Nerudova Street, Prague

You'll encounter the picturesque Nerudova Street nestled within the Lesser Town area, and if you're up for a bit of a climb, it promises a fascinating excursion, especially if you have a penchant for collecting house-signs. Formerly the concluding stretch of the "Royal Way", the path of the king's procession preceding his coronation (naturally, he rode a horse rather than scaling the hill), it was more recently named after Jan Neruda, a Czech writer who found inspiration for his stories and essays in this very area.

Before the 18th century, Prague had no system of house numbering, with each building instead identified by a unique name depicted pictorially on its façade. Nerudova boasts numerous examples of these fascinating house-signs. Take, for instance, No. 12, "At the Three Fiddles", once the dwelling of the Edlinger violin-making family, or "At the Golden Cup", adorned with the symbol of goldsmiths dating back to 1660. You'll also spot "At the Golden Horseshoe", where a genuine horseshoe was placed at the foot of a painted horse in 1559.

Be sure to pause at two palaces designed by baroque architect Giovanni Santini: the Morzin Palace at No. 5, featuring an allegorical "night and day" façade crafted in 1713 by Ferdinand Brokoff, famed for his Charles Bridge statues. Across the street at No. 20 stands the Thun-Hohenstein Palace, sporting an eagle gateway designed by another prominent bridge statue sculptor, Mathias Braun. Keep an eye out for the winding passageway under the arch of No. 13, a characteristic feature of this quarter. And don't miss No. 33, the Bretfeld Palace, where Mozart and Casanova lodged during the world premiere of "Don Giovanni" in 1787.

Tips:
Swing by the Gingerbread Museum at No. 9 for a tasty treat, or visit Czech Marionettes at No. 51 to explore an array of linden-wood marionettes, ranging from classic characters to eerily reptilian wizards and princesses in pink—plus a few modern politicians!