PRAGUE

 PRAGUE TRAVEL GUIDE


One of Europe’s best-preserved cities, Prague has a romantic riverside location enhanced by graceful bridges and a magnificent skyline punctuated with medieval church spires. Its historic Old Town follows a plan laid out 1,000 years ago, with ancient squares and winding cobblestone streets. Haunting Prague Castle looms large across the Vltava River, rising above the exquisite Charles Bridge. Add extravagant, fairy-tale architecture; memorable classical music; and, these days, good food and drink, and it’s easy to see why Prague charms everyone who visits.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Prague?

We are often asked when a good time is to go to Prague. When's the weather at its best? Are the winters tolerable? Will there be snow at Christmas time? Prague is appealing in every season and has lots to offer throughout the year. Below are some of our tips based on what might be important to you. Fewer Fellow Travelers Prague is at its busiest in the summer months of July and August. Late spring and early fall are a little less touristy - still busy but not overwhelmingly so. The slowest times are during the cold months of November, January, February, and into March, so if you don't mind the cold and prefer fewer tourists, this would be a good time for you to travel to Prague. The days are shorter in the winter and it gets dark between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. in the winter months. Christmas Holidays Prague has a special magic during Christmas time and when covered with snow. Christmas and snow unfortunately rarely come together. Even Prague residents hope for a white Christmas and get excited when it actually happens. The month before Christmas is beautiful even without the snow because Prague is decorated with Christmas lights and the Christmas markets are open. Visit our Prague Christmas section to read more about this special time of the year in Prague.

Prague Under Snow
There is usually some snow in Prague before Christmas and then again in January, February, and even March, but every Prague winter is different. The good news is that January and February are Prague's least touristy months, so you may be able to book your trip at the last minute and come to Prague during a snowy spell. Make sure you dress appropriately for the weather - read our December Weather in Prague page for details.

Prague in the Fall
Prague is beautiful in the fall when the leaves on the trees change color. This usually happens in the second half of October. You can expect typical fall weather in October - a mixture of sunny and cloudy days, crisp air, possibly rain, and temperatures still above freezing. The autumn scenery is still beautiful in the first half of November when the colorful leaves cover the ground. November feels more wintry than October, so you'll want to bring warm clothes and shoes with you.



Easter Holidays
If you are thinking of coming to Prague in early spring, try to schedule your trip around Easter when Prague is decorated and the Easter markets are open. This is usually two weeks before and one week after the Easter weekend. You can read more about Prague Easter in our Easter in Prague section.

Places to See in Prague 

Prague is filled with beauty and can be enjoyed and explored for days, months, or a lifetime. The city has its charm at any time of the year. The average visitor will only have a few days to discover Prague's many faces, so let's not get carried away...

We recommend spending at least three days in Prague. This amount of time will allow you to get to know Prague's main sights and historical areas without feeling rushed. If you've never been to Prague, you shouldn't miss the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, which can both be easily covered in a day. If you have more than three days available, you can explore Prague in more detail. There are always things to do and places to go and it is a pleasure to just stroll the streets of Lesser Town, Old Town and Hradčany. You can get outside of the historical center and see more of the New Town. A lunch or dinner out in the pleasant residential area of Vinohrady will let you experience the less touristy side of Prague. 



1 Charles Bridge

Strolling across Charles Bridge is everybody’s favourite Prague activity. However, by 9am it’s a 500m-long fairground, with an army of tourists squeezing through a gauntlet of hawkers and buskers beneath the impassive gaze of the baroque statues that line the parapets. If you want to experience the bridge at its most atmospheric, try to visit it at dawn.

2 Prague Castle

Prague Castle – Pražský hrad, or just hrad to Czechs – is Prague’s most popular attraction. Looming above the Vltava's left bank, its serried ranks of spires, towers and palaces dominate the city centre like a fairy-tale fortress. Within its walls lies a varied and fascinating collection of historic buildings, museums and galleries that are home to some of the Czech Republic's greatest artistic and cultural treasures.

3 Prague Spring

Prague Spring is the Czech Republic's biggest annual cultural event and one of Europe's most important festivals of classical music. Concerts are held in theatres, churches and historic buildings across the city. Tickets go on sale from mid-December the preceding year. Buy tickets online or at the festival box office at the Rudolfinum.

4 Old Town Square

One of Europe’s biggest and most beautiful urban spaces, Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí, or Staromák for short) has been Prague’s principal public square since the 10th century, and was its main marketplace until the beginning of the 20th century.

5 St Vitus Cathedral

Built over a time span of almost 600 years, St Vitus is one of the most richly endowed cathedrals in central Europe. It is pivotal to the religious and cultural life of the Czech Republic, housing treasures that range from the 14th-century mosaic of the Last Judgement and the tombs of St Wenceslas and Charles IV, to the baroque silver tomb of St John of Nepomuck, the ornate Chapel of St Wenceslas, and art nouveau stained glass by Alfons Mucha.

6 Prague Jewish Museum

This museum consists of six Jewish monuments clustered together in Josefov: the Maisel Synagogue; the Pinkas Synagogue; the Spanish Synagogue; the Klaus Synagogue; theCeremonial Hall; and the Old Jewish Cemetery. There is also the Old-New Synagogue, which is still used for religious services, and requires a separate ticket or additional fee.

7 Veletržní Palác

The National Gallery's collection of 'Art of the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries' is spread over four floors and is a strong contender for Prague's best museum. It has an unexpectedly rich collection of world masters, including works from Van Gogh, Picasso, Schiele, Klimt and on and on, but the holdings of Czech interwar abstract, surrealist and cubist art are worth the trip alone.

8 PRAGUE PUBS

A classic Žižkov pub, plain and unassuming in and out, ‘At the Linden Trees’ (the linden is a Czech and Slovak national emblem) is something of a place of pilgrimage for beer lovers. The reason is its range of artisan brews (from 28Kč for 0.5L), such as those from the Kocour brewery, including their superb Sumeček 11° (Catfish pale ale).

WHERE TO STAY IN PRAGUE

Prague Areas 1 to 10

By staying anywhere in the Prague 1 district you will put yourself within 20 minutes walk of most of Prague’s tourist attractions. The four main elements of Prague 1 are the Old Town, the New Town, the Lesser Town and the Prague Castle area.As most of “tourist” Prague is now divided into areas 1 to 10, if you are looking for where to stay in Prague it’s worth shedding a little light on what to expect from each. For all references to the “river” direction, if you were standing on the Old Town side of the river and were facing the castle the river is flowing from left to right hence everything to the left is “upriver” and everything to the right is “downriver”.
Prague is very well connected by public transport so although I always advise people to start their search in the Old Town, be aware that there can be bargains outside of the central districts if you are prepared to use the metro or tram. And if you stay close to a night tram route you’ll have public transport options 24 hours a day.

Prague 1 contains the highest concentrations of accommodation, bars and restaurants. A taxi to the area from the airport should be no more than CZK600.

Prague 1 – The Old Town

This is the geographical centre of the city and most popular place to stay in Prague containing a lot of pedestrianised areas but the bars and restaurants are considered to be more expensive. By staying in the Prague Old Town you should never be more than a 10 minute walk from anywhere else in the Old Town. The streets are narrow but the buildings are rarely more than 4 floors high. Don’t expect regular blocks i.e. it was not designed for traffic so you can get a bit disoriented. My Old Town hotels guide will give you more information on places to stay.

Prague 1 – The New Town

This area encloses the Old Town against the river on one side and the highway on the other. It includes both Wenceslas Square and Republic Square. The New Town is seen as being a bit “louder” and the Wenceslas Square area contains the bulk of the bars and hence the majority of the local Stag Party crowds. The New Town has many choices for shops and also contains the National Museum and main train station. Streets in the New Town are wider and conform mostly to the “block” system although much of the parking is reserved. Check my Wenceslas Square Hotels or Republic Square Hotels pages for more detail on staying in those areas.

Prague 1 – The Lesser Town and Castle

These are considered the quiet areas to stay in Prague 1 and are the historical centre of the city. Yes that’s right, Prague is the only place I know where the “Old Town” is NOT the oldest part of the city. The immediate vicinity of the Castle with few bars and no loud clubs etc is a destination for those who want to stay in an around the oldest buildings in the city and avoid the Stag Party crowds at night. The Lesser Town is the area beneath the Castle. Again, no real nightlife action outside the Square (Malostranske Namesti) but certainly more choice of bars and restaurants than around the Castle but still only an 8 minute walk to the Old Town Square. Check my Mala Strana Hotels or Prague Castle Hotels pages for details.

Prague 2

South and south-west of central Prague extending about 1km further than the Prague 1 boundary following up river. Extends around the east part of Prague. Includes the areas called Vinohrady and Namesti Miru which offer many independent bars, shops and restaurants to help you enjoy your stay in Prague. Well within the metro area. Common to find street names which are countries or capital cities around Namesti Miru. To the south this area ends at Vysehrad (Nusle) on the Prague 4 border. Currently in this border area you’ll find the Fox apartments and the Hotel Union amongst others. On Vinohradska you’ll find the Palac Flora shopping centre, the front of the centre is in Prague 2, the rear borders the New Jewish Cemetery which is Prague 10 and the next closest road is in Prague 3. If you are prepared for a 20 minute walk or use of public transport then try the Vinohrady Hotels page or there are places on the river part of Prague 2 on the Vysehrad Hotels page.

Prague 3

On one side it has a border with Vinohradska starting at the Jiriho z Podebrad Metro. On the far side it borders with Prague 8 and extending away from Vinohrady this becomes Prague 10. The biggest residential area in Prague 3 is called Zizkov. On the Prague 8 side it is accessible by bus and tram. On the Vinohradska side you have the Hotel Anna and Hotel Claris plus apartments on Slezka. As with Prague 2, this area offers a lot of options for people who want to stay in Prague just outside the tourist centre. On the Prague 8 side the main road is Seifertova and hotels in this road include the Amedia Teatrino, Carlton, Ariston and Olsanka. If you are prepared for a 20-30 minute walk or to use public transport then try the Zizkov Hotels page.

Prague 4

Going upriver for 3km, on the other side of Prague 2 you come to Prague 4 it’s an area for people who want to stay in Prague by the river but just outside the centre. Lower level accommodation (pensions and hostels) are largely grouped around Podoli and Branik on the river. The 4* hotels are around Pankrac/Vysehrad at the highest part of Prague 4. The river side has a tram and bus service only. From the city, heading towards Brno you leave Prague by crossing the Nusle Bridge and the far side of the bridge is Prague 4. On one part, Prague 4 stays close to the southern ring road, extends all the way around to the areas of Pankrac and Krc and finally to Branik on the river. The 5* Hotel in the Pankrac area is the Corinthia. 4* Hotels nearby are the Panorama, Holiday Inn Congress Centre and Barcelo. There’s a pair of 3* called Otar and Oya. Prague 4 is heavily residential and has metro stations from Vysehrad extending out 4km to Opatov and Haje (end of line). There are many small hotels and pensions in the area. At the far end of the area are the Hotel Opatov, Hotel Top (4*) and Best Western Amedia (3*). Top Hotel is about 20 mins but has a regular bus 115 service. It is most important to check transport details unless you want to spend out on taxis.

Prague 5

We go back over the river for this area which is very popular with people looking to stay in Prague and have a quick journey to the southern ring road. Extending upriver from Mala Strana all the way to Zbraslav about 7km to the south. On the far side of the castle it extends away towards the Airport. The bigger hotels in this area include anything in Ujezd (Roma, Riverside) or Andel (Andels Design, NH Andel) and Smichov (plus botels Admiral and Vodnik). The area is semi residential with some light industry. The last metro in the area is Smichov but the tram now extends to Hlubocepy which puts it a 5 minute walk from there to the Hotel Smaragd. Prague 5 is the biggest Prague area. Most of the hotels are clustered in and around the Ujezd/Andel areas. If you are prepared for a 20 minute walk or happy to use public transport then try the Andel Hotels page and Ujezd Hotels page.

Prague 6

From the castle this area extends west and north to it’s boundary with Prague 7. The most popular area is Dejvice with it’s fast connection to the Airport and the Dejvicka Metro Station. Prague 6 is heavily residential and contains the highest concentration of Embassies and Consulates in Prague. The airport is in the Prague 6 area so if you want to stay in Prague close to the airport then take a look at the Airport Hotels page.

Prague 7

This area extends down river from Letna including the areas of Troja and Liben and Holesovice. These areas suffered in the flood of 2002.Troja is the home of Prague Zoo. The biggest concentration of accommodation is in the Holesovice area (Rivertown market). Hotels in this area include the Park Hotel Veletrzni, Extol Inn, Sir Toby’s Hostel and the Plaza Alta. Holesovice train station has a metro but, most of the area is served only by bus and tram. Many expats stay in Prague 7 because of it’s relatively low prices and quick access to the centre. If you are prepared for a 30 minute walk (Letna is a bit closer) or use of public transport then try theHolesovice/Letna Hotels page.

Prague 8

The two most populated areas in Prague 8 are Karlin and Kobylisy which sit on opposite sides of the river. Karlin  has metro and tram connections with Republic Square and Wenceslas Square. Kobylisy metro connects with Wenceslas Square but the tram takes you to Mala Strana. Both areas have hotels clustered around the transport hubs but although you can walk into the centre from Karlin, this is not practical from Kobylisy. People who want to stay in Prague 8 must be prepared for a 20-30 minute walk or use of public transport so if that’s ok for you then try the Karlin Hotels page or read more about the area on the Karlin Guide page.

Prague 9

If you had continued out of Prague 8 then eventually it becomes Prague 9. Not much in the way of accommodation out here (only the hotel Diana and Arlington are worth a mention for their restaurants). There are concentrations of apartment blocks and most people stay in Prague 9 to be close to events at Ceskomoravska (O2 Arena). A couple of large shopping centres and Industrial zones have developed over the last few years. Not generally a popular area to stay but gets a lot of people staying locally when there’s something on at the O2 Arena.

Prague 10

Prague 10 has borders with Prague 2, Prague 3 and Prague 9 and is the last Prague area before entering the Prague-East district of the Stredocesky area. It has metro stations at Zelivskeho, Strasnice and Skalka. Highest concentration of residential blocks is around Strasnice and Zahradni Mesto (Garden Town – all the streets have names of flowers). Most of the accommodation is centered around Strasnice and the street/area called Vrsovice. Hotels in the Strasnice area are the Comfort Inn, Juno and Hotel Slavia. All are 3*. At Zelivskeho is the Dorint Novotel (formerly the Don Giovanni). People who would like to stay in Prague 10 can take advantage of the great metro station and 24 hour tram services.