I had long wanted to visit the city, so when my wife suggested we spend a few days away from the family and recharge our batteries I pounced on the opportunity. In reality, though, I knew little about Prague and was only relying on the articles I had read on the Internet for my decision.

We booked our flights and then began searching for a hotel. My wife and I have different concepts of what hotels represent. For me, an hotel is an essential part of your holiday. I know only too well that a bad hotel can ruin the memories one takes home of a city. My wife, on the other hand, is quite happy to settle for virtually any 'bed and bath' and spend her money on shopping.

To break any logjam - and get my way - I offered to use a work bonus I had received to pay for a luxury hotel of my choice. I chose the Boscolo Carlo IV Hotel because of its stunning old-world architecture and the fact that former guests had raved about the hotel' s spa. I knew that would win my wife over. With me picking up the tab, she would happily indulge in some pampering. The stage was set for a great weekend.

One's first impression of a country is often the airport - and Prague-Ruzyně Airport excels in this regard. It's surprisingly large - one of the top 20 in Europe and, served by 50 carriers with connections to 103 destinations, it is pretty busy. We caught a taxi to our hotel and the whole process was seamless.

After unpacking and having a shower, we set off to investigate the city. Prague's cityscape remains stunningly intact as a result of the fact that it was undamaged during the second World War. The medieval city centre is a maze of cobbled lanes, courtyards and passages. Overlooking it all is the 1100-year-old castle. The castle watched over a 40-year Communist reign, which further shielded the city from development.

But, since the birth of the Czech Republic, the city is flourishing. While you can still drink a beer in a dark workers pub and enjoy a traditional meal of pork and dumplings, you can also wander into gourmet restaurants and trendy cafes and bars. One cannot fail to observe that Prague is highly fashionable these days

Our first stop was the Staromestske, the old town square. This square has been the main market place of the city since the 11th Century and is no less impressive today. It is surrounded by brightly-coloured houses and most of Prague's busiest pubs, restaurants and shops are located in the part of the Old Town.

Reading up about it in a guide book at the hotel, I was surprised to find that the square had been the setting for many of the country's most brutal demonstrations, but there is little sign of that today. We settled down at one of the pavement cafe's for coffee and watched the passing parade. This is tourist territory, but everyone is drawn into its joyful spirit. Horse-drawn beer wagons do the rounds, while comics and performing animals give it a medieval flavour.

My wife decided to go shopping (a pet hate of mine), so I decided to investigate more of the Old City. A few minutes walk away I came to the Old Jewish Quarter, another of the city's top attractions. This quarter is all that is left of the once vibrant district of Josefov, the former Jewish ghetto. I was very surprised to discover that this area had actually survived on the orders of Hitler. He wanted to provide a site for a museum to an "extinct race". Jewish artefacts were brought here from all over Europe and it is now one of the best collections of Judaica.

In the centre of the Jewish Quarter is the cemetery. The oldest graves date from 1439 and have headstones recording the profession of the deceased. A staggering 100,000 people were buried here, one on top of the other. As I walked around the cemetery I got talking to an American couple, who had been on holiday in the city for a week.

They told me that visitors could tour the Terezin concentration camp, only an hour's drive from Prague. This camp, which Nazi propaganda touted as an idyllic family spa resort, was the final resting place of 30,000 Jews and many more were sent from here to Auschwitz. If I had more time, I would have taken one of the tours being offered to this site.

I was recounting my findings to my wife later as we got ready for dinner. I tried to interest her in a tour of the Castle, but she had booked spa treatments. The hotel spa certainly looked very impressive. It boasted a purifying sauna, a re-generating turkish bath and a stunning indoor swimming pool. In fact, everything about the hotel was stunning. We dined in the hotel's Box Block Restaurant, a magical combination of classic style and bohemian modernism. It was one of our favourite meals ever.

During the rest of our stay, my wife and I played unaccustomed roles. I, the lover of hotels and the finer things in life, spent my days investigating the cobbled lanes and chatting to locals in small pubs and cafés. My wife, on the other hand, spent most of her time ensconced in the luxury of the hotel, enjoying all its facilities and only making the odd shopping excursion. What a turnaround.

I discovered why Prague has become a popular destination and why its residents have every reason to be proud of it. I loved the Charles Bridge that provides the only link between the two halves of Prague. An engineering masterpiece, it is home to a number of marvellous Baroque statues. However, my favourite spot was the Castle, which provides the picture postcard image of the city. Lit up at night, it provides a focus for the entire city and resembles the light and hope that now envelopes the city. The Castle is still the official residence of the President, but there are a number of museums and galleries open to the public.

There is still much I want to see in Prague, so I guess another weekend trip won't be long in coming. I don't think I will have much difficulty in persuading my wife to come along, provided I can keep her in the style to which she has become accustomed. I'll have to wait for another bonus cheque for that.