Holidays to Prague
Prague highlights
Skyline spires
Prague is so pretty you’ll want to see it from every possible angle. Luckily this is the ‘City of a Hundred Spires’, so there are plenty of viewing points. Just be prepared for the stairs to the top. Old Town Hall Tower is one of the most popular places for photo ops on holidays to Prague. Petrin Tower is good for panoramas over the entire city and beyond.
Musical highs
The classical music scene in Prague is one of the best in Europe. Daily concerts are held across Old Town, often in palaces and churches. Look for both large symphony events, as well as more intimate string quartet performances. Time your holiday to Prague for the Spring Festival in May to enjoy an international programme of opera, chamber music and dance.
Breweries and beer gardens
You’ll find cheap beer down every cobblestone street in Prague. But for a proper introduction to the city’s favourite drink, try the Pilsner Urquell Experience. Discover how pilsner is brewed, learn its history and enjoy a glass or two in a lively beer hall. On sunny days, there’s no better place to be than Letná Park’s panoramic beer garden.
Prague: Know before you go
| Language | Czech |
|---|---|
| Currency | Czech koruna (Kč) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) and UTC+2 (CEST) |
| High season | July – August |
| Low season | January – February |
Find the best time to go to Prague
Weather in Prague
March – May: Spring weather can be a little unpredictable. But you’ll generally have warmer, sunnier days starting around May, with average highs of 19°C. The city gets busy over Easter, so book in advance.
June – August: Summer is the busiest time to visit, offering reliably warm weather and a festive atmosphere. Prague’s parks, patios and beer gardens are buzzing with life.
September – November: Temperatures stay warm well into September, but expect more cloudy days and rain as the month goes on. Autumn foliage makes Prague look extra pretty.
December – February: Winter temperatures hover around freezing. But there are plenty of Christmas markets and cosy pubs to warm you up.
Events in Prague
Masopust (February or March): A traditional celebration held before the beginning of Lent. Expect costumed performers, folk music, Czech dancing and a food market in Karlin Square.
Prague Spring International Music Festival (May to June): This summer event brings world-renowned orchestras and classical ensembles to some of the city’s most beautiful venues.
Summer Shakespeare Festival (June to September): Fans of the Bard won’t want to miss Europe’s largest open-air Shakespeare festival. Enjoy iconic plays in the stunning grounds of Prague Castle.
Christmas markets (November to January): Visiting over Christmas? It’s practically a rite of passage to sip mulled wine and hunt for treasures at Prague’s festive markets. The main ones are at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
The best neighbourhoods in Prague
Old Town
The Old Town is the best neighbourhood to stay in Prague if you want to have the historic sights on your doorstep. It’s a small area full of towers and palaces, with narrow back streets leading to pretty squares. Hotels in the Old Town are full of character, and there are plenty of cafes and restaurants with traditional Czech menus — just keep in mind that those around Old Town Square have higher prices.
Good for: History, monuments, cafes
New Town
Despite the name, Prague’s New Town is over 600 years old and has a mix of architectural styles, with modern developments sitting beside Renaissance buildings. This is the best area to stay in Prague for first-time visitors. It’s livelier than the Old Town and home to some of the city’s top restaurants, shopping centres and bars. Have a drink on the viewing terrace of the Dancing House, a building that resembles a couple dancing.
Good for: Nightlife, shopping, entertainment
Karlin
This former industrial hub is now a hip residential district, with independent galleries and coffee shops lining the leafy streets. Riverside walks along the Vltava will fuel your appetite for Karlin’s trendy wine bars and bistros. Hotels and apartments here are popular with travellers looking for cheap holidays to Prague.
Good for: Cafes, art galleries, riverside walks
Things to do in Prague
Family friendly things to do
One of the best things to do with family in Prague is ride the car-shaped pedal boats on the Vltava River. Children also love the Astronomical Clock show, which runs hourly from 9am to 11pm. The best view is from the Old Town Hall tower — you’ll need a ticket to enter. To see the city in miniature, the Czech Repubrick LEGO museum is stacks of fun.
Shopping
The shopping in Prague is some of the best in Europe, so remember to leave plenty of room in your suitcase. Treat yourself to high-end fashion in the pedestrian-friendly Na Prikope Street. Or hunt for Old Town treasures at Havel’s Market, and haggle over cheese on Saturdays at the Naplavka Farmers Market.
Take in the culture
The museums in Prague are a great starting point for discovering a different side of the city. Learn the secret of eternal youth in the Museum of Alchemy, and get an idea of what life was like during the communist regime at the Museum of Communism. For frescoes and centuries-old manuscripts, visit the Strahov Library — keep an eye out for the dodo bird in the Cabinet of Curiosities.
Nightlife
When it comes to nightlife in Prague, you’re spoiled for choice. Party with live club DJs at Roxy and SaSaZu, or work your way through the cocktail list at the Hemingway Bar. To see some of the world’s top jazz musicians in action, head into the ancient vaults of the AghaRTA jazz club.
Places to eat
Traditional Czech dishes are easy to find in the Old Town, but restaurants in Prague are about more than goulash and dumplings. Sample Korean chicken and tacos at the Manifesto Market food stalls in Andel, or slurp Vietnamese pho at Karlin’s Ngo Restaurant. Satisfy your sweet tooth with ‘trdelnik’ (sugar and cinnamon pastries) at Cafe U Kajetana near Prague Castle.
Free things to do
There are plenty of free things to do in Prague. There is no entry fee for some attractions, including the Army Museum Zizkov and the Church of Our Lady Victorious, a famous pilgrimage site. And you don’t need a ticket to explore the grounds around the Prague Castle. Listen to an open-air summer concert in the Wallenstein Gardens on Thursdays — go early and check out the mysterious Dripstone Wall stalactite grotto.
Get ready for Prague
Budget
With a few simple steps, cheap holidays to Prague are easy. Consider visiting in the off-season, pick accommodation outside the centre, and get around on foot. Grab a cheap dinner for 220 Czech koruny (Kč) and a cold Czech beer for about Kč60. Short taxi rides can start at around Kč160. But you’ll save more using the city’s great public transport.
Day Trips from Prague
Prague is the perfect base for exploring the wider Bohemian region. Take the two-and-a-half-hour bus ride to Český Krumlov to see its pastel-coloured buildings, cobbled streets and 13th-century castle. Other popular day trips include the eerie Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora and the wild valley of Divoká Šárka. Both are accessible by public transport in an hour or less.
Getting Around Prague
Prague’s metro and tram network makes getting around easy. Use the Litacka app to check schedules and buy tickets, which range from 30-minute rides to three-day passes. Taxis work great for short trips, but a car hire is only useful for day trips — there’s no need for one in the city.
