We met Marika and Rafa here for a four-day stay, before continuing on to Vienna. Fran and I had already visited Berlin and Dresden on our long odyssey through Middle Europe.

Completed in 1402, Charles Bridge (Karlùv most in Czech) was Prague's only land route across the Vltava river until the 19th century. It's still the heart of Prague, and among the most beautiful urban walks on the planet. Notice the Castle complex, the largest in Europe, stretching along the hill in the distance.

The Prague Information Service has some excellent photos, including winter ones, at http://www.pis.cz/en/prague/monuments/charles_bridge