First you will scout out the city, familiarise yourself with its streets, how they snake through the different districts, make note of the cute red trams that accelerate transport in case of rain, and mentally pin down all the cosy bars and vintage shops you pass. Best is to bring your girlfriend, let her betray her likes and dislikes, listen to her comments about the endless list of restaurants, memorise what criticisms she brings to the table, and which names she mentions positively. Armed with this knowledge you can now start preparing an unforgettable evening.

Let a week pass. She will start to forget the nitty and gritty of Prague. The silhouette of black mediaeval spires topped with gilt ornaments cutting up the night sky will slip her mind. The throng of laughing people flowing like water through the colourful streets past brightly lit bars and rich baroque mansions will remain as no more than a nebulous memory in her mind. But meanwhile you have made a reservation at that traditional restaurant she pointed out so enthusiastically a week ago. You will have studied both metro and tram networks, confident like a long time resident of the city on how to reach your destination without hassle. You have sketched out the best walk through Prague, from beginning to end, read interesting stories about the peacock filled parks, a short history of the city and have saved the locations of the best cafes on your phone.

And then it is time. Both of you exit the old red tram at the centre of town, quite in front of the large second hand store filled with dusty books and scratched vinyl. As you had hoped your girlfriend disappears inside to scrutinise the old covers printed with incomprehensible Czech titles and you will continue your afternoon with a new Nabokov novel under your arm. She might gape in boredom as you explain the history of the magnificent and busy Old Town Square, but repair the damage with a hot chai latte in a tiny bar across the river, in the alternative quarter of Prague.

Passing over the grand Charles Bridge, topped with plentiful dark sculptures gazing down at the unsuspecting tourists, she empties her wallet of coins, offering one or two to each of the musicians enlivening the sunset, from the old man with his accordion, to the engaged duet of violins, both in marriage apparel. There your preparation subtly shines as almost without wait another charming little tram arrives, just in time to save both of you from the rain. To conserve space you might occupy only a single seat as your girlfriend sits on your lap for a minute or two until you arrive at foot of Vyšehrad, the fortress topped hill guarding the Southern approach to Prague.

You play a game of trust with your girlfriend, blindfolding her eyes and leading her the last one hundred metres to the restaurant by her hand. Music drowned out by the chattering of happy voices in a language neither of you understand announce the destination long beforehand. Nonetheless the surprise is complete as you sit down at the sole available table in the busy restaurant. Before long, delicious traditional dishes accompanied by resplendent wine start to arrive, bringing a radiant smile to her face and a sincere happiness to both of you. While she picks desserts for herself and for you, in order that she might taste both and keep the tastiest, you can sit back in your comfortable chair for a while, stare at the candle reflected in her green eyes, and think yourself the luckiest on this earth.