Tripologist: What are the must-do things in Prague in five days?

We are flying into to Prague for five days before heading to Italy. Do you have any suggestions on how or where to spend the time? D. Merrilees, Alexandra, Vic

Prague’s Old Town Square in the evening.Credit: iStock

Highlights of Prague include the Charles Bridge, the Gothic treasures of Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery and Josefov, the former Jewish area. The Church of St Nicholas is one of the finest examples of high baroque architecture anywhere, the gardens of the Wallenstein Palace are marvellous, the Sternberg Palace has an outstanding collection of European art while the Loreta Convent is one of the city’s less-visited treasures. Prague also has a treasury of art nouveau architecture. One of the finest examples of the style is the Grand Hotel Europa on Wenceslas Square. The hotel is currently closed for renovation, but if it’s open when you visit, take a look inside, the interior is lavishly embellished with scrolls, wreaths, canopies and calligraphy – all with the flowing elegance characteristic of art nouveau. Other notable expressions of art nouveau can be seen in the Mucha Museum, Municipal House along Parziska and at St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle.

I am driving from Dorset to Edinburgh in June and July 2024, tracing the family history. I hear it can be difficult finding parking in villages and towns near accommodation and services. Also, any advice on car hire in the UK? B. New, Fitzroy, Vic

Parking is limited and often hard to find in English towns and villages, especially at the peak of summer in regions popular with tourists. To try and limit vehicle traffic, some coastal villages in Dorset have instigated stiff parking fees of up to £15 ($28) for 10 hours. Parking stations are often cheaper, and there are a few apps that will help you find a spot. One is Parkopedia (parkopedia.com), another is JustPark (justpark.com) and a third is RingGo (ringgo.co.uk). Regarding car hire, there’s nothing too special about driving in the UK. Remember to take your physical licence, the one on your phone is not sufficient. Make sure you have a data feed for your phone, you’ll probably be relying on Google Maps or Waze to find your way around. You can book your vehicle now and delay payment until you take delivery of your vehicle. Make sure there are no cancellation charges and if you find a better deal in the meantime, then you can cancel without any penalty.

After a tour through Egypt and Jordan we would like to do a four to five day stopover, somewhere we can guide ourselves, but we also don’t want to spend all our time in a resort. S. McPherson, Hawthorn, Vic

Bangkok – a stopover served with a pinch of spice.Credit: iStock

The two places that are going to work best for you are Singapore or Bangkok. Both cities are major airline hubs with good connections to the Middle East and Melbourne. Singapore is sometimes known as the Switzerland of Asia, and just like Switzerland it’s smooth and efficient, but it’s pricey and a little too tame for some tastes.

The transport network is excellent, there’s an outstanding dining scene from haute cuisine to hawker food centres, fast and efficient customs and immigration processing and it’s well-mannered, orderly, safe and user-friendly for English-speaking travellers. However the heat and humidity are high all year round and it feels slightly bland and lacking in character.

For travellers who prefer their stopover served with a pinch of spice, Bangkok is a better choice, with food, nightlife, shopping and Thai culture as the attractions. Its hotels deliver outstanding value, there’s world-class shopping for silks and handicrafts and an exciting food scene, especially for street food aficionados. On the minus side, the traffic snarls can be diabolical, language problematic and personal safety and security requires some attention.

We are travelling to Vietnam with four nights in Hanoi, three in Ninh Binh and three in Hoi An. What would you suggest doing in each of these places? D. Robb, Maroubra, NSW

Ninh Binh Province, which lies about 50 kilometres south of Hanoi, is unusual for Vietnam in that most of its attractions are based on the natural surroundings. Hoa Lu is the site of Vietnam’s first capital city with time-worn archways, brick courtyards and temples set among forest-clad hillsides that once protected it from invaders. The 500-step staircase to the viewpoint at the top of Hang Mua peak gives a panoramic view over a tapestry of glittering rice fields and waterways that snake through the forested karst hills at your feet. It’s well worth the climb. The ornate gateway to Bich Dong Pagoda is one of the iconic sights of Ninh Binh, reached via a humpback bridge that spans a lotus pond. Bai Dinh Pagoda is reputedly the largest Buddhist temple in South-East Asia, a place of pilgrimage for Vietnamese Buddhists.

Depending on the season, you might want to take an overnight cruise from Hanoi on Halong Bay. There are many cruises to choose from and price is a pretty good indication of quality. Sift reviews on TripAdvisor. Hanoi has a food culture that sets it apart from other regions of Vietnam. Ha Food Tours ( hafoodtours.com) is one food tour operator but there are plenty more on Viator (viator.com). Koto Villa (koto.com.au) is another must-do dining experience, a quality restaurant as well as a social enterprise that provides vocational training for street kids, created by Korean/Australian Jimmy Pham. Don’t miss the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and a stroll around the packed streets of the old French Quarter, both essential viewing.

Hoi An is a major resort area. For most visitors the main attractions are the pool at their resort, massages, beach strolls and taking in the atmospheric old town. The local tailors are made-to-measure wizards.