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Morning

Start your day with a brisk climb up the New Castle Steps, and time your ascent to hear the 10am Castle Guard brass quartet. Leaving the castle behind you, walk west through Hradčanské náměstí. As you pass the Schwarzenberg Palace, check to see if the reinstallation of the Military History Museum is complete – if so, take a look at the exhibitions of weapons and uniforms (Hradčanské náměstí 2 220 202020 Open daily Adm).

Now walk up Loretánská to Loretánské náměstí, where you’ll find the vast Černín Palace staring down at the lovely Loreto (see The Loreto). Explore the latter and its odd gallery of saints before lunch next door at Restaurant u Lorety .

Afternoon

Exit Loretánské náměstí past the Capuchin monastery and follow Černínská downhill, pausing on Nový Svět. Coo over the street’s piebald houses and follow Kanovnická back to Hradčanské náměstí.

The rest of the afternoon will be taken up with a tour of the unmissable Prague Castle , St Vitus’s Cathedral , and the myriad of other attractions in the castle complex.

To end the day, find your way back to Loretánské náměstí 1 and the famed pub U Černého vola for a pickled sausage and a glass of beer.

Morning

You can approach the Little Quarter from the Old Town as royal processions once did, by crossing Charles Bridge , or you can save your energy for the day ahead, and start from the top of the hill and walk down. Get to Nerudova from one of the many side streets leading from Hradčany and stroll down, window shopping at the many craft outlets on your way. Don’t worry if you stray off the beaten path; as long as you continue downhill, you’ll end up at the area’s central hub, Malostranské náměstí. Here, spend at least an hour savouring one of the city’s most spectacular buildings, St Nicholas’s Church.

Pause for lunch, either at one of the many cheap cafés on Malostranské náměstí or splash out at Circle Line .

Afternoon

After lunch, take Tomášská and Valdštejnská around to the Wallenstein Garden . Tip-toe through the tulips at Vojanovy sady and continue down U lužického semináře under Charles Bridge and onto Kampa Island.

After coffee at Café Belaria , check the writing on the John Lennon Wall before wrapping up at the Church of Our Lady Victorious.

In the evening, catch a recital at St Nicholas’s Church or dance the night away with the young crowd at Jo’s Garáž .

Morning

Start your day with breakfast at Break Café , then head to Wenceslas Square to begin the day’s sightseeing. A quick peep inside the National Museum will probably suffice unless it’s raining or you’re a big fan of natural history. From there, proceed to St Wenceslas’s statue and the monument to Communism’s victims, where you can pay tribute to the nation’s growing pains.

Get in a bit of retail therapy along the square as you walk up to Můstek, then visit the Museum of Communism , ironically located above McDonald’s and a casino.

Take the metro to Národnítřída, and linger over a book or newspaper at the Globe for a leisurely lunch.

Afternoon

After lunch, head up to the National Theatre and then follow the Vltava’s Right Bank upstream to Jiráskovo náměstí. Modern-art buffs should take in Galerie Mánes on the way. Follow Resslova up the hill to the Church of Sts Cyril and Methodius and its monument to Czechoslovak resistance fighters.

In the evening, take in a performance at the National Theatre– Vas-y Vas-y is the obvious choice for dinner, before or after. If you still have the energy, head to Radost to dance the night away or to U Havrana for a local, smoky atmosphere.

Morning

A sobering place to start the day, to appreciate how large the Czech Jewish community once was, is the Pinkas Synagogue, where Holocaust victims are listed by their home village and name. Then take a stroll through the adjoining Old Jewish Cemetery , where a guide will help you find significant grave-sites. To lighten the mood, proceed to the Klausen Synagogue on the right, with its exhibits on Jewish festivals and family life.

At the end of U Starého hřbitova is the Old-New Synagogue (see Features in the Old-New Synagogue). where you’ll find treasures like Rabbi Loew’s seat. Exiting, note the Jewish Town Hall next door with its Hebrew clock. Just a few feet away, treat yourself to lunch at Pravda .

Afternoon

After lunch, meander among the antiques shops en route to the Maisel Synagogue, where you’ll find the first part of an exhibit on Jewish settlement in Bohemia and Moravia – it continues at the Spanish Synagogue.

Refresh yourself at Bakeshop Praha around the corner before ending your tour at St Agnes’s Convent with its exhibits of Czech medieval art.

A truly Josefov-style evening involves a kosher dinner at King Solomon and a concert of sacred music at the Spanish Synagogue.

Morning

After breakfast at the Municipal House café, take a guided tour of the building, then go and climb the Powder Gate for the views next door before the caffeine wears off.

Wander down Celetná, ducking through the arcade to Štupartská and the Church of St James. If you have at least 45 minutes before the top of the hour, tour the Old Town Hall and watch the Apostles’ show on the Astronomical Clock from backstage (see Old Town Hall Features). Otherwise, shop in the Ungelt and join the crowd below the clock outside, to see the spectacle.

For lunch, backtrack to the Radegast pub for a warming plate of their famed goulash.

Afternoon

Circumnavigate Old Town Square before entering the meandering turns of Karlova and wandering leisurely past the area’s old buildings to Bethlehem Square. Have a tour of the lovely Bethlehem Chapel, then find your way back to Karlova to visit the Clementinum.

Alternately, if you’re now a little on the tired side, have a coffee at Café Montmartre before freshening up for dinner. If you’re heading to the theatre or a concert, curtains go up around 7:30pm, so it is sensible to dine afterwards.

Afternoon One

See Vyšehrad late in the day, but only if the weather looks promising. Take the metro to the Vyšehrad stop at the Congress Centre, from which you have marvellous views of Prague’s spires. Walk west along Na Bučance and enter the fortifications through the Tábor Gate . Once inside the walls, you’ll find historic constructions, such as the Romanesque St Martin’s Rotunda (see Rotunda of St Martin), everywhere you turn. Enjoy the park at your leisure but get to the westernmost edge of the compound atop Vyšehrad’s rocky out-crop in time for a sunset.

Afternoon Two

Žižkov and Vinohrady are also best seen in the second half of the day. From Florenc metro, climb to the Monument of National Liberation for a wonderful view, then compare it to the one you get from the Žižkov TV Tower. Stroll as far into Vinohrady as your feet will permit you, but save your strength: you’ll need it for a night of pubbing and clubbing.

Afternoon Three

Energetic walkers can see Stromovka and Troja in a half-day. Take the tram to Výstavište among the trees of the former game park before crossing the Vltava to the Troja Château . From there, you’re within easy walking distance of the zoo. Take the bus back to the metro at Nádraží Holešovice.