Things not to miss when you are travelling in Prague

Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe. Prague is known for vibrant nightlife and amazing ancient architecture. There are lot of activities to do in Prague for tourists of all age groups. The history of Prague is more than 1000 years old. Prague is famous all over the world for its gothic style architecture, world class museums, baroque style churches and bridges. Prague is also known for its unique cuisine. Prague should be no 1 destination of your choice if you are planning to witness Jazz music and Puppet shows.  I would strongly recommend to spend around 3 days during your visit to Prague. If you are planning to visit Cesky Krumlov from Prague as a day tour then you can add 1 day to your itinerary. It is very convenient to tour Prague if you are staying in the old town region because most tourist destinations are located in this area. You can explore Prague by using the vast network of Public Transport such as Trams, Metro and buses. Trams was my favorite mode of transport during my visit to Prague. Prague tram network is one of largest around the world. Prague is famous for its juicy pork dishes. You will find street stalls selling Ham at most of the popular tourist destinations. Pork knuckle is another delicacy in Prague and you should definitely try it if you are visiting Prague. Pork Knuckle is usually marinated in beer and it is served with pickled vegetables and bread. Prague has probably the best nighttime entertainment compared to other cities of Europe. Prague is famous for Bars, cafes, lounges, beer gardens, jazz bars, pub crawls, dance clubs and casinos. I felt Prague is a very safe city for tourists. Pick-pocketing and petty theft are very common in Prague especially at night time near the clubbing areas.

Old town square

Prague Old town square is the most visited tourist destination in Czech Republic. It is one of the most renowned square of Europe. The Old town square and the nearby churches are more than 1000 years old. I will strongly recommend to visit the Square early morning because it is less crowded. The old town hall opens at around 9 am and the square gets really crowded after this. I visited the square at around 7.30 am and there was hardly any crowd. I got perfect photographs of Old town hall, Astronomical clock and Church of our lady before Tyn. Old town square is a perfect place to admire the beauty of ancient architecture. After 9 am the town square is filled with tourists and street performers. You will also find street food stalls selling traditional ham at the Old Town Square. After visiting the square I feel as if I stepped back in time. The square survived the bombings of world war 2. The restaurants situated near the Old town square area are completely overpriced and I will strongly recommend to avoid those places.

Old Town Hall tower lookout point

The old town hall was constructed in the 15^th century and it is one of the highest towers located in Old town of Prague. 60m high Old Town Hall Tower is situated at the center of Old Town.. The tower houses Astronomical Clock which is the most impressive icon of Old town square. The best lookout spot of Prague is located at the top of the Old Town Hall tower. The entrance fee for the Hall tower is 250 Krona. The entrance fee for the tower is the most expensive compared to the entrance fee of other tower. I will strongly recommend to visit the lookout point as soon as the Old Town Hall open for tourists. There is not enough space at the top of the tower and it gets really crowded during afternoon time. I recommend to visit the tower around 9 am for the beautiful morning shots of Prague and around 9 pm for the perfect night shots.  You will find less crowd during this time and you will get perfect opportunity to take some nice shots. There was no queue at the elevator during my visit. If there is long queue for the elevator to the observatory tower then you have to take the staircase. The staircase to the observation deck is very narrow and steep. Not many people can take the staircase at the same time. The view of Church Lady Before Tyn was absolutely beautiful from the lookout point.  The old town was looking absolutely beautiful from the tower and I will strongly recommend everyone to visit the Old Town Hall Tower. You can take the guided tour of Old Town Hall Tower if you are interested in learning more about the history of Old Town Hall.

Letna Park

Letna Park is located by 10-minutes walk from Prague castle. The Park is located on Letna hill. Letna park is a great place to spend some quality time. The park is popular among locals and tourists. I visited the park during afternoon time and I saw number of skateboarders and cyclist. The park is located at an elevated position so you get to see great views of Prague city. People interested in drinking beer must visit the beer garden situated at Letna Park. There used to be a giant statue of Stalin at the park but it was destroyed in the 60’s. Prague metronome is built to replace the largest statue of Stalin. I really liked the viewing angle from Letna Park. I found a nice spot at the park and from that spot I was able to see bridges of Vletva river including Charles Bridge. I will strongly recommend to visit Letna Park during your stay at Prague. The park is easily accessible from Old Town area and you will get great views of Charles Bridge from the park. Letna park is open 24 hours but I will strongly recommend to avoid visiting the park at night if you are a tourist. Almost all the homeless people of Prague stay at the park overnight so I will not consider to visit the park at night or early morning time.

Old Town Hall Astronomical clock

Astronomical clock is situated on the south face of Old Town Hall. It is one of the biggest mechanical clocks in the world. The clock was constructed in the fifteen century. During my visit I saw people gathered near the Old town hall to witness the spectacle of the mechanical clock marking the turn of an hour.  At 9’ O Clock sharp the clock hand started moving and the entire show lasted around 1 minute. The view of the 12 apostles moving through the window was absolutely beautiful. Everyone standing at the clock was busy taking the video of the movement. The clock doesn’t actually display time of the day but it is used to determine phases of the moon and equinoxes. I was not expecting dancing mechanical dolls and music during the small show but anyways it was an amusing sight to see once in your lifetime.

Church of our lady before Tyn

Church of Our Lady before Tyn is situated in Old Town square. It is one of the prominent buildings located in Old Town Square. The construction of the church was completed in 16^th century. The church is located just opposite to Old Town Hall and you get the best views of the church from the Old Town Hall tower. The church lit up perfectly at night and it looks extremely beautiful. The lower portion of the tower is not directly visible because it is blocked by some other historic building. It was little difficult to find the entrance of the church but it was completely worth it. The church is also a popular venue among concert organizers. I was really impressed by the interior of the church but unfortunately photography was not allowed inside the church.

Jewish Quarter Prague

Jewish Quarter is located by just 10-minutes walk from Old Town square. Jewish Quarter is situated between Vltava River and Old Town. Jewish quarter was established in the 13^th century when the Jewish were only allowed to stay at a particular location and they were not allowed to stay at other parts of Prague.  Some of the buildings in the area were destroyed during the 19^th century. The entire quarter is colored with light green color and it looks absolutely beautiful. If you want to get some souvenir Jewelry then you must visit Jewish Quarter. Six Synagogues situated in Jewish Quarter is popular among tourists.  Spanish Synagogue and Old New Synagogue are the most important synagogues situated in Jewish Quarter. Oldest Jewish cemetery is situated in Jewish Quarter. There are around 12000 graves situated inside Jewish Quarter. There is not enough space inside the Jewish Quarter so the graves are placed on top of each other. The entrance fee to the Synangogue was little bit on the expensive side. 

Lennon Wall

Lennon wall is a popular tourist destination in Prague. The wall is located in the Mala Strana area of Prague just next to Charles Bridge. If you are coming from Old Town area of Prague then you need to cross Charles Bridge in order to reach Lennon wall. I will strongly recommend to visit the wall during early morning time in order to get some good opportunity for photography . You can visit the wall at any point of time and there is no entrance fee for visiting the wall. Lennon wall played a key role during the Czechoslovakia protest. Young people used the wall to write protest text, images and lyrics against the communist Government. Lennon wall became popular among tourists after the division of Czechoslovakia. Initially in the 1980, activist John Lennon used the wall to paint an image of Beatles lead singer. If you are a Beatles fan then you must visit Lennon wall. During my visit I saw the wall covered with Beatles lyrics, graffiti and quotations. The wall features a beautiful portrait of John Lennon.

Charles Bridge Prague

Charles Bridge and Old Town Square are the most visited tourist destination in Prague. The bridge was constructed in 14^th Century. The bridge is located about 15 minutes walk from Old Town Square. Charles Bridge connects the Old Town and Lesser Town area of Prague. Your visit to Prague will be incomplete if you don’t visit Charles Bridge. It took around 50 years to completely build the bridge and it is made from sandstone. Charles Bridge connects the Old town center to Mala Strana. There are around 30 baroque style statues located on both sides of the bridge. The bridge is protected by three Gothic towers. The towers are situated on both sides of the bridge. The views from the Charles Bridge is absolutely incredible. I visited the bridge during afternoon time and it was packed with people. You will also find painters, musician, street vendors and photographers along the bridge. The bridge was so crowded that there was hardly any place to take photographs and it was really hot that day. After reaching Mala Strana area I decided to come back to the Old Town side of Prague by walking along a different bridge. I came back again to the bridge next day at around 6 am and the view was spectacular. I will strongly recommend to visit the bridge early morning if you are trying take some nice photographs. Charles Bridge looks absolutely fantastic during early morning hours. Charles Bridge is also known for its beautiful lighting at night. I will strongly recommend to visit the bridge at night so that you can capture some amazing night shot. Overall a trip to Charles Bridge is must if you are visiting Prague.

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is the largest castle of the world. The castle is spread around over an area of 45 hectres. St Vitus Cathedral is situated inside Prague Castle walls. I arrived at Prague castle just exactly at the time of Guard Changing ceremony. The Ceremony includes changing of guards and flag ceremony. The guards were dressed in proper light blue color attire and the ceremony lasted about 15 minutes. Prague castle is one of the most visited tourist destinations of Prague. The castle is currently the official residence of the President. You need to go through proper security checks before entering Prague castle. The main attraction of Prague castle is St Vitus cathedral. St Vitus Cathedral features neo Gothic style architecture. You need to purchase tickets if you are planning to visit St Vitus Cathedral, Basillica of St George and Golden Lane. I visited the Castle during summer time and the queue for the St Vitus Cathedral was very long. I decided to skip St Vitus Cathedral during my visit. You can easily spend half-day at the Castle. St Vitus cathedral is visible from almost all parts of Prague. The Cathedral was constructed in the year early 20^th century. Some of the buildings inside the castle were under renovation. Chapel of St Wenceslas is situated inside St Vitus Cathedral. Golden lane is situated near Prague castle. Alchemist has used the street to perform experiment which turns ordinary metals into Gold. You get great views of Prague city from the Castle ground because it is situated on top of Prague hill.

Petrin Hill and Petrin Tower

Petrin hill is located towards the Mala Strana side of Prague. It will take about 45 minutes to walk from Mala Strana to Petrin hill. The walk to Petrin hill is very steep and you will pass through gardens on your way to the hill. I will strongly recommend to visit Petrin hill if you are visiting Prague Castle and Strahov Monastery. Strahov monastery is located just adjacent to Petrin hill. It takes about 5 minutes to walk from Petrin hill to Strahov monastery. If you are coming from Strahov monastery, then you don’t have to take uphill walk to Petrin hill. The hill is located at the height of 320m. If you want to save your time, then you can always take furnicular railway from lesser quarter to Petrin hill.  Petrin Hill is home to five gardens in Prague and the place looks absolutely beautiful. Petrin Lookout Tower is situated on top of Petrin Hill. The tower was built in the year 1891 and the design of the tower is inspired from Eiffel tower. The Entrance fee for Observation deck is 50 Krona and you get beautiful views of Prague city from the deck. The stairs to the top of the observation deck is very narrow and you might feel little bit claustrophobic but the trip to the observation deck is completely worth it. The weather was perfect on that day and the visibility was absolutely amazing. The observation deck was really crowded with lot of people and there was hardly any space. I will recommend to take your shots from the one level below the deck. They did a great job by making the path to the top of the deck separate for people going up and down.

Prague municipal house

Prague Municipal house is situated very close to Old Town Square. Municipal house is a prominent public building of Prague. The building is serving as the most important building of Prague for almost 100 years. The exterior of the building is beautiful with colorful glass mosaic and sculptures representing cultural symbol of Prague. The architecture of the building looks absolutely breathtaking. You will find different varieties of mosaic tiles, stucco, metal work, murals and paintings inside the municipal house.  Municipal house is a must visit tourist attraction in Prague if you are interested in history and art. If you are planning to have a nice glass of cocktail after your day trip, then be sure to check out the American Bar situated in the basement of the building.

Wenceslas square & Prague National Museum

Wenceslas square is situated just next to National Museum of Prague. If you are staying near old town area, then you can take a tram to reach Wenceslas Square. It takes about 15 minutes to reach Wenceslas square from Old town area. Compared to Old Town square Wenceslas Square represents more modern history of Prague. Wenceslas square was the main gathering point during Velvet Revolution. Wenceslas square features equestrian statue of saint Wenceslas. Wenceslas square features different types of stalls, clubs and cafes. Wenceslas square is a popular tourist destination of Prague. The square also features a huge seating area. You can visit the square at any point of time during the day and there is no entry fee for visiting the square. The national museum was constructed in the late 19th century. The museum faced severe damage during the second world war and during the military attacks of 1968. The renovation of the museum finished in 2019 and it took nearly 9 years to complete the renovation work. If you want to explore more of the history of Prague, then you must visit the National Museum.

National Theatre

Prague National Theatre is situated on the Old Town side of the city. National Theatre is situated near Legion Bridge. Legion bridge is situated about 0.5 km away from Charles Bridge on the Vltava river. The architecture of the theatre is absolutely beautiful and you will get the best view of the theatre from the bridge. National Theatre hosts different kinds of Opera, Theater and Ballet performance. Depending on the time of the show the ticket price ranges from $10 to $100. If you have more time with you during your trip to Prague, then I strongly recommend to attend the show at National Theatre.

Mala Strana & St Nicholas Church

Mala Strana is located in Lesser Town area just next to Charles Bridge. Mala Strana is a popular tourist destination of Prague. I visited the area at afternoon and the street was full of tourists. Mala Strana is famous for stunning baroque style architecture. You will find lot of street performers around the Mala Strana area. Lennon wall is situated by just 5 minutes walk from Mala Strana. Mala Strana is a great place to try local Czech desserts and street food. Mala Strana area is well connected to other parts of Old Town via Tram and metro. The architecture of the buildings around Mala Strana area is absolutely beautiful. You will feel like going back in time after you walk along the cobble stoned streets of Mala Strana. Nicholas church is located at the end of Mala Strana street. Construction of the Church completed in the late 18^th century. The architecture of Nicholas church is absolutely beautiful and the church plays host to lot of concerts throughout the year.

Rudolfinum

Rudolfinum is a beautiful building located near the bank of Vltava river. The building is famous for its neo-renaissance style.  The theatre is the center of music and art since the beginning of 20^th century. The music hall situated inside the building is the main venue of Prague Music Festival. I visited the building during early morning time and I got perfect opportunity to take some nice photographs of the surrounding. I will strongly recommend to walk around the banks of Vltava river during early morning hours. The view of Charles bridge from Rudolfinum was breathtaking. If you are interested in music then you should definitely visit inside the building and check out different auditoriums and music halls.

Zizkov Television Tower

Zizkov Television Tower is listed as one of the top 10 ugliest buildings in the world. The tower is located in the city of Zizkov. If you are staying at Old Town area, then it will take about 30 minutes to reach Zizkov Television Tower by Tram.  The construction of the Zizkov Television Tower was completed in the year 1992. Zizkov TV tower is also known as Prague Tv tower. Zizkov TV tower is the tallest building of the city and the observation deck of the tower is situated at the height of 93m.  The ticket for the viewing platform is 250 CZK. I visited the tower during afternoon time and the viewing platform was relatively empty. The observation deck was very big but there were only 3 tourists inside during my visit. Zizkov Television tower also has a hotel and a restaurant. The restaurant is situated at an altitude of 70m. The view from the restaurant is similar compared to the Observation deck and you don’t have to pay the entry fee for restaurant. I will strongly recommend to go to the restaurant during evening time for epic views of Prague city. The fine dine restaurant also has a great bar but the prices are little bit on the higher side. The tower is located far from Old town area so you will not get to see the ancient churches and buildings from the observation deck. St Vitus Cathedral is an important landmark of Prague and it was visible from Zizkov Television Tower.  I really loved climbing baby statues during my visit to the tower. This was something completely unique and there are around 10 baby statues installed on the tower.  A visit to Zizkov Television Tower will help you to get away from the touristy areas of Prague.

National Monument

National monument of Prague is situated on top Vitkov hill. The monument is located near UAN Florenc bus stop. It takes about 15 minutes to walk up to the monument from the bus stop. The Equestrian statue of Jan Zizka, situated at the National Monument, is the third largest equestrian bronze statue of the world. Jan Zizka defeated catholic forces in the fifteenth century battle of Vitkov hill. The monument was also used for the war heroes of World War 1 and for the communist regime at various period of time. The construction of the memorial buildings was completed just before the start of World War 2. The monument also features tomb of the Unknown soldier and Observation deck. Observation deck of the monument is situated behind the equestrian statue. The view from the observation deck was absolutely amazing . Zizkov TV tower is situated near the national monument. The hill is not that high but there is lot of open space around the monument. The view was spectacular from the deck. National monument is situated far from the Old town so most tourist destinations are not that crowded. You will get great opportunities to take some nice shots of the beautiful city of Prague. I will strongly recommend to avoid visiting the place after dark because the monument is located at a very isolated location. The architecture of the main hall of the monument was extremely beautiful and the entire area was very well maintained. I hope Czech Government should promote the monument more so that more people can visit this beautiful tourist location.

Strahov Monastery

Strahov Monastery is located in between Prague Castle and Petrin Hill. I will strongly recommend to combine your trip to Strahov Monastery, Prague Castle and Petrin Hill. The monastery was founded in the 12^th century.  Strahov library and Church of the assumption of Virgin Mary is situated inside the monastery compound. Petrin hill lookout tower is located about 10 minutes walk from Strahov Monastery. There are around 100 monks permanently living inside the monastery. The restoration work of the Monastery was done several times in the past. The monastery survived wars and revolutions at various stages in the history. If you are interested in art and history then I will strongly recommend to visit the reading room and the art gallery situated inside the Monastery. The architecture of the library hall was absolutely stunning. The Monastery is situated on top of a hill so you get great views of the city from the Monastery. You have to pay entrance fee if you are planning to visit the Library. If you are planning to take Photos inside the Library hall then you have to pay 50 CZK. Strahov Monastery is not a popular tourist destination of Prague. During my visit to the monastery I saw only 5 other visitors. You must visit the monastery if you are interested in Art and History of Prague.

Lesser Town Bridge Tower

Lesser TownBridge Tower is located towards the end of Charles Bridge just at the entrance of Mala Strana area. Most tourists miss the spot because they visit directly Mala Strana area after crossing Charles Bridge. Lesser Town Bridge tower is a must visit tourist location if you are visiting Prague. The view of Charles Bridge was absolutely beautiful from the lookout point. Charles Bridge was extremely crowded during my visit and I was shocked to see so many people at the bridge at one point of time. The tower was built in the 15^th century. Lesser Town Bridge Tower is shorter in height compared to Old Town Bridge Tower. Lesser Town Bridge Tower is connected to another tower via a short bridge. You will also find several exhibitions depicting the history of Charles Bridge at the Tower. You will also find different types of artworks inside the tower. The entrance fee for the lookout point was 100 CZK. The climb to the tower was much easier compared to Old Town Bridge Tower.

Old Town Bridge Tower

Old Town Bridge Tower is located at the entrance of Charles Bridge. Bridge Tower was constructed in the 14^th century. The entrance fee to the lookout tower is 90 CZK. Old Town Bridge Tower is not a popular destination among tourists. Old Town Bridge tower is a must visit tourist location if you are visiting Prague. The view of Charles Bridge was absolutely breathtaking from the lookout point. Charles Bridge was extremely crowded during my visit and I was shocked to see so many people at the bridge at one time. The tower is only 64m tall but you have to climb through narrow stairs in order to reach the lookout point. You will also find different exhibitions about the history of Charles Bridge inside the Bridge Tower. The Observation deck situated at the top of the tower is not that spacious compared to other Observation decks. You will get stunning views of Charles bridge and the Old Town area from the lookout point.

Powder Tower Prague

Powder Tower is situated at the entrance to the Old Town area. The architecture of the tower resembles Gothic style architecture. The tower was constructed at the end of 15^th century. The Tower was used as a Gun Powder store. The entrance fee to the tower is CZK 100. The tower is situated by 10 minutes walk from Old Town Square. You will get great views of Old Town area and Prague municipal house from the lookout point. You have to climb narrow stairs in order to reach the lookout point of the Tower. The gate suffered considerable damages because of war and revolution but it was subsequently restored to its original beauty. The tower is located just next to the Municipal house building. I saw lot of building having red colored roof around the Powder Tower. The combination of red color roof and blue colored sky was absolutely perfect.