Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, offers many attractions, monuments and interesting places that make you want to keep coming back to it. Prague did not suffer much during World War II, so ancient monuments are mixed with modern facilities and interesting installations of local artists.
One day to visit the attractions of Prague is definitely not enough.
It’s hard to see all the important sights of Prague even in two or three days. There are over 20 museums in the city and five times more galleries. There are many sights, interesting places and cultural facilities here. After all, Prague is one of the most attractive capitals in Europe, visited by crowds of tourists every year.
So let’s start exploring Prague with our tourist guide!
The attractions of Prague are scattered throughout a large area, and there are many visitors here virtually all year round. For this reason, it is worth focusing on visiting specific places and monuments, and leave the rest to be seen at the next visit.
What’s the best way to explore Prague?
The best and most efficient way to get around Prague is by metro.
However, there are trams, buses and even a railroad (at Petrin Hill) at the tourists’ disposal. To use all these means of transport, it is best to buy a card ticket for a specified number of days. Then we can drive all available vehicles in Prague.
These cards can be bought at ticket machines at stops and subway stations.
Some of the most important monuments in the capital of Prague can be easily reached on foot.
Tourist attractions of Prague
Among the many monuments and characteristic places in Prague, the most famous number one will definitely be the Charles Bridge. Its popularity means that during the day, as well as in the evening until late at night, it is incredibly crowded with tourists.
So if you want to avoid the crowds then you have to go there at dawn (literally) or just at night. The Charles Bridge itself was built in the 15th century and is the oldest stone structure of this type in the world. There are 30 sculptures depicting saints on the bridge.
It is over half a kilometer long and connects two districts of Prague – Stare Mesto and Mala Strana. Defensive towers were built on both sides of the bridge, which are now available to tourists to admire Prague from a height.
Old Town Square in Prague
Another must-see on the tourist map of Prague is the Old Town Square. The place from which most trips depart. At the center of the market is a statue of Jan Hus, a religious reformer, who was burned at the stake.
There is also a church of the Blessed Virgin Mary before Tyn with two towers and the oldest organs in Prague inside. Interestingly, the entrance to the temple is somewhat hidden, because you enter it under the arcades (between restaurants).
The Old Town Square also houses the town hall building, for which the tower can be climbed for a fee and enjoy the views. However, the biggest attraction here is the astronomical clock Orloj, located on the southern wall of the town hall. It consists of three parts – astronomical, calendar and one with movable figurines that emerge every hour, to the delight of tourists.
Hradčany
Prague Castle, where Czech president resides, is also an attraction very often visited by tourists coming to the Czech capital. The whole of Hradčany is the so-called royal district, which consists of various buildings: Prague Castle together with the royal gardens and Belvedere, and the impressive Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert built in the Gothic style.
It is the main church in Prague, where the Prague Archbishopric and the Czech Primate are based. Czech kings are buried in the underground and you can see the crown jewels here.
The castle complex also includes the basilica and monastery of St. George, but also the Chapel of the Holy Cross and the very famous and characteristic Golden Street. Associated with low, colorful houses, it was once a street inhabited by goldsmiths of Jewish origin.
Currently, there are shops and galleries in the buildings, and the entrance to the Golden Street is payable. After 5pm in the summer and after 4pm in the winter, you can enter for free. In Hradčany, it’s worth visiting Loreta, a complex of baroque, sacred buildings. It is a popular pilgrimage site.
River boat trip
River boat cruises are also an attraction for tourists in Prague, as the Czech capital is located on the Vltava river. The cruises have a landscape character, so as to see Prague from the water perspective and swim under the Charles Bridge. Nice attraction for families with children.
Attractions for children in Prague? Sure!
Speaking of children, a great attraction for them will be a visit to the aquapark – Aquapalace Praha, 15 km away from the center of Prague. Enjoy various slides, a wave pool, the so-called rapid river and saunas.
Another place perfect for children is the Lego Museum in the center of the Czech capital. In addition to sets of blocks from many previous years, there are models of Prague’s monuments built from Lego and of course the company store.
See on the map of Prague where the Lego museum is:
A good place in Prague for kids will also be the city zoo located in the Troja district, covering 45 hectares of area and housing 4700 animals. Some pet runs are the size of small zoos. The Prague Zoological Garden is among the leading zoos in the world.
What is worth seeing and visiting in Prague?
The Jewish district of Josefov is quite a popular place for tourists. This is the place where Franz Kafka was born, and during the war Hitler wanted to create the Museum of Extinct Race here.
Paradoxically, thanks to this, the Jewish Museum in Prague has the best collections, because during World War II many items related to the Jewish people were transported here. Apart from museums, Josefov’s most important monuments are numerous synagogues, e.g. Staronowa, Spanish or High, and the old Jewish cemetery.
The latter has its own specific climate, because it is the oldest cemetery in Europe. Tombstones (matzevot) date back to 1439.
Vyšehrad
The next point on the map of Prague to visit is the Vyšehrad hill. It was here that the second seat of the Czech rulers stood, which later the Austrians rebuilt into a fortress. An attraction on the Vyšehrad hill is the church of St. Peter and Paul and the adjacent cemetery, where many distinguished Czech citizens were buried.
A road tunnel was dug under one of the rock fragments on the Visegrad hill.
See on the map of Prague where the Vysehrad hill is located:
Malá Strana
When it comes to sightseeing, the Malá Strana district, located on the left side of the Vltava River, will also be an interesting place. It is a place full of charming streets, nicely decorated tenements and alleys.
The most interesting monuments here are the church of St. Nicholas with beautiful frescoes and organs on which supposedly Mozart himself had played and the second church of Our Lady of Victory, housing a miracle performing wax figure of Jesus.
In the Malá Strana district there is also one of the nicer gardens in Prague – Vrtbov, cascaded and the famous wall of John Lennon, which is always decorated with graffiti.
However, the most people are attracted to the Petrin hill, which can be reached by the funicular or on foot. At the very top there is a lookout tower – Petrinska Rozhledna, reminiscent of the Paris Eiffel Tower. In addition, there is a maze of mirrors on the Petrin Hill, a memorial to the victims of communism, and an astronomical observatory.
National Museum in Prague
A place that is also worth visiting is definitely the National Museum, one of many located in Prague. The main building of the museum is located in the very center of Prague on Wenceslas Square, housing only a part from the collection of 14 million exhibits.
See on the map where the national museum in Prague is located:
Other are placed in other buildings under the common banner of the National Museum. Mostly they are subjects related to history, art, music, librarianship and other fields. Fans of Art Nouveau can recommend the Alfons Mucha Museum – a true icon of this art style. On the other hand, people fascinated with magic and potions can be taken to the Alchemy Museum – Alchemiae Speculum in Prague, where they will be transferred straight to the 16th century.
What else is worth seeing in Prague?
A place worth seeing while visiting Prague is the Municipal House. This is the most famous building in the Czech capital, representing the Art Nouveau style. Inside the halls there are concerts, exhibitions and other cultural events. In 1918 Czechoslovakia was proclaimed at this place.
Near the Municipal House, it’s also worth seeing the Powder Gate, one of the most beautiful buildings of this type in Prague. It is a remnant of the city walls, which were rebuilt in the nineteenth century. At one time gunpowder and ammunition were stored in it, hence its name. Currently, the Powder Gate has a viewing terrace for tourists.
Visiting the Monastery in Strahov, we will be able to see one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. In addition to the rich collections (200,000 volumes and manuscripts), which is a National Literature Monument, there are two halls with richly decorated ceiling frescoes and a walnut-lined interior. What a wonder!
The newest, compared to the others, interesting place for tourists to take a photo of is Dancing House. It is meant to represent a dancing couple. Unless you’re interested in visiting a restaurant on the roof of this office building, you can ignore it. It is better to go to the Zizkov TV tower, where in addition to cafes and restaurants at an altitude of 93 meters there is a lookout point, where visibility sometimes reaches 100 kilometers, heavily depending on the weather though.
It is worth visiting the official website of the city of Prague to check information relevant to tourists.
Opinions on attractions and monuments in Prague
We are interested in what are your favorite tourist attractions and monuments in Prague. Surely everyone has their favorite interesting places that are worth seeing and visiting. In our Prague tourist guide we have tried to include all the most important places as well as those less crowded and well-known attractions for children. That is why we are waiting for your opinions and reviews about attractions in Prague. Such opinions are very useful for those who are going there for the first time.