Helen Martin: Edinburgh could learn a lot from Prague

Helen's Prague hotel was a work of art in itself

AS we strolled from the Old Town to the New Town in the capital's uncrowded streets, I gazed around at the breathtaking, historic architecture, the litter-free pavements, the vibrant and young population, the magnificent castle and the designer-label stores.

The restaurants and bars offered polite, friendly service and low prices, and local transport was cheap as chips.

Needless to say, that wasn’t Edinburgh. It was a short break in Prague booked through a long-standing local travel agency based in Leith.

Even our hotel, the K+K Central, was a work of art like most of the buildings, which made Edinburgh look bland. Oh, and of course the city has a tourist tax. All the locals under about 40 spoke fluent English and were smiling and helpful with directions and local information.

That’s one fact-finding mission for Edinburgh councillors I might even bless in the hope that they learned something from it.