the markets at Havelske Trziste or Namesti Republiky?

All the temporary Christmas shopping areas are within a ten-minute walk of each other and by many of the cheap hotels in Prague.

People heading to the best hotels in Prague this year may want to note down the Strings of Autumn Festival.

The 13th version of this annual celebration of music, the event aims to provide attendees with an experience they "will have no chance to see and hear elsewhere".

Currently promised for appearances are guest artists from Czech Republic and performances from Joel Frederiksen and Jiri Pavlica, along with their ensembles.

Another part of the festival aims to promote young musicians, in the spotlight section.

This area concentrates on the under-25 age group, which will feature debut appearances from many musicians.

Martin Grubinger will be the first to take the stage in these appearances, having recently won the Leonard Bernstein Award for his multi-percussion music.

The festival runs from September 28th to November 19th, featuring on a number of dates.

Each performance is categorised into different areas, including inspiration, crossover, luminaries and spotlight.

While visiting the festival, tourists may like to explore Prague, which has many attractions, recognised in its European city of culture status in 2000.

For nature lovers, the capital has numerous rivers and was built on nine hills, which means there are stunning vistas and idyllic scenes to enjoy.

A credit card that doubles as cutlery is just one of the products on show at this year's Designblok exhibition.

It's the brainchild of Ineke Hans whose work was also shown at last year's event.

Other designs on display come from Czechs like Boda Horak, who shows off swirling ironwork furniture in his exhibition Alley Dream.

A total of 100 studios, designers and schools, 77 design shops and 37 people from the fashion industry have been invited to the show.

Designblok takes place at three venues around Prague: Superstudio Corso, Superstudio Dox and Nike Prague Store from October 7th to 11th.

The cost is 150 Czech Koruna (£4.88) with a discount for art and design students.

DesignBlock was based on shows in Milan, London and Berlin and follows on from a cyberculture festival that was called Datatransfer.

Film is one of the remnants of the Datatransfer exhibition in association with a London festival at Designblok.

The festival hit the headlines in 2002 when Prague's Federico Diaz showed off artificial human being Mnemeg who created a storm by showing off modern technology capable of simulating virtual objects or sensing and generating sounds.

Book affordable accommodation in Prague now, to make the most of your visit.

Laterna Magika is non-speaking theatre that dates back almost 25 years in Czech Republic capital city.

It is a quintessential experience for tourists keen to see all the sights from cheap hotels in Prague.

This performance is popular among visitors because it can be internationally understood by adults and children of all ages.

Laterna's combination of dance, film and black theatre proves so popular shows are usually a sell out, so buying tickets in advance is recommended.

Puppeteering is a skilled art form around Czech Republic so expect the best from the capital's Marionette Theatre.

Shows here include puppet versions of Mozart's Don Giovanni and the Magic Flute both performed by characters in tiny 18th century suits.

Watch out for the Puppet Gala Performance, which is a collection of the puppeteers' finest work.

Other shows to look out for in Prague are held at the Prague State Opera, which was built in 1888 and hosts Mozart and Verdi operas with festive performances for the Christmas season.

The Estates Theatre that was built in 1783 hosts much of the same while the National Theatre is important for developing Czech music, drama and art.

It rests on the banks of the Vltava River, which is also worth a stroll for visitors.

Photographs of animals from all round the world feature in Prague's closing exhibition entitled Alive.

There are beautiful portraits of caterpillars, clownfish, lions and monkeys to remind us of the importance of living in a sustainable environment.

Curators hope that it won't be just about pictures for visitors and that they will leave cleaner and greener to keep our world safe.

Alive runs in Prague's premier art nouveau building the Municipal House until October 5th.

It is situated on the site of the former Royal Court Palace, which is admired for its stonework, gold trimmings, stained glass windows and magnificent frescos.

Municipal House is an ideal venue for art because it is also home to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra with the Dvorak and Rudolfinium halls.

The interior of the Smetana is decorated with work by Czech artists from the early 20th century.

As well as reserving cheap hotels in Prague, tourists could book a seat at the famous Francouzska restaurant, which is nearby.

Other attractions no more than a few leg stretches away include some beautiful historic world heritage sites.

There's the charm of the old town to visit and Prague's curious astronomical clock.

Travel News brought to you by Eurobookings, the experts in cheap hotel bookings for all major European cities including Prague.

Horse racing fans have been invited to get up close and personal on the turf of Dostihove Zavodiste Pardubice for one of the industry's most gruelling events.

Velka Pardubicka Cross-Country Steeplechase takes place on October 12th.

It is a short drive from Prague and welcomes spectators from England, Ireland and Scotland each year, which have included Princess Anne.

The event is famous for being tough. The track is 6.9 km with 31 obstacles and finishing times of between nine and ten minutes.

Local and foreign horses are eligible to compete provided they have raced a pre-qualifier or steeplechase. Riders must have completed similar races ten times.

First to fifth places are awarded with cash prizes from a wealth of sponsors. Top prize is four and a half million Koruna, about £150,433.

Other events that take place at the track include the three-day European Juniors' Championship, international Horses in Action show, music festivals and Children's Day.

Testament to the difficulty of this course is the final jump - named after Czech jockey Rudolf Popler who died following a fall on the Pardubice course while racing in another event hours after finishing second in the 1932 Velka Pardubicka.

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Treat yourself to one of the best hotels in Prague. Because you deserve a break.

Travel News brought to you by Eurobookings, the experts in cheap hotel bookings for all major European cities including Prague.

The Czech State Opera is celebrating operatic giant Verdi at the end of its summer season by putting on three of his most famous work.

The fight for a nation, Nabucco, is first on followed by the tale of the womanising duke, Rigoletto, then the doomed love affair of La traviata through August and September.

Despite taking opera to its romantic peak, Verdi turned his back on composing twice to pursue a career as a farmer.

Verdi had a very interesting life. His strong will and political convictions led his service in the first Italian national parliament.

He did return, however, as does Aida in the new year with a rendition about a love affair between an Egyptian captain and a slave girl.

In total Verdi composed 26 operas.

The Czech State Opera was born from Prague German players who shared a theatre with a Czech company and insisted on moving to a stage of their own.

State Opera is on Legerova 75 in Prague and puts on opera and ballet throughout the week.

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Treat yourself to one of the best hotels in Prague. Because you deserve a break.