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Take heart, vegetarians, you haven’t been forgotten. A meat-and dairy-free lunch buffet by day,à la carte menu for dinner, and it’s all non-smoking. Pick up organic necessities at the adjoining shop.

Prague was introduced to fine dining at this small Bethlehem Square restaurant. The dégustation menu – a selection of tasters – brings out the kitchen’s best and pairs it with select Moravian wines. The seafood is so good you’ll forget you’re in a landlocked country.

Dining atop the hotel of the same name (see U Zlaté studně), guests “At the Golden Well” may think they’ve died and gone to heaven. The classic Continental cuisine matches the view – but only just. The dining room is tiny, so be sure to make a reservation.

It may be a bit touristy, but nevertheless, gorgeous tiled mosaics of bucolic Bohemians cover the walls while an accordionist rolls out the Beer-Barrel Polka almost non-stop. The traditional food and beer are quite good and fairly priced.

The “House of Artists” hosts a wide range of temporary exhibitions, each running several months. If you’re at all a fan of contemporary art, it’s always worth a visit, whatever aspect they are covering at the time.

The National Gallery’s extensive art collection is spread throughout the city in six locations. Kinský Palace holds the prints and drawings collection; St George’s Convent the Mannerist and Baroque art (see St George’s Convent); St Agnes’s Convent, medieval art; Sternberg Palace, the Old Masters; Veletržní Palace, the modern and contemporary collections (see National Gallery); and Zbraslav Chateau, the collection of Asian art.

Prague’s central square has been a market since the Middle Ages, and was witness to the rise and fall of numerous regimes and no shortage of bloodshed. The city has few charms finer than watching the moon rise between the towers of the Church of Our Lady Before Týn.

From its origins as a humble horse market, Wenceslas Square has grown into a modern business centre. Monuments on the square remind visitors of its role in the nation’s tumultuous history.