Rick Steves’ Europe: Prague, Czech Republic

Although Prague has a population of 1.2 million, visitors will find its remarkably well-preserved historic core to be compact, manageable and eminently walkable.

The artfully embellished facade of a c. 1900 structure exemplifies Art Nouveau style.

The Mucha Museum pays homage to a founder of the movement, Alfons Mucha (1860-1939), a founding father of the Art Nouveau movement. The popular Czech artist’s posters celebrate the heady era when Czechs first tasted independence in the years after World War I.

Not far from Old Town Square, with its bustling restaurants, one can wander neighborhoods defined by an extraordinary concentration of Art Nouveau architecture.

The city of Prague is the only Central European capital to escape the devastation of the past century's wars. Highlights include the Charles Bridge, a pedestrian artery linking the city’s historic neighborhoods, and the sprawling Prague Castle, home to Czech rulers for more than 1,000 years.