Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is one of the most attractive cities in Europe. The city has centuries of cultural and historical accumulation in every corner. If you are wondering what to see and do in Prague, find the list of top tourist attractions in Prague for you to discover on the trip to one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe.
If you are preparing your vacation in Prague, you may be interested in the best tours from Prague to see other jewels that are located near the capital such as Karlovy Vary, Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora or the Terezín Concentration Camp.
Top Things to See in Prague
The great number of the best things to see in Prague is listed below.
1. Prague Old Town Square (Staromestske Namesti)
The Old Town Square is the very heart of the historical center of Prague within the Stare Mesto district, where visitors to the Czech capital gather day and night. The square, which is the most popular point of Prague throughout the year, was used as a market area during the Middle Ages.
The Old Town Square is packed with buildings of enormous historical and monumental interest, especially in the area in front of the famous Astronomical Clock with its impressive towers. There are also other most iconic symbols of Prague for example, the beautiful Kinsky Palace, the Powder Tower, the town hall, Tyn Church and St Nicholas Church. The square is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List and full of cafes, restaurants, peddlers, carriages. We recommend trying Trdelnik, a dessert from the local flavors of Prague around this area.
The square, which is active at all hours of the day, is also the starting point of most Prague City tours so don't be surprised if you will come here several times during your Prague trip.
If you want to see the view of Old Town Square from above, you have several options and the U Prince restaurant in Old Town Square is one of them. You can also take a coffee break while looking over the Old Town Square from there. You can climb to the tower of the Old Town Hall, where the Astronomical Clock is located or can go to Klementinum's tower, where you can see not only the square, but also the whole Prague from above.
If you want to discover the best views of Prague and to take good pictures of the city skyline, check the selection of the Best Viewpoints in Prague.
2. Town Hall and the Astronomical Clock
One of the main buildings in the Old Town Square is the Town Hall, with its 60-meter-high Gothic tower. Actually, it is a set of five buildings in different architectural styles, that were renovated between the 15th and 16th centuries and began to function as a consistory in the late 18th century.
The tower houses one of Prague's most famous tourist attractions, the Astronomical Clock.
A wild crowd gathers every hour in front of the Astronomical Clock Tower because every hour between 9:00 and 23:00, the twelve apostles rotate.
If you wish, you can buy an Entrance Ticket of the Old Town Hall & Astronomical Clock to the observation tower located on the top floor of the building and take the elevator and watch the magnificent view of the city, or go down to the basement and discover the mysterious rooms from the Gothic times.
The Town Hall of Prague is open to visitors between 11:00 and 22:00 on Mondays and between 09:00 and 22:00 on other days of the week.
3. Týn Church (Church of Our Lady before Týn)
Tyn Church, located in the old city square, is one of the most important churches of the city with its gothic and baroque style. The church is characterized by magnificent twin towers, that rise up to 80 meters high, named Adam and Eve.
Entering the church is possible from March to December. It can be visited between 11:00-17:00 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and between 13:00-15:00 on Saturday-Sunday. The entrance to the church is free but 25 CZK is expected to be voluntarily given.
4. Prague Castle
Prague Castle is another of the main tourist attractions in Prague. Prague Castle was built in the Lesser Town District in the 9th century as the fortress of the Premysl Dynasty but was later used by the Holy Roman-German Empire, and is now the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ancient fortress in the world.
Prague Castle not only features impressive architecture but also allows you to get to know the first settlement of Prague, and to understand the great cultural and social importance that Prague had in architecture during the Middle Ages and the modern age. There are a large number of important historical sites that you can see in the complex. St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, Summer Gardens and the Golden Lane stand out due to both their historical importance and architectural beauty.
You can reach the magnificent castle, where the soldiers change the guard every hour, from the city center on foot or by tram. You do not have to pay a fee to enter the castle area, but you have to buy a ticket to enter the buildings or areas in the castle.
You can buy your tickets at the entrance of Prague Castle according to the places you want to see but expect to have a long line to purchase an admission ticket and security control to the Prague Castle complex. To make the visit smoother, you can buy Prague Castle Entry Ticket online. You will get benefit of the skip-the-line ticket to Prague Castle and explore the complex at your own pace.
If you have one day for a short escape from Prague, do not miss the opportunity to visit another famous castle, Karlstejn Castle, to get out of the chaos of the capital and to be surrounded by nature.
St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle
St. Vitus Cathedral is the main monument to visit in Prague Castle. Built in the 14th century in the Gothic style, it is the most important church in the Czech Republic. The cathedral is incredibly magnificent with the beautiful facade, large windows and impressive golden mosaics inside. The most famous part of the church is probably the Saint Wenceslas Chapel, built by Peter Parler. The cathedral also houses the Crown Hall, where the Czech crown jewels are stored. Unfortunately, it is not accessible.
You can enter the first part of the cathedral entrance without a ticket. There is a ticket checkpoint if you want to advance inside the cathedral. The cathedral towers allow you to ascend through a spiral staircase and enjoy exceptional views of the old city from the top. The entrance to the cathedral is normally allowed between 09:00 and 17:00.
St. George's Basilica and Monastery at Prague Castle
Another important building you will see in the castle is the St. George Basilica built in 921. The Basilica preserves its Romanesque style and the austerity of its interior, where the chapel of Saint Ludmila stands out. The monastery was remodeled into a baroque style, reflected in a picturesque red facade. It houses a nineteenth-century collection of bohemian art.
Royal Palace at Prague Castle
Another monument that you can visit in the castle is the Royal Palace of Prague, which was built in the 12th century to be the residence of the Bohemian monarchy. Initially built in the Romanesque style, the Royal Palace was later expanded in the Gothic style, and the great Sala Ladislao is one of the most outstanding corners of it.
Golden Alley at Prague Castle
The most charming corner of the Prague Castle complex is known as the Golden Alley (Callejón del oro). The Golden Lane is a very popular lane with tourists as this is an alley with the charming small houses from the 16th and 17th centuries. These beautiful colored houses were once home to important people, including Franz Kafka and Jaroslav Seifert, a Czech writer and Nobel Prize winner. The houses are currently used mainly as an exhibition space and some serve as souvenir shops.
If you want to visit the castle with a guide, you can take a look at Prague Castle: Small Group Tour with Local Guide & Admission to discover the awe-inspiring splendor of Prague Castle.
5. Charles Bridge
This is surely the most famous and visited bridge in all of Europe, which attracts the attention of hundreds of tourists each year. The Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge in Prague and it crosses the Vltava River with its more than 500 meters length and 10 meters width. The bridge, which was built by a French architect in the early 1400s upon the order of Charles, is the easiest way to go from the Old Town to the Mala Strana neighborhood, from where you can go up to the grounds of Prague Castle.
It is very interesting to walk here because both sides of the Charles Bridge on the Vlatna River are surrounded by towers and 30 sculptures of Baroque architecture. Among these sculptures that were placed in the period from 1683 to 1928 the greatest interest attracts depicting St. John the Nepomuk. Finding this statue will be very easy because you will see tourists riding their hands in the gold-plated middle of the statue with a belief to come back to Prague again, just like the legend of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. In addition, you will also see a large number of street artists, musicians, painters, dancers and other entertainers along the bridge.
There are towers on both sides of the bridge, specifically, the Old Town Tower and the two Towers of Mala Strana. You can also take a walking tour if you want to visit the most popular buildings in the city center: Old Prague & Prague Castle 3-Hour Walking Tour.
6. Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)
Wenceslas Square is located in the center of the New Town (Nové Město district). The square, which hosted the horse market in the Middle Ages, was at the center of many important political events in the history of the country, such as Jan Palach's cremation in 1969 and the Velvet Revolution.
There you will find the National Museum, Municipal House, Dancing House, Koruna Palace, Franciscan Gardens as well as numerous restaurants, many luxurious shops, theaters and entertainment venues.
As we explained in our article on where to stay in Prague, Wenceslas Square is one of the best places to stay in Prague as it is close to sightseeing spots, shopping streets and the central train station.
Prague National Museum
If you want to know more about the history of the Czech Republic on your trip to Prague, visiting the Prague National Museum is a must. The National Museum was built in 1890 in neo-renaissance style. In the museum, there is a large collection containing detailed information about the Czech Republic's culture, art and history.
Municipal House
The Municipal House is one of the most splendid examples of Art Nouveau style in Prague, built in 1912. It was the scene of the proclamation of Czechoslovak independence in 1918. Today it is mainly home to the large events and concert hall, a restaurant, a brewery and a café. In addition, guided tours are organized to visit the interior of the place. Tour prices are 290 CZK for adults, 240 CZK for children, elderly, students. You need to pay an extra 55 CZK to take photos inside.
Dancing House
The Dancing House, also known by the famous dance couple Fred and Ginger, was built between 1992 and 1996 in place of an old building that was destroyed. This contemporary art building is one of the most famous architectural works in Europe that has become one of the iconic images of the modern Prague. The exterior surface of the house represents the woman and the other side represents the man.
There is a Dancing House hotel, an art gallery and a restaurant operating in the building.
7. St. Nicholas Church
Once in Malá Strana, one of the most important churches to see in Prague is the Church of Saint Nicholas. The church, built in the Baroque architectural style, has the highest dome in Prague with its 49-meter dome. Inside you can enjoy a large collection of statues, paintings and various frescoes, the work of the most renowned artists of the time. It costs about 2 Euros to go up to the tower and see the view.
8. Petrin Hill and Observation Tower
Climbing up to Petrin Hill, with 300 meters’ altitude, is another attractive thing to do when visiting Prague. It is one of the most beautiful and pleasant hills in the city that you can access by funicular. There is a huge green area spread all over the hill.
Of course, the hill has many places to visit but the most interesting place is the Petrin Hill Observation Tower. The 60-meter-high tower, built for the Anniversary Exhibition in 1891, is tried to be compared to the Eiffel Tower. You should definitely go up to this tower and watch the magnificent view of Prague.
9. Josefov: The Jewish quarter of Prague
Josefov is the Jewish quarter of Prague, also known as the Jewish Ghetto. It is named after Joseph II, the holy Roman emperor who emancipated the Jews in 1781. It is actually within the Stare Mesto although it has a personality of its own that sets it apart from the rest of the district.
You can visit many synagogues and several museums that cover the history of Prague's Jewish citizens for eleven centuries. The Jewish Quarter Walking Tour with Admission Tickets is recommend if you want to explore the Jewish heritage of Prague and get an in-depth view of the Jewish community in the Czech Republic. You will look inside the synagogues (Maisel Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, Klausen Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue) in the area and go to the Old Jewish Cemetery, one of the oldest in Central Europe. You will have a chance to visit Spanish Synagogue built in 1868 on the site of Prague’s oldest Jewish house of prayer, known as the "Old Shul."
10. John Lennon Wall
After the murder of John Lennon, one of the unforgettable singers, his fans portray graffiti and song lyrics by The Beatles on a wall. The John Lennon Wall was a symbol of freedom and rebellion against the communist regime in the 1980´s. The wall is becoming one of the most popular Instagram corners of the city today. Since it is close to Charles Bridge, you can take a look at the wall while you are visiting the area.
11. The Powder Tower or Powder Gate
For those who want to know a little more about the medieval architecture of Prague, a visit to the beautiful Powder Tower is a must. The Powder Tower is the only tower left of the 13 that were built in the 13th century fortification. It marked the beginning of the Royal Route from Hradcany Castle to the Royal Palace.
On your visit to the Czech capital, you can go up to the top of the tower to have beautiful panoramic views with the entrance fee 100 CZK.
12. Prague National Theater
The National Theater building is one of the most beautifully depicted in Europe. Only a month after its first opening in 1881, the theater was sadly destroyed by fire. The repair was started later and the doors of the theater were reopened. It is now the main stage of Czech culture, as the National Theater often offers an elite cast and well-prepared performances including opera, ballet or theater.
You can join the guided tours completed in an average of 1 hour to visit the building and get detailed information about it. The entrance fee with guided tour is 200 CZK.
Get the Prague Card to save!
If you plan to visit the main tourist attractions of Prague, it is recommended to buy the Prague City Card. With this card you will get tickets and discounts at more than 50 monuments.
Tips
Visiting Prague not only means immersing yourself in its romantic atmosphere, in its timeless charm, but also a real immersion in its food and beer culture. Check our list of food and drinks in Prague and the best restaurants to enjoy Czech Cuisine.
Those who prefer to use public transportation in the city should get familiar with the ultimate guide to Prague transportation.