Top 10 Things to Do in Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic and lies on both banks of the Vltava river.
In this article, we will show you 10 best things to do in this part of the Czech Republic.
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NUMBER 10: Old Town Square
Located in the heart of Old Town Prague, you will find an impressive historic square - Old Town Square. The square features buildings in different styles, creating a beautiful picturesque setting.
Old Town Square is also home to several prominent buildings and statues, including two churches - a gothic-style Church of Our Lady before Týn with distinguished towers and St. Nicholas Church on the other side of the square.
But the main attraction on the square is probably the Old Town Hall, which is, in fact, a complex of several buildings, including Old Town Hall Tower with an impressive observation deck.
Don’t miss the world-famous astronomical clock built into the walls of Old Town Hall, which is the oldest operating astronomical clock in the world with twelve statues of apostles, one of which appears above the clock every full hour. When you’re inside, visit the impressive chapel and climb to see the clock’s rotating mechanism from the inside.
Also located on the square is the Prague Meridian, which was used as a time measurement in the old days. There are other impressive things to discover here. Check our travel guide for more suggestions.
NUMBER 9: Jewish Quarter
Jews settlements in Prague date back to the 10th century, and ever since, the city was an important center of Jewish life and culture. Since they were not allowed to live in other parts of the city, an entire section of the city located between Old Town and Vltava river developed.
The Jewish Quarter is now home to museums that offer a glimpse of what life was like in the Jewish Ghetto. If you visit the Jewish museum, which is actually the most visited museum in Prague, you'll be able to see several impressive Synagogues, including The Old-New Synagogue, Maisel Synagogue, and others, as well as the impressive Old Jewish Cemetery containing several layers of graves.
And while you’re in the area, don’t miss the famous Statue of Franz Kafka. Located right next to the Jewish Quarter, you will find the famous Pařížská Street, full of luxury boutiques and designer stores and a popular shopping place.
NUMBER 8: Charles Bridge
Charles bridge is an over 600 years old bridge connecting Malá Strana, the area under the Prague Castle and Old Town, lying on the opposite side of Vltava river. When it was built in 1402, Charles bridge was an important trade route link between East and West.
While it was used for all traffic throughout history, the bridge is now only for pedestrian use. While Charles bridge was built under Emperor Charles IV, it was not called Charles bridge until the 19th century.
When you cross this almost 1,700 feet or over 500 m bridge, you can admire one of 30 statues of saints and patrons created at different times by Bohemian sculptors located on each side.
The bridge also features two impressive towers located at each entrance. You can climb the towers and discover a fantastic view of Prague from above. Don’t miss the amazing view of Prague and Charles bridge is from Malá Strana riverbank.
Prague offers other great views, such as from the impressive Powder tower from a riverboat tour. Check our travel guide for more information.
NUMBER 7: Manifesto Market Florenc
Manifesto Market is a modern, stylish, and environmentally friendly marketplace and culture and art hub, built as a temporary structure using freight containers.
We visited Manifesto Winter Market. Here you can walk from one culinary experience to the next one and enjoy the vibe. But check the opening hours before you visit since they are different depending on the season.
The market refers to itself as the "future of retail, food, and culture" and is one of the first entirely cashless places in Europe.
NUMBER 6: Vyšehrad
Vyšehrad is an old fort located on a hill just outside Prague city center. In fact, according to a legend, Vyšehrad was the original settlement of Prague.
This impressive structure is home to the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, and Vyšehrad Cemetery, the final resting place of many famous Czech personalities as well as a garden and other impressive buildings.
Don't forget to visit Rotunda of St. Martin that served different purposes throughout history.
Visit Vyšehrad to get away from the busy streets of Prague and on a good day enjoy amazing views of Prague and Vltava river right below.
There are many other interesting sights to discover on the Vyšehrad. Check our travel guide for more suggestions.
NUMBER 5: Alchemy
Prague was one of the main centers of alchemy, an ancient practice mainly aiming to turn lead into gold and discover other impossible secrets such as to achieve immortality.
Alchemists used laboratories, which were usually hidden from plain sight, as the church often condemned the practice. However, during the rule of Emperor Rudolf II, alchemy was especially popular as he was himself interested in alchemy.
Even today, Prague is full of clues of this mysterious practice, many times hidden in plain sight.
We visited Speculum Alchemiae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which would not be rediscovered until 2002 by mistake because of the floods, which revealed the secret passage in the cellar of what was an alchemist's laboratory.
Read more about what alchemy is, and which are some of Prague’s most symbolic places in our travel guide.
NUMBER 4: Wenceslas Square
Located in the heart of New Town, Wenceslas Square is the busiest pedestrian area in the Czech Republic and was one the preferred location for big public events throughout history from large demonstrations to celebrations.
Despite its name – New Town, this part of Prague is actually full of historic buildings and Wenceslas Square is home to numerous renowned shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels, and is one of the most vibrant places in Prague.
Don't miss famous buildings such as Hotel Europa, Koruna Palace, Bata shoe store, and others and experience great food, nightlife, and other experience.
The square ends with the impressive building of the Czech National Museum and the New National Museum, a former parliament building of Czechoslovakia in the Communist era. Don’t miss the statue of Saint Wenceslas.
NUMBER 3: Clementinum
Clementinum is a complex of buildings of special significance. Throughout history, the complex served as a monastery, a prominent Jesuit college, later part of it was used as a national library, and the tower was added, which was used as an observatory.
One of the most important parts of Clementinum is Baroque Library Hall, a fairytale-like library that is considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.
There you can also admire the Vyšehrad Codex, one of the most valuable manuscripts in that part of the world, dating back to the 11th century.
When you climb the stairs, you can experience what science was like back in the day and visit the Meridian Hall to see how they used it to determine noon. And even further up the stairs, there is the Astronomical Tower with amazing views of the city.
You can only visit the Clementinum with a guided tour.
NUMBER 2: Petřín Lookout Tower
Take a funicular to the top of Petřín Hill, located just above Prague City Center, and climb the stairs of something that looks almost like Eiffel Tower.
The Petřín Hill lookout tower is an over 200-feet or 60-meter tower built in 1891 by a group of enthusiasts who were so impressed by the Eiffel Tower in Paris that they decided to raise money and build their own version of Eiffel Tower in Prague.
Even today, the tower seems like an impressive piece of engineering, plus on a good day, it offers amazing views of Prague.
And while you’re there, don’t miss another impressive attraction on Petřín Hill – Mirror Maze, a Mirrored wooden labyrinth constructed in 1891 as a part of the Prague Exhibition.
NUMBER 1: Prague Castle
Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex in the world, overlooking Prague. The castle is also the office of the President of the Czech Republic.
Apart from an array of museums and other attractions, located inside Prague Castle, you will find the St. Vitus Cathedral, an impressive gothic cathedral featuring tombs of Bohemian kings and Roman Emperors.
Don't miss the Golden Lane, a famous ancient street located inside the castle compound, named after goldsmiths who operated there. A house in the Golden Lane was also used by Franz Kafka. Located just outside Golden Lane, there is Daliborka, a tower used as a medieval prison. And don't forget to also visit Hradcany square, full of remarkable palaces and houses.
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There are many other things to discover in Prague. Check our travel guide for more information. Our travel guide is a mobile-friendly .pdf document that you can store on your phone for offline use. It covers the top 10 things to do in Prague, plus 10 additional attractions, maps, links, opening hours, and other information that will help make your trip to Prague stress-free.