Renowned for its cheap pints, lively bars, intricate architecture and rich history, Prague is quickly becoming a top tourist destination, especially among students. While the city is packed with incredible sights and attractions, it can be easy to fall into tourist traps or miss out on hidden gems.
Sights and attractions
Prague is famous for its colourful streets and stunning architecture. Staroměstské Náměsti square boasts a lively atmosphere bubbling with artisan markets and horse and carriages. It is bordered with the beautiful town hall and famous Prague Astronomical clock tower.
The square is perfect for relaxing in and capturing some aesthetic photos. If you fancy immersing yourself in Prague’s history, you can join a free guided tour round the city from here. The tour will lead you to gems such as the Franz Kafka statue which spins round every hour in a choreographed sequence, and the John Lennon peace wall.
Preserved by the Nazis, who hoped to create a ‘Museum of an Extinct Race’ in Prague, the Josepo Jewish quarter is an essential place to visit to understand how life changed in the Czech Republic under Nazi occupation. It now stands as an emblem of survival. For a lighter exploration of history, visit Prague’s Sex Machine Museum. Arguably superior and certainly cheaper than the renowned sex museum in Amsterdam’s red light district, Prague’s museum hosts a number of weird and wacky contraptions. It maps out how fetish and sex toys have evolved through history and is hilarious to visit with friends.
As you head over the Danube, marvel at the statues on Charles Bridge and soak up the riverside views. Prague Castle and Cathedral are incredibly picturesque; they offer stunning architecture and panoramic views across the city, and are punctuated with independent cafes and souvenir shops. Whether you join a guided tour or follow your nose and explore, these spots are unmissable. For an even more expansive view of the city, climb up the steps to Letna park, before exploring the quaint streets of Lesser old town. Prague is mostly accessible on foot and is also well connected by underground rail.
Nightlife
Prague’s old town streets are lined with quirky bars and clubs. For cost efficiency, our favourite of these was a small Irish pub a five-minute walk from the old town square which served a tasty and affordable pint. Most evenings however, we were lucky enough to catch free live festivals in the square.
We grabbed some tinnies from Lidl and sat enjoying a variety of performances, from jazz music to trapeze artists to abseiling acrobatics. While Prague boasts what is supposedly the world’s biggest nightclub, this was rather disappointing. Half of the rooms were closed when we visited and, although entrance is expensive, the club appeared no larger or livelier than Pryzm.
