Czechia

Built in the fifteenth century, it also shows the positions of the sun, moon and zodiac. Crowds gather for the brief procession of apostles on the hour, so take your spot a little early.

A fourteenth-century stone bridge over the Vltava with thirty baroque saints along its parapets. It is shoulder to shoulder by day, so before sunrise is best for both photographs and walking.

Not one castle but a whole district of cathedral, palaces and lanes. It sits on the hill, so the walk down gives you the city laid out below.

A medieval town intact inside an S-bend of the Vltava, with a castle above holding an open-air theatre on a revolving auditorium. Three hours from Prague by bus.

A small chapel where the remains of tens of thousands, gathered after plague and war, are arranged as decoration. Photography inside is restricted, so follow the posted rules.

The template for the world’s lagers came out of Plzeň in 1842. In a pub the next glass arrives without being asked, so mark your coaster when you want to stop.

Romanesque through Art Nouveau layered into a single district. Walking it takes you through architectural history.

A street plan essentially unchanged for over five hundred years. Most people come for the day; staying overnight gets you a different town.

Rich from medieval silver mining, with St Barbara’s Church as the proof. An hour from Prague by train.

A small town whose square is ringed by pastel Renaissance houses. An easy stop from Brno if you have a car.

You can spend days simply walking between the old town and the castle. International flights and coaches all converge here.

A university city with notable modern architecture and lower prices than Prague. It is the base for the Moravian wine country nearby.

People walk the colonnades drinking the mineral water from spouted porcelain cups. During the film festival there are no rooms to be had.

An astronomical clock and a baroque plague column on the square, with far fewer people. Being a student city, eating and drinking is cheap.

A national park of enormous weathered sandstone gates and narrow ravines to walk. A day trip from Prague.

A beer country whose south-east is wine country. Cycle paths run between the vineyards from village to village.

The weather turns and gardens open before the crowds arrive. The easiest time to travel.

Prague and Český Krumlov are at their busiest. Plenty of outdoor performances and festivals.

Fewer people, lower prices and good colour. Moravia is in harvest.

Christmas markets fill the squares and the old town is at its best under snow. It is genuinely cold and dark early.

Up to ninety days in any one hundred and eighty across the Schengen area. The European travel authorisation scheme is being phased in, so check the official guidance before you leave.

Some places take euros, but at a distinctly poor rate. Exchange booths near tourist sites charge heavily, so use a bank or pay by card.

Private coaches are comfortable and seat-assigned, so book ahead. Prague transport runs on timed tickets validated once when you board.

You tip by rounding the total up when you pay. Bread or dips brought without being ordered are sometimes chargeable, so send them back if you do not want them.

Type E sockets with an earth pin are mixed in, and a Korean plug may not fit. Bring one adapter.

The pan-European number reaching police, ambulance and fire, with English available. Prague has scams aimed at visitors, so take care with currency exchange and taxis.