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Prague
19 Best Places and Things to Do in Prague
I have visited so many places, especially in Europe, and one thing I can tell you is that my experience in Prague was unique. So, if you’re thinking or planning to go there and you want to know the exact places to visit and things to do, you’re reading just what you need.
In this article, I am going to guide you through some of the most fascinating points and activities that will make your time in Prague worthwhile.
What You May Not Know About Prague
Prague was founded in the 9th century and it is home to about 2 million people but hosts more than 8 million tourists every year. The city is known for its wild display of culture and has been and will always be a very important and fascinating place in central Europe. It is nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires” and sometimes called names like the Mother of Cities and the Heart of Europe.
There are lots of attractions for you to enjoy and the best part is that most of the tourist landmarks are quite closer than you’d expect. So, it’s walkable.
1. Where to start – Old Town Square
In my opinion, Old Town Square is a good place to start exploring. It is right in the middle of the city and is usually crowded with locals and tourists like you.
Old Town Square is the oldest and most important square of historical Prague. A lot of important events that changed Czech history took place here. It is the perfect place to explore and admire Prague and its beautiful architecture surrounded by many historical buildings, churches, and halls of various styles, including Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque. You can also find yourself staring way too much as there are many street artists and performers, musicians, and street merchants along the way.
There are many cafés around the square where you can sit down and take in the atmosphere for a while before moving on. Food and drinks can be a little bit expensive, but just know that it’s worth it. You get to have more time to admire the place and enjoy a good beer.
I stopped in one of the cafés with a terrace for my lunch and I tried some Czech food and beer. I recommend you do so too.
-Here are some places you should see and explore around the plaza: Jan Hus Monument, Kinsky Palace, Stone Bell House, Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, Basilica of Saint James, Tyn Yard-Ungelt, and recently made Virgin Mary’s Column.
2. Watch Astronomical Clock Strike (Orloj)
You can take some time to watch this unique and world’s oldest working astronomical clock strike the hour. I learned that it was installed in 1410. It tells the time, provides the date, and shows astronomical and zodiac information. The clock moves through wheels mounted on the same axle, which is quite fascinating. Every repair and modification to the clock has added new statues of wonderful designs which it did not originally have.
Plan to not miss an opportunity to visit the Gothic Old Town Hall Tower that houses the Astronomical clock. The view from the top of the tower is breathtaking and you will appreciate Prague’s beauty from up there.
3. Take Cool Pictures of Book Tower
Visit the Municipal Library of Prague which houses an unusual art made out of books. Right in the hallway of the main building, you can see the compelling and remarkable tower of books. This piece of art was installed by a Slovak artist, Matej Kren. Tourists love to take pictures of this beautiful art.
I and other tourists with me got in for free. So, you won’t need to pay an entrance fee either.
4. Wonder in Historical Jewish Town
Prague has always been related to the Jewish community. The former Jewish Ghetto began in the 13th century. When Jewish people were ordered to vacate their homes, they managed to build their own district and, today, they remain a testimony to the history of Jews in Prague. The monuments even survived the Nazi occupation. Adolf Hitler decided to preserve the Jewish Quarter and ordered to gather of Jewish artifacts from other occupied countries and bring them to the Jewish Quarter in Prague.
I saw so many Synagogues here including the Old-New Synagogue, which is Europe’s oldest active synagogue. Some of them have a unique display of Jewish family life, traditions, and customs, wedding ceremonies, exhibitions of Children’s Drawings from the Terezin Ghetto, Torah scrolls, and the famous body of Golem.
-Some places to visit and explore in Jewish town: Jewish museum, Ceremonial Hall, Klausen Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Old-New Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, Jewish Town Hall, Old Cemetery, and Spanish Synagogue.
5. Stroll Along the Banks of river Vltava
Every city has its river; Prague has the Vltava which flows through the center of the city. I found walking alongside the river to be very pleasant and interesting. You get to see different types of unique boats, and ducks swimming and it has a very nice view of the city, bridges, castles, etc. You will find a lot of good spots to take photos and make videos.
You can as well stop at the Novotneho footbridge, right next to Bedrich Smetana Museum, to explore the area and take very nice photos of yourself with Charles Bridge and Prague Castle in the Background.
6. Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is a must-see in Prague. It is a pedestrian bridge that connects Old Town with Lesser Town. It is one of the most beautiful and popular bridges in Europe. I discovered that Charles Bridge was built in 1402 and it is the oldest bridge on the Vltava River.
There are many beautiful old statues you can take pictures of, including the most important statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. You can also admire beautiful towers on both sides of the bridge e.g. Lesser Town Bridge Tower and Old Town Bridge Tower, also the Krizovnichke Square and Charles Statue.
Charles Bridge is always busy with activities, including musicians and people selling souvenirs and artwork.
7. Walk Around Municipal House Area
This is a fascinating place for walks and is not too far from Old Town Square. The Municipal House, with its beautiful artwork from the outside, is definitely an eye-catcher. There is a mosaic above the balcony called Prague apotheosis. This building is a must-see because of its beauty and history. It was constructed from 1905 to 1911 and this Art Nouveau building is well preserved and currently in use for concerts and other events. Attending a concert in this building would be a lovely experience.
Here, you can also see another beautiful tower gate of Prague, the Powder Tower. There is a gallery with a permanent exhibition “Prague Towers’’ inside. The Tower is accessible to the public and it provides a beautiful view of the city.
The streets around here are full of shops selling souvenirs including a wide selection of toys and Bohemian glassware. In some of the candy stores, you can actually watch as the candies and Trdelniks are being made. This can be very entreating and tempting at the same time.
8. John Lennon Wall and Kampa Iseland
Another popular place where everyone likes to go is the beautiful graffiti artwork that was dedicated to John Lennon and his powerful inspiration for peace and love. It is also a great place to take photos. The wall is full of inspirational quotes and you can as well add your own piece of art to the wall. It is very inspirational.
For a more peaceful and enjoyable walk, you should definitely explore Kampa Island. It’s got very nice cafés, various colorful buildings, small gardens and lots of trees. There are also a lot of small bridges on the canals and some interesting museums.
9. Lesser Town Square
This is an interesting square to explore in Lesser Town. It is on the other side of the river Vltava. This square is full of street food vendors and shops. The historical church of Saint Nicholas is a must-visit here, another beautiful church here is the Church of Lady Victorious where you can see the famous Statue of Infant Jesus. You can rent a horse-drawn tram when you’re tired of walking on cobbled streets.
When you’re done exploring the square take a walk on Neruda Street which leads to Prague Castle. It is quite a lovely street with lots of restaurants where you can take a break and enjoy the beautiful view of the city when you reach the top.
10. Explore Prague Castle
Well, I told you that Czechia was a castle wonderland and this is the most beautiful and important one. It is also the largest ancient castle in the world and dates from the 9th century. It used to be the house of royal governors of Bohemia but today, it is the official residence of the president of Czechia. There are presidential guards by the three main entrances. It could be entertaining to watch the guard changing every hour. The longest guard changing ceremony is at midday and it includes music and a parade. You can easily spend a day seeing all these complexities.
I enjoyed a lot of views here and so will you. The beautiful courtyards and gardens, royal palaces, and various chambers. Some of them have balconies with great views as well as basilicas, including Saint George’s Basilica, and of course, Saint Vitus Cathedral dominating the center of the castle complex.
Some of the houses have very interesting created scenes of different periods to see the life of the artisans who once worked there.
11. Take a Tram to Strahov Monastery
This complex is on the hill and you might get tired of walking. I guess that’s a good reason to experience a tram ride in Prague. I recommend you take a tram to Strahov Monastery. It’s about 20 minutes from Lesser Town Square. This complex is unique and very interesting at the same time. It was built in the 12th century and houses about 20,000 old books and prints. It has a collection that includes books about mathematics, medicine, geography, and science. It is like a journey of mankind to wisdom.
Additionally, its beautifully decorated ceilings are just priceless.
12. Enjoy views from Petrin Tower
Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, this strategically placed tower offers probably the most beautiful view of Prague. It is just a few minutes walk from Strahov Monastery and you can also take a tram to go up there. The area itself is a wonderful place and you can enjoy a 360-degree breathtaking view of the city.
13. Go Shopping
Prague has a lot of shops and malls, but I recommend you to go to Palladium. It is the biggest shopping mall in the city with more than 180 shops and 30 restaurants. You can find anything you are looking for and you don’t have to go too far. It is on Republic Square right in the Old Town area and is very easy to access. A lot of people take advantage of fairly good prices of clothing in Prague, but some of the electronics can be a little bit expensive.
Another recommendation would be Na Prikope Street, the most famous shopping street in Prague.
14. Jazz River Cruise
In Prague, music is everywhere. You can hear it all over the city. Prague is known for Jazz and there are many places to experience it. I recommend you take a Jazz boat cruise on the river Vltava. Yes, you’ve probably heard of it before, there are many boat cruises in Prague and some of them include Jazz music and it’s called the “Jazz Boat Cruise”. The combination of these two allows you to have a great evening together with a delicious dinner. You also get to see the city from a different perspective.
15. Visit Wenceslas Square
It is a beautiful place to explore and to take nice photos, busy all the time with locals and tourists, it is one of the most frequent and buzzing areas of the city, lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, hotels and more, and two Christmas markets in winter.
On the upper of the square, you will see The National Museum, quite an impressive building from the outside and from the inside. The visit could be like an architectural tour as well, there are also some interesting permanent and temporary exhibits and you can enjoy learning about the history of the country.
A few minutes walk from the square you can as well visit Franz Kafka’s rotating head and Dancing House, very popular places that tourists regularly visit.
16. National Galleries of Prague
For art lovers, the National Gallery in Prague is a place you just have to visit! It houses over 400,000 objects of art collections dating from medieval times to the 21st century. Most of the art is from Czech artists but the collection also includes international artists. It is absolutely a place worth visiting especially during a rainy day.
17. Enjoy Evening with Classic Music
Rudolfinum is an important architectural monument of Prague. It was first opened in 1885 and it is now a seat of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. There are several classical music concerts in different venues in Prague and the Rudolfinum is definitely one of the most important with beautiful concert pieces by Vivaldi, Mozart, Smetana, and more. There is also the Galerie Rudolfinum with really nice exhibitions.
Czechs love classical music and they even dress up for it, you should consider attending a concert here to truly appreciate Czech’s culture. And oh! It would be great if you can manage to get a seat on the balcony for a better view.
18. Soviet traces in Czechia
To learn about completely different takes on life in Prague, you should visit the Communism Museum or KGB Museum. Czechia was part of Czechoslovakia until its separation in 1993. The museums are filled with an extensive collection of the communist era, statues of Lenin and Stalin, many old books, newspapers, propaganda posters, etc. Some of the most interesting displays are reconstructed soviet shops and Russian schoolrooms with chalkboards in Russian text.
19. Wonder Around Vysehrad Castle
Historians believe that this castle was built around the 10th century. It has one of the two oldest churches in Prague and a cemetery which is the most important in the country. The big walls surrounding it make it even more enticing because it gives you a reason to want to explore what’s on the inside. You should probably end your tour by walking through the beautiful park that fills the area. And guess what, it is not a popular tourist center so you’ll probably find yourself alone or with fewer people compared to the others. Also, prepare to spend more time there cause it’s quite hilly!
Wrapping Up
I am sure that you must have now realized that Prague is definitely a place you must visit. Explore the medieval streets, magical bridges, museums, etc. Visit some interesting cultural activities, enjoy Czech cuisine and a lot more that this amazing city has to offer.
The public transportation is well connected and affordable so you should try to avoid cabs and taxis.
Some tourism parts are free of charge, but you can also get a ticket so you won’t miss out on anything!
*Important note: Please remember to check for the restrictions or any other changes while planning your trip.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.