something to declare

Trouble spots

Why you should take care in Prague

Pickpocketing is extremely common at the main tourist attractions, in particular the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Wenceslas Square, Old Town Square and the Jewish Cemetery. Theft also occurs frequently at the main railway station, on trains and trams - particularly the No 22 route to and from Prague Castle.

Leave passports and valuables in a hotel safe, and do not carry large quantities of cash. Carry a photocopy of your passport for identification purposes. Validate your public transport tickets before use.

Beware of bogus plain-clothes policemen who may ask to see your foreign currency and passport. If approached, decline to show your money but offer to go with them to the nearest police station.

Reports of racially motivated attacks on the local Romany population by skinheads are common. There have also been isolated, apparently racially related, violent incidents involving British nationals.

Ensure that your passport is in a presentable state. British nationals with passports in poor condition have been refused entry to the Czech Republic. From the Foreign Office Travel Advice Unit.

Contact the Travel Advice Unit on 0171-238 4503 or 4504, or fax 0171- 238 4545; on the Internet, at http://www.fco.gov.uk/ or on BBC-2 Ceefax from page 470 onwards.

Czech Tourist Office: Czech Centre, 95 Great Portland Street, London W1N 5RA (0171-291 9924).