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Modelled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Petřín Hill’s Eiffelovka stands only one-quarter as high as its inspiration, at 63.5 m (210 ft). It was created for the Jubilee Exposition of 1891. A climb of 299 stairs leads to the viewing platform.

It may be ugly, but Strahov Stadium is the largest arena of its kind in the world. It was built for Sokol, a physical culture organisation, and used for gymnastic rallies. Today it is a rock concert venue.

Founded in 1140, Strahov houses the nation’s oldest books in the National Literature Museum while still functioning as a monastery. The Theological Hall, with its frescoes and statue of St John, is a must-see.

After laughing at the distorting mirrors in the labyrinth, take in a bit of history with a diorama depicting the final battle of the Thirty Years’ War on Charles Bridge.

The 14th-century wall was originally part of the city’s southern fortifications. Charles IV is said to have ordered its construction as a public works project to feed the poor during a famine.

Mácha is a national poet, best loved for his Romantic poem “May”. On 1 May, young lovers lay flowers at his statue’s feet.

No longer used for services, this lovely wooden church was moved to Prague when the Ukraine valley it stood in was flooded by a dammed river.

At the top of the hill, catch your breath in the extensive rose gardens. Outside the nearby observatory is a memorial to Czech airmen who served during World War II.

The Stations of the Cross, created between 1834 and 1838, lead to the onion-domed Church of St Lawrence. Built on a pagan shrine in the 10th century, it was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 18th century.

If you want to save your breath, do as visitors have done since 1891 and take the funicular railway to the top of the hill and walk down. The cable car offers outstanding views of the castle to the north.