Updated December 2019.
The City of a Hundred Spires
As the current capital of Czechia, Prague served as the historical capital of Bohemia and the residence of many Holy Roman Emperors, with the most famous being Charles IV. The city is known for all the spires, towers, turrets, and steeples, especially those adorning Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge. There are buildings throughout the Jewish Quarter, Old Town, and New Town.
Quick Fun Facts:
Quick Fun Facts:
- Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire twice.
- Home to the world's oldest workest Astronomical Clock.
- The Czech invented lager, drinking beer in glass, contact lenses, cube sugar, snaps on clothes, and ship propellers.
Overview
- 8:00 - 8:30 AM: Lennon Wall - famous peace wall
- 8:30 - 9:00 AM: Charles Bridge - famous bridge
- 9:00 - 9:45 AM: Teahouse - delicious breakfast meal
- 9:55 - 10:30 AM: Old Town Square - astronomical clock and churches
- 10:30 - 11:15 PM: Powder Tower - Gothic tower
- 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Old Jewish Cemetery - famous cemetery and Church
- 12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch
- 1:45 - 3:45 PM: Prague Castle - castle
- 4:00 - 4:30 PM: Strahov Monastery - beautiful library
- 4:45 - 5:00 PM: Petrin Lookout Tower - Eiffel Tower replica for the lookout
- 5:30 - 7:00 PM: Dinner
- 7:00 - 9:00 PM: National Theatre - performing arts center
- 9:15 - 9:30 PM: Wenceslas Square - historical square
Click the star to add the map to your Google Maps! To view it, simply open Google Maps, navigate to the Menu, choose “Your Places,” click "Maps", and voila, the map should be added.
Tips
Currency Exchange
Czechia has its own currency of Czechia koruna, or crown (CZK). The best place is to withdraw money from your bank's supported ATM machine, as not all places accept card.
Czechia has its own currency of Czechia koruna, or crown (CZK). The best place is to withdraw money from your bank's supported ATM machine, as not all places accept card.
To/From Airport
The best option is taking Bus Number 119, which will stop at the Nádraží Veleslavín station, on A/green line of the Prague metro. It will take ~40 minutes and one can purchase a pass in the airport, but make sure to validate in the yellow machine on the bus with a timestamp.
There are Airport Express buses to get to the main train statoin, Hlvani Nadrazi for ~45 minutes.
The best option is taking Bus Number 119, which will stop at the Nádraží Veleslavín station, on A/green line of the Prague metro. It will take ~40 minutes and one can purchase a pass in the airport, but make sure to validate in the yellow machine on the bus with a timestamp.
There are Airport Express buses to get to the main train statoin, Hlvani Nadrazi for ~45 minutes.
Public Transit
Pricing is based off on how long one plans to travel. There are 4 options:
There are also buses that run throughout the city, but they’re not recommended since they’re harder to use.
Pricing is based off on how long one plans to travel. There are 4 options:
- 30-Minute Ticket (30 CZK)
- 90-Minute Ticket (40 CZK)
- 24-Hour Ticket (120 CZK)
- 72-Hour Ticket (330 CZK)
- Czech Metro: Three lines: A (green line), B (yellow line), C (red line). Operates from ~4:30 AM to midnight. It is the best option if one is traveling away from the city center. The metro comes every 4-6 minutes.
- Trams: Around the city center, trams are a more popular option. They run every 4-10 minutes!
There are also buses that run throughout the city, but they’re not recommended since they’re harder to use.
Water
Tap water is safe to drink!
Tap water is safe to drink!
1-Day Plan
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8:00 - 8:30 AM: Lennon Wall
The wall surrounding the seat of Maltese Order had messages of peace written since 1960. After John Lennon’s face was drawn as a symbol of freedom, it became the wall's name.
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8:30 - 9:00 AM: Charles Bridge
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The Charles Bridge is the most famous and oldest of the 18 existing bridges to cross the Vltava River. Completed in 1402, it is flanked by two Gothic towers on either side. Originally called the “Prague Bridge”, its named changed to honor Emperor Charles IV, who was the patron of building the stone bridge. 30 statues adorn the bridge (15 on each side), showing saints sculpted in the baroque style. Only 1/3 of them are originals, the other exact replicas with the originals preserved in the Lapidarium of the National Museum.
Given its ability to withstand four wars, flooding, and six centuries, Charles Bridge has many legends. One of which is that egg yolks and cow’s milk were mixed with the mortar to strengthen it. Another is that the first stone was laid at 5:31 AM on July 9, 1357. These numbers, when rearranged by Year, Day, Month, Time are 1357 9 7 531, a sequence of odd numbers that starting construction on this day would provide extra protection. PROTIP: Head here around sunrise for spectacular views and an empty street. |
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Grand Café Orient
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9:00 - 9:45 AM: Teahouse Grand Café Orient
This is the only Cubist café in the entire world. Order a Cubist cake! Coffee quality is okay and waiters can be slow.
Kavárna Obecní dům
Beautiful historic interior that resembles early 20th century Paris.
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9:55 - 10:30 AM: Old Town Square
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Prague Astronomical Clock
The world’s most famous Medieval clock and the oldest working astronomical clock, the Astronomical Clock was built in 1410 and is located on the southern wall of the Old Town City Hall. On top of the clock are 12 moving Apostles sculptures carved out of wood and appear at the top of every hour from 9 AM through 11 PM. One can climb the Old Town Square for an aerial viewpoint. The ticket grants entry to the Old Town Hall to view the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, the Old City halls, and the underground cellars. St. Nicholas' Church A medieval parish church that was renovated in 1743 in a Baroque style. It has a beautiful dome, belfry, organ, and stunning towers. Church of Our Lady before Týn Gothic-style Roman church with impressive and imposing spires that can be seen from throughout the city. Inside, the grave of Tycho Brahe, a famous astronomer, can be found. |
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Powder Tower
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10:30 - 11:15 AM: The Powder Tower (100 CZK) Gothic tower that was one of the original city gates separating Old Town from New Town. Built with sandstone, the tower is now blackened due to the pollution in the air. One can pay 100 CZK to climb 186 steps up the spiral staircase to the viewing platform. |
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM: Old Jewish Cemetery
One of the largest cemeteries in Europe and a historical monument in Prague. It operated from the 1439 until 1787 and has famous local Jewish community members. Due to Jewish customs forbidding graves to be transferred and the lack of additional burial space, some loved ones are buried on top of each other. Over 100,000 bodies are thought to be buried up to 12 layers deep with 12,000 tombstones laid out.
The most famous person buried here is Judah Löw, a Rabbi credited him with creating the Golem, a clay giant defending the Jewish ghetto from attacks.
The most famous person buried here is Judah Löw, a Rabbi credited him with creating the Golem, a clay giant defending the Jewish ghetto from attacks.
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Old New Synagogue (Alteneuschul): Europe's oldest active synagogue with the oldest medieval twin-nave design. Built in 1270, the Gothic structure has ribbed vault ceilings and a Jewish flag.
The body of a Golem is in the attic or genizah (storage area in synagogue or cemetery). Supposedly, during WWII, a Nazi agent perished upon breaching the genizah. Interestingly, the synagogue was spared from destruction during the Nazis' reign of destruction. |
Jan Palach Memorial: This memorial in Jan Palach Square memorializes Jan Palach, a Czech student of history and political economics at the famous Charles University, who set himself on fire in 1969 to protest the Prague Spring, in which the Soviet Union invaded then-Czechoslovakia to crush the liberal reforms of Alexander Dubček's new government.
Palach's funeral turned into a major protest with other students practicing self-immolation afterward. |
Old New Synagogue
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Jan Palach Memorial
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12:30 - 1:30 PM: Lunch
Cross the Manes Bridge to head to Prague Castle.
1:45 - 3:45 PM: Prague Castle
Castle complex that serves as the office of the Czech President. Beforehand, it served as the seat of power for the kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, Czechoslovakian Presidents, and the Reinhard Heydrich during WWII. It is apparently the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
The castle is composed of multiple parts. Start at the gate Na Opyši on the Eastern side:
The castle is composed of multiple parts. Start at the gate Na Opyši on the Eastern side:
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Strahov Monastery
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4:00 - 4:30 PM: Strahov Monastery Founded in 1143 and known for its Baroque library, where one can find medieval manuscripts, maps, and globes. There’s the Theology Hall, ceiling frescoed in the classist Philosophy Hall, and the Cabinet of Curiosities (Wunderkammer) with rarities and excavations. There is also a painting gallery with over 1500 paintings from the Gothic and Romantic periods. The monastery also is known for brewing and producing St. Norbert beer. |
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4:30 - 5:00 PM: Petrin Lookout Tower Built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition, the lookout tower loosely resembles the Eiffel Tower. It was used as an observaiton tower and a transmission tower. One can walk up the 299 steps to the lookout point, which gives a beautiful view of Prague and almost all of Bohemia on a clear day. This is a great place to see the sun setting behind the city.
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Walk through the Petrin Gardens or take the Funicular downhill (buy tickets at the station or use the 24h/72h transportation ticket)
Stop at the Memorials to the Victims of Communism, dedicated to the victims of Communism between 1948 and 1989 showing 6 statues of the same man in different stages of decay with a plaque of statistics at the bottom. |
5:30 - 7:00 PM: Dinner
Walk across the Legion Bridge
7:00 - 9:00 PM: National Theatre
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Serves as the focal point of Czech opera, it's a national monument of Czech history and art. Today, it boasts separate rooms for operas, ballet, and drama. One should book tickets in advance to view incredible performances in the beautifully designed interior. |
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Walk to the Velvet Revolution Memorial to see a bronze plaque with hands symbolizing the revolting Czech students that began the Velvet Revolution on November 17, 1989, by staging a protest and were beaten by riot police in Wenceslas Square.
9:15 - 9:30 PM: Wenceslas Square
Formerly known as the Horse Market for the selling of horses in the Medieval Ages, it was renamed after Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, who became a Czech patron for his work helping the less fortunate. Most of the important historical and cultural events of the country occurred here, such as the 1918 declaration of the first Czechoslovak Republic and the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
Sights
There are plenty of museums, cultural, and scenic spots in Prague.
Museums
- Beer Museum: This museum is quite small, detailing the importance of Czechia in the consumption of beer with a short walkthrough of how beer is made. For the 200 CZK, one can “taste” 4 Czech lagers and for an extra fee, one can even bottle their own beer!
- Narodni Museum: Natural science and history exhibits in a grand museum that will take at least 3 hours to see.
- KGB Museum: Historical museum showcasing the former Soviet Union's secret police force. One can only visit the museum by taking an hour-long tour.
- Museum of Communism: Visual historical museum showcasing of what happened in Czechia during the Communist regime.
- Sex Machines Museum: A graphic museum showing equipment for solitary satisfaction, stimulation, anti-masturbation, anti-rape, BDSM, jewelry for the body, and other kinky equipment.
- Museum of Alchemists and Magicians of Old Prague: Museum dedicated more to children and little pricey for the types of exhibits. There is a short 15 minute tour.
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Cultural
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Rudolfinum
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Scenic Spots
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Restaurants
- Kozlovna Apropos: Cozy Czech restaurant. Recommend getting the Guláš.
- U Kříže Restaurant: Kuladja, Pečená kachna, Jablečný štrúdl.
- Café Savoy: French-style cafe for fine dining. Recommend the Bramboračka and the Schwarzwald cake (black forest cake).
- La Degustation: Fine dining restaurant with one Michelin star with modern dishes inspired by Czech cuisine.
- Prague Medieval Tavern: Head here for a dinner and a show!
- Lokál: Delicious food and known for their beers.
Here is a list of other foods you can try:
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Soups:
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Main Dishes:
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Desserts:
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Christmas Markets
Christmas Markets in Prague are not as crazy as those in Strasbourg, Colmar, and Köln, but they are still quite festive. The largest market is in the Old Town Square with many beautiful decorations, shops decorated like presents, and a large Christmas tree. Of course, there are other Christmas markets littered throughout the city, and items are still as pricey as one would expect.
Another Christmas snack or maybe they're a popular Czech snack are chimney rolls. Certain shops even make special cones and have really cool fillings.
Bohemian Switzerland National Park
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If you have an extra day and want to escape the city to see more of the surrounding national parks, I'd recommend booking a tour or driving out to see two beautiful landmarks:
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