The best things to do in Prague
Prague city break guide
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As well as its abundant and enticing architecture—Baroque, Renaissance, Gothic— Prague crams an impressive amount of culture into its relatively small size. The compact Old Town and adjacent New Town offer top-notch museums and edgy galleries, as well as some memorable street sculpture. In summer, there are riverside walks and boat rides to enjoy, as well as green parks and romantic gardens to explore, while those willing to explore a little further afield will be rewarded with star-studded cemeteries, Soviet-era landmarks and factories transformed into cultural complexes.
Old Town
Marvel at the oldest operating mechanical clock
The Astronomical Clock, a focal point of the Staré Město (Old Town) district, has chimed since 1410 – a testament to the avant-garde thinking that has always held sway here. After an extensive multi-year reconstruction project, the clock has now been fully restored to its former glory, with its astrolabe face complete with indicators for Babylonian time and Zodiacal ring. The clock is surrounded by four statues representing four despised sins: Vanity, Greed, Death and Lust.
Insider's Tip: Visit the historic Old Town Hall building to explore its atmospheric gothic halls and rooms (including the Chapel of the Virgin Mary). Head to the top of the tower for great vistas and another perspective of the clock from behind.
Contact:00 420 775 400 052; staromestskaradnicepraha.cz
Opening times: Tue-Sun, 9am-10pm; Mon, 11am-10pm (town hall)
Nearest metro: Staroměstská
Prices: £
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Traverse a Gothic stone bridge from the Middle Ages
Charles Bridge, one of Europe’s oldest complete and functioning monuments, is one of the city’s most famous landmarks. It has linked the Old Town with Malá Strana since 1357, when it was commissioned by King Charles IV. The stone bridge is lined from dusk till dawn with buskers, portrait artists, lovers and selfie-obsessives, not to mention its 30 statuesque saints.
Insider's Tip: For a less crowded spot to bask in the riverside views, climb 138 steps up the gothic tower on the Old Town side of the bridge (admission only costs £3). The viewing gallery affords excellent views across the bridge and towards Malá Strana and Prague Castle.
Opening times: Daily, 24 hours
Nearest metro: Staroměstská
Prices: Free
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Surround yourself with beautiful decorative arts
Prague been a trendsetter for Central Europe for centuries, and evidence of the city’s aesthetical influence can be seen at the Museum of Decorative Arts, in the form of stunning cut glass, ceramics and porcelain, and finery in fashions from the days of the Habsburg aristos through the Jazz Age. The museum now has a renovated third floor and the most extensive glass exhibition in Europe.
Insider's Tip: There’s contemporary café within the museum, serving decent cake and lunches, as well as a pleasant garden – previously closed to the public – that contains a copy of a ceramic fountain by Petr Lada.
Contact: 00 420 251 093 111; upm.cz
Opening times: Tue,10am-7pm; Wed-Sun, 10am-6pm
Nearest metro: Staroměstská
Prices: £
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Go back in time in a fascinating cemetery
Prague’s Jewish ghettos span several neighbourhoods and include a number of synagogues, a ceremonial hall and small but informative gallery. The Old Jewish Cemetery, once part of a walled-off ghetto, is still an important part the community. The graves here are 12 layers deep, with over 100,000 bodies buried in them. The tumbling headstones are sculpted with figures representing symbols of family names; Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel is among the most revered.
Insider's Tip: The streets of surrounding Josefov, the former Jewish neighbourhood, are well worth a stroll before or after a visit. Don’t miss the Old-New Synagogue, still used for religious services, and the Kafka sculpture by Jaroslav Róna, on Vězeňská.
Contact: 00 420 222 317 191; jewishmuseum.cz
Opening times: Nov-Mar, Sun-Fri, 9am-4.30pm; Apr-Oct, Sun-Fri, 9am-6pm
Nearest metro: Staroměstská
Prices: £
Tour the hottest Bohemian microbreweries
Although famed for its pilsners and lagers (Pilsner Urquell, Staropraman, Budweiser Budvar), contemporary Prague also has a wide range of craft beer establishments. The easiest way to get an overview is via a tour: The Prague Brewery Tour takes visitors through the earliest days of brewing in local monasteries, all the way to the trendy microbreweries of today, and yes: tastings are included.
Insider's Tip: The laid-back, shabby-chic Bad Flash Bar (which isn't on the tour trail) not only brews their own beer but also sells beer (on tap as well as from bottles) from small breweries around the world. Staff are happy to guide you through the choices.
Contact: 00 420 733 454 524; beertasting.cz
Opening times: See website
Prices: ££
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Malá Strana
Wander around a Medieval castle complex
The rambling Prague Castle complex is built on a former Pagan sacred site; it’s the place from which Charles IV and mad Rudolph II ruled and comprises of the Gothic St. Vitus' Cathedral, the Baroque Old Royal Palace, the Romanesque St. George's Basilica, museums, galleries and the children-friendly ‘Story of Prague Castle’ exhibit. There are many buildings to explore, but many visitors are content to just wander the atmospheric grounds, especially after dark.
Insider's Tip: Lovers of literature (and colourful houses) won’t want to miss Golden Lane, a street lined with miniature shop fronts and residences originally built in the 16th century. Number 22 was used as a writing spot for Franz Kafka between 1916 and 1917; Nobel Prize in Literature winner Jaroslav Seifert also lived there in 1929.
Contact: 00 420 224 372 423; hrad.cz
Opening times: Mon-Sun, 9am-5pm
Nearest metro: Hradčanská
Prices: £
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Observe the city from a charming lookout
Petřín Hill, a lovely hill in the shadow of Prague Castle, offers an idyll among the former royal orchards. Children and couples are invariably drawn to the funicular (you’ll need a valid tram ticket), but the real draw here is the Petřín Observation Tower, a 299-step Eiffel Tower lookalike that promises sweeping views of the city. There’s also a mirror maze and the Štefánik Observatory, a great spot for stargazing.
Insider's Tip: The Rose Gardens on Petřín Hill are also worth visiting. Seek out the adjacent Květnice Garden, a perennial flower garden with a discreet entrance, white iron benches and a secluded, fairy-tale-like atmosphere.
Contact: 00 420 257 320 540; muzeumprahy.cz
Opening times: See website
Nearest tram: Újezd
Prices: £
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New Town
Take a leisurely stroll down Vltava River
Prague is a lovely place to walk around in general, but since the development of the Náplavka promenade, a cobbled section of the embankment along the Vltava alongside Rašínovo nábřeží in the New Town, a river walk has become almost compulsory. Visit on the weekends to find farmers’ and flea markets, floating restaurants, plus a slew of pop-up bars and cafés, several of which offer live music into the evening.
Insider's Tip: On the stretch of the embankment between Kampa Park and Charles Bridge you’ll find Vltava Beach, where locals like to watch the boats go by and feed the ducks and swans.
Opening times: Daily, 24 hours
Nearest metro: Palackého náměstí
Prices: Free
Holešovice
Discover artworks by Czech and international talent
Veletržní Palác, also known as the National Gallery, houses a unique collection of modern and contemporary art by both Czech and international artists. Homegrown talents included both famous and lesser-known Czech painters, from Alfons Mucha to the cosmology-obsessed Vladimír Kokolia, in addition to Cubist sculptures from the likes of Otto Gutfreund. The French and European art collection is also impressive, with works by Picasso, Braque, Renoir and van Gogh.
Insider's Tip:Many online and print sources claim that the museum features Mucha’s giant murals. That used to be the case, but they are no longer on display. Several of his other paintings can be found, however, as well as other excellent works by Slavic artists.
Contact: 00 420 224 301 122; ngprague.cz
Opening times: Tue-Sun, 10am-6pm
Nearest metro: Vozovna Kobylisy
Prices: £
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Hang out in a park beloved by locals
Despite being central (it runs to the east of Prague Castle), and easily accessible, Letná Park is overlooked by many tourists. But locals love using it for walks, picnics, slackline – or just as a place to drink beer and take in the tremendous views over the river and the city. There are grassy expanses for sitting, asphalt paths for jogging and in-line skating, plus a dedicated skateboard park.
Insider's Tip: The Hanavský Pavilion, a picturesque cast-iron building with a restaurant, not only has a decent menu of drinks and meals, but the area in front of it offers one of the park’s most photogenic views.
Opening times: Daily, 24 hours
Nearest metro: Hradčanská
Prices: Free
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Žižkov
Take in panoramic views from a communist-era landmark
The Space Age Žižkov Tower, originally built to block Western broadcast signals, is a reminder of the country’s communist days. The 700-ft spire is most famous for its surreal baby sculptures by notable Prague prankster David Černý. There’s a decent café inside and a mini-golf course in its surrounds, but the observation deck is, with its excellent panoramic views of the city, is why you should visit.
Insider's Tip: The tower hosts a one-room upscale hotel, complete with panoramic views of the capital, a glass-fronted bathroom with a freestanding tub and a television integrated into the bathroom mirror. At 230-ft high, it’s not for those afraid of heights.
Contact: 00 420 210 320 081; towerpark.cz
Nearest metro: Jiřího z Poděbrad
Prices: £
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Vyšehrad
Explore Bohemia’s ancient ruins
The ancient ruins of Vyšehrad was once the residence of Vratislav II and subsequent rulers of Bohemia, until they relocated to a castle in Hradčany. The pleasant gardens, offering excellent views over the river and city, are ideal for picnics. The neo-Gothic Basilica of Peter and Paul and its graveyard features an all-star cast of distinguished Czech cultural personalities, including novelist Karel Čapek, opera star Emmy Destinn, Alphonse Mucha and Antonín Dvořák.
Insider's Tip:It’s worth making some time to visit the basilica, which has unusual Mucha-esque Art Nouveau murals inside, plus an exhibition of jewellery and textiles in the treasury and a Romanesque crypt.
Contact: 00 420 241 410 348; praha-vysehrad.cz
Opening times: Mon-Sun, 9.30am-5pm
Nearest metro: Vyšehrad
Prices: Free
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Around Town
Spot whimsical sculptures by a celebrated local artist
The playful, surreal works by Czech sculptor and prankster David Černý pepper the city: there’s the upside down horse ride in the 1920s Lucerna Passage off Wenceslaus Square; the giant, eerie slot-faced babies that crawl up the Zizkov Tower and sit outside the Kampa Museum; and then there’s "Piss" – two gyrating mechanical figures urinating on a map of the Czech Republic.
Insider's Tip: Černý also has his own gallery, music venue, restaurant and hangout (MeetFactory), which is set inside a former glass warehouse in the Smíchov district. The artist can sometimes be spotted there.
Opening times: Daily, 24 hours
Prices: Free
Prague city break guide
Overview Overview
Hotels Hotels
Attractions Attractions
Restaurants Restaurants
Nightlife Nightlife
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