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Unless you enjoy being packed cheek-to-jowl with fellow travellers, visit this popular spot (see Charles Bridge) sometime other than midday. The mobs start arriving around 10am, especially during summer. Early risers can have the bridge more or less to themselves at sunrise.

Tourists are an easy target for petty thievery. Avoid any place where you’ll be pressed up against strangers. Pickpockets on trams and metro cars have numerous routines to relieve travellers of their valuables. Have a copy of your passport and avoid carrying too much cash.

The best way to avoid being taken for a ride, as it were, is to phone a central despatcher (see Taxis) to send a car to you. Avoid using cars marked “transport”, and those without pricing information posted on the door and never agree to “negotiate” a price – taxis should always have a meter running.

While it violates the law to charge tourists more, many reputable establishments, including the Jewish Museum (see Josefov), offer a 50 per cent discount to Czechs. Simply letting ticket sellers know you’re aware of the lower price helps, but it is still no real guarantee that you won’t be penalized for being a foreigner.

In a city as old as Prague, the infrastructure needs constant repair. This means tearing up streets and, inevitably, re-routing your tram. The Prague Post contains a weekly list of route and schedule changes, so check here before setting off. To avoid confusion, timetables for re-routed trams are yellow instead of white.

The municipal authorities gave up many years ago trying to count how many canine residents Prague has. It has also largely absolved itself of trying to clean up after them. Local dog-owners are also notoriously careless, so watch your step.

Despite the best intentions of the law, the oldest profession still thrives in a “grey zone” of the city. Never assume that prostitution is legal. Even saints should avoid prostitutes of both sexes: they are often known to supplement their incomes by picking pockets.

Unfortunately, Prague has too few reputable bars and cafés open into the early hours. The words “non-stop” and “herna ” are synonymous with shady characters; the latter are filled with slot machines and gambling addicts. You’d be better off getting an early night, or paying to get in to a nightclub.

Owing to 40 years of Communist isolation, some Czechs are sadly unaccustomed to people who do not look like them, or dress like them. Since 1989, the Neo-Nazi skinhead movement has grown at a distrurbing rate. Random, unprovoked violence against dark-skinned individuals is not uncommon, but it is unlikely to affect you in the main tourist areas.

Cases of lethal food poisoning are very rare, but mild cases are common; be familiar with the symptoms, such as nausea and diarrhoea. Stands selling food on the street are more likely to cause problems than proper restaurants, as the ingredients are exposed to bacteria and often not very well cooked. When in doubt, avoid fish, eggs and products including mayonnaise.