Malá Strana (Lesser Town)

Malá Strana, the Lesser Town, is the quarter at the foot of the castle on the left bank of the Vltava, and it is the most beautiful neighbourhood in Prague. It was founded in 1257 as a town for merchants and craftsmen serving the castle, burned in the great fire of 1541, and rebuilt in the following centuries by the nobility, who wanted palaces close to the royal court. The result is a near-perfect Baroque townscape of palaces, churches, gardens and red-roofed houses tumbling down the hill. Its centre is Malostranské náměstí, the Lesser Town Square, dominated by the Church of St. Nicholas, the masterpiece of Prague Baroque, built by the Dientzenhofer father and son, with a green dome and bell tower that are part of the city's skyline; its interior is a swirl of frescoes, gilded statues and marble, and its organ was played by Mozart. From the square, Nerudova street climbs toward the castle, lined with houses still identified by their old painted signs, the Three Fiddles, the Golden Horseshoe, and named after the writer Jan Neruda, who lived here. Below the square, toward the river, Kampa Island is separated from the mainland by the Čertovka, the Devil's Channel, a narrow mill stream with a turning waterwheel; Kampa's park is a peaceful lawn under old trees. Nearby, on the Grand Priory Square, the Lennon Wall has been covered with John Lennon-inspired graffiti and messages since the 1980s, when it was a quiet act of defiance against the communist regime. The district's palace gardens are among Prague's hidden treasures, from the free Wallenstein Garden, open in the warmer months, with its peacocks and its grotto wall, to the terraced Baroque gardens below the castle. The neighbourhood itself is free to explore at any hour.

Malá Strana rewards slow wandering, so give it at least half a day and resist the urge to march straight from Charles Bridge to the castle. A good route: cross Charles Bridge early, take the steps down to Kampa before the crowds and walk along the Čertovka, then cross to the Lennon Wall and the Grand Priory Square, continue to the Lesser Town Square for St. Nicholas, and climb Nerudova or the Castle Steps to the castle. On the way back, explore the quieter lanes around Tržiště and Vlašská, home to embassies in grand palaces, and the Wallenstein Garden next to the Czech Senate.

Know the details. St. Nicholas Church charges a modest entry fee, and its bell tower, reached by a separate entrance, has a fine view of the bridge; the church is also one of the best places for an evening classical concert. The Wallenstein Garden is free but seasonal, open roughly from spring to autumn. The palace gardens below the castle, the Ledebour, the Palffy, the Kolowrat and the Fürstenberg, are terraced up the hill and charge a small fee, also seasonal, with some of the loveliest views in Prague. The Lennon Wall is constantly repainted; it is fine to look and photograph, but leave the spray cans alone, as the owners have limited painting to protect the site.

Malá Strana is also a good place to eat and drink away from the Old Town crush, with traditional pubs, wine bars and smart restaurants in vaulted cellars. Evenings are quiet, as few people live here and most day visitors leave. It is a lovely area to stay for couples, though the cobbles and hills make it harder with luggage and strollers. Trams 12, 15, 20, 22 and 23 run through the Lesser Town Square and along the riverside to Újezd, the base of the Petřín funicular.