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Well over a millennium after the founding of Prague Castle, the medieval marvels of the ‘City of 100 Spires’ create a magical backdrop for a visit to the Czech capital

8.84 million Japanese (Osakans have a strong Kansai dialect known as Osaka-ben); English (at most information and help desks). GMT+9

+81 British nationals can enter Japan for up to 90 days without a visa.

Japanese yen (¥), currently around ¥142 to the UK£.

Japan is a cash society, so withdrawing enough money is essential. The easiest way to find a cashpoint is to head to the nearest convenience store, which will have an ATM tucked into an inside corner. Instructions can be switched to English, and cash is available 24/7. Post office ATMS also accept foreign cards.

Despite having an economy driven by technology, using cards in Japan is surprisingly difficult. Most big hotels and shops will accept them but take cash if you want to eat and drink like a local.

Lonely Planet’s Japan has a good chapter on Osaka. Also check out Rice, Noodle, Fish (Hardie Grant Books; £17) by Matt Goulding for an evocative picture of Osaka’s food scene.

Get orientated

Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassic, Art Nouveau... Prague’s mesmerising architecture is a riot of styles and periods, reflecting its proud artistic heritage and its long, complicated, sometimes bloody history.

The city that grew around the original ninth-century castle burgeoned in the Middle Ages, then fell under Habsburg control for three centuries until 1918, when the collapse of the AustroHungarian empire spawned Czechoslovakia. Invasion by the Nazis was followed by nearly half a century of Communist rule, then in 1993 the nation split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Prague, though, endures: a city that embraces its past while looking ahead to the future. The Czech capital cherishes its diverse historic buildings, each bearing testament to a different era of its past. The heart of the city is the Old Town; visit in spring to browse Easter markets that sprout in its central square, Staroměstské náměstí, for handcrafted goods and traditional sweets, with a sprinkling of folk performances to entertain locals and tourists alike.

Getting there & around

Direct flights link Prague to several UK airports; flights take from under two hours, and return fares start at around £40. Prague has one of the best public transport systems in Europe; tickets are valid across its integrated network of buses, trams and metros. A 24-hour pass costs 110 Kč (about £3.80) and a three-day pass is 310 Kč (around £10.70); dpp.cz/en/

The visit

Stroll through the Old Town, taking in the Gothic and Baroque architecture that dominates the UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic heart of the city. Admire the multipointed steeples of the Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn, and the grand facade of the Church of St Nicholas – the most renowned Baroque church in the city, adorned with ornate frescoes; it provides an atmospheric venue for the classical concerts it often hosts.

If you spot a crowd gathering in the southern corner of the square, you’ll know it’s almost time for the hourly mechanical performance of the Astronomical Clock on the wall of the Old Town Hall. This marvellous timepiece, one of the oldest operating clocks of its kind, is still ticking away; the hour is marked by a procession of the 12 apostles and a display of moving planets, sun and moon through the signs of the zodiac. Climb the 14th-century tower above for panoramic views over the historic centre; guided tours of the Town Hall cost 250 Kč (around £8.60). wanderlust.co.uk

March 2019