I’ve visited Prague three times over the past years, and it’s one of my favorite European capitals. In this article, I would like to share with you my best tips for your Prague trip. We have completed a bucket list for your visit, and we recommend you to thick off all the items! 🙂
Prague is definitely one of the most romantic cities in Europe. The Czech capital has something to offer for every kind of visitor. It’s a perfect honeymoon destination for couples, it’s enough safe for solo travelers, there are plenty of budget hostels for backpackers and luxury hotels as well. It offers affordable and delicious food and drinks (yes, I mean the Czech beer!), and it has some very good options for sustainable travelers who are looking for eco-hotels as well.
How to get around?
The public transport in Prague is excellent! We recommend you to buy the ticket for 24 hours -or for more, depending on the length of your stay - because it’s the cheapest option, it costs approx. 4 euros.
Visit the Charles bridge at sunrise or at night
The Charles bridge is probably the top attractions and the most popular thing to see in Prague, and if I tell you that it’s always very crowded, you won’t be surprised! We have visited it at sunrise and at night as well. At sunrise and in the first hours it’s less crowded, so if you want to take nice photos without people or you’re just annoyed by the crowds, then go before 8 am. It’s also quite comfortable at night, there are fewer people crossing the bridge.
2. Touch the statue of Jan Nepomuk
When you cross the bridge, don't forget to touch the plaque on the statue of John of Nepomuk: touching the falling priest on the plague is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague.
3. Climb one of the Charles Bridge Towers
Not a lot of people know that you can actually go up to the towers of the Charles Bridge. You will have a wonderful view of the bridge from above.
4. Admire the architecture of the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
The Old Town Square is dominated by famous medieval buildings, like the Old Town Hall with the astronomical clock. The view of the square is also dominated by the other landmark, the massive towers of the gothic Týn Church. Another beautiful building of the square is the St. Nicholas church. The townhouse Štorch House also stands out with its painted facade. In the middle of the square, you can find the memorial of Jan Hus, the Czech church reformer who was executed in 1415.
In the background the towers of the Tyn Church
5. Watch the play of the Astronomical Clock (Orloj)
This is the oldest, still working clock in the world, it was first installed at the beginning of the 15th century.
From 9 am until 11 pm, every whole hour, it shows the 12 Apostles moving and introducing themselves, with the help of the other 4 statues. One of them the Death, represented as a skeleton. The others represent vanity, greed, and lust.
It shows three different times: the Old Czech Time, Central Europen Time and the Babylonian time.
6. Watch the city from the top of the Old Town Hall
The medieval Old Town Hall is a complex of different buildings, it was established in the 14th century. You can get the most beautiful view of the old town from the tower of the Old Town Hall.
Click here to find out more information about the admission and opening times.
7. Take a guided tour at the Klementinum
The Klementinum is a historic building complex, nowadays its the use of the Czech National Library. It was originally a Jesuit dormitory. You can only visit it with a guided tour and the magnificent Baroque Library Hall, the Meridian Hall and the 68 m high Astronomical Tower are also included.
Tours begin daily at 10 am, with tours starting every 30 minutes. The tour takes about 50 minutes and is always guided.
8. Watch the view from the Strahov Monastery
It’s one of the oldest monasteries in Czechia, it was founded in the 12th century. It has a wonderful library, consists of around 200,000 books from 8th to 20th century! It has also the most amazing views of Prague castle!
9. Visit the Powder Tower
The Powder Tower thus marks the start of the Coronation or Royal Path to Prague Castle. The tower was built in the 15th century, and it’s only called “Powder tower” since the 18th century when they started to use it as a gunpowder storage place.
10. Watch the sunset from the Smetanovo nábřeží
If you walk through this street alongside the Vltava river, you will find the most beautiful views of the Charles bridge and the Prague castle.
If you arrive on a Friday, don’t miss to watch the sunset at one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Prague.
11. Visit the Lego museum
This is the largest LEGO museum in Czechia and in the world as well. It has a collection of 3000 unique models, like the first and old LEGO pieces. It’s open every day between 10 am and 8 pm.
12. Dance in front of the Dancing House
The most “dynamic” building in the whole city is the Dancing House. This building was designed by the Czech-Croatian architect Vlado Minuvic. It’s also known as “Fred and Ginger” in honor of Fred Astraire and Ginger Rogers, who are the most influential dancers in film history. On top of the building is a restaurant that you can visit if you want to check out the interior and watch the view from there.
13. Visit the National Museum
The Czech National Museum was just reopened last year after being restored for 7 years. It’s open every day from 10 am until 6 pm. If you want to catch the fountain without people, arrive before or after the opening hours and admire the architecture.
14. Learn about history at the Wenceslas square and go shopping
This square is the symbol of the creation of the New Town. Today it’s the administration and shopping center, you can find lots of international stores nearby. It’s dominated by the mentioned National Museum and the statue of St. Wenceslas. The square is always the location of the biggest markets, shows, concerts, and the beautiful Christmas Market in December.
15. Stroll around the Petřín gardens
The Petřín Gardens on the Petřín Hill are the biggest green areas in Prague. It consists of more gardens, like the Rose Garden, the Nebozizek Garden, and the Seminary Garden.
16. Climb up to the Petřín Tower
On the hill, you can also find the Petřín Lookout Tower, which looks like the small version of the Eiffel Tower. You can climb up and have magnificent panoramic views of the city.
The view from the lookout tower of Petrin
17. Watch the swans at the Mala Strana - don’t feed them!
Most of the swans appear on the Vltava River next to the Mala Strana district. The spot is between the Charles bridge and Manesuv bridge, you just have to walk down to the river from the Malostranska tram station. The sunset is absolutely stunning there, just wait for the swans to appear.
Are you ready for the adventure? Do you already have a travel insurance?
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18. Check out the colorful houses of Nerudova street at Mala Strana
Mala Strana is a very colorful district, stroll around the streets! The most colorful one is probably the Nerudova street.
19. Visit the Prague castle- but be early!
If you visit Prague, you just can’t miss the castle! I have visited the castle several times, and it was always super crowded! I would definitely go very early next time, or after the museums close. You can go up on the hill by tram, and then face a short security check - and you are in! There are lots of museums with interesting temporary and permanent exhibitions as well.
The Prague Castle behind the walls
20. Visit the St. Vitus Cathedral
The most impressive building in the castle is the St. Vitus Cathedral. This is the biggest temple in Czechia and the coronations of the kings took place here as well. The constructions of the cathedral began in the 14th century, but it always stopped because of war, it remained uncompleted and it was only finished in the 20th century.
21. Walk through the prettiest street, the Golden Lane - but don’t buy snacks 😀
This street with the prettiest buildings is in the Prague Castle, it was built in the 16th century, but the houses were just colored in the 1950s. Its name comes from the goldsmiths who lived here. It’s very pretty, but again, it can get very crowded throughout the day, so try to arrive early. Also, the stores around it are very very very overpriced, we don’t recommend you to buy something there.
Beautiful streets of Prague
22. Take a relaxed walk in the Wallenstein Gardens
This Baroque garden is one of the most beautifully organized gardens. It’s symmetrical, looks like a French garden. It’s often the location of concerts and performances, and it’s for sure very photogenic! 🙂
23. Watch the view of the city from the Letná Gardens
The Letná Garden is a huge green area in Prague! You can have the most wonderful views of the Charles Bridge from the Havansky pavilion, which is now a restaurant. You can also grab a coffee there or eat your lunch while watching the views.
24. Take a photo of the doors of the basilica of Vysehrad
The Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul was built and modified for 900 years! It has a wonderful interior and the doors are beautifully decorated as well, so don’t forget to take a photo here! 🙂
25. Admire the view of the city from Vyšehrad
I know, we are mentioning lots of viewpoints in Prague, and it’s not a coincidence. One of the best things to do in Prague is chasing viewpoints! Vyšehrad is the “upper castle”. Stroll around the castle: you will find old cemeteries, rotundas and historical buildings, such as magnificent views of the city while walking along the walls of the castle.
The beautiful doors of St. Peter and Paul Basilica
26. Stroll around the Josefov Jewish Quarter
The history of the Jewish Quarter in Prague began in the 13th century, and fortunately, most of the buildings survived lots of occupation and destruction. The most beautiful building is the Old-New Synagogue, which is the oldest synagogue in Central Europe. Most of the historical monuments are part of the Jewish Museum. But you can also just stroll around and get amazed by all the unique historical buildings.
Check out all these amazing tours that will help you to discover more of Prague! 🙂
27. Take a photo in front of the John Lennon Wall
It’s probably the most photographed mural in Prague and one of the most colorful and instagrammable places! This wall started to get filled with John Lennon inspired graffitis and with his lyrics at the beginning of the 1980s. Since then it became the symbol of the freedom of the Czech youth.
28. Cruise along the Vltava river - it’s cheap!
If you enjoy taking cruises, this is your turn! It’s very fun to see the city from this perspective, especially at sunset: the Charles bridge and the castle are very beautiful! The one-hour river cruise costs 14 euros for one person.
29. Go to eat or drink at the train restaurant - Vytopna
It might be not so interesting for everyone, but our favorite restaurant in Prague is definitely the Vytopna! In this restaurant little trains bring the beers to your table. The place is surrounded by railways that lead from one table to another. It’s fun and it’s perfect for families, big groups of friends but for couples as well! Don’t forget to make a reservation if you visit it as a group or if you visit on the weekend.
30. Trying the Czech beer
Trying the beers in Prague is a must to do! Try to choose between the Gambrinus, Pilsner, Kozel or Budweiser Budvar.
1: Eat Trdelnik filled with ice cream and stuff 😀
Trdelnik is a spit cake, you can also find it in other European cities with different names. It’s a must to try in Prague as well, especially the ones filled with ice-cream and different toppings. We found the best ones near the Charles bridge!
Where to stay in Prague?
Finding affordable accommodation in Prague is not impossible, and you can find a lot of very good options!
In our case, we found a very good and affordable eco-hostel named Mosaic House. The Mosaic House is a 4-star design hotel that offers shared and private rooms as well, and the shared rooms are perfect for eco-conscious backpackers. It has also a restaurant and a bar where you can get some drinks and chill next to a very peaceful garden.
The energy and gas are obtained from sustainable and green resources, and the air-conditioner and heating of the hostel are specially designed to create fewer emissions. Mosaic House accommodates the 2nd greywater system with heat recuperation in the world, they have the first water recycling system in the Czech Republik!
You can also find different hotels and hostels by clicking on this link and exploring the offers of booking.com!
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