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The former fortress of Vyšehrad (see Vyšehrad Sights) is steeped in legend. Bedřich Smetana paid tribute to the second seat of the Přemyslid dynasty that resided here in the 10th century in his opera Libuše and in his rousing patriotic work Má vlast (see Bedřich Smetana). The composer is buried here in the National Cemetery, as are many other luminaries of Czech culture.

Today, modern shopping centres and multiplex cinemas have taken over what used to be the city’s main industrial centre. At the heart of the district is Anděl metro station, which still bears traces of its Communist origins – the station was originally named “Moscow” and was decorated with Soviet murals (see Anděl Metro).

Originally the royal vineyards, Vinohrady today is a gently rolling residential neighbourhood. The central square, Náměstí Míru, features the Neo-Gothic Church of St Ludmila and the Art Nouveau Vinohrady Theatre. For a little bit of peace and greenery away from the city, visit the botanical gardens.

Developers are helping this former warehouse district make a comeback. It’s home to the National Gallery’s Veletržní Palace (see National Gallery), and motor car fans will love the National Technical Museum, with its exhibits of Czech interwar vehicles such as Škodas.

A grand staircase leads from the Vltava riverbank opposite the Josefov quarter (see Josefov) to an unexpected giant metronome. The needle marks time where a mammoth statue of Joseph Stalin once stood before it was demolished in the 1960s (see Letná Plinth). The surrounding park echoes with the clatter of skateboards and barking dogs. Travelling circuses sometimes set up in the open fields, but Letná’s popular beer garden is probably its biggest draw.

King Otakar established the royal game park here in the 13th century; it’s been a public garden since 1804 (stromovka means “place of trees”). Stroll, skate or simply enjoy the ancient trees by day and visit the planetarium by night. The fish ponds were a creation of Rudolf II – the emperor drilled a tunnel under Letná to bring in water to supply them.

The riverside gardens and chateau of Troja are an excellent destination for a day trip out of the city. Cross the Vltava from Stromovka, take in the château’s beautiful garden and art collection (see Troja Château), the Baroque chapel of St Clare and the zoological gardens. There is a bus from here that will take you back to the centre.

The fair grounds here were originally built at the end of the 19th century to host trade shows, but nowadays you’re more likely to see a hockey match or a rock concert at Paegas Arena, or a Shakespeare performance at a replica of London’s Globe Theatre. There’s an amusement park with rides for the kids, an outdoor cinema and the oddly charming musical Křižík Fountain. If you want to see the original statues that graced Charles Bridge, rather than today’s replicas, pay a visit to the Lapidárium, where they are preserved (see Lapidarium).

The one-eyed Hussite general Jan Žižka defeated invading crusaders in 1420 atop the hill where his giant equestrian statue now stands in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Erected in 1929, the monument serves as a memorial to all those who suffered in the Czech struggle for independence. The Communists co-opted the building, and for a time it served as President Klement Gottwald’s mausoleum.

The Communists unashamedly cleared away a Jewish cemetery on the site in the 1970s to make way for this eyesore, reaching almost 100-m (300-ft) in height. However it didn’t begin transmitting until after the Velvet Revolution. Despite a viewing platform, the tower is actually too tall to see anything clearly, but thrill-seekers may want to try.