3 Best Sights in Vinohrady, Prague

If you've had your fill of Romanesque, Gothic, and baroque, this church offers a startlingly modernist alternative. Designed in 1927 by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik—the same architect who updated Prague Castle and who almost single-handedly designed the modern city of Ljubljana—the art deco edifice of this church resembles a luxury ocean liner more than a place of worship, topped by a tower with an enormous glazed clock. The effect was purposeful, as during the 1920s and 1930s the avant-garde imitated mammoth objects of modern technology. The interior decor is equally striking, particularly the altar, overlooked by a 10-foot-high gilded figure of Christ, flanked by six Czech patron saints. It's hard to miss the structure, which looms as you exit the Metro.

While the front door (with a view of the interior) is open 9 to 5 every day, entrance is allowed only 45 minutes before and after mass.

Arguably Prague's prettiest park, Havlíček Gardens is best known for its Italian-style grotto and its rows of verdant vineyards. But it also manages to pack in plenty of other attractions, from placid lakes to cascading fountains, and expansive green lawns to narrow woodland trails. It also has two excellent drinking and dining options: the charming garden café Pavilon Grébovka, which serves sweet and savory breakfasts, tasty lunches, and all-day snacks (there's also a grill in summer); and the hilltop gazebo wine bar Viniční Altán, which offers stunning views of the surrounding area. Getting to the park involves a short walk, either from tram stop Krymská (five minutes) or Metro stop Náměstí Míru (10 minutes).

In this, the newest of the city's half-dozen Jewish burial grounds, you can find the modest tombstone of Franz Kafka, which seems grossly inadequate to Kafka's fame but oddly in proportion to his own modest sense of self. The cemetery is usually open, although guards sometimes inexplicably seal off the grounds. Men may be required to wear a yarmulke (you can buy one here if you need to). Turn right at the main cemetery gate and follow the wall for about 100 yards. Kafka's thin white tombstone lies at the front of section 21. City maps may label the cemetery "Židovské hřbitovy."