The Ultimate Guide To Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is one of the most magical cities in the world and Europe’s hidden gem. The beautiful pastel colored buildings throughout the city, castle and bridges will make you feel like you have just walked into a fairytale Disney movie. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that some of the most classic Disney movies were inspired by this city, especially Sleeping Beauty.
- *Currency: Czech Crown (czk)
- *Language: Czech (most of the locals know English)
- * Population: 1,250,000
- *Known For: Prague’s Castle,
- *Perfect Trip Length: 2-3 days
- *Cost: Expensive (one of the most expensive cities in Europe)
- *Best Time To Visit: Summer (longer days). The second best time is Christmas time, with the beautiful Christmas Markets.
Here’s The Ultimate Guide To Prague, Czech Republic – where to stay, what to eat, things to do, transportation and more.
If you want to see what my adventure of Prague looked like check out my vlog of Prague: Exploring PRAGUE In 2 Days!
Transportation To City Center Prague
Many people that normally visit Prague, also visited a European country before, so arriving in Prague can be different for each person. It can be by train or airplane. I arrived in Prague by train after visiting Budapest and Vienna.
The Praha Hlavni Nadrazi (Main Train Station) is in the heart of Prague, some hotels are even close enough to walk to, if they aren’t, you hop onto a taxi. Taxis aren’t cheap from the train station, especially if you’re a tourist, so ask beforehand what the price will be, to make sure you’re getting an honest price.
Airport Transportation – Václav Havel Airport Prague
If you arrived into Prague by airport, you have a few options to get to the city center/your hotel. Normally the cheapest way of getting to the city center from the airport is to take a bus that drops off in the city center and then take a taxi from there to your hotel. Ideally, the fastest way is by taxi, but it’s also the most expensive way.
Bus – The cheapest way of getting to Prague is by bus. Bus #119, runs approximately every 15 minutes from 4:30am to 11:30pm.
- Another option is Prague’s Airport Shuttle.
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Prague Airport to Hotels – USD $13
- Private Arrival Transfer: Vaclav Havel Airport – USD $30
Taxi – 600-700czk (about $25-$30 USD) to most city center, top hotels cost 1000czk ($40USD)
Where To Stay
Prague has some of the most beautiful hotels I have ever seen and picking the perfect hotel isn’t easy. My first time in Prague, I stayed at The Grand Mark Prague, which I LOVED. It was less than a block from the city center and allowed guest to also use bikes to get around town if they wanted. It’s seriously in the perfect location for everything. I also wrote a review on The Mark Luxury Hotel Prague.
Other great hotels are listed below:
Best Hotels in Prague – Great Location
- InterContinental Prague
- The Emblem Hotel
- Mandarin Oriental, Prague
- Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Prague
- Four Seasons Hotel Prague
- Grandior Hotel Prague
- Boscolo Prague, Autograph Collection
Getting Around Prague
There is a 3-day Prague City Card with Free Public Transport that is really helpful and saves you money during your time in Prague. It includes; free public transport, free airport express, free 2-hour Martin Tour bus tour, free 1-hour Martin Tour river cruise with a live guide, free Prague castle, free Jewish museum, free Old Town hall, 50 free attractions, and up to 50% off discounts on other attractions, tours, cruises, shows, concerts, and restaurants. It’s a huge money saver.
Prague is a city best seen by foot. You can literally walk everywhere in this city and get a good feel for it. The city center isn’t huge like most major cities.
I would suggest getting a guided walking tour to get to know Prague on a deeper level and learn all about its history.
Here are a few tours you can look into, almost all are around 3hrs:
- Prague Old Town New Town and Jewish Quarter Morning Tour – $21 USD (I personally, really recommend this one)
- Prague Walking Tour Following in Mozart’s Footsteps – $29.95 USD (currently on discount)
- 3-hours Combi E-Scooter and Segway Tour – $85 USD (very popular in Prague, you’ll see people riding them all over the city)
- Premium Quality E-Bike Tours in Prague – $65 USD
- 3-hour Walking Tour of Jewish Quarter in Prague – $39 USD (Learn all about the holocaust and Jewish Quarter in the heart of the city)
- 4-Hour Prague Old Town Walking Tour With Lunch On A Boat – $55 USD
My first day in Prague was a rainy day (winter time), so I took a city bus tour that took me to all the major spots in Prague so that I can get a better feel for the city and stay dry. I later realized just how small Prague was and that you don’t really need it, but it’s nice to have for first-time travelers because you get to learn so much that you wouldn’t have naturally learned. It also came with a ticket for a cruise ride along the Vltava river, which I used right at sunset and it was just perfect.
Things You Must See & Do In Prague
There are many must-see places in Prague and you can probably finish them all in one day if you wake up early enough.
Prague’s Castle
First and foremost, Prague’s Castle. Prague’s Castle is one of the world’s biggest castles and is incredibly beautiful. You can walk there and the walk to the castle from all sides of the city are beautiful. Prague’s Castle also has one of the best city views, so if you’re looking to capture a beautiful photo of the city of Prague from a bird eye view, this is the place to go. While there, you can walk around the outside and partly the inside of the castle. You can also book a walking tour of the castle upon arrival.
The Dancing House
The Dancing House is one of the world’s most famous architecture. Many people don’t actually know that it’s in Prague but have seen photos of it. It’s definitely worth seeing. It’s a bit of a walk from the city center but doable or you can grab a taxi.
Prague Astronomical Clock
The famous ‘Prague Astronomical Clock’ is Prague’s pride and joy. A clock dating back to 600 years ago. If you visit during a round hour, you can even see a small puppet show. The clock itself is actually a lot bigger in person and much more beautiful than in photos.
Old Town Square
The old Town Square is where you’ll find the Astronomical Clock, among other beautiful buildings in pastel colors. There are shops and many restaurants there, a great place to explore and spend your morning or afternoon at.
The Charlies Bridge
The Charlies Bridge in Prague is simply stunning and a way to get to Prague’s Castle crossing the Vltava river. It dates back to 1357. It’s a picture perfect place and in my opinion, a great location to propose to someone.
Old New Synagogue
Even if you’re not Jewish, the old new Synagogue in Prague is a must see if you love art and architecture. It’s no longer an operating Synagogue, currently a museum. The ceilings and artwork are unreal, I was standing there staring at it for what seemed like forever, it literally left me teary eye from its beauty. A true masterpiece, the details are out of this world.
Night Time & Dinner Options:
If you’re looking for something to do at night here are a few night tours:
- Prague by Night: Small-Group Walking Tour and Vltava River Cruise
- Prague Buffet Dinner Cruise on Vltava River
- Prague Ghost Walking Tour
Prague is also known for their performance art, with a big opera house in the city center, theaters and fun cultural dinner experiences. You can enjoy a traditional Czech dinner and watch traditional dancing.
- Folklore Evening Including Traditional Czech Dinner in Prague
- Don Giovanni Performance at Estates Theatre in Prague
- Traditional Prague Music Show U Fleku, Unlimited Beer and Food Included
- Mozart Concert and Dinner in Prague
- Original Medieval Dinner and Show in Prague
- Old Tavern Tales, Violin Music and Czech Dinner in Prague
- Cinderella Shadow Theater in Prague
The Jewish Quarter & Holocaust
Sadly for me, as a Jew, the Holocaust did take place in Czech Republic. There is actually a big part of the city center of Prague called the Jewish Quarter. Currently, it’s where you would go to shop for big brand names like Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. However, there are still many Jewish historical sights.
While I personally can’t emotionally handle visiting Holocaust-related places, it’s still a big part of history and there are day tours if you’re interested in learning more about the Holocaust or visiting a Concentration Camp. You can do a group tour: Terezin Concentration Camp Day Tour from Prague (6hrs – $43) or a Private Former Concentration Camp Terezin Tour from Prague (7hrs -$207)
FOOD & BEER
Prague is packed with amazing restaurants and cafes almost everywhere you go. What is a must try? Chimney Cake.
TRDELNÍK – CHIMNEY CAKE
This sweet dessert is a must in Prague! It’s actually pretty famous all throughout Eastern Europe. Think of it as a European donut. They are freshly made and you can pick what you want on it. When I visited Prague, I ate one with coconuts, other add-ons can be Nutella or melted white or dark chocolate. They sell them everywhere.
For Food Lovers
Food tours are honestly the greatest thing ever. It’s the best way to eat your way through a country, try new things, learn about the culture and who knows, you might discover a whole new dish and fall in love. I’ve done a food tour in almost every country I visited in Europe. If you want to see a good food tour experience I had in Copenhagen check out: Copenhagen, Denmark – Food Tour!(video).
For a good food tour in Prague, check out this food tour, Guided Prague City Food Tasting Walking Tour.
For Beer lovers
Beer tours are fun, whether you like beer or not. I’m actually not a beer drinker at all, but it’s actually really interesting to see the process of how beers are made. I’ve done this in Copenhagen and in Amsterdam and if you’re a fan, try visiting a beer brewery or do a guided tour. It always comes with a few beers. Tours to check out:
- Velke Popovice Kozel Brewery Tour from Prague
- Beer Culture Tour with Beer Tasting in Prague
- Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting U Medvidku
Day Tours Outside of Prague
Prague is located next to so many beautiful cities in Europe that are definitely worth a visit. If you feel like you’ve already seen alot of Prague and want to venture off to a whole new city/country or maybe just want to visit a new country for the day. Look into doing a day tour. Like I said earlier, I visited Budapest and Vienna before Prague and both were amazing cities to visit. While Budapest isn’t for a day tour because it’s too far away Vienna is great and also Karlovy Vary.
Here are some great day tours:
- Vienna Sightseeing Day Trip from Prague – $135 (think about it, for only $135 you get to visit a brand new country – totally worth it)
- Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland National Park Day Trip from Prague – $164
- Dresden Day Trip from Prague
- Bastei Bridge and Fortress Königstein day Tour from Prague
- Day Trip to Karlovy Vary from Prague including 3-course Lunch
- Full Day Trip to Cesky Krumlov from Prague
Hope you enjoyed my The Ultimate Guide To Prague, Czech Republic. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below!
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Very interesting! Would love to visit or settle in this place. Could be easy to start up there considering there are a lot of tourists and you can make some businesses cause of that fact. Also very informative post. Thank you!
Very interesting article, thank you