Roavina

City guide · Czechia

Prague

A photograph of Prague
Photograph · Deror_avi · CC BY-SA 4.0

Prague is Czechia's capital, built on both banks of the Vltava. Its historic visitor core links Old Town and New Town on the east bank with Malá Strana and Prague Castle on the west through a sequence of squares, bridges and steep streets. The preserved centre carries medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and later architecture in close succession, while districts such as Holešovice, Karlín and Žižkov reveal the industrial and residential city beyond the postcard core. Most first visits combine walking in the centre with public transport to outer districts.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information

Language spoken
Czech
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+420
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Czech koruna (CZK)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and E · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Prague

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walk, tram and metro
  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: good time to visit
  8. August: good time to visit
  9. September: best time to visit — current month
  10. October: good time to visit
  11. November: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Charles Bridge Charles Bridge
    02 40 min

    Charles Bridge

    Karlův most

    Charles Bridge carries walkers across the Vltava between the Old Town and Malá Strana, and it has done so in the same stone since the beginning of the fifteenth century.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock
    03 1 hr 30 min

    Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock

    Staroměstská radnice

    The Old Town Hall is the seat Prague's Old Town won for itself in 1338, when the estates obtained King John of Bohemia's approval to establish an administration of their own, and Prague City Tourism calls it the oldest institution…

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Vyšehrad Vyšehrad
    04 2 hr 30 min

    Vyšehrad

    Vyšehrad is a walled hilltop above the right bank of the Vltava, about three kilometres upstream of Charles Bridge, and it is the one major Prague sight that costs nothing to enter.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. Václavské náměstí Václavské náměstí
    05 1 hour

    Václavské náměstí

    Wenceslas Square is a historic boulevard and public space in Prague's New Town, established in the fourteenth century during the reign of Charles IV. Despite its name, it functions as a long rectangular boulevard rather than a conventional square.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  5. Clementinum Clementinum
    06 45 min

    Clementinum

    Klementinum

    The Clementinum is a historic complex in Prague's Old Town, one of the largest building complexes in Europe. It originated as a Jesuit college founded in 1556 and later merged with Charles University.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. Old-New Synagogue Old-New Synagogue
    07 30 min

    Old-New Synagogue

    Staronová synagoga

    The Old-New Synagogue stands on Červená street in Josefov, the former Jewish Town of Prague, and it is the oldest surviving synagogue in Europe as well as the oldest site in the quarter.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  7. John Lennon Wall John Lennon Wall
    08 45 min

    John Lennon Wall

    Lennonova zeď

    The Lennon Wall is a continuously evolving graffiti-covered wall in Prague's Malá Strana district.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  8. St Nicholas Church, Malá Strana St Nicholas Church, Malá Strana
    09 45 min

    St Nicholas Church, Malá Strana

    svatý Mikuláš

    St. Nicholas Church (svatý Mikuláš) stands as a prominent Baroque church in Prague, Czech Republic. The structure represents a significant example of Central European ecclesiastical architecture from the late Baroque period.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  9. Žižkov Television Tower Žižkov Television Tower
    10 45 min

    Žižkov Television Tower

    Žižkovský vysílač

    The Žižkov Television Tower is a distinctive telecommunications and observation tower located in the Žižkov district of Prague. Known locally as Žižkovský vysílač, this structure serves as both a functional broadcasting facility and a major city viewpoint.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  10. Prague Astronomical Clock Prague Astronomical Clock
    11 1 hour

    Prague Astronomical Clock

    Staroměstský orloj

    The Astronomical Clock, the orloj, is mounted on the southern side of the Old Town Hall tower on Old Town Square, and it is a working machine rather than an exhibit behind glass.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  11. Church of Our Lady before Týn Church of Our Lady before Týn
    12 30 min

    Church of Our Lady before Týn

    Matka Boží před Týnem

    The Church of Our Lady before Týn is the parish church of Prague's Old Town, and the parish that owns it says plainly what it is not: not an ordinary public space, not a market, not a square and not…

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  12. Wallenstein Palace Wallenstein Palace
    13 45 min

    Wallenstein Palace

    Valdštejnský palác

    Wallenstein Palace is a Baroque palace complex in Prague's Malá Strana district. Built in the 1620s for Albrecht von Wallenstein, it served as his Prague residence.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  13. Old Royal Palace Old Royal Palace
    14 45 min

    Old Royal Palace

    Starý královský palác

    The Old Royal Palace is a historic structure within Prague Castle, the Czech Republic's most visited monument. Dating to medieval times with later Gothic and Renaissance modifications, it served as the seat of Bohemian kings and emperors.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  14. Queen Anne's Summer Palace Queen Anne's Summer Palace
    15 45 min

    Queen Anne's Summer Palace

    Letohrádek královny Anny

    Queen Anne's Summer Palace, known locally as Letohrádek královny Anny, is a Renaissance pleasure palace located in the Royal Garden of Prague Castle.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  15. Břevnov Monastery Břevnov Monastery
    16 45 min

    Břevnov Monastery

    Břevnovský klášter

    Břevnov Monastery is a Benedictine monastery in Prague 6 and one of the oldest monastic foundations in Bohemia. Its origins reach back to 993, when the monastery was founded by Saint Adalbert and Duke Boleslaus II.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  16. Troja Palace Troja Palace
    17 45 min

    Troja Palace

    Troja

    Troja Palace is a Baroque palace located in the Troja district of Prague, Czech Republic. It stands as a significant architectural landmark on the banks of the Vltava River.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  17. Schwarzenberg Palace Schwarzenberg Palace
    18 45 min

    Schwarzenberg Palace

    Schwarzenberský palác

    Schwarzenberg Palace is a Renaissance palace in Prague, Czech Republic. It stands on Hradčanské náměstí near Prague Castle. The local name is Schwarzenberský palác. The building features distinctive sgraffito decoration on its facade, creating a striking black-and-white geometric pattern.

    • High
    • Historic monument
  18. Sternberg Palace Sternberg Palace
    19 45 min

    Sternberg Palace

    Šternberský palác

    Sternberg Palace is a Baroque palace in Prague, Czech Republic. It stands near Prague Castle in the Hradčany district. The building serves as a significant cultural institution within the historic urban fabric of the city.

    • High
    • Historic monument

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

The Vltava and the ridge below Prague Castle organise the centre. Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter and Wenceslas Square sit east of the river; Charles Bridge crosses to Malá Strana, where streets climb toward the castle. New Town wraps around the medieval core rather than forming a separate modern centre. Beyond it, Holešovice lies north, Karlín northeast and Žižkov east of the central station. These outer districts are best treated as individual routes, while Old Town, Charles Bridge and Malá Strana can be joined on foot if steep sections are manageable.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk through the historic centre and use Prague Integrated Transport for longer or steeper journeys. Metro, trams, buses, trains and ferries operate within the integrated system; the three colour-coded metro lines form its backbone and trams are especially useful across the central districts. Ticket validity is time-based and transfers are allowed within the ticket period. Paper tickets that require validation must be stamped once at the start, not again during transfers. Consult PID or Prague City Tourism for current fares, disruptions and accessibility details.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Prague?

A fixed stay length is not recorded. Divide the visit between Old Town and New Town, the west-bank castle and Malá Strana, then an outer district such as Holešovice, Karlín or Žižkov.

Which side of the river holds Prague Castle?

Prague Castle and Malá Strana are on the west bank of the Vltava. Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, New Town and the main railway station are on the east side.

Should I use trams or the metro?

Use the metro for longer cross-city links and trams for many central and hillside routes. Walking remains the best way to connect sights inside the historic core.

How do Prague transport tickets work?

Ticket validity is based on time rather than the number of transfers. A paper ticket that requires validation is stamped once at the beginning and not stamped again when changing services.

Is the historic centre flat?

No. Old Town is comparatively level, but routes through Malá Strana toward Prague Castle climb. Use a tram when steep streets or mobility constraints make the full walk unsuitable.