The best things to do in Prague

Our favourite activities and sights for rain or shine

Prague is an enchanting city with a beautiful Old Town that draws visitors from around the world. It’s a vibrant destination famed nowadays for its stag and hen do culture, but it also has a rich history, a thriving art scene and some phenomenal food to be sampled.

Whether you’re staying for a week or a weekend, with friends, a partner or family, we’ve selected some great activities and must-see sights – especially if this is your first visit. Here are our best things to do in Prague so you can tick the city off your bucket list.

  1. Wander the Old Town
  2. Enjoy the art galleries
  3. Sample Prague street food
  4. Stroll in the gardens
  5. Marvel at the museums
  6. Wonder at the Klementinum
  7. Drink like a local
  8. Bathe in beer
  9. Get up high
  10. Relax on the river islands
  11. Explore the country
  12. Take a walking tour
  13. Pop to Prague in the springtime
  14. Spend the summer in Prague
  15. Visit Prague in the Autumn
  16. Wrap up for Prague in Winter

Wander the Old Town

Simply strolling through the streets of Prague Old Town reveals so many treasures. The custard-coloured buildings and Bohemian architecture are picture-worthy in themselves, but first-time visitors will be most impressed by the Old Town Square and the famous Astrological Clock. Definitely stick around to see it strike, and then continue towards the river to catch a glimpse of the castle perched majestically on the opposite bank. Romantic Charles Bridge is another must-see. There are more modern points of intrigue too, like the Kafka Head sculpture, the Dancing House, the Peeing Man statues and the eerie Baby sculptures near the Kampa Museum.

Prices: Free to walk around, Town Hall tour ~£8.

Insider tip: Glass Bar on Dancing House roof for a sunset view.

Enjoy the art galleries

One of the top things to do in Prague for art lovers is peruse the galleries, and there are plenty to choose from. There’s the National Gallery and the Central Gallery, to see Warhol, Dalí and Mucha, the World of Franz Kafka Gallery, and the niche-but-unique Museum of Cubism. For a more modern take on the gallery experience, head to Selfie House to find a selection of curated backdrops that make for quirky Instagram content. The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art is more like an all-round experience, home to some weird and wonderful sculptural pieces.

Prices: Central Gallery ~£10, DOX ~£8.50.

Insider tip: Courtyard by Franz Kafka Gallery for stunning Charles Bridge view.

Sample Prague street food

Some of Prague’s best delicacies can be eaten on the go, and the Old Town is a great place to get your hands on some. You can pick up gingerbread that’s almost too pretty to eat – but you’ll change your mind once you’ve taken a bite – at either Perníčkův Sen gingerbread hut or Perníkový Panáček outside the Kafka Museum. You can also find delightfully sweet trdelník (funnel cake) at hole-in-the-wall spots right across the city. While you’re here you might also find traditional Czech sausage to go, hot dog style, and crepes to take away, but staples like dumplings are best eaten sitting down.

Prices: Vary.

Insider tip: Good Food Bakery for trdelník, just before you enter Charles Bridge.

Stroll in the gardens

The Vrtba Garden is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. When the sun is shining, or just before it sets, these tiered ornamental gardens are a secluded and peaceful spot with a glorious view over the pretty Malá Strana side of town. In the same part of town you’ll also find the Wallenstein Garden (free) with its magnificent peacocks in residence. It’s another gorgeous location for photos, and the fantastical dripstone wall is an unusual and very Baroque feature that’s well worth a look. The “Gardens below Prague Castle” are another sunny, hidden gem, ideal for a romantic walk.

Prices: Vrtba £4, Prague Castle gardens ~£4.50.

Insider tip: The view from Vrtba is one of the best in the city.

Marvel at the museums

If museums are your thing, or you’re hunting for a rainy day activity, Prague is your playground. There’s something for everyone, from the popular Sex Machines Museum and Beer Museum to the family-friendly Lego Museum and the Národní Museum of Science and Natural History. Slightly more niche – but just as interesting – are the KGB Museum, the Kafka Museum and the Kampa Museum of Art. Of course, Prague Castle is the biggest museum in the city: a complex of buildings including the Cathedral, the royal palace and Golden Lane, a higgledy-piggledy street of 14th-century houses featuring an extensive collection of weapons and armour.

Prices: Prague Castle ~£8, Sex Machines Museum £10.50.

Insider tip: Zip around cheaply on a 30-min transport ticket.

Wonder at the Klementinum

Prague has plenty of beautiful buildings to peruse, but the Klementinum seems to go somewhat under the radar. This former Jesuit school and observatory currently houses the National Library of the Czech Republic, but the tour takes you to an older and even more interesting spot. History buffs and book lovers will swoon over glimpses of the 18th-century Baroque library with its rich interior, frescoed ceiling and many beautiful globes and books. On the tour you’ll also climb your way up the tower for a stunning view of the red-roofed city.

Prices: ~£10.

Insider tip: If you’re feeling fancy, you can hire out the library exclusively for a romantic evening.

Drink like a local

The traditional way to enjoy a pint in Prague is an old-school beer hall like Lokal – a well-loved local chain. Picture a cavernous and lively space full of people enjoying the local beer – dark or light, big or small – and hearty portions of meat, potatoes, gravy and dumplings. Another great place to feel like a local is in Kozlovna Lidická, the home of Kozel, where you’ll find a similarly beer-focused menu and ribs galore. The unique thing about ordering beer in Prague is your choice of pour – ordering a šnyt, for example, will get you a tankard of half-beer, half-foam.

Prices: Beer in Prague costs ~€3.50 if you know where to look.

Insider tip: Mlíko is a sweet and creamy, all-foam pour.

Bathe in beer

Do the locals really do it? We’re not so sure. But it has become a popular tradition for visitors to Prague to indulge in a bit of beer spa time. Beer reputedly has multiple benefits for the body, skin and hair (though not necessarily when it’s being consumed from a glass), and venues such as The Original Beer Spa in Prague or Beer Spa Bernard allow you to soak in oak tubs filled with beer-based concoctions. You can also have a pint while you soak and you’ll be able to purchase any number of beer cosmetics before you leave.

Prices: Original Beer Spa: 2 tubs €114.

Insider tip: Find beer shampoo in tourist shops for a light-hearted gift.

Get up high

One of the best things to do in Prague is to get up high and see the city from above – and there are so many options. One of the top places to see for miles is from Petřín Tower atop Petřín Hill, reached via a funicular railway (or on foot if you’re feeling fit). You’ll also get a splendid view of the red roofs and cobbled streets from the Castle balcony, the Town Hall tower, Charles Bridge tower and the Powder Tower – all for a charge – while the Prague Metronome in Letná Park is a popular (and free) option for a city view and a walk.

Prices: Charles Bridge Tower/Powder Tower ~£5, Town Hall ~£8.

Insider tip: Head to Petřín Gardens for a peaceful picnic.

Relax on the river islands

In summer, one of the locals’ favourite things to do in Prague is to head to a green space near the river and soak up the evening sun. There’s Slovanský ostrov, home to canary-yellow Žofín Palace, a pretty park and a boat rental station, Dětský ostrov with a great children’s playground plus tennis and basketball courts, or Střelecký ostrov, the largest island. The latter is also the most popular, hosting concerts and small festivals in the summer, with plenty of shaded spots to laze around in. Romantics will love renting a pedalo or kayak and paddling around the islands as the sun turns the city golden.

Prices: Free.

Insider tip: Spot Prague’s resident coypus (beaver-like rodents) around the islands.

Explore the country

Most people don’t venture beyond the capital, but if you’re in Prague for more than a weekend, it’s a fantastic base to explore more of the country. Prague Zoo is your nearest stop, on the outskirts of the city and accessible via public transport. Just 1.5 hours away is Kutná Hora, home to the Sedlec Ossuary, an eerie Baroque chapel of bones that’s equal parts chilling, interesting and ethereally beautiful. You can take a 1.25-hour drive (or 2-hour bus) to Pilsen, home of the Pilsner Urquell brewery, or a 2.5-hour drive to the petite and pretty city of Český Krumlov.

Prices: Sedlec Ossuary ~£5.50, Zoo ~£8.50.

Insider tip: Coaches like Eurolines and FlixBus are a popular way to get around.

Take a walking tour

Let an expert take you round the city and point out all the sights. Discover Prague Tours do a free two and a half hour tour most days (check website for exceptions) of the Old Town. They also offer paid specialist tours.

Prices: Free.

Insider tip: Try of the pub crawling tours to discover Pragues nightlife.

Best things to do in Prague throughout the year

Pop to Prague in the springtime

You can get involved with the Velikonoce (Easter) celebrations which usually take place in either March or April - and there are special markets held. This is also the best time to see Prague in full bloom. The annual Prague Spring International Music Festival is one of the cultural highlights of the Czech calendar and takes place in May - its a bit like the BBC Proms. If you really want to test yourself, you can enter the Prague Marathon which takes place in May. The course is flat and takes in some of the best sights in the city - you start in the Old Town Square and run over the Charles Bridge. You could take it easier and take in the Prague International Film Festival.

Spend the summer in Prague

June kicks of with a free music weekend - United Islands of Prague. Prague's version of the Edinburgh Festival, Letní Letná, also takes place at the end of August and into September. You can see some of the biggest names in circus and theatre appearing at venues across the city. If the weather is warm visit Divoká Šárka, which has three outdoor swimming pools within the Divoká Šárka Nature Reserve. It's a great time to enjoy some of Prague's parks as well as sit and relax by the river and the outdoor bars stretched along it.

Visit Prague in the Autumn

Watch the leaves change colour from green to gold on Petrin Hill. Time it right for the Prague Light Festival in October, which takes place over four evenings and lights up some of the city's streets and spaces. There are plenty of art and music festivals taking place across the autumn, like 4+4 Days in Motion.  If you're a football fan you can go watch Sparta Prague, with the season well underway - they play their home games at the GENERALI Arena.

Wrap up for Prague in Winter

It can snow as early as November in Prague, so you can start getting into Vánoce or Christmas with a visit for the traditional markets. You'll find them all over the city, but the main ones are in the Old Town and Wenceslas Square, and they usually run from the end of November to the New Year. Foodwise, try the traditional fare of fish soup with fried carp and potato soup. You should also try the Pražská šunka (Prague Ham), but specify the size of the piece as you might find yourself paying over the odds. (For details of dates and exact opening times for the market - visit the Prague Tourist website). The end of winter in February also marks Valentine's Day - and with its romantic riverside walks and pretty architecture - it's not a bad city to take your other half to or even pop the big question.

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