Top 10 Attractions to Visit in Prague
Prague is an architecture lovers dream. Nicknamed the City of a Thousand Spires, the buildings in the Czech capital look as if they have been pulled straight from the pages of a European fairytale.
There are so many places worth visiting on a city break to Prague, but in this list, I'm narrowing it down to just 10. These are the Top 10 Attractions you must visit on any trip to Prague.
10. Wallenstein Garden
The Wallenstein Garden is a 17th century Baroque palace and gardens located just a 5-minute walk down the hill from Prague Castle.
And the best part? It's free to visit.
Now, don't get me wrong, the Wallenstein Garden isn't massive, but there is a nice pond, greenery-lined walkways and the intricate Gaudí-esque drip-stone wall to admire.
It is also worth noting that the gardens are only open from April to October.
9. Penguins at Kampa Park
At number 9 is a modern addition to the city: the Penguins at Kampa Park.
These 34 yellow penguins stand on the banks of the Vltava River next to Kampa Park, a 15-minute walk via the Charles Bridge from Prague's Old Town.
The penguins were installed in 2008 and created by the Milan-based Cracking Art Group to send a message about plastic consumption and climate change.
I had read about the penguins before my trip to Prague and was excited to see them. They were undergoing some maintenance while I was there, so they weren't lit up at night, but I still enjoyed seeing them in the day.
In amongst all of Prague's wonderful old architecture, the penguins stand out as something different, and they have a great message behind them too.
8. Head of Franz Kafka Statue
The second and last modern entry on my list is the Head of Franz Kafka Statue.
Franz Kafka was a 20th century writer from Prague and the city has several tributes to him, including this 11m-tall stainless steel rotating statue of the author's head.
The statue is made up of 42 rotating layers which move separately to create some interesting facial expressions. The statue moves for 15 minutes every hour on the hour from 8am to 8pm.
I first visited the statue at the wrong time and, while it is still impressive to look at when still, the 15-minute 'show' is worth seeing.
The Head of Franz Kafka Statue is in Prague's New Town, right outside the Quadrio Shopping Centre.
7. Prague River Cruise
River Cruises are always a great way to see a city, and Prague is no exception.
I booked a 50-minute evening cruise through the Get Your Guide App and the boat sailed past Prague Castle and under the Charles Bridge.
To be honest, I think it would be better to do the cruise in the day so you get to see more of the buildings, but I still enjoyed my experience. The boat had a bar and tables on the lower deck and an outdoor upper deck for better views of the sites.
My cruise cost just over £12 and set off from the dock under the Čech Bridge, a 10-15-minute walk from the Charles Bridge.
Jewish Quarter
Prague's Jewish Quarter is one of the most beautiful areas of the city to explore. There are gorgeous buildings to admire on every street corner.
My favourite building in the Jewish Quarter was the High Synagogue, a fairytale-esque building with a grey façade and turret-shaped roof.
You can pay to visit some of the synagogues and museums but I only left an hour for my visit to the Jewish Quarter, so I decided to just spend time looking at the outsides of the buildings, which didn't disappoint.
5. Church of Our Lady Before Týn
The Church of Our Lady Before Týn is one of the most beautiful buildings in Prague.
The church's two fairytale-style towers, adorned with multiple smaller turrets, rise high above the city skyline and are best seen from the Old Town Square.
What makes this church unique is that the majority of the building is actually hidden behind a row of shops in the square. You can walk under an archway to see the rest of the building, but the upper façade is by far the most impressive part of the structure.
If you do want to go inside the church, entry is free although a donation is requested. No photography is allowed inside.
4. Prague Castle
Prague Castle is the largest castle complex in the world and is home to several tourist attractions, including St Vitus Cathedral and the Royal Palace.
Entry to the castle grounds is free, but you can purchase the Prague Castle Circuit ticket for just over £9 per person to go inside the following buildings:
- St. Vitus Cathedral
- The Royal Palace
- St. George's Basilica
- Golden Lane (a traditional street lined with cottages
St. Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane were the highlights, but you would still have a good time if you chose to skip paying for a ticket and just admire the outside of the buildings. However, it is important to note that you can't visit Golden Lane AT ALL if you don't purchase the ticket.
If you have time, I would also recommend stopping for lunch at the Lobkowicz Café, which has an outdoor dining terrace with a stunning panoramic view of the city below. And the apple strudel was pretty good too.
3. Petřín Tower and Petřín Hill
The attraction that surprised me the most on my visit to Prague was the Petřín area.
The Petřín Tower is a 64m-tall steel tower on the Petřín hillside looking over Prague's Old Town. The tower was inspired by The Eiffel Tower and is about 1/5 a size of the Parisian landmark.
I took the funicular from the Újezd Station to get to the tower but decided to walk back down the hill, which was a great decision.
The walk back down to the city takes you through woodland and offers some incredible views of the Vltava River, the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. Every corner you turn, there's a new vista to take in.
The path is well paved and is not too steep, so most people could easily manage the walk.
If you are looking for a relaxing activity in Prague, exploring the Petřín hillside is the thing for you.
2. The Astronomical Clock
One of Prague's most famous landmarks is the Astronomical Clock.
Located in the Old Town Square on the side of the Town Hall, Prague's Astronomical Clock is the third oldest Astronomical Clock in the world.
I would definitely recommend you visit the clock early in the morning as it gets very busy later on and you won't be able to get a close-up look at the clock faces.
There is a 'show' where the figurines inside come out of the clock. This happens every hour on the hour from 9am-11pm. These showtimes are the busiest times to see the clock. So, if you do want to see the show, make sure you get there with time to spare.
However, to be honest, I don't think it is worth it and much preferred seeing the clock early in the morning.
1. Charles Bridge
The best attraction to visit in Prague is the Charles Bridge.
The bridge is one of Prague's most iconic sites, stretching an increidble 516m across the Vltava River and connecting the Old Town to Prague Castle.
The Charles Bridge is pedestrianised and it takes 10-15 minutes to walk from one bank of the river to the other, depending on how many times you stop to take photos.
As you would expect, the Charles Bridge is very popular, and so it gets very busy from mid-morning onwards. I visited just before 9am and there were very few people there, so I had plenty of time and space to take as long as I liked exploring the bridge.
The Charles Bridge is an incredible piece of architecture and is my number one recommendation for anyone visiting Prague.
Prague is a wonderful city and is home to some of the best architecture I have ever seen. I was amazed by how much there was to do in the city, and I could've easily spent several more days exploring.
If you ever have the chance to visit Prague, it comes highly recommended from me.
Have you ever been to Prague? If so, what was your favourite attraction to visit there? Let me know in the comments section below.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading and see you next time.
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