Places to Visit in Europe

prague czech republic

Updated April 2026  ·  Places to Visit in Europe

Prague's accommodation clusters in and around the historical centre. Staré Město (Old Town) and Malá Strana (Lesser Town) are the most beautiful and the most expensive. Nové Město (New Town) and Vinohrady are the more local, more affordable options with the best restaurants. Where you stay will shape your Prague: staying in Malá Strana means walking across the Charles Bridge to reach the Old Town, while staying in Vinohrady means a tram ride and a more authentic neighbourhood.

Old Town (Staré Město): The medieval heart of the city, packed with Gothic, baroque, and Renaissance buildings, and within a few minutes' walk of the Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock, the Jewish Quarter, and the Charles Bridge. Four Seasons Hotel Prague (Veleslavínova 2a) is the city's most luxurious grand hotel, on the river with views of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, and the kind of elegant service that justifies the price. Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Letenská 12/33, Malá Strana — technically a few minutes from the Old Town) is in a beautifully restored 13th-century monastery next to the Wallenstein Palace, with a beautiful courtyard and a literary-themed bar. Hotel Kings Court (U Obecního domu 3) is a contemporary five-star in a historic building next to the Municipal House, with a large spa and pool. Ventana Hotel Prague (Celetná 7) is a smaller boutique option in a 14th-century building on the main Old Town shopping street.

Lesser Town (Malá Strana): The baroque quarter on the hill below Prague Castle, full of noble palaces, gardens, and the kind of quiet cobblestone streets that the Old Town no longer has. The Mozart Prague (Karolíny Světlé 34) is named for the composer (who lived in the building) and is the most romantic luxury option in the city, with classical concerts held in the same building. Hotel U Zlatého studna (Zlatá ulička / Golden Lane 14) is a small four-star in a 16th-century building on the actual Golden Lane below the castle, with castle views from the upper rooms. Aria Hotel Prague (Tržiště 9) is a music-themed boutique hotel with a beautiful glass-walled courtyard and a rooftop terrace overlooking the city.

New Town (Nové Město) and Vinohrady: The local Prague. Nové Město surrounds Wenceslas Square and is full of art-nouveau apartment buildings, restaurants, and the city's main shopping streets. Vinohrady, a tram ride east, is the leafy residential neighbourhood that younger Czechs and expats actually live in. Mosaic House Design Hotel (Odborů 4) is a stylish mid-range option in a restored art-nouveau building a few minutes from the river, with both hotel rooms and hostel-style dorms. Hotel Golden Angel (Na Příkopě 6) is a solid mid-range option right on the main shopping street, a few minutes' walk from the Old Town Square. The Emblem Hotel (Platnéřská 19) is a boutique design hotel in the Old Town with a great rooftop bar. Mamaison Hotel Riverside Prague (Janáčkovo nábřeží 15) is a four-star on the riverbank south of the centre, with views of Prague Castle across the water and easy tram access. Hotel Paříž Prague (U Obecního domu 1) is an art-nouveau landmark from 1904 with a beautiful wrought-iron staircase, right next to the Municipal House.

Budget: Prague is one of the best-value capitals in Europe, and the budget options are genuinely good. Czech Inn (Francouzská 76, Vršovice) is a reliable design hostel with both dorms and private rooms in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Hostel One Prague (Hybernská 36) is a small, well-run social hostel near the Old Town. Sir Toby's Hostel (Dělnická 24, Holešovice) is in a converted factory in the up-and-coming Holešovice district, with a large common area and good tram access. Mosaic House Design Hotel also has budget rooms. Hotel Pod Věží (Mostecká 20, Malá Strana) is a small, atmospheric two-star right on the Charles Bridge approach.

Best Places to Eat

Czech food is hearty, meat-and-dumpling cuisine built around pork, beef, game, and potatoes, with strong regional traditions in soups, sausages, dumplings, and desserts. The city has also developed a serious modern food scene in the last decade, with chefs reinventing traditional Czech ingredients in creative ways. Beer is the national drink — the Czech Republic has the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world, and Prague has more than 70 breweries operating in the city and surrounding region.

Traditional Czech: The classic Czech hospoda (pub) is one of the best ways to eat in Prague: a small neighbourhood restaurant with a long bar, hearty portions, and unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell on tap. Lokál Dlouhááá (Dlouhá 33, Old Town) is the most famous of the modern Czech pubs, part of a small chain that has helped revive the country's traditional beer-hall culture. The tank Pilsner Urquell is the cleanest pint in the city, and the kitchen does a proper svíčková (marinated beef sirloin with cream sauce and bread dumplings), guláš, and pečená kachna (roast duck). U Modré Kachničky (Nebovidská 6, Malá Strana) is the best-known traditional restaurant in Malá Strana, famous for its roast duck and game, with a wood-panelled dining room that has not changed in decades. U Fleků (Křemencová 11, New Town) is a tourist-magnet but worth a visit: a 12th-century brewery that has been pouring its own dark lager since 1499, with a large beer hall, a small museum, and a band playing Czech songs in the evenings. Restaurace Mlejnice (Koenská 14, Old Town) is a reliable Old Town option for traditional Czech food at honest prices, with a good svíčková and guláš. Na Přístavě (Přístavní 21, Holešovice) is a small riverside restaurant serving proper Czech food to a mostly local crowd, with a small terrace overlooking the Vltava.

Fine Dining: Prague's fine-dining scene is much more developed than its reputation suggests, with a handful of restaurants on the World's 50 Best lists. La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise (Haštalská 18, Old Town) is the city's best-known fine-dining restaurant, with a Michelin star and a tasting menu that reinterprets historical Czech recipes. Field (U Milosrdných 12, Old Town) is a small Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Richard Štefán, with a tasting menu that draws on modern Czech cuisine. Alkohol (Dlouhá 12, Old Town) is a one-Michelin-star neo-bistro with a short but inventive menu. U Zeleného kocoura (náměstí Míru 8, Vinohrady) is a small restaurant serving modern Czech food in a quiet residential square.

Beer and Beer Halls: Prague is a beer city. The tradition is to drink unfiltered, unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell (or Gambrinus, Staropramen, Budvar, or one of the dozens of small craft breweries that have opened in the last decade), usually with a snack or a full meal. Pivnice U Swan (V Kolkovně 3, Old Town) is one of the best of the modern Czech pubs, with great tank beer and reliable food. Pivovarský klub (Křemencová 17, New Town) is the city's best craft-beer pub, with more than 200 Czech and international beers on tap and bottle. Lokál (multiple locations, including Dlouhá 33, Karmelitská 13, and the Národní třída branch) is the most reliable chain for honest Czech food and good beer. Novoměstský pivovar (Vodičkova 20, New Town) is a working brewery in the centre with a large restaurant and a range of unfiltered beers brewed on the premises.

Street Food and Markets: The classic Czech street food is trdelník (a sweet pastry rolled around a stick, roasted, and topped with sugar and walnuts — now sold in dozens of stalls around the Old Town Square despite being originally Slovak), klobása (grilled sausage), smažený sýr (fried cheese in breadcrumbs, served with tartar sauce and bread), and bramboráky (potato pancakes). Sisters (náměstí Míru 4, Vinohrady) is the city's most popular brunch spot, with a long menu of modern Czech food. Manifesto Market (Šafář̌kovo nábřeží, Smíchov) is a permanent street-food market on the river with a rotating lineup of local chefs, and one of the best places to sample a range of modern Czech food in a casual setting. Náplavka Farmers' Market (Rašínovo nábřeží, New Town) is the Saturday-morning riverside farmers' market, with local cheeses, meats, breads, pastries, and produce.

Sweet Things: Prague has a strong café and pastry tradition. Café Imperial (Na Poříčí 15, New Town) is a stunning art-nouveau café with original mosaics, marble columns, and a cake trolley. Café Louvre (Národní třída 22, New Town) is a grand 1902 café where Kafka, Einstein, and a young Tomáš Masaryk used to sit; the cakes and the Viennese-style coffee are both excellent. Mlejn (Holečkova 4, Smíchov) is a small bakery and café with the best bread in the city. IF Café (Opatovická 16, New Town) is a tiny Italian-style espresso bar with excellent coffee and pastries.

Best Sites to Visit

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad): The largest ancient castle complex in the world at 70,000 square metres, perched on a hill above the Vltava and dominating the city skyline. The castle has been the seat of Czech power for more than 1,100 years, and the current complex is a layer cake of styles — Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, and 20th-century restorations. The main sights are the St. Vitus Cathedral (the Gothic cathedral at the heart of the complex, with the tomb of St. Wenceslas, the crown jewels, the stained-glass window by Alfons Mucha, and the great south tower), the Old Royal Palace (the seat of Czech kings until the 17th century, with the vast Vladislav Hall), the Basilica of St. George (a Romanesque church with a baroque facade and the tombs of the Přemyslid princes), and the Golden Lane (a narrow street of small brightly painted houses that once housed the castle's marksmen, and where Kafka wrote for a while in his aunt's house, no. 22). Plan at least three hours. The complex is open daily; the cathedral is free to enter, but the rest of the sights require a ticket (around CZK 450 for the full circuit, CZK 350 reduced). The Changing of the Guard at noon is the famous one.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most): The 14th-century stone bridge that crosses the Vltava between the Old Town and Malá Strana, with 30 baroque statues lining both sides. The bridge was commissioned by Charles IV in 1357 and has been the city's most famous sight ever since. The views in both directions — back to the Old Town, up to Prague Castle — are the iconic Prague shot. The bridge is at its most beautiful at sunrise, when there are no tourists, and at sunset, when the statues and the skyline turn gold. The bridge is also packed all day with street artists, musicians, and vendors; if you want it (almost) empty, be there at 6am.

Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí): The 12th-century square that has been the heart of Prague for almost a thousand years, ringed by Gothic, baroque, and Renaissance buildings. The Astronomical Clock (Orloj) on the Old Town Hall is the most famous sight — a 15th-century mechanical clock that shows the positions of the sun and moon, the signs of the zodiac, and a procession of apostles that marches through two small windows every hour. The crowds at the top of the hour are large; the show is short (about 45 seconds). The square also contains the Church of Our Lady before Týn (the twin Gothic spires that define the Old Town skyline), the Church of St. Nicholas (a baroque masterpiece by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer), the Old Town Hall (with a tower that you can climb for the best view in the centre), and the Jan Hus Memorial (the 1915 monument to the religious reformer).

Jewish Quarter (Josefov): The small neighbourhood just north of the Old Town Square that was Prague's Jewish ghetto from the 13th century until the 19th. The Jewish Museum in Prague is a complex of five synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery — one of the most visited Jewish heritage sites in Europe. The Spanish Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue (with its heartbreaking list of 77,297 Czech Jews murdered in the Holocaust inscribed on the walls), and the Klausen Synagogue are all included in the museum ticket (around CZK 500). The Old Jewish Cemetery, with its layer-upon-layer of graves (12,000 visible stones in a space that was used for 300 years), is the most moving part.

Petřín Hill and the Lookout Tower: A large wooded hill in the middle of the city, just west of Malá Strana, with the Petřín Lookout Tower (a 63.5-metre iron tower built in 1891 and modelled on the Eiffel Tower, with views over the city), a small mirror maze, a rose garden, the Memorial to the Victims of Communism (a row of bronze statues slowly disappearing into the ground), and the Strahov Monastery on the eastern slope, with the beautiful Strahov Library and the Monastery Brewery, one of the oldest continuously operating breweries in the country. The funicular railway from Újezd in Malá Strana is the easiest way up.

Vyšehrad: The 10th-century fort on a hill above the river south of the centre, founded (legend has it) by the Přemyslid prince Krok, and the original seat of the Czech ruling dynasty before Prague Castle. The fort is a 19th-century romanticised reconstruction with stretches of the original walls, the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul (a neo-Gothic church with a beautiful interior and an adjoining cemetery), the Vyšehrad Cemetery (the resting place of Dvořák, Smetana, Mucha, and many of the leading figures of Czech art and music), and a small park with stunning views back over the Vltava to Prague Castle. Entry is free.

Dvořák Hall and the Rudolfinum: The Rudolfinum (Alšovo nábřeží 12) is a 19th-century neo-Renaissance concert hall on the Old Town side of the river, home to the Czech Philharmonic and one of the most beautiful concert halls in Europe. The Dvořák Hall is the main performance space, and a concert here — usually a symphony or a chamber programme — is one of the best evening activities in Prague.

Municipal House (Obecní dům): A grand art-nouveau building on náměstí Republiky, the cultural centre of Czech independence (the Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed here in 1918), and now a concert venue, restaurant, and café. The interior is a riot of art-nouveau mosaic, stained glass, and allegorical paintings by Mucha, Špillar, and other leading Czech artists of the early 20th century. The Restaurant Municipal House is a beautiful art-nouveau dining room, and the American Bar on the ground floor is the most elegant place for a cocktail in the city.

Sample 3-Day Itinerary

Day 1: The Castle and Malá Strana. Start with the funicular up to Petřín Hill for the morning views, then descend to the Prague Castle complex for the full circuit (allow at least three hours). Lunch in Malá Strana at U Modré Kachničky or a quick bite at one of the cafés in the neighbourhood. Cross the Charles Bridge slowly in the early afternoon, stopping at the statues, then spend the rest of the afternoon in the Old Town Square (climb the Old Town Hall tower, visit the astronomical clock, walk into the Church of Our Lady before Týn). Dinner at Lokál Dlouhááá for the modern Czech pub experience, then a concert at the Dvořák Hall in the Rudolfinum (or a performance at the Estates Theatre, where Mozart premiered Don Giovanni in 1787).

Day 2: The Jewish Quarter, the New Town, and Modern Czech Food. Morning in the Jewish Quarter for the full museum complex and the Old Jewish Cemetery (allow 2-3 hours), then a walk through the Old Town to the Municipal House for the art-nouveau interior and a coffee in the American Bar. Lunch at Sisters in Vinohrady (tram 22 from the centre), then spend the afternoon exploring Vinohrady and the surrounding residential neighbourhoods — the parks, the farmers' market at Náplavka (Saturday morning), the architecture. Evening at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise or a modern Czech restaurant in the Old Town, followed by a drink at one of the cocktail bars in Dlouhá or Karolíny Světlé.

Day 3: Vyšehrad, the Parks, and the Beer Scene. Morning at Vyšehrad for the fort, the Basilica, the cemetery, and the river views. Walk along the Vltava to the National Theatre, then cross the river to the Petřín Hill area for a walk through the parks. Lunch at Manifesto Market on the river, or at Lokál Národní for the New Town branch. Afternoon in the New Town for the art-nouveau architecture along the main avenues, the Wenceslas Square, the Mucha Museum, and the National Museum. End the day with a tour and tasting at Pivovarský klub (or at one of the working breweries like Novoměstský pivovar or Lobkowicz in the suburb of Stodůlky), and a final pint at one of the traditional beer halls in the centre.

Note: Buy a Prague Cool Pass (€69 for 2 days, €89 for 3 days) if you are planning to visit multiple major sights — it covers entry to more than 70 attractions and includes the airport transfer. The Prague public transport (DPP) day pass (CZK 120) covers the metro, trams, and buses. Wear comfortable shoes for cobblestone streets, drink the local Pilsner, and don't try to do the castle on a Monday — the Changing of the Guard and many of the interiors are closed.

Upcoming Events 2026

Events for 1-7 October 2026, sorted by date. See the annual 2026 calendar below.

Travel Tips

When to Visit: The best months are May, June, and September, when the weather is warm, the crowds are smaller than in July and August, and the gardens are at their best. December is magical for the Christmas markets. July and August are the busiest, with long queues at the major sights and higher hotel prices. January and February are quiet but cold (often below freezing).

Currency: The Czech koruna (CZK). Most places accept cards, but small cafés, market stalls, and some shops still prefer cash. ATMs are widely available. Tipping is the same 10% as elsewhere in central Europe — round up the bill or leave small change.

Language: Czech. English is widely spoken in the centre, less so in the residential neighbourhoods. A few Czech phrases go a long way: dobry den (hello), dekuji (thank you), prosim (please), na zdraví (cheers).

Free Things: Walking across the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, and the Petřín Hill are all free. The Prague Castle complex is partially free — the cathedral is free, but the palace, the basilica, and the Golden Lane require a ticket. The Jewish Museum is paid, but you can walk through the Old Jewish Cemetery for free from the outside. The Vyšehrad fort, the parks, and the Vltava riverfront are all free.

Tipping and Beer: Tipping 10% in restaurants. In pubs, the practice is to tip the server 20-50 CZK or order an extra half-pint for them. Beer is sold by 0.5L (velké pivo) and 0.3L (malé pivo) — half-litres are the standard.

Day Trips: Kutná Hora (an hour by train) is the most popular day trip from Prague — a former silver-mining town with the spectacular Sedlec Ossuary (the "bone church"), the Gothic St. Barbara's Church, and a beautifully preserved old town. Bohemian Switzerland National Park (1.5 hours) has the famous Pravčická brána, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. Karlštejn Castle (45 minutes) is a 14th-century Gothic castle built by Charles IV to hold the crown jewels, in the wooded hills south of Prague. Český Krumlov is a 2.5-hour bus ride, too far for a day trip but worth an overnight.

Best Time to Visit Prague

Prague's calendar runs on a clean three-season pattern: a shoulder-season sweet spot in spring, a hot and crowded summer peak, and a cold and atmospheric winter that builds to the Christmas markets. The single best month to visit is May - the temperatures are reliably mild (15-22C), the gardens and the parks are at their peak, the queues at the major sights are shorter than June, and the river cruises and beer gardens have opened for the season without the July-August crowds. June is the second-best month and is sometimes called the most beautiful, but it is also the start of the European school-holiday surge and the queues begin to lengthen.

July and August are the high season and the months most first-time visitors end up visiting. The temperatures regularly reach 30C, the riverside and the Old Town Square are packed by mid-morning, and the queues at Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral can run 60-90 minutes even with a ticket. The workarounds, if you must travel in summer, are: pre-book the castle and the basilica online with a timed entry, walk the Charles Bridge at sunrise (around 5:30am) before the crowds arrive, eat lunch at 13:00 and dinner at 20:00 (the locals' hours) to avoid the queues at the popular restaurants, and use the river ferries as a way to escape the crowds.

September is the underrated sweet-spot month for adult travellers. The school holidays are over, the temperatures drop back to a comfortable 18-25C, and the parks and the gardens have a second bloom. The river cruises are still running and the beer gardens are still open, but the queues at the castle are halved. Late September and early October also bring the autumn light that Czech painters have been painting for centuries, and the photo opportunities around the Old Town are arguably better in the autumn than at any other time of year.

October and November are the cheapest months of the year and the most atmospheric for travellers who do not mind cool weather. The Christmas markets begin opening in late November, the St. Vitus Cathedral looks its best in the winter light, and the prices for hotels in the Old Town drop by 30-40 percent. December is its own phenomenon - the Christmas markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are arguably the most atmospheric in central Europe, with mulled svarak (mulled wine), trdelnik roasting on the open fires, and the tree lighting on the first weekend of Advent. January and February are the quietest months, with the lowest prices and the fewest tourists, but the temperatures regularly drop to -10C and the city is grey for weeks at a time.

The seasonal cost-lever rule for Prague: if your dates are flexible, the second week of December (after the Christmas market peak), the second half of January, the first 2 weeks of February, and the last 2 weeks of November are the cheapest 6-week stretch of the year. The first 2 weeks of June and the last 2 weeks of September are the most pleasant shoulder-season weeks.

Where to Next from Prague

Prague is one of the best-connected capitals in central Europe and the natural hub for a week of Czech Republic and central European travel. The routes below are the seven most rewarding extensions of a Prague itinerary - all reachable by train or short coach, no flights required.

Kutna Hora. An hour by train from Prague's Hlavni nadrazi (main station), the most popular day trip from Prague. Kutna Hora was the silver-mining capital of medieval Bohemia, with the spectacular Sedlec Ossuary (the bone church, decorated with the bones of 40,000-70,000 people), the Gothic Cathedral of St. Barbara (a soaring church funded by the silver miners, compared in beauty to the great cathedrals of northern France), and the beautifully preserved Italian Court (the former royal mint). A half-day suffices for the highlights; a full day lets you walk the town and eat lunch at one of the local restaurants.

Cesky Krumlov. 175 km south of Prague, a UNESCO-listed medieval village on the Vltava river. The town has a 13th-century castle with a baroque theatre (one of the best-preserved baroque theatres in the world), a beautifully preserved old town that you can see in 3-4 hours, and the Egon Schiele Art Centrum. The easiest way to do it as a day trip is the comfortable Student Agency (RegioJet) coach, 2.5 hours each way from Prague's Na Knizeci bus station. An overnight is better if you want to see the castle interiors and enjoy the town at night when the day-trippers are gone.

Karlstejn Castle. 45 minutes by train from Prague's Hlavni nadrazi, a 14th-century Gothic castle built by Charles IV to house the crown jewels. The castle is in the wooded hills south-west of Prague and the walk from the train station to the castle is a pleasant 30-minute uphill walk through the forest. The castle interiors require a guided tour (in English, German, and Czech), and the tour takes about an hour.

Bohemian Switzerland National Park. 1.5 hours by train and bus from Prague, with the famous Pravcicka brana (the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe). The national park is the most dramatic sandstone landscape in central Europe and a popular hiking destination. The day trip from Prague is doable but long; an overnight in the village of Hrensko is better.

Karlovy Vary. 2 hours by train from Prague's Hlavni nadrazi, a beautiful 19th-century spa town in the western Czech Republic. The town is built around a series of hot springs (the Tepla river and the hot mineral water that gushes from the springs), with a colonnaded promenade, art-nouveau buildings, and the Becherovka herbal liqueur factory. The Moser glass factory and museum is a popular stop on the way back. Easy day trip or overnight from Prague.

Plzen (Pilsen). 1.5 hours by train from Prague's Hlavni nadrazi, the home of Pilsner Urquell and the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour (the brewery that invented pilsner-style lager in 1842, still operating on the original site). The town has a beautiful old town square, the Czech Republic's largest synagogue, and several other breweries (Gambrinus, Radegast). Easy day trip or overnight.

Vienna, Berlin, and Munich. All easily reached by direct train. Vienna is 4 hours by direct railjet train, Berlin is 4.5 hours by direct EuroCity train, Munich is 5.5 hours by direct railjet train. The classic central European itinerary is Prague (3 nights) -> Vienna (3 nights) -> Budapest (3 nights) -> Berlin (3 nights), all on direct trains, no flights.

Local Tips for Prague

The following are the practical local-knowledge items that make the difference between a stressful Prague trip and the kind of visit where you actually feel like you have been somewhere. None of them are difficult or expensive; all of them come from the locals who run the pubs, the hotel concierges, and the tour guides who work in the city every day.

1. Book the castle and the basilica online at least a week ahead. The queue for Prague Castle at peak season can run two hours even with a ticket. The Prague Castle ticket office is online at hrad.cz with timed entry slots that cut the queue to 15 minutes. The Cathedral of St. Vitus is free to enter the main nave but the tower, the crypt, and the treasury require a ticket. The St. Vitus bell tower has 287 steps and the best view in the city.

2. Walk the Charles Bridge at sunrise. The bridge is packed from 9am to sunset, with street artists, musicians, and the kind of crowd density that makes it impossible to see the statues. At sunrise (around 5:30am in summer) you can have the bridge to yourself for the first 30 minutes, the statues are visible in the morning light, and the Prague Castle on the hill is at its best. The workarounds if you cannot do sunrise: late evening (after 22:00) when the crowds have thinned and the bridge is lit.

3. Drink the beer like a local. The Czech Republic has the highest per-capita beer consumption in the world, and the locals drink beer at lunch, dinner, and as a midday refreshment. The classic Czech pub (hospoda) serves tank Pilsner Urquell at half the price of the tourist restaurants. The 0.5L (velke pivo) is the standard serving; the 0.3L (male pivo) is the small. Tipping in pubs is 20-50 CZK or one extra half-pint for the server. Do not order wine in a Czech pub - it is universally bad and overpriced.

4. Use the public transport. Prague has one of the best public transport systems in Europe, with a metro, trams, and buses all on the same ticket. A single ticket is CZK 30, a 24-hour pass is CZK 120, a 72-hour pass is CZK 330. The metro is the fastest way around the centre; the trams are the most scenic and the most useful for getting to the neighbourhoods beyond the centre. Validate paper tickets at the yellow machines in the metro stations or on the trams before boarding; the fine for an unvalidated ticket is CZK 1500.

5. Carry 200-500 CZK in cash. Most restaurants, pubs, and shops accept cards, but the small pubs and the market stalls still prefer cash. The CZK is a closed currency (you cannot easily get it outside the Czech Republic), so use the ATMs in the city rather than exchanging at the airport (which gives terrible rates). The Czech ATMs (Bankomat) accept foreign cards with no fees.

6. Avoid the restaurants with aggressive touts. The restaurants on the Old Town Square and the main shopping streets (Celetna, Karlova, the streets leading to Charles Bridge) are universally bad and universally overpriced. Walk 5 minutes in any direction away from the main sights and the food improves dramatically. The locals eat in Vinohrady, Zizkov, and the New Town (Nove Mesto) - the neighbourhoods around Wenceslas Square. The Czech restaurant guide "Restaurace.cz" and the international "TheFork" app are reliable for finding serious restaurants.

7. Try the Czech classics. The Czech canon is built around pork, beef, game, and dumplings, with the iconic dishes being svickova (marinated beef sirloin with cream sauce and bread dumplings), gulas (goulash), pecena kachna (roast duck), vepro knedlo zelo (roast pork with sauerkraut and dumplings), and smazeny syr (fried cheese in breadcrumbs, served with tartar sauce). The traditional Czech pub food at Lokal Dlouha, U Modre Kachnicky, and U Fleku is the best way to eat these dishes.

8. Visit the Vysehrad and the Petrin Hill. Most tourists spend their entire Prague trip in the Old Town and Mala Strana and never see the two most beautiful green spaces in the city. Vysehrad (a 10th-century fort on a hill above the river south of the centre, with a neo-Gothic basilica, a cemetery with the graves of Dvorak and Smetana, and stunning views of the river) and Petrin Hill (a wooded hill west of the centre with a lookout tower modelled on the Eiffel Tower, a rose garden, and a memorial to the victims of communism) are the locals' favourite escape from the tourist crowds.

9. Take a river cruise. The Vltava river runs through the centre of Prague and the river cruises (jednorazova plavba) are the best way to see the bridges and the riverside architecture from a different angle. The 1-hour cruise is CZK 230, the 2-hour cruise with lunch or dinner is CZK 500-800. The workarounds: the public ferry (PID privoz) on the No. 9 line across the river is CZK 30 and does the same route as part of the public transport pass. The Prague Venice (boat through the Certovka canal) is a smaller option for CZK 250.

10. Stay in the Old Town or Mala Strana for the first visit, then explore. The Old Town and Mala Strana are the most expensive parts of Prague to stay, but they are also where the magic is - walking out of the hotel and into the Old Town Square or the Charles Bridge is the experience. For a second visit or a longer stay, move to Vinohrady (a tram ride east, leafy residential neighbourhood with the best restaurants) or Zizkov (a tram ride south, the traditional working-class neighbourhood with the cheapest pubs and the best nightlife). The Airbnb options in the centre are increasingly limited by the city government's new short-term rental regulations.

11. Eat at the farmers' market on Saturday morning. The Naplavka Farmers' Market on the Rasinovo nabrezi (riverside, a 10-minute walk south of the Jiraskuv most bridge) is the best food market in Prague, with local cheeses, meats, breads, pastries, and produce. Open Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. The food is much better than the restaurants and the prices are lower.

12. Avoid the Astronomical Clock at the top of the hour. The Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Hall draws a crowd of 200+ people at the top of every hour for the 45-second apostle procession. The view is short, the show is short, and the crowd density is high. If you want to see it, position yourself 10 minutes early and be patient; if you do not want the crowd, see the clock at any other time of the hour.

FAQ additions

How do I get from Prague Airport to the centre? Vaclav Havel Airport (PRG) is 15-20 km west of the centre. The cheapest option is the AED Line 119 bus to metro station Nove Butovice (CZK 32, 45 minutes). The Airport Express (AE) bus to the main train station (CZK 60, 35 minutes) is the fastest public-transport option. A taxi or Bolt is CZK 400-700 (20-40 minutes depending on traffic). The historic centre is a short metro ride from the main train station.

Is a day trip to Cesky Krumlov worth it? Yes - Cesky Krumlov is one of the prettiest small towns in Europe, a UNESCO-listed medieval village 175 km south of Prague in the Vltava river valley. The town has a 13th-century castle, a baroque theatre, and a beautifully preserved old town that you can see in 3-4 hours. The easiest way to do it as a day trip is the comfortable Student Agency (RegioJet) coach, 2.5 hours each way from Prague's Na Knizeci bus station. An overnight is better but the day trip is absolutely worth it.

When is the best time of year to visit Prague? May, June, and September are the sweet-spot months - warm weather, manageable crowds, and gardens in full bloom. December is magical for the Christmas markets. July and August are the busiest months with long queues and higher prices. January and February are quiet but cold (often below freezing). For the lowest prices and fewest crowds, plan for late November, late January, or the first 2 weeks of March.

Updated 2026-09-26.