By Tom Leech and Leslie Johnson-Leech

One of the hardest habits to overcome when talking with friends about our recent travels is referring to Prague as part of Czechoslovakia. That was the right country for many years, but today the city is in the Czech Republic. The Slovak Republic, or Slovakia, is a separate country. In any case, Prague is an amazing place to visit.

Also linked with Prague is the Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas." For anyone who doesn't know where that king came from here's a hint: One of the major locales in Prague today is Wenceslas Square.

Prague is filled with many major squares, castles, bridges, cathedrals, parks and rivers that make a visit there truly memorable. One of the obvious ways to get a grasp on the many places to see is to take the city tour, or the "hop on, hop off" bus. This bus runs regularly and can be hopped onto at many stops around the city. Once you get the big picture, you'll find Prague to be very walkable.

We located a hotel one block from Republic Square and a few blocks from Old Town Square, both of which have large open areas, memorable structures, cafes and people. Republic Square has major attractions, with the massive Municipal House and its art nouveau design perhaps the main one. Its facade looms high above the square, and inside are stunning restaurants, theaters and museums. Also in the square are many vendors selling local food, toys, clothing and more. The longest line was for a special treat called Trdelniks, circular pastries that might remind some of flat, sugar-coated churros.

A short distance away from Republic Square is the can't-miss Powder Tower. You can stroll under the arches as you make your way over to Old Town Square with its many shops, restaurants and buskers entertaining the throngs of tourists milling about. One special attraction in Old Town is the Astronomical Clock, which draws big crowds every hour on the hour. When the clock chimes, religious characters above the clock's face appear from inside and revolve around the outside. This structure, more than 6 centuries old, made such a strong mark when it was completed that other cities wanted to recruit the designer for their own plazas. The Prague leadership wanted to ensure they had the only structure, so they poked the poor man's eyes out, making sure he wouldn't be creating similar attractions elsewhere.

In comparison, Wenceslas Square is more like a wide median. Traffic flows on either side, and at the end of the strip is a massive structure, the National Museum. In front of the museum is a large statue of Wenceslas — the Christmas song guy — on horseback. Throughout the square are sidewalk cafes, large posters describing the area's history and entertainers livening things up. The square is actually most famous as a gathering spot for huge rallies, with multitudes of Czechs pushing, protesting and celebrating. One important event took place in 1989, when Czechoslovakia split off from the Soviet Union's oppressive four decades' rule. This event is referred to as the Velvet Revolution.

Across the Vltava River are some other major attractions. Depending on how fit you are, you can either walk or ride the funicular up to Petrin Park. This is a huge park above the river with scenic views, walking paths, museums and a popular observation tower. You can ride the elevator up to the top of the tower or walk up the 299 steps. We chose the steps going down.

Also on that side of the river is Prague Castle, with its many segments built over the centuries by numerous Bohemian leaders. The castle is the seat of the president of the Czech Republic, and a popular event to watch is the noon changing of the guard. Also of interest is St. Vitus Cathedral, a dominant structure atop this mesa. Hire a guide or join a tour group if you want to hear and observe the history behind this fascinating place.

Feeling lazy? Take a river cruise and see the sights while sipping a beer on board. From the river you can spot the Franz Kafka Museum. Prague was the legendary writer's home, as it was for many other historic figures who spent some time here — Einstein, Mozart, Albert Schweitzer. The museum can also be seen from the very busy Charles Bridge, where everyone visiting Prague stops to take at least one selfie posing by its intriguing statues, or maybe buy souvenirs from the many vendors.

Prague is home to many other fascinating museums, as well. One fairly new one, created by American Glenn Spicker in 2001, is the Museum of Communism. Located near Wenceslas Square behind a McDonald's, this museum portrays the history and lifestyle of the city under Communist rule. Today it's a quiet place where visitors soberly absorb the details of that 40-year timespan. One particularly interesting — and sad — story took place in 1968, when a plan to loosen the reigns of communism was totally undone by the invasion of Soviet tanks.

Another popular site to visit is the old Jewish section, with its numerous historic synagogues and the old Jewish cemetery with its 12,000 graves jammed into a small space. At one time Prague had a large Jewish community, which suffered badly after the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia in 1938.

If you can handle more details about this horrendous time in history, visit Terezin, about a two-hour drive from Prague. This small town had an old prison, which was immediately put to use by the Nazis to torture resistors and political prisoners. Then a few years later the Nazis booted the 2,500 town residents out and turned Terezin into a major ghetto where they housed thousands of Jews and others who would eventually be taken by train to extermination camps.

A bright spot on the somber trip to Terezin is the drive past the fields that grow hops, the grain that makes the beer in Prague some of the best in the world. People in Prague seem to drink beer at any time of day. Even non-beer- drinkers find it delicious and refreshing.

Fortunately, despite a rather difficult past, today Prague is a bustling, brightly lit and colorful city. One interesting landmark is the recently built Nationale-Nederlanden commercial building. Its two parts were intentionally designed by architect Vlado Milunic (with input from American architect Frank Gehry) to lean into each other. As it seems to resemble a dancing couple, it has taken on the name Fred and Ginger - a modern symbol of the fun-loving and lighthearted character of this history-rich city.

WHEN YOU GO

For information about visiting Prague and specific places noted in this article, visit www.czechtourism.cz, www.museumofcommunism, www.hopon-hopoff.cz and www.terezin.cz.

Visitors to the Czech Republic line up every hour to watch the characters on the Astronomical Clock in Prague's Old Town perform. Photo courtesy of Tom Leech.

Children march in a parade near Wenceslas Square in Prague, Czech Republic. Photo courtesy of Tom Leech.

Tom Leech and Leslie Johnson-Leech are freelance writers. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.