Prague

Prague survived the twentieth century with its skyline almost intact, and the result is a city that looks unreal, a thousand years of Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau stacked along a curve of the Vltava. It is also one of Europe’s most popular weekends, which means the centre can feel like a film set at noon. The good news is simple: get up early, cross the river, and the magic comes back. And the beer, genuinely some of the best on the continent, is always close.

Where to stay

The old town is where the postcards live, but you will sleep better and pay less just outside it. Vinohrady, a leafy residential quarter east of the centre, is full of handsome apartment buildings, neighbourhood cafes and tram lines that get you to the river in ten minutes. It is where locals actually live.

For something more atmospheric, look at Mala Strana, the Lesser Town below the castle. It is central but quieter than the old town across the bridge, with cobbled lanes and hidden gardens. Wherever you stay, aim to be within a short walk of a tram stop. Prague’s tram network is fast, cheap and far more pleasant than fighting through the crowds on foot at midday.

Eat and drink

Czech food is built for cold weather and long evenings. The anchor is svickova, braised beef in a creamy root-vegetable sauce with bread dumplings and a spoonful of cranberry, the kind of plate you remember. Goulash here is thicker and beerier than its Hungarian cousin, usually served, again, with dumplings.

But the real ritual is the beer hall. Czechs invented the pale lager the world now drinks, and a half-litre of properly poured Pilsner in an old hospoda costs less than a coffee. Order it tankova, straight from unpasteurised tanks, and you will taste the difference. Pair it with a plate of fried cheese or a pickled sausage and you have a perfectly good dinner.

For a sweeter break, the markets sell trdelnik, the spit-roasted pastry, though locals will tell you it is a tourist invention. They are right, but it is still good warm.

Do not miss

Cross the Charles Bridge at dawn, when the statues are silhouetted against the river mist and you might have it almost to yourself. By ten it belongs to the crowds, so this one is worth setting an alarm for.

Walk up to Prague Castle and the soaring St Vitus Cathedral, then wander down through the vineyards and gardens of the castle hill instead of taking the direct route. Find the Astronomical Clock in the old town square on the hour, watch the small show, and then duck into the back lanes the moment it ends. Spend your last evening in a Vinohrady beer garden, glass in hand, and let the city slow down around you.