Winter warmers

The streets of Prague in wintertime are a magical place, with Christmas lights twinkling from the trees and stalls proffering seasonal crafted gifts and refreshments alike. The glow of streetlamps turns snow-laden alleyways into a veritable fairytale land, and, while meandering the city's cobblestones and holiday markets is a truly unforgettable experience, the best part of an afternoon can often be stumbling across a welcoming café or bar where you can come in from the cold. Once you've found a cozy nook to occupy, a warming drink - be it tea or coffee, mulled wine or grog - can be just the ticket to relax and plan out your next adventure.

Cafe Cafe

Located directly between Old Town Square, this bright, re-invigorating café looks out over the bustling sidewalk through floor-to-ceiling windows, and its brick-lined walls, complete with jostling picture frames, contain an inviting place. Start out the day with breakfast here, or stop by later in the day for a creative coffee or a glass of wine. Rytířská 10, Prague 1-Old Town. Tel. 224 210 597. Open daily 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Cafe-cafe.cz

Café Jericho

The sort of place where people come for both work and play. A classic café with ample natural light, wooden tables, smoke rings in the air and up-and-coming artists on the walls. In the maze of streets behind Národní třída, Jericho is popular with the students and other philosophizing types. Opatovická 26, Prague 1-New Town. Tel. 739 393 777. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-midnight, Sat.-Sun. 3 p.m.-midnight. Cafejericho.cz

Café Lounge

At the bottom of Petřín Hill, tucked on a side street, Café Lounge is a haven of sanity. Smooth coffees and mulled wines go down well with the daily menu of quiches, sandwiches, cakes and other treats. The dressed-up interior is the perfect place to unwind for a spell. Bonus: free tap water. Plaská 8, Prague 5-Malá Strana. Tel. 257 404 020. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cafe-lounge.cz

Café Louvre

A mainstay of the Golden City's café culture, Louvre has been keeping artists, writers and the everyman fed and watered since 1902, with famous guests including Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka. Its Secession-era beauty is still as striking today as ever before, and its coffees, hot drinks and cakes are consistently high-quality. Národní 22, Prague 1-New Town. Tel. 224 930 949. Open Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Cafelouvre.cz

Café Montmartre

In its 100th year, Café Montmartre, with its scratched tables, threadbare chairs and antique sofas, still bears some of its original bohemian atmosphere. It''s vaulted rooms hosted Jaroslav Hašek, František Gellener, František Langer, Franz Kafka, Max Brod and many others over the years. Tucked away in the heart of Old Town, it is a friendly place, with prices that are more than satisfying. Řetězová 7, Praha 1-Old Town. Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. and Sun. noon-11 p.m. Gambit@gambit.cz

Dobrá trafika

An institution with a cult following in Vinohrady, Dobrá trafika is the sort of place you want to be your living room, and for many people, it might as well be. Comfortable, mismatched furniture, an upright piano and aged lighting makes this a great, ecclectic place - café cum wine bar cum smoke shop - to spend some serious time. Occasional concerts and exhibitions. Also has a sister café in Malá Strana. Korunní 42, Prague 2-Vinohrady. Tel. 737 907 635. Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Dobratrafika.cz

Grand Café Orient

One of Prague's architectural must-sees, the House of the Black Madonna, is also home to this stunning café. This is a destination in and of itself for both its Rondo-Cubist design and décor, but also for its artful, light plates and drinks: hot or cold, tall or short, alcoholic or non-. Ovocný trh 19, Prague 1-Old Town. Tel. 224 224 240. Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Grandcafeorient.cz

Fiona Gaze can be reached at
fgaze@praguepost.com