Updated by Will Tizard

Full of fairy-tale vistas, Prague is beautiful in a way that makes even the most jaded traveler stop and snap pictures. The city is physically divided in two by the Vltava River (also sometimes known by its German name, the Moldau), which runs from south to north with a single sharp turn to the east.

Originally, Prague was composed of five independent towns: Hradčany (the Castle Area), Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter), Staré Město (Old Town), Nové Město (New Town), and Josefov (Jewish Quarter), and these areas still make up the heart of Prague—what you think of when picturing its famed winding cobblestone streets and squares.

Hradčany, the seat of Czech royalty for hundreds of years, centers on the Pražský hrad (Prague Castle)—itself the site of the president’s office. A cluster of white buildings yoked around the pointed steeples of a chapel, Prague Castle overlooks the city from a hilltop west of the Vltava River. Steps lead down from Hradčany to the Lesser Quarter, an area dense with ornate mansions built for the 17th- and 18th-century nobility.

The looming Karlův most (Charles Bridge) connects the Lesser Quarter with the Old Town. Old Town is hemmed in by the curving Vltava and three large commercial avenues: Revoluční to the east, Na příkopě to the southeast, and Národní třída to the south. A few blocks east of the bridge is the district’s focal point: Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square), a former medieval marketplace laced with pastel-color baroque houses—easily one of the most beautiful central squares in Europe. To the north of Old Town Square the diminutive Jewish Quarter fans out around a tony avenue called Pařížská.

Beyond the former walls of the Old Town, the New Town fills in the south and east. The name “new” is a misnomer—New Town was laid out in the 14th century. (It’s new only when compared with the neighboring Old Town.) Today this mostly commercial district includes the city’s largest squares, Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square) and Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square).

STARÉ MĚSTO (OLD TOWN)

Old Town is usually the first stop for any visitor. Old Town Square, its gorgeous houses, and the astronomical clock are blockbuster attractions. On the other hand, the north end of Wenceslas Square—its base, the opposite end from the statue and the museum—is also a good place to begin a tour of Old Town. This “T” intersection marks the border between the old and new worlds in Prague. A quick glance around reveals the often jarring juxtaposition: centuries-old buildings sit side by side with modern retail names like Benetton and Starbucks.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

There’s little public transit in the Old Town, so walking is really the most practical way to get around; you could take a cab, but it’s not worth the trouble. It takes about 15 minutes to walk from Náměstí Republiky to Staroměstská. If you’re coming to the Old Town from another part of Prague, three metro stops circumscribe the area: Staroměstská on the west, Náměstí Republiky on the east, and Můstek on the south, at the point where Old Town and Wenceslas Square meet.

TIMING

Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square teem with activity around the clock almost year-round. If you’re in search of a little peace and quiet, you can find the streets at their most subdued on early weekend mornings or when it’s cold. Remember to be in Old Town Square just before the hour if you want to see the astronomical clock in action.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Clementinum. The origins of this massive complex—now part of the university—date back to the 12th and 13th centuries, but it’s best known as the stronghold of the Jesuits, who occupied it for more than 200 years beginning in the early 1600s. Though many buildings are closed to the public, it’s well worth a visit. The Jesuits built a resplendent Baroque Library , displaying fabulous ceiling murals that portray the three levels of knowledge, with the “Dome of Wisdom” as a centerpiece. Next door, the Mirror Chapel is a symphony of reflective surfaces, with acoustics to match. Mozart played here, and the space still hosts chamber music concerts. The Astronomical Tower in the middle of the complex was used by Johannes Kepler, and afterward functioned as the “Prague Meridian,” where the time was set each day. At high noon a timekeeper would appear on the balcony and wave a flag that could be seen from the castle, where a cannon was fired to mark the hour. Mariánské nám. 5, Staré Mesto 222–220–879 www.klementinum.com 220 Kč, includes tour Line A: Staroměstská .

Dům U černé Matky boží (House of the Black Madonna ). In the second decade of the 20th century, young Czech architects boldly applied cubism’s radical reworking of visual space to architecture and design. This building, designed by Josef Gočár, is a shining example of this reworking. While there is no longer a museum here, you are free to admire the characteristic geometric lines and sharp angles of the building’s exterior. Ovocný trh 19, Staré Mesto Line B: Náměstí Republiky .

Jan Hus monument. Few memorials in Prague elicited as much controversy as this one, dedicated in July 1915, exactly 500 years after Hus was burned at the stake in Constance, Germany. Some maintain that the monument’s Secessionist style (the inscription seems to come right from turn-of-the-20th-century Vienna) clashes with the Gothic and baroque style of the square. Others dispute the romantic depiction of Hus, who appears here as tall and bearded in flowing garb, whereas the real Hus, as historians maintain, was short and had a baby face. Either way, the fiery preacher’s influence is not in dispute. His ability to transform doctrinal disagreements, both literally and metaphorically, into the language of the common man made him into a religious and national symbol for the Czechs. Staroměstské nám., Staré Mesto Line A: Staroměstská .

Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem (Church of Our Lady Before Týn ). The twin-spired Týn Church is an Old Town Square landmark and one of the city’s best examples of Gothic architecture. The church’s exterior was in part the work of Peter Parler, the architect responsible for the Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral. Construction of the twin black-spire towers began a little later, in 1461, by King Jiří of Poděbrad, during the heyday of the Hussites. Jiří had a gilded chalice, the symbol of the Hussites, proudly displayed on the front gable between the two towers. Following the defeat of the Czech Protestants by the Catholic Hapsburgs in the 17th century, the chalice was melted down and made into the Madonna’s glimmering halo (you can still see it resting between the spires). Much of the interior, including the tall nave, was rebuilt in the baroque style in the 17th century. Some Gothic pieces remain, however: look to the left of the main altar for a beautifully preserved set of early carvings. The main altar itself was painted by Karel Škréta, a luminary of the Czech baroque. The church also houses the tomb of renowned Danish (and Prague court) astronomer Tycho Brahe, who died in 1601. Staroměstské nám. between Celetná and Týnská, Staré Mesto 222–318–186 www.tyn.cz Closed Mon.–Tues. in July and Aug. Line A: Staroměstská .

Na příkopě. The name means “At the Moat” and harks back to the time when the street was indeed a ditch separating the Old Town from the New Town. Today the pedestrian-only Na příkopě is prime shopping territory. Sleek modern buildings have been sandwiched between baroque palaces, the latter cut up inside to accommodate casinos, boutiques, and fast-food restaurants. The new structures are fairly identical inside, but near the eastern end of the block, Slovanský dům (No. 22) is worth a look. This late-18th-century structure has been tastefully refurbished and now houses fashionable shops, stylish restaurants, and one of the city’s best multiplex cinemas. Na příkopě, Staré Mesto .

Obecní dům (Municipal House ). The city’s art nouveau showpiece still fills the role it had when it was completed in 1911 as a center for concerts, rotating art exhibits, and café society. The mature art nouveau style echoes the lengths the Czech middle class went to at the turn of the 20th century to imitate Paris. Much of the interior bears the work of Alfons Mucha, Max Švabinský, and other leading Czech artists. Mucha decorated the Hall of the Lord Mayor upstairs with impressive, magical frescoes depicting Czech history; unfortunately it’s visible only as part of a guided tour. The beautiful Smetanova síň (Smetana Hall), which hosts concerts by the Prague Symphony Orchestra as well as international players, is on the second floor. The ground-floor restaurants are overcrowded with tourists but still impressive, with glimmering chandeliers and exquisite woodwork. There’s also a beer hall in the cellar, with decent food and ceramic murals on the walls. Tours are normally held at two-hour intervals in the afternoons; check the website for details. Nám. Republiky 5, Staré Mesto 222–002–101 www.obecnidum.cz Guided tours 380 Kč Line B: Náměstí Republiky .

NEED A BREAK

Hotel Paříž. Head around the corner from Obecní dům to the café at the Hotel Paříž for the café analog of the Municipal House. It’s a Jugendstil jewel tucked away on a quiet side street. The lauded, haute-cuisine Restaurant Sarah Bernhardt is next door. At the café, the “old Bohemian” omelet with potatoes and bacon is enough fuel for a full day of sightseeing. U Obecního domu 1, Staré Mesto 222–195–195 www.hotel-paris.cz Line B: Náměstí Republiky .

Palác Kinských (Kinský Palace ). This exuberant building, built in 1765 from Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer’s design, is considered one of Prague’s finest rococo, late baroque structures. With its exaggerated pink overlay and numerous statues, it looks extravagant when contrasted with the marginally more somber baroque elements of other nearby buildings. (The interior, alas, was “modernized” under communism.) The palace once contained a German school—where Franz Kafka studied for nine misery-laden years—and now holds the National Gallery’s permanent collection of art and artifacts of ancient cultures of Asia and Africa. Communist leader Klement Gottwald, flanked by comrade Vladimír Clementis, first addressed the crowds from this building after seizing power in February 1948—an event recounted in the first chapter of Milan Kundera’s novel The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. Staroměstské nám. 12, Staré Mesto 224–810–759 www.ngprague.cz 100 Kč Closed Mon. Line A: Staroměstská .

SAVING FACE

In the Church of Our Lady Before Týn, find the grave marker (tucked away to the right of the main altar) of the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. Tycho had a firm place in history: Johannes Kepler used his observations to formulate his laws of planetary motion. But it is legend that has endeared Tycho to the hearts of Prague residents. The robust Dane supposedly lost part of his nose in a duel. He quickly had a wax nose fashioned for everyday use but preferred to parade around on holidays and festive occasions sporting a bright metal one.

Prašná brána (Powder Tower or Powder Gate ). Once used as storage space for gunpowder, this dark, imposing tower—covered in a web of carvings—offers a striking view of the Old Town and Prague Castle from the top. King Vladislav II of Jagiello began construction—it replaced one of the city’s 13 original gates—in 1475. At the time, kings of Bohemia maintained their royal residence next door, on the site now occupied by the Obecní dům. The tower was intended to be the grandest gate of all. Vladislav, however, was Polish, and somewhat disliked by the rebellious Czech citizens of Prague. Nine years after he assumed power, and fearing for his life, he moved the royal court across the river to Prague Castle. Work on the tower was abandoned, and the half-finished structure remained a depository for gunpowder until the end of the 17th century. The golden spires were not added until the end of the 19th century. The ticket office is on the first floor, after you go up the dizzyingly narrow stairwell. Nám. Republiky 5/1090, Staré Mesto 725–847–875 www.muzeumprahy.cz 75 Kč Line B: Náměstí Republiky .

Fodor’s Choice Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square ). The hype about Old Town Square is completely justified. Picture a perimeter of colorful baroque houses contrasting with the sweeping old-Gothic style of the Týn church in the background. The unexpectedly large size gives it a majestic presence as it opens up from feeder alleyways. As the heart of Old Town, the square grew to its present proportions when Prague’s original marketplace moved away from the river in the 12th century. Its shape and appearance have changed little since that time (the monument to religious reformer Jan Hus, at the center of the square, was erected in the early 20th century). During the day the square pulses with activity, as musicians vie for the attention of visitors milling about. In summer the square’s south end is dominated by sprawling outdoor restaurants. During the Easter and Christmas seasons it fills with wooden booths of vendors selling everything from simple wooden toys to fine glassware and mulled wine. At night the brightly lighted towers of the Týn church rise gloriously over the glowing baroque façades.

PRAGUE PLAYS WITH PLASTER

Sgraffiti, plural for sgraffito, is a process where two contrasting shades of plaster are used on the façade of a building. Often the sgraffiti serve to highlight the original architecture; other times they can produce an optical illusion, painting brickwork and balconies from thin air. Walls can also be covered with lively classical pictures, which make houses resemble enormous Grecian vases. One of the best examples of sgraffiti is on Kafka’s former residence, U Minuty, just next to the clock tower on Old Town Square.

But the square’s history is not all wine and music: During the 15th century the square was the focal point of conflict between Czech Hussites and the mainly Catholic Austrians and Germans. In 1422 the radical Hussite preacher Jan Želivský was executed here for his part in storming the New Town’s town hall three years earlier. In the 1419 uprising a judge, a mayor, and seven city council members were thrown out the window—the first of Prague’s many famous defenestrations. Within a few years the Hussites had taken over the town, expelled many of the Catholics, and set up their own administration.

Twenty-seven white crosses embedded in the square’s paving stones, at the base of Old Town Hall, mark the spot where 27 Bohemian noblemen were killed by the Austrian Habsburgs in 1621 during the dark days following the defeat of the Czechs at the Battle of White Mountain. The grotesque spectacle, designed to quash any further national or religious opposition, took about five hours to complete, as the men were put to the sword or hanged one by one. Staroměstské nám., Staré Mesto Line A: Staroměstská .

NEED A BREAK

Café au Gourmand. Just outside of Old Town Square on Dlouhá Street, Café au Gourmand has a delightful selection of authentic French pastries, salads, and sandwiches. There’s also a small garden in the back where you can sit with your snacks. Dlouhá 10 222–329–060 www.augourmand.cz Line A: Staroměstská .

Fodor’s Choice Staroměstská radnice (Old Town Hall ). This is a center of Prague life for tourists and locals alike. Hundreds of visitors gravitate here throughout the day to see the hour struck by the mechanical figures of the astronomical clock . At the top of the hour, look to the upper part of the clock, where a skeleton begins by tolling a death knell and turning an hourglass upside down. The 12 apostles promenade by, and then a cockerel flaps its wings and screeches as the hour finally strikes. To the right of the skeleton, the dreaded Turk nods his head, almost hinting at another invasion like those of the 16th and 17th centuries. This theatrical spectacle doesn’t reveal the way this 15th-century marvel indicates the time—by the season, the zodiac sign, and the positions of the sun and moon. The calendar under the clock dates to the mid-19th century.

Old Town Hall served as the center of administration for Old Town beginning in 1338, when King John of Luxembourg first granted the city council the right to a permanent location. The impressive 200-foot Town Hall Tower, where the clock is mounted, was first built in the 14th century. For a rare view of the Old Town and its maze of crooked streets and alleyways, climb the ramp or ride the elevator to the top of the tower.

Walking around the hall to the left, you can see it’s actually a series of houses jutting into the square; they were purchased over the years and successively added to the complex. On the other side, jagged stonework reveals where a large, neo-Gothic wing once adjoined the tower until it was destroyed by fleeing Nazi troops in May 1945.

Tours of the interiors depart from the main desk inside (most guides speak English, and English texts are on hand). There’s also a branch of the tourist information office here. Previously unseen parts of the tower have now been opened to the public, and you can now see the inside of the famous clock. Staroměstské nám., Staré Mesto www.staromestskaradnicepraha.cz 130 Kč Line A: Staroměstská .

NEED A BREAK

Hotel U Prince. With an entrance diagonally opposite the astronomical clock, Hotel U Prince has an impressive rooftop view. Go through the arched entryway to the right and walk all the way to the back, where you’ll find a glass-door elevator. Take the elevator to the rooftop bar, which has covered seating and portable heaters running in cold weather. Be forewarned though: the view doesn’t come cheap. Staroměstká nám. 29 224–213–807 www.hoteluprince.com Line A: Staroměstská .

WORTH NOTING

Betlémská kaple (Bethlehem Chapel ). The original church was built at the end of the 14th century, and the Czech religious reformer Jan Hus was a regular preacher here from 1402 until his exile in 1412. Here he gave the mass in “vulgar” Czech—not in Latin as the church in Rome demanded. After the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, the chapel fell into the hands of the Jesuits and was demolished in 1786. Excavations carried out after World War I uncovered the original portal and three windows; the entire church was reconstructed during the 1950s. Although little remains of the first church, some remnants of Hus’s teachings can still be read on the inside walls. Betlémské nám. 3, Staré Mesto 224–248–595 60 Kč Line A: Staroměstská .

Celetná ulice. This is the main thoroughfare, which connects Old Town Square and Náměstí Republiky; it’s packed day and (most of the) night. Many of the street’s façades are styled in classic 17th- or 18th-century manner, but appearances are deceiving: nearly all of the houses in fact have foundations that date back to the 12th century. Be sure to look above the street-level storefronts to see the fine examples of baroque detail. Celetná ulice, Staré Mesto .

Clam-Gallas palác (Clam-Gallas Palace ). The work of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, the famed Viennese baroque virtuoso of the day, is showcased in this earth-tone palace. Construction began in 1713 and finished in 1729. Clam-Gallas palác serves as a state archive, but is also occasionally used to house temporary art exhibitions and concerts. If the building is open, try walking in to glimpse the Italian frescoes depicting Apollo and the battered but intricately carved staircase, done by the master himself. Husova 20, Staré Mesto Free Line A: Staroměstská .

Klášter svaté Anežky České (St. Agnes’s Convent ). Near the river between Pařížská and Revoluční streets, in the northeastern corner of the Old Town, this peaceful complex has Prague’s first buildings in the Gothic style. Built between the 1230s and the 1280s, the convent provides a fitting home for the National Gallery’s marvelous collection of Czech Gothic art, including altarpieces, portraits, and statues from the 13th to the 16th century. U Milosrdných 17, Staré Mesto 224–810–628 www.ngprague.cz 150 Kč Line A: Staroměstská .

Kostel svatého Jiljí (Church of St. Giles ). Replete with buttresses and a characteristic portal, this church’s exterior is a powerful example of Gothic architecture. An important outpost of Czech Protestantism in the 16th century, the church reflects baroque style inside, with a design by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and sweeping frescoes by Václav Reiner. The interior can be viewed during the day from the vestibule or at the evening concerts held several times a week. Husova 8, Staré Mesto 224–220–235 www.praha.op.cz Free Line A: Staroměstská .

Kostel svatého Martina ve zdi (Church of St. Martin-in-the-Wall ). It was here in 1414 that Holy Communion was first given to the Bohemian laity in the form of both bread and wine. (The Catholic custom of the time dictated only bread would be offered to the masses, with wine reserved for priests and clergy.) From then on, the chalice came to symbolize the Hussite movement. The church is sometimes open for evening concerts, held often in summer, or for Sunday service, but that’s the only way to see the rather plain interior. Martinská 8, Staré Mesto www.martinvezdi.eu Lines A & B: Můstek .

Kostel svatého Mikuláše (Church of St. Nicholas ). Designed in the 18th century by Prague’s own master of late baroque, Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, this church is probably less successful in capturing the style’s lyric exuberance than its namesake across town, the Chrám svatého Mikuláše. But Dientzenhofer utilized the limited space to create a well-balanced structure. The interior is compact, with a beautiful, small chandelier and an enormous black organ that overwhelms the rear of the church. Afternoon and evening concerts for visitors are held almost continuously—walk past and you’re sure to get leafleted for one. Staroměstské nám., Staré Mesto www.svmikulas.cz Free, fee for concerts Line A: Staroměstská .

Malé náměstí (Small Square ). Note the iron fountain dating to around 1560 in the center of the square. The colorfully painted house at No. 3 was originally a hardware store (and now, confusingly, is the site of a Hard Rock Cafe). It’s not as old as it looks, but you can find authentic Gothic portals and Renaissance sgraffiti that reflect the square’s true age in certain spots. Malé náměstí, Staré Mesto Line A: Staroměstská .

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Muzeum hlavního města Prahy (Museum of the City of Prague ). This museum is dedicated to the history of the city, and though it’s technically in Nové Město, it’s relatively easy to reach from Old Town because it’s near the Florenc metro and bus stations. The highlight here is a cardboard model of the historic quarter of Prague; it shows what the city looked like before the Jewish ghetto was destroyed in a massive fire in 1689 and includes many buildings that are no longer standing. Na Pořící 52, Nové Mesto 224–816–772 www.muzeumprahy.cz 120 Kč Closed Mon. Lines B & C: Florenc .

Stavovské divadlo (Estates Theater ). Built in the 1780s in the classical style, this opulent, green palais hosted the world premiere of Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni in October 1787 with the composer himself conducting. Prague audiences were quick to acknowledge Mozart’s genius: the opera was an instant hit here, though it flopped nearly everywhere else in Europe. Mozart wrote some of the opera’s second act in Prague at the Villa Bert, where he was a frequent guest. The program these days is mostly demanding Czech drama, though you can occasionally catch a more accessible opera or musical performance. You must attend a performance to see inside; buy tickets at the Narodní Divadlo. Ovocný trh 1, Staré Mesto 224–901–448 for box office www.narodni-divadlo.cz Lines A & B: Můstek .

JOSEFOV (JEWISH QUARTER)

For centuries Prague had an active, vital Jewish community that was an exuberant part of the city’s culture. Much of that activity was concentrated in Josefov, the former Jewish ghetto, just a short walk north of Old Town Square. This area first became a Jewish settlement around the 12th century, but it didn’t actually take on the physical aspects of a ghetto—walled off from the rest of the city—until much later.

The history of Prague’s Jews, like those of much of Europe, is mostly a sad one. There were horrible pogroms in the late Middle Ages, followed by a period of relative prosperity under Rudolf II in the late 16th century, though the freedoms of Jews were still tightly restricted. It was Austrian Emperor Josef II—the ghetto’s namesake—who did the most to improve the conditions of the city’s Jews. His “Edict of Tolerance” in 1781 removed dress codes for Jews and paved the way for Jews finally to live in other parts of the city.

The prosperity of the 19th century lifted the Jews out of poverty, and many of them chose to leave the ghetto. By the end of the century the number of poor gentiles, drunks, and prostitutes in the ghetto was growing, and the number of actual Jews was declining. At this time, city officials decided to clear the slum and raze the buildings. In their place they built many of the gorgeous turn-of-the-20th-century and art nouveau town houses you see today. Only a handful of the synagogues, the town hall, and the cemetery were preserved.

World War II and the Nazi occupation brought profound tragedy to the city’s Jews. A staggering percentage were deported—many to Terezín, north of Prague, and then later to German Nazi death camps in Poland. Of the 40,000 Jews living in Prague before World War II, only about 1,200 returned after the war, and merely a handful live in the ghetto today.

The Nazi occupation contains a historic irony. Many of the treasures stored away in Prague’s Jewish Museum were brought here from across Central Europe on Hitler’s orders. His idea was to form a museum dedicated to the soon-to-be extinct Jewish race.

Today, even with the crowds, the ghetto is a must-see. The Old Jewish Cemetery alone, with its incredibly forlorn overlay of headstone upon headstone going back centuries, merits the steep admission price the Jewish Museum charges to see its treasures. Don’t feel compelled to linger long on the ghetto’s streets after visiting, though—much of it is tourist-trap territory, filled with overpriced T-shirt, trinket, and toy shops—the same lousy souvenirs found everywhere in Prague.

A ticket to the Židovské muzeum v Praze (Prague Jewish Museum) includes admission to the Old Jewish Cemetery and collections installed in four surviving synagogues and the Ceremony Hall. The Staronová synagóga, or Old-New Synagogue, a functioning house of worship, does not technically belong to the museum, and requires a separate admission ticket.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

The Jewish Quarter is one of the most heavily visited areas in Prague, especially in peak tourist seasons, when its tiny streets are jammed to bursting. The best way to visit is on foot—it’s a short hop over from Old Town Square.

TIMING

The best time for a visit (read: quiet and less crowded) is early morning, when the museums and cemetery first open. The area itself is very compact, and a fairly thorough tour should take only half a day. Don’t go on the Sabbath (Saturday), when all the museums are closed.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Klausová synagóga (Klausen Synagogue ). This baroque synagogue displays objects from Czech Jewish traditions, with an emphasis on celebrations and daily life. The synagogue was built at the end of the 17th century in place of three small buildings (a synagogue, a school, and a ritual bath) that were destroyed in a fire that devastated the ghetto in 1689. In the more recent Obřadní síň (Ceremony Hall) that adjoins the Klausen Synagogue, the focus is more staid. You’ll find a variety of Jewish funeral paraphernalia, including old gravestones, and medical instruments. Special attention is paid to the activities of the Jewish Burial Society through many fine objects and paintings. U starého hřbitova 3A, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 300 Kč museums only, 200 Kč Old-New Synagogue Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays Line A: Staroměstská .

NEED A BREAK

Les Moules. Crave a culinary change from constant meat and potatoes? Try the Belgian-styled bistro Les Moules, at the end of Maiselova. There’s a nice open terrace and a fine selection of mussels, as you’d expect from the name. If you’re tired of Pilsner Urquell, too, they have a variety of Belgian Trappist beers. Pařižská 19, Staré Mesto 222–315–022 www.lesmoules.cz Line A: Staroměstská .

Maiselova synagóga. The history of Czech Jews from the 10th to the 18th century is illustrated, accompanied by some of the Prague Jewish Museum’s most precious objects. The collection includes silver Torah shields and pointers, spice boxes, and candelabra; historic tombstones; and fine ceremonial textiles—some donated by Mordechai Maisel to the very synagogue he founded. The glitziest items come from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a prosperous era for Prague’s Jews. Maiselova 10, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 300 Kč museums only, 200 Kč Old-New Synagogue Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays Line A: Staroměstská .

Pinkasova synagóga (Pinkas Synagogue ). Here you’ll find two moving testimonies to the appalling crimes perpetrated against the Jews during World War II. One astounds by sheer numbers: the walls are covered with nearly 80,000 names of Bohemian and Moravian Jews murdered by the Nazis. Among them are the names of the paternal grandparents of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The second is an exhibition of drawings made by children at the Nazi concentration camp Terezín, north of Prague. The Nazis used the camp for propaganda purposes to demonstrate their “humanity” toward Jews, and for a time the prisoners were given relative freedom to lead “normal” lives. However, transports to death camps in Poland began in earnest in 1944, and many thousands of Terezín prisoners, including most of these children, eventually perished. The entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery is through this synagogue. Široká 3, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 300 Kč museums only, 200 Kč Old-New Synagogue Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays Line A: Staroměstská .

Rudolfinum. This 19th-century neo-Renaissance monument has some of the cleanest, brightest stonework in the city. Designed by Josef Zítek and Josef Schulz and completed in 1884—it was named for then Hapsburg Crown Prince Rudolf—the low-slung sandstone building was meant to be a combination concert hall and exhibition gallery. After 1918 it was converted into the parliament of the newly independent Czechoslovakia until German invaders reinstated the concert hall in 1939. Now the Czech Philharmonic has its home base here. The 1,200-seat Dvořákova síň (Dvořák Hall) has superb acoustics (the box office faces 17 Listopadu Street). To see the hall, you must attend a concert. Alšovo nábřeží 12, Josefov 227–059–227 www.rudolfinum.cz Line A: Staroměstská .

Staronová synagóga (Old-New Synagogue, or Altneuschul ). Dating to the mid-13th century, this is the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe and one of the most important works of early Gothic in Prague. The name refers to the legend that the synagogue was built on the site of an ancient Jewish temple, and the temple’s stones were used to build the present structure. Amazingly, the synagogue has survived fires, the razing of the ghetto, and the Nazi occupation intact; it’s still in use. The entrance, with its vault supported by two pillars, is the oldest part of the synagogue. Note that men are required to cover their heads inside, and during services men and women sit apart. Červená 2, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 200 Kč Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays Line A: Staroměstská .

Fodor’s Choice Starý židovský hřbitov (Old Jewish Cemetery ). An unforgettable sight, this cemetery is where all Jews living in Prague from the 15th century to 1787 were laid to rest. The lack of any space in the tiny ghetto forced graves to be piled on top of one another. Tilted at crazy angles, the 12,000 visible tombstones are but a fraction of countless thousands more buried below. Walk the path amid the gravestones; the relief symbols you see represent the names and professions of the deceased. The oldest marked grave belongs to the poet Avigdor Kara, who died in 1439; the grave is not accessible from the pathway, but the original tombstone can be seen in the Maisel Synagogue. The best-known marker belongs to Jehuda ben Bezalel, the famed Rabbi Loew (died 1609), a chief rabbi of Prague and a profound scholar, credited with creating the mythical Golem. Even today, small scraps of paper bearing wishes are stuffed into the cracks of the rabbi’s tomb with the hope that he will grant them. Loew’s grave lies near the exit. Široká 3, enter through Pinkasova synagóga, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 300 Kč museums only, 200 Kč Old-New Synagogue Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays Line A: Staroměstská .

TOURIST TRAPS

Walking through Old Town Square and on Celetná it’s almost impossible not to be accosted by men in Mozart costumes or guides selling hour-long bus tours. Just know: Most of the concerts are dismissed as “tourist music” by locals. There are better performers in the city’s much more authentic classical music venues. As for the tours, remember that Prague is blessed with a fantastic and efficient public transportation system—why shell out to take a bus when you can ride a tram with the same view?

Uměleckoprůmyslové museum v Praze (Museum of Decorative Arts or U(P)M ). In a custom-built art nouveau building from 1897, this wonderfully laid-out museum of exquisite local prints, books, ceramics, textiles, clocks, and furniture will please anyone from the biggest decorative arts expert to those who just appreciate a little Antiques Roadshow on the weekend. Superb rotating exhibits, too. 17. listopadu 2, Josefov 251–093–111 www.upm.cz 120 Kč Closed Mon. Line A: Staroměstská .

WORTH NOTING

Španělská synagóga (Spanish Synagogue ). This domed, Moorish-style synagogue was built in 1868 on the site of an older synagogue, the Altschul. Here the historical exposition that begins in the Maisel Synagogue continues to the post–World War II period. The attached Robert Guttmann Gallery has historic and well-curated art exhibitions. The building’s painstakingly restored interior is also worth experiencing. Vězeňská 1, Josefov 222–317–191 www.jewishmuseum.cz 300 Kč museums only, 200 Kč Old-New Synagogue Closed Sat. and during Jewish holidays .

Židovská radnice (Jewish Town Hall ). The hall was the creation of Mordechai Maisel, an influential Jewish leader at the end of the 16th century. Restored in the 18th century, it was given a clock and bell tower at that time. A second clock, with Hebrew numbers, keeps time counterclockwise. Now a Jewish Community Center, the building also houses Shalom, a kosher restaurant. Neither the hall nor the restaurant is open to the public, but the beautiful building is worth seeing from the outside. Maiselova 18, Josefov Line A: Staroměstská .

MALÁ STRANA (LESSER QUARTER)

Established in 1257, this is Prague’s most perfectly formed—yet totally asymmetrical—neighborhood. Also known as “Little Town,” it was home to the merchants and craftsmen who served the royal court. Though not nearly as confusing as the labyrinth that is Old Town, the streets in the Lesser Quarter can baffle, but they also bewitch, and today the area holds embassies, Czech government offices, historical attractions, and galleries mixed in with the usual glut of pubs, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

Metro Line A will lead you to Malá Strana, the Malostranká station being the most central stop (from here, take Tram No. 12, 20, or 26 one stop to Malostranké náměstí). But there’s no better way to arrive at Malá Strana than via a scenic downhill walk from the Castle or a lovely stroll from Old Town across the Charles Bridge.

TIMING

Note that the heat builds up during the day in this area—as do the crowds—so it’s best visited before noon or in early evening. On literally every block there are plenty of cafés in which to stop, sip coffee or tea, and people-watch, and a wealth of gardens and parks ideal for resting in cool shade. As with the other most popular neighborhoods of Prague—Old Town, New Town, and the Castle Area—there are fewer crowds in the early morning or in the bitter cold. (The former is preferable over the latter.)

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Chrám svatého Mikuláše (Church of St. Nicholas ). With its dynamic curves, this church is arguably the purest and most ambitious example of high baroque in Prague. The celebrated architect Christoph Dientzenhofer began the Jesuit church in 1704 on the site of one of the more active Hussite churches of 15th-century Prague. Work on the building was taken over by his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, who built the dome and presbytery. Anselmo Lurago completed the whole thing in 1755 by adding the bell tower. The juxtaposition of the broad, full-bodied dome with the slender bell tower is one of the many striking architectural contrasts that mark the Prague skyline. Inside, the vast pink-and-green space is impossible to take in with a single glance. Every corner bristles with life, guiding the eye first to the dramatic statues, then to the hectic frescoes, and on to the shining faux-marble pillars. Many of the statues are the work of Ignaz Platzer and constitute his last blaze of success. Platzer’s workshop was forced to declare bankruptcy when the centralizing and secularizing reforms of Joseph II toward the end of the 18th century brought an end to the flamboyant baroque era. The tower, with an entrance on the side of the church, is open in summer. The church also hosts chamber music concerts in summer, which complement this eye-popping setting but do not reflect the true caliber of classical music in Prague. For that, check the schedule posted across the street at Líchtenšký palác, where the faculty of HAMU, the city’s premier music academy, sometimes also gives performances. Malostranské nám., Malá Strana 257–534–215 www.stnicholas.cz Tower 70 Kč, concerts 490 Kč Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Franz Kafka Museum. The great early-20th-century Jewish author Kafka wasn’t considered Czech and he wrote in German, but he lived in Prague nearly his entire short, anguished life, so it’s fitting that he’s finally gotten the shrine he deserves here. Because the museum’s designers believed in channeling Kafka’s darkly paranoid and paradoxical work, they created exhibits true to this spirit. And even if the results are often goofy, they get an “A” for effort. Facsimiles of manuscripts, documents, first editions, photographs, and newspaper obits are displayed in glass vitrines, which in turn are situated in “Kafkaesque” settings: huge open filing cabinets, stone gardens, piles of coal. The basement level of the museum gets even freakier, with expressionistic representations of Kafka’s work itself, including a model of the horrible torture machine from the “Penal Colony” story—not a place for young children, or even lovers on a first date, but fascinating to anyone familiar with Kafka’s work. Other Kafka sites in Prague include his home on Golden Lane, his Old Town birthplace at Náměstí Franze Kafky 3, and Jaroslav Rona’s trippy bronze sculpture of the writer on Dušní Street in the Old Town. (Speaking of sculptures, take a gander at the animatronic Piss statue in the Kafka Museum’s courtyard. This rendition of a couple urinating into a fountain shaped like the Czech Republic was made by local enfant terrible sculptor David Černy, who also did the babies crawling up the Žižkov TV Tower.) Hergetova Cihelna, Cihelna 2b, Malá Strana 257–535–507 www.kafkamuseum.cz 180 Kč Line A: Malostranská .

Kampa. FAMILY Prague’s largest “island” is cut off from the “mainland” by the narrow Čertovka streamlet. The name Čertovka, or “Devil’s Stream,” reputedly refers to a cranky old lady who once lived on Maltese Square. During the historic 2002 floods, the well-kept lawns of the Kampa Gardens, which occupy much of the island, were covered as was much of the lower portion of Malá Strana. Evidence of flood damage occasionally marks the landscape, along with a sign indicating where the waters crested. Kampa, Malá Strana Line A: Malostranská .

Fodor’s Choice Karlův most (Charles Bridge). This is Prague’s signature monument. The view from the foot of the bridge on the Old Town side, encompassing the towers and domes of the Lesser Quarter and the soaring spires of St. Vitus’s Cathedral, is breathtaking. After several wooden bridges and the first stone bridge washed away in floods, Charles IV appointed the 27-year-old German Peter Parler, the architect of St. Vitus’s Cathedral, to build a new structure in 1357. It became one of the wonders of the world in the Middle Ages. Its heavenly vista subtly changes in perspective as you walk across the bridge, attended by a host of baroque saints from the late 17th century (most now copies) that decorate the bridge’s peaceful Gothic stones. For more information, see the highlighted feature in this chapter.

NEED A BREAK

Bohemia Bagel. This informal breakfast and sandwich spot is just steps away from the Charles Bridge. When it opened more than a decade ago, it was a welcome addition for homesick expats as it was the first chain in town to offer homemade bagels, along with soups and salads. Lázenská 19, Malá Strana 257–218–192 www.bohemiabagel.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Kostel Panny Marie vítězné (Church of Our Lady Victorious ). This aging, well-appointed church on the Lesser Quarter’s main street is the unlikely home of Prague’s most famous religious artifact, the Pražské Jezulátko (Infant Jesus of Prague). Originally brought to Prague from Spain in the 16th century, the wax doll holds a reputation for bestowing miracles on many who have prayed for its help. A measure of its widespread attraction is reflected in the prayer books on the kneelers in front of the statue, which have prayers of intercession in 20 different languages. The “Bambino,” as he’s known locally, has an enormous and incredibly ornate wardrobe, some of which is on display in a museum upstairs. Nuns from a nearby convent change the outfit on the statue regularly. Don’t miss the souvenir shop (accessible via a doorway to the right of the main altar), where the Bambino’s custodians flex their marketing skills. Karmelitská 9A, Malá Strana 257–533–646 www.pragjesu.cz Free Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Malostranské náměstí (Lesser Quarter Square ). Another one of the many classic examples of Prague’s charm, this square is flanked on the east and south sides by arcaded houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. The Czech Parliament resides partly in the gaudy yellow-and-green palace on the square’s north side, partly in a building on Sněmovní Street, behind the palace. The huge bulk of the Church of St. Nicholas divides the lower, busier section—buzzing with restaurants, street vendors, clubs, and shops—from the slightly quieter upper part. Malá Strana .

Museum Kampa. The spotlighted jewel on Kampa Island is a remodeled flour mill that displays a private collection of paintings by Czech artist František Kupka and first-rate temporary exhibitions by both Czech and other Central European visual wizards. The museum was hit hard by flooding in 2002 and 2013, but rebounded relatively quickly on both occasions. The outdoor terrace offers a splendid view of the river and historic buildings on the opposite bank. U Sovových mlýnů 2, Malá Strana 257–286–113 www.museumkampa.cz 240 Kč Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Nerudova ulice. This steep street used to be the last leg of the “Royal Way,” the king’s procession before his coronation. As king, he made the ascent on horseback, not huffing and puffing on foot like today’s visitors. It was named for the 19th-century Czech journalist and poet Jan Neruda, after whom Chilean poet Pablo Neruda renamed himself. Until Joseph II’s administrative reforms in the late 18th century, house numbering was unknown in Prague. Each house bore a name, depicted on the façade, and these are particularly prominent on Nerudova ulice. AT No. 6, U červeného orla (At the Red Eagle) proudly displays a faded painting of a crimson eagle. Number 12 is known as U tří housliček (At the Three Fiddles); in the early 18th century three generations of the Edlinger violin-making family lived here. Joseph II’s scheme numbered each house according to its position in the “town” (here, the Lesser Quarter) to which it belonged, rather than its sequence on the street. The red plates record the original house numbers, but the blue ones are the numbers used in addresses today. Many architectural guides refer to the old, red-number plates, much to the confusion of visitors.

Two large palaces break the unity of the houses on Nerudova ulice. Both were designed by the adventurous baroque architect Giovanni Santini, one of the popular Italian builders hired by wealthy nobles in the early 18th century. The Morzin Palace, on the left at No. 5, is now the Romanian Embassy. The fascinating façade, created in 1713 with an allegory of night and day, is the work of Ferdinand Brokoff, of Charles Bridge statue fame. Across the street at No. 20 is the Thun-Hohenstein Palace, now the Italian Embassy. The gateway with two enormous eagles (the emblem of the Kolovrat family, who owned the building at the time) is the work of the other great Charles Bridge statue sculptor, Mathias Braun. Santini himself lived at No. 14, the Valkoun House.

The archway at No. 13 is a prime example of the many winding passageways that give the Lesser Quarter its captivatingly ghostly character at night. Higher up the street at No. 33 is the Bretfeld Palace, a rococo house on the corner of Jánský vršek. The relief of St. Nicholas on the façade was created by Ignaz Platzer, a sculptor known for his classical and rococo work. But it’s the building’s historical associations that give it intrigue: Mozart, his librettist partner Lorenzo da Ponte, and the aging but still infamous philanderer and music lover Casanova stayed here at the time of the world premiere of Don Giovanni in 1787. Nerudova ulice .

TAKING YOU FOR A RIDE

Sadly, Prague has a deserved reputation for dishonest taxi drivers. In an honest cab, the meter starts at 40 Kč and increases by 28 Kč per km (½ mile) or 6 Kč per minute at rest. A typical ride around the center, depending on the distance, of course, should cost no more than 280 Kč. The best way to avoid getting ripped off is to ask your hotel or restaurant to call a cab for you. (AAA Taxi is the best-known and most trustworthy company.) The good news is that big improvements have been made and the chance of hailing an honest cab on the street has greatly improved.

Petřínské sady FAMILY (Petřín Park or Petřín Gardens ). For a superb view of the city—from a slightly more solitary perch—the park on top of Petřín Hill includes a charming playground for children and adults alike, with a miniature (but still pretty big) Eiffel Tower. You’ll also find a mirror maze (bludiště ), as well as a working observatory and the seemingly abandoned Svatý Vavřinec (St. Lawrence) church. To get here from Malá Strana, simply hike up Petřín Hill (from Karmelitská ulice or Újezd) or ride the funicular railway (which departs near the Újezd tram stop). Regular public-transportation tickets are valid on the funicular.

From the Castle district, you can also stroll over from Strahov klášter (Strahov Monastery), following a wide path that crosses above some fruit orchards and offers some breathtaking views out over the city below. Petřín Hill, Malá Strana www.muzeumprahy.cz Observatory 65 Kč, tower 120 Kč, maze 90 Kč Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 to Újezd (plus funicular) .

Valdštejnska Zahrada (Wallenstein Palace Gardens ). With its idiosyncratic high-walled gardens and superb, vaulted Renaissance sala terrena (room opening onto a garden), this palace displays superbly elegant grounds. Walking around the formal paths, you come across numerous fountains and statues depicting figures from classical mythology or warriors dispatching a variety of beasts. However, nothing beats the trippy “Grotto,” a huge dripstone wall packed with imaginative rock formations, like little faces and animals hidden in the charcoal-colored landscape, and what’s billed as “illusory hints of secret corridors.” Here, truly, staring at the wall is a form of entertainment. Albrecht von Wallenstein, onetime owner of the house and gardens, began a meteoric military career in 1622, when the Austrian emperor Ferdinand II retained him to save the empire from the Swedes and Protestants during the Thirty Years’ War. Wallenstein, wealthy by marriage, offered to raise an army of 20,000 men at his own cost and lead them personally. Ferdinand II accepted and showered Wallenstein with confiscated land and titles. Wallenstein’s first acquisition was this enormous area. After knocking down 23 houses, a brick factory, and three gardens, in 1623 he began to build his magnificent palace. Most of the palace itself now serves the Czech Senate as meeting chamber and offices. The palace’s cavernous former Jízdárna, or riding school, now hosts art exhibitions. Letenská 10, Malá Strana 257–075–707 www.senat.cz Free Line A: Malostranská .

Vrtbovská zahrada (Vrtba Garden ). An unobtrusive door on noisy Karmelitská hides the entranceway to a fascinating sanctuary with one of the best views of the Lesser Quarter. The street door opens onto the intimate courtyard of the Vrtbovský palác (Vrtba Palace). Two Renaissance wings flank the courtyard; the left one was built in 1575, the right one in 1591. The original owner of the latter house was one of the 27 Bohemian nobles executed by the Habsburgs in 1621. The house was given as confiscated property to Count Sezima of Vrtba, who bought the neighboring property and turned the buildings into a late-Renaissance palace. The Vrtba Garden was created a century later. Built in five levels rising behind the courtyard in a wave of statuary-bedecked staircases and formal terraces reaching toward a seashell-decorated pavilion at the top, it’s a popular spot for weddings, receptions, and occasional concerts. (The fenced-off garden immediately behind and above belongs to the U.S. Embassy—hence the U.S. flag that often flies there.) The powerful stone figure of Atlas that caps the entranceway in the courtyard and most of the other statues of mythological figures are from the workshop of Mathias Braun, perhaps the best of the Czech baroque sculptors. Karmelitská 25, Malá Strana 272–088–350 www.vrtbovska.cz 65 Kč Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

WORTH NOTING

Palácové zahrady pod Pražským hradem (Gardens Below Prague Castle ). A break in the houses along Valdštejnská ulice opens to a gate that leads to five beautifully manicured and terraced baroque gardens, which in season are open to the public. A combined-entry ticket allows you to wander at will, climbing up and down the steps and trying to find the little entryways that lead from one garden to the next. Each of the gardens bears the name of a noble family and includes the Kolowrat (Kolovratská zahrada), Ledeburg (Ledeburská zahrada), Small and Large Palffy (Malá a Velká Pálffyovská zahrada), and Furstenberg (Furstenberská zahrada). You can also enter directly from the upper, south gardens of Prague Castle in summer. Valdštejnská 12–14, Malá Strana 257–214–817 www.palacove-zahrady.cz 90 Kč Line A: Malostranská .

Schönbornský palác (Schönborn Palace ). Franz Kafka had an apartment in this massive baroque building at the top of Tržiště ulice in mid-1917, after moving from Zlatá ulička, or Golden Lane. The U.S. Embassy and consular office now occupy this prime location. Although security is stepped down compared with a few years ago, the many police, guards, and jersey barriers don’t offer much of an invitation to linger. Tržiště 15, at Vlašská, Malá Strana Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Velkopřevorské náměstí (Grand Priory Square ). This square is south and slightly west of the Charles Bridge, next to the Čertovka stream. The Grand Prior’s Palace fronting the square is considered one of the finest baroque buildings in the Lesser Quarter, though it’s now part of the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta—the contemporary (and very real) descendants of the Knights of Malta. Alas, it’s closed to the public. Opposite is the flamboyant orange-and-white stucco façade of the Buquoy Palace, built in 1719 by Giovanni Santini and the present home of the French Embassy. The so-called John Lennon Peace Wall, leading to a bridge over the Čertovka, was once a kind of monument to youthful rebellion, emblazoned with a large painted head of the former Beatle. But Lennon’s visage is seldom seen these days; the wall is usually covered instead with political and music-related graffiti. Velkopřevorské náměstí, Malá Strana Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 12, 20, or 22 .

Vojanovy sady FAMILY (Vojan Park ). Once the gardens of the Monastery of the Discalced Carmelites, later taken over by the Order of the English Virgins, this walled garden is now part of the Ministry of Finance. With its weeping willows, fruit trees, and benches, it provides another peaceful haven in summer. Exhibitions of modern sculpture are occasionally held here, contrasting sharply with the two baroque chapels and the graceful Ignaz Platzer statue of John of Nepomuk standing on a fish at the entrance. At the other end of the park you can find a terrace with a formal rose garden and a pair of peacocks that like to aggressively preen for visitors under the trellises. The park is surrounded by the high walls of the old monastery and new Ministry of Finance buildings, with only an occasional glimpse of a tower or spire to remind you of the world beyond. U lužického semináře 17, between Letenská ulice and Míšeňská ulice, Malá Strana www.vojanovysady.cz Line A: Malostranská .

HRADČANY (CASTLE AREA)

To the west of Prague Castle is the residential Hradčany (Castle Area), a town that during the early 14th century emerged from a collection of monasteries and churches. The concentration of history packed into Prague Castle and Hradčany challenges those not versed in the ups and downs of Bohemian kings, religious uprisings, wars, and oppression—but there’s no shame in taking it all in on a purely aesthetic level.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

There’s a rise from river level of nearly 1,300 vertical feet to get to the Castle Area, so if you’re on foot, be prepared for a climb. The best Metro approach is via Line A. ■ TIP → Don’t get off at the Hradčanská stop (as the name might imply). Instead, take the metro to Malostranská, and after exiting the station, take Tram No. 22 running north (uphill) to the stop Pražský hrad (Prague Castle). The tram leaves you about 200 yards north of the Castle.

TIMING

To do justice to the subtle charms of Hradčany once you arrive, allow at least two hours just for ambling and admiring the passing buildings and views of the city. The Strahovský klášter halls need about a half hour to take in, more if you tour the small picture gallery there, and the Loreta and its treasures need an equal length of time at least. The Národní galerie in the Šternberský palác deserves a minimum of a couple of hours. Keep in mind that several places are not open on Monday, and that early morning is the least crowded time to visit.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Hradčanské náměstí (Hradčany Square ). With its fabulous mixture of baroque and Renaissance houses, topped by the Castle itself, this square had a prominent role in the film Amadeus (as a substitute for Vienna). Czech director Miloš Forman used the house at No. 7 for Mozart’s residence, where the composer was haunted by the masked figure he thought was his father. The flamboyant rococo Arcibiskupský palác (Archbishop’s Palace), on the left as you face the Castle, was the Viennese archbishop’s palace. For a brief time after World War II, No. 11 was home to a little girl named Marie Jana Korbelová, better known as former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Hradčanské náměstí, Hradcany Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 .

Schwarzenberský palác (Schwarzenberg Palace ). A boxy palace with an extravagant façade, this space is home to the National Gallery’s permanent exhibition of baroque sculpture and paintings. Among the masters featured are Peter Brandl, Maximilian Brokof, and the sculptor Mathias Braun (whose work you’ve seen on the Charles Bridge). With arched ceilings and displays on how artists worked and what their studios were like during the baroque period, the Schwarzenberg interior is every bit as exuberant as the outside, and its hushed vibe might provide just the antidote to those tourist hordes outside. Hradčanské nám. 2, Hradcany 233–081–713 www.ngprague.cz 300 Kč Closed Mon. Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 .

Šternberský palác (Sternberg Palace ). The 18th-century Šternberský palác houses the National Gallery’s collection of antiquities and paintings by European masters from the 14th to the 18th century. Holdings include impressive works by El Greco, Rubens, and Rembrandt. Hradčanské nám. 15, Hradcany 233–090–570 www.ngprague.cz 300 Kč Closed Mon. Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 .

WORTH NOTING

Loreta (Loreto Church ). The seductive lines of this church were a conscious move on the part of Counter-Reformation Jesuits in the 17th century, who wanted to build up the cult of Mary and attract Protestant Bohemians back to the fold. According to legend, angels had carried Mary’s house from Nazareth and dropped it in a patch of laurel trees in Ancona, Italy. Known as Loreto (from the Latin for “laurel”), it immediately became a destination of pilgrimage. The Prague Loreto was one of many symbolic reenactments of this scene across Europe, and it worked: Pilgrims came in droves. The graceful façade, with its voluptuous tower, was built in 1720 by the ubiquitous Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, the architect of the two St. Nicholas churches in Prague. Loretánské nám. 7, Hradcany 220–516–740 www.loreta.cz 150 Kč Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 .

Nový Svět. This picturesque, winding little alley, with façades from the 17th and 18th centuries, once housed Prague’s poorest residents, but now many of the homes are used as artists’ studios. The last house on the street, No. 1, was the home of the Danish-born astronomer Tycho Brahe. Supposedly Tycho was constantly disturbed during his nightly stargazing by the neighboring Loreto’s church bells. He ended up complaining to his patron, Emperor Rudolf II, who instructed the Capuchin monks to finish their services before the first star appeared in the sky. Nový Svět, Hradcany Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 .

Strahovský klášter (Strahov Monastery ). Founded by the Premonstratensian order in 1140, the monastery remained theirs until 1952, when the communists suppressed all religious orders and turned the entire complex into the Památník národního písemnictví (Museum of National Literature). The major building of interest is the Strahov Library, with its collection of early Czech manuscripts, the 10th-century Strahov New Testament, and the collected works of famed Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. Also of note is the late-18th-century Philosophical Hall. Its ceilings are engulfed in a startling sky-blue fresco that depicts an unusual cast of characters, including Socrates’ nagging wife Xanthippe; Greek astronomer Thales, with his trusty telescope; and a collection of Greek philosophers mingling with Descartes, Diderot, and Voltaire. Strahovské nádvoří 1, Hradcany 233–107–704 www.strahovskyklaster.cz 80 Kč library Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pohořelec .

PRAŽSKÝ HRAD (PRAGUE CASTLE)

Despite its monolithic presence, Prague Castle is not a single structure but a collection of structures dating from the 10th to the 20th centuries, all linked by internal courtyards. The most important are the cathedral, the Chrám svatého Víta, clearly visible soaring above the castle walls, and the Starý Královský palác, the official residence of kings and presidents and still the center of political power in the Czech Republic.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

As with the neighboring environs, the best public transportation here is via Metro Line A to Malostranská and then continuing onward with Tram No. 22. Taxis work, too, of course, but they can be expensive. The Castle is compact and easily navigated. But be forewarned: the Castle, especially Chrám svatého Víta, teems with huge crowds practically year-round.

TIMING

The Castle is at its best in early morning and late evening, when it holds an air of mystery. (It’s incomparably beautiful when it snows.) The cathedral deserves an hour—but budget more time, as the number of visitors allowed inside is limited and the lines can be long. Another hour should be spent in the Starý Královský palác, and you can easily spend an entire day taking in the museums, the views of the city, and the hidden nooks of the Castle.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Informační středisko (Castle Information Office ). This is the place to come for entrance tickets, guided tours, audio guides with headphones, and tickets to cultural events held at the castle. You can wander around the castle grounds, including many of the gardens, for free, but to enter any of the historic buildings, including St. Vitus’s Cathedral, requires a combined-entry ticket (valid for two days). There are two ticket options. The “Short Visit” (cheaper option) allows entry to St. Vitus’s Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane, St. George’s Basilica, and Daliborka Tower. This will provide more than enough quality time in the castle. The more expensive “Long Visit” also includes entry to a permanent exhibition on the history of the castle called The Story of Prague Castle and to the Powder Tower. If you just want to walk through the castle grounds, note that the gates close at midnight from April through October and at 11 pm the rest of the year, and the gardens are open from April through October only. Třetí nádvoří, across from entrance to St. Vitus’s Cathedral, Pražský Hrad 224–372–423 www.hrad.cz Long visit 350 Kč, short visit 250 Kč, The Story of Prague Castle exhibit 140 Kč, Picture Gallery 100 Kč, Powder Tower 70 Kč, photo fee 50 Kč, audio guide 350 Kč (3 hrs) Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Bazilika svatého Jiří (St. George’s Basilica ). Inside, this church looks more or less as it did in the 12th century; it’s the best-preserved Romanesque relic in the country. The effect is at once barnlike and peaceful, as the warm golden yellow of the stone walls and the small arched windows exude a sense of enduring harmony. Prince Vratislav I originally built it in the 10th century, though only the foundations remain from that time. The father of Prince Wenceslas (of Christmas carol fame) dedicated it to St. George (of dragon fame), a figure supposedly more agreeable to the still largely pagan people. The outside was remodeled during early baroque times, although the striking rusty-red color is in keeping with the look of the Romanesque edifice. The painted, house-shape tomb at the front of the church holds Vratislav’s remains. Up the steps, in a chapel to the right, is the tomb Peter Parler designed for St. Ludmila, grandmother of St. Wenceslas. Nám. U sv. Jiří, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Included in 2-day castle ticket (250 Kč–350 Kč) Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Fodor’s Choice Chrám svatého Víta (St. Vitus’s Cathedral ). With its graceful, soaring towers, this Gothic cathedral—among the most beautiful in Europe—is the spiritual heart of Prague Castle and of the Czech Republic itself. The cathedral has a long and complicated history, beginning in the 10th century and continuing to its completion in 1929. Note that it’s no longer free to enter the cathedral (entry is included in the combined ticket to see the main castle sights). It’s perfectly okay just to wander around inside and gawk at the splendor, but you’ll get much more out of the visit with the audio guide, which is available at the castle information center.

Once you enter the cathedral, pause to take in the vast but delicate beauty of the Gothic and neo-Gothic interior. Colorful light filters through the brilliant stained-glass windows. This western third of the structure, including the façade and the two towers you can see from outside, was not completed until 1929, following the initiative of the Union for the Completion of the Cathedral. Don’t let the neo-Gothic illusion keep you from examining this new section. The six stained-glass windows to your left and right and the large rose window behind are modern masterpieces. Take a good look at the third window up on the left. The familiar art nouveau flamboyance, depicting the blessing of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (9th-century missionaries to the Slavs), is the work of Alfons Mucha, the Czech founder of the style. He achieved the subtle coloring by painting rather than staining the glass.

Walking halfway up the right-hand aisle, you will find the Svatováclavská kaple (Chapel of St. Wenceslas). With a tomb holding the saint’s remains, walls covered in semiprecious stones, and paintings depicting the life of Wenceslas, this square chapel is the ancient core of the cathedral. Stylistically, it represents a high point of the dense, richly decorated—though rather gloomy—Gothic favored by Charles IV and his successors. Wenceslas (the “good king” of the Christmas carol) was a determined Christian in an era of widespread paganism. Around 925, as prince of Bohemia, he founded a rotunda church dedicated to St. Vitus on this site. But the prince’s brother, Boleslav, was impatient to take power, and he ambushed and killed Wenceslas in 935 near a church at Stará Boleslav, northeast of Prague. Wenceslas was originally buried in that church, but so many miracles happened at his grave that he rapidly became a symbol of piety for the common people, something that greatly irritated the new Prince Boleslav. Boleslav was finally forced to honor his brother by reburying the body in the St. Vitus Rotunda. Shortly afterward, Wenceslas was canonized.

The rotunda was replaced by a Romanesque basilica in the late 11th century. Work began on the existing building in 1344. For the first few years the chief architect was the Frenchman Mathias d’Arras, but after his death in 1352 the work continued under the direction of 22-year-old German architect Peter Parler, who went on to build the Charles Bridge and many other Prague treasures.

The small door in the back of the chapel leads to the Korunní komora (Crown Chamber), the Bohemian crown jewels’ repository. It remains locked with seven keys held by seven important people (including the president) and rarely opens to the public.

A little beyond the Chapel of St. Wenceslas on the same side, stairs lead down to the underground royal crypt, interesting primarily for the information it provides about the cathedral’s history. As you descend the stairs, you can see parts of the old Romanesque basilica and portions of the foundations of the rotunda. Moving into the second room, you find a rather eclectic group of royal remains ensconced in sarcophagi dating from the 1930s. In the center is Charles IV, who died in 1378. Rudolf II, patron of Renaissance Prague, is entombed at the rear in his original tin coffin. To his right is Maria Amalia, the only child of Empress Maria Theresa to reside in Prague. Ascending the wooden steps back into the cathedral brings you to the white-marble Kralovské mausoleum (Royal Mausoleum), atop which lie stone statues of the first two Hapsburg kings to rule in Bohemia, Ferdinand I and Maximilian II, and another of Ferdinand’s consort, Anne Jagiello.

The cathedral’s Kralovské oratorium (Royal Oratory) was used by the kings and their families when attending mass. Built in 1493, the work represents a perfect example of late Gothic. It’s laced on the outside with a stone network of gnarled branches, similar in pattern to the ceiling vaulting in the Královský palác. The oratory connects to the palace by an elevated covered walkway, which you can see from outside.

A few more steps toward the east end, you can’t fail to catch sight of the ornate silver sarcophagus of St. John of Nepomuk. According to legend, when Nepomuk’s body was exhumed in 1721 to be reinterred, the tongue was found to be still intact and pumping with blood. This strange tale served a highly political purpose: the Catholic Church and the Hapsburgs were seeking a new folk hero to replace the Protestant forerunner Jan Hus, whom they despised. The 14th-century priest Nepomuk, killed during a power struggle with King Václav IV, was sainted and reburied a few years later with great ceremony in a 3,700-pound silver tomb, replete with angels and cherubim; the tongue was enshrined in its own reliquary.

The eight chapels around the back of the cathedral are the work of the original architect, Mathias d’Arras. A number of old tombstones, including some badly worn grave markers of medieval royalty, can be seen within, amid furnishings from later periods. Opposite the wooden relief, depicting the Protestants’ looting of the cathedral in 1619, is the Valdštejnská kaple (Wallenstein Chapel). Since the 19th century the chapel has housed the Gothic tombstones of its two architects, d’Arras and Peter Parler, who died in 1352 and 1399, respectively. If you look up to the balcony, you can just make out the busts of these two men, designed by Parler’s workshop. The other busts around the triforium depict royalty and other VIPs of the time.

The Hussite wars in the 15th century put an end to the first phase of the cathedral’s construction. During the short era of illusory peace before the Thirty Years’ War, the massive south tower was completed, but lack of money quashed any idea of finishing the building, and the cathedral was closed in by a wall built across from the Chapel of St. Wenceslas. Not until the 20th century was the western side of the cathedral, with its two towers, completed in the spirit of Parler’s conception.

A key element of the cathedral’s teeming, rich exterior decoration is the Last Judgment mosaic above the ceremonial entrance, called the Golden Portal, on the south side. The use of mosaic is quite rare in countries north of the Alps; this work, constructed from 1 million glass and stone tesserae, dates to the 1370s. The once-clouded glass now sparkles again, thanks to many years of restoration funded by the Getty Conservation Institute. The central field shows Christ in glory, adored by Charles IV and his consort, Elizabeth of Pomerania, as well as several saints; the risen dead and attendant angels are on the left; and on the right the flames of Hell lick around the figure of Satan. Hrad III. nádvoří 2, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.katedralasvatehovita.cz Included in 2-day castle ticket (250 Kč–350 Kč) Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Druhé nádvoří (Second Courtyard ). Except for the view of the spires of St. Vitus’s Cathedral, the exterior courtyard offers little for the eye to feast on. Empress Maria Theresa’s court architect, Nicolò Pacassi, received imperial approval to remake the castle in the 1760s, as it was badly damaged by Prussian shelling during the Seven Years’ War in 1757. The Second Courtyard was the main victim of Pacassi’s attempts at imparting classical grandeur to what had been a picturesque collection of Gothic and Renaissance styles. This courtyard also houses the rather gaudy Kaple svatého Kříže (Chapel of the Holy Cross), with decorations from the 18th and 19th centuries, which now serves as a souvenir and ticket stand.

Built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the Second Courtyard was originally part of a reconstruction program commissioned by Rudolf II. He amassed a large and famed collection of fine and decorative art, scientific instruments, philosophical and alchemical books, natural wonders, coins, and a hodgepodge of other treasures. The bulk of the collection was looted by the Swedes during the Thirty Years’ War, removed to Vienna when the imperial capital returned there after Rudolf’s death, or auctioned off during the 18th century. Artworks that survived the turmoil, for the most part acquired after Rudolf’s time, are displayed in the Obrazárna (Picture Gallery) on the courtyard’s left side as you face St. Vitus’s. In rooms redecorated by castle architect Bořek Šípek, there are good Renaissance, mannerist, and baroque paintings that demonstrate the luxurious tastes of Rudolf’s court. Across the passageway by the gallery entrance is the Císařská konírna (Imperial Stable), where temporary exhibitions are held. The passageway at the northern end of the courtyard forms the northern entrance to the castle, and leads out over a luxurious ravine known as the Jelení příkop (Stag Moat), which can be entered either here or at the lower end via the metal catwalk off Chotkova ulice, when it isn’t closed for sporadic renovations. Obrazárna, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Courtyard free; Picture Gallery 150 Kč or 250 Kč–350 Kč as part of a 2-day ticket, free Mon. 4–6 Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Královská zahrada (Royal Garden ). This peaceful swath of greenery affords lovely views of St. Vitus’s Cathedral and the Castle’s walls and bastions. Originally laid out in the 16th century, it endured devastation in war, neglect in times of peace, and many redesigns, reaching its present parklike form early in the 20th century. Luckily, its Renaissance treasures survived. One of these is the long, narrow Míčovna (Ball Game Hall), built by Bonifaz Wohlmut in 1568, its garden front completely covered by a dense tangle of allegorical sgraffiti.

The Královský letohrádek (Royal Summer Palace, also known as the Belvedere), at the garden’s eastern end, deserves its unusual reputation as one of the most beautiful Renaissance structures north of the Alps. Italian architects began it; Wohlmut finished it off in the 1560s with a copper roof like an upturned boat’s keel riding above the graceful arcades of the ground floor. During the 18th and 19th centuries military engineers tested artillery in the interior, which had already lost its rich furnishings to Swedish soldiers during their siege of the city in 1648. The Renaissance-style giardinetto (little garden) adjoining the summer palace centers on another masterwork, the Italian-designed, Czech-produced Singing Fountain, which resonates from the sound of falling water. U Prašného mostu ulice and Mariánské hradby ulice near Chotkovy Park, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

QUICK BITES

Lobkowicz Palace Café. Break for a coffee, pastry, or even lunch and enjoy one of the loveliest views of the city from the outdoor terrace of the Lobkowicz Palace Café. The menu is a touch expensive, but full of delicious sandwiches, including ham and cheese, tuna, and smoked salmon, plus beverages and desserts. It’s an enchanting place to while away an hour. Lobkovický palác, Jirska 3, Pražský Hrad 233–356–978 www.lobkowicz.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Lobkovický palác (Lobkowicz Palace ). Greatly benefiting from a recent renovation, this palace is a showcase for baroque and rococo styling. Exhibits trace the ancestry of the Lobkowicz family, who were great patrons of the arts in their heyday. (Beethoven was one of the artists who received their funding.) The audio tour adds a personal touch: it’s narrated by William Lobwicz, the family scion who spearheaded the property’s restitution and rehabilitation, and includes quite a few anecdotes about the family through the years. Although inside Prague Castle, this museum has a separate admission. Jiřská 3, Pražský Hrad 233–312–925 www.lobkowicz.cz 300 Kč Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Starý královský palác (Old Royal Palace ). A jumble of styles and add-ons from different eras are gathered in this palace. The best way to grasp its size is from within the Vladislavský sál (Vladislav Hall), the largest secular Gothic interior space in Central Europe. Benedikt Ried completed the hall in 1493. (He was to late Bohemian Gothic what Peter Parler was to the earlier version.) The room imparts a sense of space and light, softened by the sensuous lines of the vaulted ceilings and brought to a dignified close by the simple oblong form of the early Renaissance windows. In its heyday, the hall held jousting tournaments, festive markets, banquets, and coronations. In more recent times, it has been used to inaugurate presidents, from the communist leader Klement Gottwald (in 1948) to modern-day leaders like Václav Havel and current president Miloš Zeman.

From the front of the hall, turn right into the rooms of the Česká kancelář (Bohemian Chancellery). This wing was built by Benedikt Ried only 10 years after the hall was completed, but it shows a much stronger Renaissance influence. Pass through the portal into the last chamber of the chancellery. In 1618 this room was the site of the second defenestration of Prague, an event that marked the beginning of the Bohemian rebellion and, ultimately, the Thirty Years’ War throughout Europe. The square window used in this protest is on the left as you enter the room.

At the back of Vladislav Hall a staircase leads up to a gallery of the Kaple všech svatých (All Saints’ Chapel). Little remains of Peter Parler’s original work, but the church contains some fine works of art. The large room to the left of the staircase is the Stará sněmovna (council chamber), where the Bohemian nobles met with the king in a prototype parliament of sorts. The descent from Vladislav Hall toward what remains of the Romanský palác (Romanesque Palace) is by way of a wide, shallow set of steps. This Jezdecké schody (Riders’ Staircase) was the entranceway for knights who came for the jousting tournaments. Hrad III. nádvoří, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Included in 2-day castle ticket (250 Kč–350 Kč) Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Zlatá ulička (Golden Lane ). A jumbled collection of tiny, ancient, brightly colored houses crouched under the fortification wall look remarkably like a set for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Purportedly, these were the lodgings for an international group of alchemists whom Rudolf II brought to the court to produce gold. But the truth is a little less romantic: the houses were built during the 16th century for the castle guards. By the early 20th century Golden Lane had become the home of poor artists and writers. Franz Kafka, who lived at No. 22 in 1916 and 1917, described the house on first sight as “so small, so dirty, impossible to live in, and lacking everything necessary.” But he soon came to love the place. As he wrote to his fiancée, “Life here is something special, to close out the world not just by shutting the door to a room or apartment but to the whole house, to step out into the snow of the silent lane.” The lane now holds tiny stores selling books, music, and crafts, and has become so popular that an admission fee is charged. The houses are cute, but crowds can be uncomfortable, and the fact remains that you are paying money for the privilege of shopping in jammed little stores. Within the walls above Golden Lane, a timber-roof corridor (enter between No. 23 and No. 24) is lined with replica suits of armor and weapons (some of them for sale), mock torture chambers, and the like. Zlatá ulička, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Included in 2-day castle ticket (250 Kč–350 Kč) Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

WORTH NOTING

Matyášova brána (Matthias Gate ). Built in 1614, this stone gate once stood alone in front of the moats and bridges that surrounded the castle. Under the Hapsburgs, the gate survived by being grafted as a relief onto the palace building. As you go through it, notice the ceremonial white-marble entrance halls on either side that lead up to the Czech president’s reception rooms (which are only rarely open to the public). Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

První nádvoří (First Courtyard ). The main entrance to Prague Castle from Hradčanské náměstí is certain to impress any first-time visitor. Going through the wrought-iron gate, guarded at ground level by colorful Czech soldiers and from above by the ferocious Battling Titans (a copy of Ignaz Platzer’s original 18th-century work), you enter this courtyard, built on the site of old moats and gates that once separated the Castle from the surrounding buildings and thus protected the vulnerable western flank. The courtyard is one of the more recent additions to the Castle, designed by Maria Theresa’s court architect, Nicolò Pacassi, in the 1760s. Today it forms part of the presidential office complex. Pacassi’s reconstruction was intended to unify the eclectic collection of buildings that made up the Castle, but the effect of his work is somewhat flat. ■ TIP → Try to arrive on the hour to witness the changing of the guard; the fanfare peaks at noon with a special flag ceremony in the First Courtyard. První nádvoří, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

Třetí nádvoří (Third Courtyard ). The contrast between the cool, dark interior of St. Vitus’s Cathedral and the brightly colored Pacassi façades of the Third Courtyard just outside is startling. Noted Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik created the courtyard’s clean lines in the 1930s, but the modern look is a deception. Plečnik’s paving was intended to cover an underground world of house foundations, streets, and walls dating to the 9th through 12th centuries and rediscovered when the cathedral was completed. (You can see a few archways through a grating in a wall of the cathedral.) Plečnik added a few features to catch the eye: a granite obelisk to commemorate the fallen of World War I, a black-marble pedestal for the Gothic statue of St. George (a copy of the National Gallery’s original statue), an inconspicuous entrance to his Bull Staircase leading down to the south garden, and a peculiar golden ball topping the eagle fountain near the eastern end of the courtyard. Třetí nádvoří, Pražský Hrad 224–372–434 www.hrad.cz Line A: Malostranská plus Tram No. 22 to Pražský Hrad .

NOVÉ MĚSTO (NEW TOWN) AND VYŠEHRAD

To this day, Charles IV’s building projects are tightly woven into the daily lives of Prague citizens. His most extensive scheme, Nové Město, or the New Town, is still such a lively, vibrant area you may hardly realize that its streets and squares were planned as far back as 1348. In other words, the area is about as “new” as the Charles Bridge.

NOVÉ MĚSTO (NEW TOWN)

Though Nové Město translates as “New Town,” its origins go all the way back to the 14th century and Emperor Charles IV. As Prague outgrew its Old Town parameters, Charles IV extended the city’s fortifications. A high wall surrounded the newly developed 2½-square-km (1½-square-mile) area south and east of the Old Town, tripling the walled territory on the Vltava’s right bank. The wall extended south to link with the fortifications of the citadel called Vyšehrad.

But don’t come here looking for Old Town charm. This part of the city was thoroughly rebuilt in the mid-19th century in the neoclassical and neo-Renaissance styles, and today forms the modern heart of the city, particularly around the two main squares: Václavské náměstí and Karlovo náměstí. The area is great for hotels and restaurants, but the number of traditional sights is relatively small with just a handful of important museums and churches.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

The best Metro stops for this area are those at Karlovo náměstí (Line B), Muzeum (Lines A and C), and Můstek (Lines A and B).

TIMING

The New Town covers a large area and is best approached depending on what you want to see. Leave at least an hour or two to cover the areas around Václavské náměstí and Karlovo náměstí on foot, with another hour or two for the museums, churches, or parks you plan to visit.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square ). This square began life as a cattle market, a function chosen by Charles IV when he established the New Town in 1348. The horse market (now Wenceslas Square) quickly overtook it as a livestock-trading center, and an untidy collection of shacks accumulated here until the mid-1800s, when it became a green park named for its patron. Glassy, modern buildings clash with surrounding older architecture, but it’s quite representative of Prague’s past and present united in one spot. Bounded by Řeznická on the north, U Nemocnice on the south, Karlovo nám. on the west, and Vodičkova on the east, Nové Mesto Line B: Karlovo náměstí .

THE SQUARE THAT’S ACTUALLY A ROAD

Václavské náměstí is a long, gently sloping boulevard rather than an actual square. More than Old Town Square, it’s the commercial heart of Prague today much as it was a hundred years ago. At the end of November 1989, hundreds of thousands of Czechs gathered here to demand an end to the communist government. The image beamed to television sets around the world showed thousands of Czechs jangling their keys as a signal of protest: “Time to leave.”

NEED A BREAK

Pivovarksy Dům. Parched from your circuit of the square? Walk up Ječná Street from Karlovo Náměstí to Lipová 15, where you’ll find Pivovarksy Dům. They brew their own beers on the premises, including limited-edition flavors with coffee and banana, and pair them with Czech culinary staples like roast pork and dumplings or a bowl of goulash. ■ TIP → Time your arrival outside of normal meal times, or you’ll have to book in advance to get a table. Lipová 15, Nové Mesto 296–216–666 www.pivovarskydum.com Line C: I.P. Pavlova or Line B: Karlovo náměstí .

Mucha Museum. For decades it was almost impossible to find an Alfons Mucha original in his homeland, but in 1998 this private museum opened with nearly 100 works from this justly famous Czech artist’s long career. Everything you expect to see from the man famed for his art nouveau style is here—the theater posters of actress Sarah Bernhardt, the eye-popping advertising posters, and the sinuous, intricate designs. Also exhibited are paintings, photographs taken in Mucha’s studio (one shows Paul Gauguin playing the piano in his underwear), and even Czechoslovak banknotes designed by Mucha. Panská 7, 1 block off Wenceslas Sq., across from Palace Hotel, Nové Mesto 224–216–415 www.mucha.cz 240 Kč Lines A & B: Můstek .

Muzeum Antonína Dvořáka (Antonín Dvořák Museum ). The stately red-and-yellow baroque villa housing this museum displays the 19th-century Czech composer’s scores, photographs, viola, piano, and other memorabilia. The statues in the garden date to about 1735; the house is from 1720. Check the schedule for classical performances, as recitals are often held in the first floor of the two-story villa. Ke Karlovu 20, Nové Mesto 224–918–013 www.nm.cz 50 Kč Closed Mon. Line C: I. P. Pavlova .

Národní divadlo (National Theater ). Statues representing Drama and Opera rise above the riverfront side entrances to this theater, and two gigantic chariots flank figures of Apollo and the nine Muses above the main façade. The performance space lacks restraint as well: it’s filled with gilding, voluptuous plaster figures, and plush upholstery. The idea for a Czech national theater began during the revolutionary decade of the 1840s. In a telling display of national pride, donations to fund the plan poured in from all over the country, from people of every socioeconomic stratum. The cornerstone was laid in 1868, and the “National Theater generation” who built the neo-Renaissance structure became the architectural and artistic establishment for decades to come. Its designer, Josef Zítek, was the leading neo-Renaissance architect in Bohemia. The nearly finished interior was gutted by a fire in 1881, and Zítek’s onetime student Josef Schulz saw the reconstruction through to completion two years later. Today, it’s still the country’s leading dramatic stage. ■ TIP → Guided tours in English (for groups only) can be arranged by phone or email in advance. Národní 2, Nové Mesto 224–901–448 for box office www.narodni-divadlo.cz Tours 200 Kč Line A: Staroměstská .

Fodor’s Choice Tančící dům (Dancing House ). This whimsical building, one of Prague’s most popular, came to life in 1996 as a team effort from architect Frank Gehry (of Guggenheim Bilbao fame) and his Croatian-Czech collaborator Vlado Milunic. A wasp-waisted glass-and-steel tower sways into the main columned structure as though they were a couple on the dance floor—the “Fred and Ginger” effect gave the building its nickname. It’s notable for a Gehry piece as it’s more grounded in the surrounding area than his larger projects. The building houses offices and isn’t open to the general public. Rašínovo nábř. 80, Nové Mesto .

Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square ). This “square”—more of a rectangle, actually—was first laid out by Charles IV in 1348, and began its existence as a horse market at the center of the New Town. Today, it functions as the commercial heart of the city center and is far brasher and more modern than the Old Town Square. Throughout much of Czech history, Wenceslas Square has served as the focal point for public demonstrations and celebrations. It was here in the heady days of November 1989 that some 500,000 people gathered to protest the policies of the then-communist regime. After a week of demonstrations, the government capitulated without a shot fired or the loss of a single life. After that, the first democratic government in 40 years (under playwright-president Václav Havel) was swept into office. This peaceful transfer of power is referred to as the Velvet Revolution. (The subsequent “Velvet Divorce” from Slovakia took effect in 1993.) Václavské náměstí, Nové Mesto Line A: Muzeum; Lines A & B: Můstek .

NEED A BREAK

Caffé Fresco. If you’re worn out after the long uphill climb to the bluff, Café Fresco serves up Italian salads and panini, plus a revivifying set of espresso drinks. It’s on the way to or from the Vyšehrad metro stop. And if your legs are really killing you, there’s also a Thai massage studio next door. Rezidence Vyšehrad, Lumírova 33, Vyšehrad 234–724–230 www.caffe-fresco.com Line C: Vyšehrad .

WORTH NOTING

Klášter Emauzy (Emmaus Monastery ). Another of Charles IV’s gifts to the city, the Benedictine monastery sits south of Karlovo náměstí. It’s often called Na Slovanech (literally, “At the Slavs”), which refers to its purpose when it was established in 1347. The emperor invited Croatian monks here to celebrate mass in Old Slavonic, and thus cultivate religion among the Slavs in a city largely controlled by Germans. A faded but substantially complete cycle of biblical scenes by Charles’s court artists lines the four cloister walls. The frescoes, and especially the abbey church, suffered heavy damage from a raid by Allied bombers on February 14, 1945; it’s believed they may have mistaken Prague for Dresden, 121 km (75 miles) away. The church lost its spires, and the interior remained a blackened shell until a renovation was begun in 1998; the church reopened to the public in 2003. Vyšehradská 49, cloister entrance on left at rear of church, Vyšehrad www.emauzy.cz 50 Kč Line B: Karlovo náměstí .

Národní muzeum (National Museum ). Housed in a grandiose neo-Renaissance structure at the top of Wenceslas Square, the National Museum was built between 1885 to 1890 as a symbol of the Czech national revival. Indeed, the building’s exterior is so impressive that invading Soviet soldiers in 1968 mistook it for parliament. The holdings are a cross between natural history and ethnography and include dinosaur bones, minerals, textiles, coins and many, many other things. In 2011, the museum closed until 2018 for a long-overdue renovation, though the annex next door at Vinohradská 1 continues to hold temporary exhibitions. Václavské nám. 68, Nové Mesto 224–497–111 www.nm.cz Temporary exhibitions 100 Kč Lines A & C: Muzeum .

Novoměstská radnice (New Town Hall ). At the northern edge of Karlovo náměstí, the New Town Hall has a late-Gothic tower similar to that of the Old Town Hall, plus three tall Renaissance gables. The first defenestration in Prague occurred here on July 30, 1419, when a mob of townspeople, followers of the martyred religious reformer Jan Hus, hurled Catholic town councilors out the windows. Historical exhibitions and contemporary art shows are held regularly in the gallery, and you can climb the tower for a view of the New Town. As in Old Town, this town hall is a popular venue for weddings. Karlovo nám. 23, at Vodičkova, Nové Mesto 224–948–229 www.nrpraha.cz 50 Kč tower and exhibits on tower premises, gallery shows vary (not included in tower admission) Closed Mon.

Statue of St. Wenceslas. Josef Václav Myslbek’s impressive equestrian representation of St. Wenceslas with other Czech patron saints around him has been a traditional meeting place for locals for years (“Let’s meet at the horse,” as the expression goes). In 1939, Czechs gathered here to oppose Hitler’s annexation of Bohemia and Moravia. In 1969, student Jan Palach set himself on fire near here to protest the Soviet-led invasion of the country a year earlier. And in 1989, many thousands successfully gathered here and all along the square to demand the end of the communist government. Václavské nám., Nové Mesto Lines A & C: Muzeum .

VYŠEHRAD

The high-top Vyšehrad Citadel once rivaled Prague Castle in size and importance, but much of the historic architecture was leveled in the Hussite wars of the 15th century. The area got a new lease on life in the 18th century as a military fortress, and the casements remain one of the leading attractions. There’s also a grand neo-Gothic cathedral and the country’s most important cemetery. For many Prague residents, though, a trip here means simply a chance to enjoy the fresh air and stunning views of Prague Castle in the distance.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

Metro Line C (to Vyšehrad station) will get you closest to Vyšehrad Citadel (the High Castle), but even from here, the ruins are a good 15-minute walk away.

TIMING

Plan a whole day, as it takes about two hours to get here, and you’ll want ample time to see the sights and relax on the grass—the castle grounds can easily absorb several hours. Vyšehrad is open every day, year-round, and the views are especially stunning on a day with clear skies.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Cubist houses. Bordered to the north by Nové Město and to the south by Nusle, Vyšehrad is mostly visited for its citadel high above the river on a rocky outcropping. However, fans of 20th-century architecture—you know who you are—will find cubist gems between the area’s riverfront street and the homes that dot the hills on the other side. Prague’s cubist architecture followed a great Czech tradition: embracing new ideas, while adapting them to existing artistic and social contexts to create something sui generis. Between 1912 and 1914 Josef Chochol (1880–1956) designed several of the city’s dozen or so cubist projects. His apartment house at Neklanova 30, on the corner of Neklanova and Přemyslova, is a masterpiece in concrete. The pyramidal, kaleidoscopic window moldings and roof cornices make an expressive link to the baroque yet are wholly novel; the faceted corner balcony column, meanwhile, alludes to Gothic forerunners. On the same street, at No. 2, is another apartment house attributed to Chochol. Like the building at No. 30, it uses pyramidal shapes and a suggestion of Gothic columns. Nearby, Chochol’s villa, on the embankment at Libušina 3, has an undulating effect, created by smoothly articulated forms. The wall and gate around the back of the house use triangular moldings and metal grating to create an effect of controlled energy. The three-family house, about 100 yards away from the villa at Rašínovo nábřeží 6–10, was completed slightly earlier, when Chochol’s cubist style was still developing. Here the design is touched with baroque and neoclassical influence, with a mansard roof and end gables. Neklanova, Vyšehrad Line B: Karlovo náměstí .

PRAGUE’S PLAQUES

The famous, the forgotten, and the victims. Throughout the center of town a large number of plaques and even busts are attached to the sides of buildings marking the famous and sometimes not-so-famous people who lived or worked there. Composer Frederick Chopin can be found across from Obecní dům (the Municipal House) on the side of the Czech National Bank. Scientists like Albert Einstein—who was friends with author Franz Kafka, according to a marker on Old Town Square—also turn up. Some Czech figures like composer Bedřich Smetana or painter Josef Manés might be recognizable, while many plaques commemorate totally obscure teachers, civic organizers, or members of the 19th-century national awakening.

One set of plaques stands out from the rest—those marking the victims of the Prague Uprising that took place May 5–8, 1945. These mark where Prague citizens who tried to battle the German army at the end of World War II were killed. Many plaques depict a hand with two upraised fingers and the phrase věrni zůstaneme, meaning “remain faithful.” Foil-covered wreaths are still regularly hung underneath them.

The area around Wenceslas Square has several, including one on the side of the main Post Office on Jindřišská Street. Two plaques can even be found on the back of the plinth of the Jan Hus statue on Old Town Square.

Some of the more touching ones have black-and-white photographs of the victims, such as a marker for 23-year-old Viktorie Krupková, who was killed on Újezd near Řiční Street, just across from Petřín.

The area around Czech Radio headquarters on Vinohradská Street in Vinohrady has many, as well as some plaques for victims of the 1968 Soviet-led invasion. Fighting for control of the radio station was fierce during the invasion.

Vyšehrad Citadel (Vyšehrad Fortress ). Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem Vyšehrad opens with four bardic harp chords that echo the legends surrounding this ancient fortress. Today the flat-top bluff stands over the right bank of the Vltava as a green, tree-dotted expanse showing few signs that splendid medieval monuments once made it a landmark to rival Prague Castle.

The Vyšehrad, or “High Castle,” was constructed by Vratislav II (ruled 1061–92), a Přemyslid duke who became the first king of Bohemia. He made the fortified hilltop his capital. Under subsequent rulers it fell into disuse until the 14th century, when Charles IV transformed the site into an ensemble including palaces, the main church, battlements, and a massive gatehouse whose scant remains are on V Pevnosti ulice. By the 17th century royalty had long since departed, and most of the structures they built were crumbling. Vyšehrad was turned into a fortress.

Vyšehrad’s place in the modern Czech imagination is largely thanks to the National Revivalists of the 19th century, particularly writer Alois Jirásek. Jirásek mined medieval chronicles for legends and facts to glorify the early Czechs, and that era of Czech history is very much in the popular consciousness today.

Traces of the citadel’s distant past can be found at every turn, and are reflected even in the structure chosen for the visitor center, the remains of a Gothic stone fortification wall known as Špička, or Peak Gate, at the corner of V Pevnosti and U Podolského Sanatoria. Farther ahead is the sculpture-covered Leopold Gate, which stands next to brick walls enlarged during the 1742 occupation by the French. Out of the gate, a heavily restored Romanesque rotunda, built by Vratislav II in the 11th century, stands on the corner of K Rotundě and Soběslavova. It’s considered the oldest fully intact Romanesque building in the city. Down Soběslavova are the excavated foundations and a few embossed floor tiles from the late-10th-century Basilika svatého Vavřince (St. Lawrence Basilica, closed to the public). The foundations, discovered in 1884 while workers were creating a cesspool, are in a baroque structure at Soběslavova 14. The remains are from one of the few early medieval buildings to have survived in the area and are worth a look. On the western side of Vyšehrad, part of the fortifications stand next to the surprisingly confined foundation mounds of a medieval palace overlooking a ruined watchtower called Libuše’s Bath, which precariously juts out of a rocky outcropping over the river. A nearby plot of grass hosts a statue of Libuše and her consort Přemysl, one of four large, sculpted images of couples from Czech legend by J. V. Myslbek (1848–1922), the sculptor of the St. Wenceslas monument.

The military history of the fortress and the city is covered in a small exhibit inside the Cihelná brána (Brick Gate), but the real attraction is the casemates, a long, dark passageway within the walls that ends at a dank hall used to store several original, pollution-scarred Charles Bridge sculptures. A guided tour into the casemates and the statue storage room starts at the military history exhibit; it has a separate admission fee. V Pevnosti 5b, Vyšehrad 241–410–247 www.praha-vysehrad.cz Grounds and cemetery free, casemates tour 60 Kč, Gothic cellar 50 Kč Line C: Vyšehrad .

VINOHRADY AND ŽIŽKOV

Personalitywise, Vinohrady and Žižkov are a bit of an odd couple, as signified by their representative beverages: Vinohrady was once the wine-producing center of the city and has the mannered homes to match. Žižkov is known for its pubs and its boisterous beer scene.

VINOHRADY

From Riegrovy Park the eclectic apartment buildings and villas of the elegant residential neighborhood called Vinohrady extend eastward and southward. The pastel-tint formation of turn-of-the-20th-century houses—which not long ago were still crumbling after years of neglect—are now chockablock with upscale flats, slick offices, eternally packed restaurants, and all manner of shops. Much of the development lies on or near Vinohradská, the main street, which extends from the top of Wenceslas Square to a belt of enormous cemeteries about 3 km (2 miles) eastward. Yet the flavor of daily life persists: smoky old pubs still ply their trade on the quiet side streets; the stately theater, Divadlo na Vinohradech, keeps putting on excellent shows as it has for decades; and on the squares and in the parks nearly everyone still practices Prague’s favorite form of outdoor exercise—walking the dog.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

Vinohrady is best approached from Metro Line A. The neighborhood’s main Metro stops are Muzeum, Náměstí Miru and Jiřího z Poděbrad.

TIMING

Here, as opposed to central Prague, you won’t need to worry about timing your visit to avoid bands of roving tourists. Happily, this area is mostly occupied by local residents.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně (Church of the Most Sacred Heart ). If you’ve had your fill of Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque, this church will give you a look at a startling modernist art deco edifice. Designed in 1927 by Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik (the same architect commissioned to update Prague Castle), the church resembles a luxury ocean liner more than a place of worship. The effect was purposeful, as during the 1920s and 1930s the avant-garde imitated mammoth objects of modern technology. Plečnik used many modern elements on the inside. You may be able to find someone at the back entrance of the church who will let you walk up the long ramp into the fascinating glass clock tower. It’s hard to miss the structure, which looms as you exit the metro. ■ TIP → Note that entrance is only allowed 40 minutes before and after mass. Nám. Jiřího z Poděbrad, Vinohrady srdcepane.cz Free Line A: Jiřího z Poděbrad .

WORTH NOTING

Nový židovský hřbitov (New Jewish Cemetery ). In this, the newest of the city’s half-dozen Jewish burial grounds, you can find the modest tombstone of Franz Kafka, which seems grossly inadequate to Kafka’s fame but oddly in proportion to his own modest sense of self. The cemetery is usually open, although guards sometimes inexplicably seal off the grounds. Men may be required to wear a yarmulke (you can buy one here if you need to). Turn right at the main cemetery gate and follow the wall for about 100 yards. Kafka’s thin white tombstone lies at the front of section 21. City maps may label the cemetery “Židovské hřbitovy.” Vinohradská at Jana Želivského, Vinohrady 226–235–248 www.kehilaprag.cz Line A: Želivského .

ŽIŽKOV

For Prague residents, Žižkov is synonymous with pubs. There are more places to knock back a Pilsner Urquell or a shot of Fernet Stock per square inch here than anywhere else in the city, giving it a kind of seedy reputation that it doesn’t deserve. Nowadays the district is starting to recoup. Some of the city’s coolest cafés, clubs, and trendy apartments have opened up here. There are still some—in fact, lots of—crumbling, run-down areas, but it’s also one of the most interesting districts in the city for its nightlife and dining.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

Žižkov is not directly served by any Metro line, though the Line A stop at Jiřího z Poděbrad will bring you within about 10 minutes’ walking distance. By tram, you can reach the heart of Zizkov in 2–3 stops on No. 5, 9, or 26 departing from just north of the main train station, Hlavní nádraží.

TIMING

Here, as opposed to central Prague, you won’t need to worry about timing your visit to avoid bands of roving tourists. There are few traditional sights and the area is almost entirely free of visitors.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

National Memorial on Vítkov Hill. Vítkov Hill, one of the highest points in the city, is topped by the largest equestrian statue in the world—a 16½-ton metal sculpture of one-eyed Hussite leader Jan Žižka on horseback. The 20th-century memorial was originally built to honor the war heroes of World War I, but was used for a time during the communist period (1953–62) to display the mummified body of the country’s first communist leader, Klement Gottwald. Now, the building houses the National Museum’s permanent exhibition of 20th-century Czech history, with moving displays on the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918, the Nazi occupation in 1939, the communist coup d’état in 1948, the Warsaw Pact invasion in 1968, and finally the fall of communism in 1989. There’s a great view over the city from the top of the building, and a fascinating exhibition downstairs on embalming and preserving Gottwald’s body. U Památníku 1900, Žižkov 222–781–676 www.nm.cz 120 Kč Closed Mon.–Wed. Lines B & C: Florenc plus bus .

WORTH NOTING

Žižkov TV Tower. Looking like a freakish, futuristic rocket ready to blast off, the Žižkov TV Tower is easily visible from around the city and perennially makes it onto Top 10 World’s Ugliest Buildings lists. The upper-floor platform, reached by a high-speed elevator, gives a bird’s-eye view of the numerous courtyards and apartment blocks that make up the city. There’s also a bar, restaurant, and luxury hotel up there. Once back down on the ground, look up its 709-foot gray steel legs at the bronze statues of babies crawling on the structure, which were created by local provocateur artist David Černy. Mahlerovy sady 1, Žižkov www.towerpark.cz 200 Kč Line A: Jiřího z Poděbrad .

LETNÁ, HOLEŠOVICE, AND TROJA

All three of these neighborhoods are up and coming, with new cultural and dining attractions popping up weekly. Come here to get away from the tourist masses and witness the rapid pace of the city’s post–Velvet Revolution evolution.

LETNÁ

From above the Vltava’s left bank, the large, grassy plateau called Letná gives you one of the classic views of the Old Town and the many bridges crossing the river. Beer gardens, tennis, and Frisbee attract people of all ages, while amateur soccer players emulate the professionals of Prague’s top team, Sparta, who play in the stadium just across the road. The Technical Museum is also located near here.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

On foot, get to Letná from the Old Town by walking north on Pařížská Street. Then cross the Čechův Bridge and climb the stairs. By Metro, take Line A to Hradčanská station and then nearly any tram (No. 1, 5, 25, or 26) heading east two stops to Letenské náměstí (Letná Square).

TIMING

Letná park is best enjoyed on a clear summer day, when the view of the bridges stretching out across the Vltava can be clearly seen, and photographed, in the distance. On the park’s eastern end, approximately above Revoluční avenue, is a large beer garden, which is a wonderful spot to spend at least part of a warm evening.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Letenské sady (Letná Park ). Come to this large, shady park for an unforgettable view of Prague’s bridges. From the enormous concrete pedestal at the center of the park—now occupied by a giant working metronome, which some say is marking time since the 1989 Velvet Revolution—the world’s largest statue of Stalin once beckoned to citizens on the Old Town Square below. The statue was blown up in 1962, just seven years after it was completed. On sunny Sundays expats often meet up here to play ultimate Frisbee. In nice weather, there’s a large and popular beer garden at the park’s eastern end. Walk east along Milady Horákové Street after exiting the metro or take the tram. Letná Line A: Hradčanská plus Tram No. 1, 25, or 26 .

WORTH NOTING

Národní technické muzeum FAMILY (National Technical Museum ). This thoroughly renovated and kid-friendly museum is dedicated to the fun aspects of science, technology, and industry. There are full-sized steam locomotives, historic automobiles, and old aircraft on display. There are also engrossing exhibits on photograph and astronomy, and an active program of rotating temporary shows. Kostelní 42, Letná 220–399–111 www.ntm.cz 170 Kč Closed Mon. Line A: Hradčanská plus Tram No. 1, 5, 25, or 26 to Letenské náměstí .

HOLEŠOVICE

The rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Holešovice features many urban riches of its own, including perhaps the city’s most underrated museum, Veletržní palace, which houses the National Gallery’s permanent exhibition of modern art.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

From Letná, 10 minutes of strolling will bring you to Holešovice’s main square at Strossmayerovo náměstí. Just north along Dukelských hrdinů Street is Stromovka—a royal hunting preserve turned gracious park. By Metro, the closest stop to the area is Vltavská, on Line C.

TIMING

There are few tourists in this neck of the woods and little need to think about timing. Serious art fans could spend the better part of the day roaming the Veletržní palác’s four big floors of exhibition space.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Křížikova fontána (Křížík’s Fountain ). Originally built for the Jubilee Industrial Exhibition of 1891, this pressurized-water and colored-light show really comes into its own on summer nights just after sunset. Occasionally, live music accompanies the spectacle of lights, but more often recorded programs of film music, classics, or rock play over the illuminated dancing waters. Shows normally start on the hour at 8, 9, and 10 pm, but check the website for a current schedule. An interesting note: František Křížík, who built the fountain, was a famous inventor of his day and a friend of Thomas Edison. Výstaviště, exhibition grounds, Holešovice 723–665–694 www.krizikovafontana.cz 230 Kč Line C: Nádraží Holešovice .

Fodor’s Choice Veletržní palác (Trade Fair Palace ). The National Gallery’s collection, Art of 19th, 20th, and 21st Centuries, remains the keystone of the city’s visual-arts scene that it has been since its opening in 1995. Touring the vast spaces of this 1920s functionalist exposition hall filled to the brim with quirky, stimulating, comprehensive modern and contemporary local art is the best way to see how Czechs surfed the forefront of the avant-garde wave until the cultural freeze following World War II. Also on display are works by Western European—mostly French—artists from Delacroix to the present—with paintings by Gauguin, Picasso, and Braque an unexpected bonus. Especially haunting are Jakub Schikanaeder’s moody canvases and Arnost Hofbauer’s hushed pilgrimage tableau (which eerily anticipates Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth). But painting is only the beginning—also occupying the many levels of the museum are collage, cubist sculpture, vintage gramophones, futuristic architectural models, art deco furnishings, and an exhaustive gathering of work from this new century, some of which is just as engrossing as the older stuff. Also, watch the papers and posters for information on traveling shows and temporary exhibits. Dukelských hrdinů 47, Holešovice 224–301–122 www.ngprague.cz 180 Kč Closed Mon. Line C: Vltavská .

WORTH NOTING

Lapidárium. A fascinating display of 11th- to 19th-century sculptures rescued from torn-down buildings (or the vicissitudes of Prague’s weather) is sheltered here. Original Charles Bridge statues can be found here, along with a towering bronze monument to Field Marshall Radetsky, a leader of the 19th-century Austrian army. Pieces of a marble fountain that once stood in Old Town Square now occupy most of one room. For horse lovers, there are several fine equestrian statues inside. Výstavišté 422, Holešovice 702–013–372 www.nm.cz 50 Kč Closed Mon. and Tues. Line C: Vltavská .

TROJA

Troja is a remote, green district situated north of Holešovice on the bank of the Vltava. There are several attractions in this part of town, including the Prague City Gallery’s branch at Troja Château, the Prague Botanical Gardens, and the zoo.

GETTING HERE AND AROUND

The easiest way to get here is to take Metro Line C to the stop Nádraží Holešovice and then Bus No. 112 from there.

TIMING

Given the time commitment to reaching Troja, you’ll have to budget at least half a day (longer if you plan on taking in both the Botanical Gardens and the zoo). Try to plan your visit for a weekday, as both the gardens and zoo get big crowds on weekends.

TOP ATTRACTIONS

Botanická zahrada (Botanical Gardens ). Not far from Prague Zoo, the public garden has a path that first takes you through a semidesert environment, then through a tunnel beneath a tropical lake and into a rain forest; you end up cooling off in a room devoted to plants found in tropical mountains. Sliding doors and computer-controlled climate systems help keep it all together. The impressive Fata Morgana, a snaking 429-foot greenhouse that simulates three different environments, has been drawing large crowds since it opened in 2004. Trojská 196, Troja 234–148–111 www.botanicka.cz 150 Kč Line C: Nádraží Holešovicé, then Bus No. 112 .

WORTH NOTING

Trojský zámek (Troja Château ). Built in the late 17th century for the Czech nobleman Count Šternberg, this sprawling summer residence, modeled on a classical Italian villa, had the first French-style gardens in Bohemia. Inside, rich frescoes that took more than 20 years to complete depict the stories of emperors. Outside, a sweeping staircase is adorned with statues of the sons of Mother Earth. ■ TIP → The château is closed from early November through March. U trojského zámku 1, Troja 283–851–614 www.ghmp.cz 120 Kč Closed Mon. and Nov.–Mar. Line C: Nádraží Holešovice, then Bus No. 112 .

Zoologická zahrada v Praze FAMILY (Prague Zoo ). Flora, fauna, and fresh air are the main things you can find in Prague’s zoo. Hit hard by the floods in 2002 when some 134 animals perished, and again in 2013, when much of the zoo’s grounds were inundated with water, Prague’s zoo gets a periodic cleanup and offers a welcome break from the bustle of the city. Covering 160 acres on a slope overlooking the Vltava River, the zoo has thousands of animals representing 500 species. Take the chairlift for an outstanding view of the area. U trojského zámku 3, Troja 296–112–30 www.zoopraha.cz 200 Kč Line C: Nádraží Holešovice, then Bus No. 112 .

KARLŮV MOST (CHARLES BRIDGE)

This is Prague’s signature monument. The view from the foot of the bridge on the Old Town side, encompassing the towers and domes of the Lesser Quarter and the soaring spires of St. Vitus Cathedral, is nothing short of breathtaking.

This heavenly vista subtly changes in perspective as you walk across the bridge, attended by a host of baroque saints that decorate the bridge’s peaceful Gothic stones. At night its drama is spellbinding: St. Vitus Cathedral lit in a ghostly green, the Castle in monumental yellow, and the Church of St. Nicholas in a voluptuous pink, all viewed through the menacing silhouettes of the bowed statues and the Gothic towers. Night is the best time to visit the bridge, which is choked with visitors, vendors, and beggars by day. The later the hour, the thinner the crowds—though the bridge is never truly empty, even at daybreak. Tourists with flash cameras are there all hours of the night, and in the wee hours revelers from the dance clubs at the east end of the bridge stumble across for breakfast.

The bridge is open all day, every day, and entry is free. The easiest way to find the bridge from Old Town Square is to follow the narrow, winding Karlova lane, which begins on the western end of Malé náměstí, just next to Old Town Square, and takes you, twisting and turning, to the foot of the bridge. From the Malá Strana side, start from central Malostranské náměstí and follow the street Mostecká directly to the bridge (you can’t miss it).

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE

When the Přemyslid princes set up residence in Prague during the 10th century, there was a ford across the Vltava here—a vital link along one of Europe’s major trading routes. After several wooden bridges and the first stone bridge washed away in floods, Charles IV appointed the 27-year-old German Peter Parler, the architect of St. Vitus Cathedral, to build a new structure in 1357. It became one of the wonders of the world in the Middle Ages.

After 1620, following the disastrous defeat of Czech Protestants by Catholic Hapsburgs at the Battle of White Mountain, the bridge became a symbol of the Counter-Reformation’s vigorous re-Catholicization efforts.

The religious conflict is less obvious nowadays, leaving behind an artistic tension between baroque and Gothic that gives the bridge its allure.

ABOUT THE TOWER

Staroměstská mostecká věž (Old Town Bridge Tower), at the bridge entrance on the Old Town side, is where Peter Parler, the architect of the Charles Bridge, began his bridge building. The carved façades he designed for the sides of the tower were destroyed by Swedish soldiers in 1648, at the end of the Thirty Years’ War. The sculptures facing the Old Town, however, are still intact (although some are recent copies). They depict an old and gout-ridden Charles IV with his son, who became Wenceslas IV. Above them are two of Bohemia’s patron saints, Adalbert of Prague and Sigismund. The top of the tower offers a spectacular view of the city for 70 Kč; it’s open daily from 10 to 10, year-round.

TOURING THE BRIDGE, STATUE BY STATUE

Take a closer look at some of the statues while walking toward the Lesser Quarter. The third one on the right, a bronze crucifix from the mid-17th century, is the oldest of all. The fifth on the left, which shows St. Frances Xavier carrying four pagan princes (an Indian, Moor, Chinese, and Tartar) ready for conversion, represents an outstanding piece of baroque sculpture. Eighth on the right is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, who according to legend was wrapped in chains and thrown to his death from this bridge. Touching the statue is supposed to bring good luck or, according to some versions of the story, a return visit to Prague. On the left-hand side, sticking out from the bridge between the 9th and 10th statues (the latter has a wonderfully expressive vanquished Satan), stands a Roland (Bruncvík) statue. This knightly figure, bearing the coat of arms of the Old Town, was once a reminder that this part of the bridge belonged to the Old Town before Prague became a unified city in 1784.