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The more expensive the item, the more likely it will be that you can pay for it with a credit card. Shops selling souvenirs are more likely to accept credit cards than those selling necessities. Cards accepted by an establishment will be indicated on the shop’s front door.

Tourists are entitled to a refund of the value-added tax on purchases. Ask for a tax-free shopping cheque and tax-free envelope at the store. Complete the cheque and have it stamped at customs within 30 days. In Prague, visitors can collect their refund at several shops at Ruzyně airport (see Getting to Prague).

If there are shopping carts or baskets at the front of the store, take one as you go in. It’s common courtesy – shopkeepers will assume you’re a shoplifter without one – and it helps regulate the number of shoppers in the often tiny stores. Bags for your purchases may cost extra.

Prague tellers demonstrate a disturbing antipathy towards mathematics and always appreciate it if you have exact change, down to the last heller. Don’t be surprised if the clerk fishes the correct coins out of your hand. Smaller shops may even refuse to accept banknotes larger than Kč1,000.

Large department stores such as Tesco and Carrefour have now introduced one-stop shopping, but there is still the tendency in Prague for shops to specialize to an amusing degree. A papírnictví sells everything made of paper, from notepads to sanitary napkins, while the only place you’ll find an alarm clock is at a hodinářství .

Whole loaves of fresh sourdough bread go for less than Kč10. But be warned – this bread is free of preservatives, so it starts to go off after a day. Shops selling grilované kuře (roast chicken) are dotted around the city. Order a quarter or half bird to eat there, or, if you are in self-catering accommodation, you can take a whole bird home for a great dinner.

Large supermarkets often trade in quality for quantity when it comes to produce. The best fruit and vegetables are found at various outdoor markets around Prague. In the city centre, try Havelská.

Antiques dealers and junk merchants abound in the city centre. Going further afield will offer you an even better selection and prices. You may need a special permit to export antiques from the Czech Republic; ask the dealer. If you’re looking for Soviet paraphernalia, be warned that anything you find these days is likely to be a replica.

If you’re looking for some reading material for the next leg of your journey, head to Anagram, Big Ben or The Globe bookstore (see The Globe Bookstore and Coffeehouse), but don’t expect the latest titles. Or try Czech booksellers such as Kanzelsberger, where English-language classics go for a song.

As with most major cities, the odds are very good that the Adidas trainers, Calvin Klein underwear or Umbro sportswear that you can buy on street stalls is not the real thing. Also be aware that many bazaars sell pirated CDs, videos and software, so the quality is likely to be dubious, if not downright unuseable.