Home to the stately Prague Castle and Old Town Square’s pastel facades, Prague (pop. 1,200,000) retains small-town charm despite its size. In the 14th century, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV refurbished Prague with stone bridges and lavish palaces still visible today. Since the lifting of the Iron Curtain in 1989, outsiders have flooded the Czech capital. In summer, most locals leave for the countryside when the foreigner-to-resident ratio soars above nine-to-one. Despite rising prices and a hyper-touristed Staré Město (Old Town), Prague still commands the awe of its visitors.
For 50 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.