UNESCO🏛️ What to see
Things to do in Prague
A city the twentieth century's bombs largely missed, which is why a thousand years of architecture stand here in unbroken sequence — Romanesque cellars, the Gothic bridge, Baroque domes, Art Nouveau facades and the world's only Cubist buildings. Every major sight, museum, viewpoint and monument, sorted by district, with live opening hours.
173 places
UNESCO
Free entryUNESCO
Old Town Square
Old Town4.8(122,118)out of 5 on Google
Free entryUNESCO
UNESCO
Dancing House
New Town4.3(70,236)out of 5 on Google
Free entry
Free entry
Free entry
Free entry
Free entry
National Theatre
New Town4.8(14,838)out of 5 on Google
Left bank or right bank first?
If you have one day, cross Charles Bridge at eight in the morning, do the Castle before the tour groups arrive, and give the afternoon to the Old Town and Josefov. The bridge at dawn and the bridge at noon are two different places; only one of them is worth photographing.
The three that need planning
Most of Prague can be seen by turning up. Three things cannot:
- The Castle interiors — St. Vitus, the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane — are one circuit ticket, and the cathedral queue in season is real. Early or late beats the middle of the day.
- The Jewish Museum sites close on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, which catches out more visitors than any other schedule in the city.
- The Strahov Library halls and the Vrtba Garden keep short hours and are worth planning a morning around.
Where the views are
The Old Town Hall tower is the famous one and gets the queue. Petřín is a funicular ride and a better panorama. Letná is free and has the postcard line-up of bridges. Vyšehrad sees the Castle from the one angle most visitors never find — and its ramparts are empty at sunset.
Where to stay in Prague
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, apartments and hostels, so you can judge the walk from here rather than guess from an address.
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Frequently asked
How many days do you need in Prague?
Three is the honest answer for a first visit: one for the Castle side, one for the Old Town and Josefov, and one for the neighbourhoods and a proper beer hall evening. Two works if you skip the museums.
What is free to visit in Prague?
Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square and the astronomical clock's hourly show, the Castle courtyards and St. Vitus's entrance area, Vyšehrad's grounds, Letná and Petřín parks, the Wallenstein Garden and the John Lennon Wall.
Is the astronomical clock worth waiting for?
The hourly procession of apostles lasts under a minute and underwhelms most people. The clock itself — a 1410 astronomical instrument still working — rewards two minutes of looking far more than the show does. Climb the tower instead.