prague is the capital of the czech republic and only a 3½ hour drive from vienna. so on a sunny 4-day-weekend in spring two of my girlfriends (who i’d also been to méxico with) and i decided to hop on a flixbus to the so called city of a hundred spires. prague has lived throug multiple wars but is still a gorgeous and ver well-preserved city. it is also home to some of the best-kept architecture in all of europe. we absolutely loooved it there so here i want to share with you 10 things you absolutely have to do and see when visiting prague:
1. EXPLORE THE OLD TOWN SQUARE
the OLD TOWN SQUARE is a popular spot in prague. it is the perfect place to admire the wonderful architecture the city has to offer as well as watch the various street performers, musicians and merchants. there are also several restaurants there which offer visitors to enjoy a coffee or a beer on their cute patios.
2. WATCH THE ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK STRIKE AN HOUR
the ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK is located right at the old town square. It has been built in the 15th century and has been damaged and repaired many many times since but is still widely regarded as the best preserved medieval mechanical clock in the world. the clock doesn’t display the time of day but is rather used to determine the phases of the moon and the equinoxes. every hour crowds gather beneath the old town hall tower to watch the astronomical clock in action.
3. EAT TRDELNÍK
trdekník is a kind of cake that is made from rolled dough that is wrapped around a stick, then grilled and topped with a variety of toppings. nobody really knows where trdelník comes from but nowadays it’s most prominent in eastern european countries. when we were in prague we decided to try a a modern version filled with ice cream. though it’s super hard to eat it’s also reeeeally yummy and you definitely have to try one!
4. WALK ACROSS THE CHARLES BRIDGE
visiting the CHARLES BRIDGE definitely is a must-do when in prague. the bridge was built in the 14th century and connects the old town with the lesser town of prague. the bridge offers a gorgeous view over prague and you’ll also get to see a lot of artists and vendors there.
5. VISIT PRAGUE CASTLE
the breathtaking PRAGUE CASTLE has traditionally been the seat of czech rulers and today functions as the official residence of the president. the castle grounds are a unesco world heritage site, showcasing a variety of architectural styles, including everything from 10th century romanesque buildings to gothic structures from the 14th century. oh, and did I mention the castle is also holding the record for the largest coherent castle complex in the world?
6. TAKE PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE FAMOUS JOHN LENNON WALL
toward the end of communism in the 1980s, students started writing john lennon lyrics on a wall which is now known as JOHN LENNON WALL. the wall is covered with beatles song lyrics, peace signs and paintings and represents love and peace. besides this being the perfect background for your pictures visitors are also allowed to write or paint on the wall which can be a super fun activity!
7. PAY A VISIT TO JEWISH QUARTER
the historic JEWISH QUARTER is one of the most popular sights in prague. its history began in the 13th century when jews living in prague were ordered to leave their homes and move to this area. today it’s home to several significant sites, including a number of important synagogues and a cemetery with more than 12,000 visible graves. for more info check out sharon’s post on prague’s old jewish cemetery!
8. STROLL THROUGH NOVE MESTO
the new town (NOVE MESTO) is the youngest and largest quarter in prague. with many international hotels, theaters, chain stores, night clubs, cafés, restaurants and fast food restaurants located there. in my opinion the old town is wayyy prettier but the new town offers great variety of restaurants and yummy food.
9. VISIT ONE OF THE MANY MUSEUMS
prague is full of museums dedicated to the arts, history, architecture and much more. so clearly you can’t go to prague without at least visiting one museum. when my girlfriends and i were there it so happened that we ended up in the SEX MACHINE MUSEUM. why? we don’t know – it was a really spontaneous decision so let me just say that the museum is really unique and really really interesting, eye opening and worth a visit when in prague!
10. SPEND SOME TIME AT THE FARMERS MARKET
i absolutely looooove farmers markets!!! all the different smells, the freshness of the food, the laid back vibes,.. everything to be honest! i especially love to visit them when traveling though because i feel like it’s the best way to experience and taste the local cuisine. prague offers a great variety of farmers markets and you should definitely visit one of them to blend in with the locals as you try some of the best food the city has to offer.
have you ever been to prague? what are your favorite things to see and do there? let me know in the comments ↓
I went to Prague a couple years ago and have a local friend there who was showing us around! Surprisingly, we managed to do almost everything from your list in a couple days. I also enjoyed views from Petrin tower and had a beer at the famous beer garden Letná Zahradní with city views. Would love to return!
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Such a great list, I wish I had this when I visited Prague, I would head straight for the John Lennon wall! #feetdotravel
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Thanks for sharing this tips on visiting Prague, haven’t been there yet but would love to visit it once.
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I love Prague. One of my favourite parts was Prague castle and the John Lennon wall. I remember that I was there just after the terror attack in France and the French embassy by the wall had thousands of flowers and candles out the front. It was an amazing tribute!
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Oh wow – that really is a great sign of solidarity!
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We recently visited Prague – it was amazing! Would gladly go back. There are a few things on your list that we missed, so I guess we will have to plan another trip.
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Nice list. And yes, Karlin is a cool place worth a visit!
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We loved Prague so much! I think we hit everything on your list :) Would also recommend a visit to the Karlin district!
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I’ll definitely look into that for my next visit. Thanks for the recommendation :-)
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Oh my! It must be so cool to live in Vienna. It would be awesome to visit different places during the weekends. I love Prague and did all the things you suggest in here. I would like to go back!
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Yes that’s definitely one thing I love about living in Austria – it’s so easy to visit other countries from here!
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I can’t bring myself to try the trdelnik with ice cream – but it *has* become such a sensation. My partner and his mum tried it and they were so overwhelmed, haha. I’ll stick to the original – always a goodie :)
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Haha – why not? It really is yummy! The original too though.
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Prague is such a fairytale! I loved doing all these things when I was there :) The Museum of Communism was fascinating too!
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Oh that museum really does sound interesting too. I’ll definitely check that out next time I’m in Prague!
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I visited Prague last summer for the 2nd time. That clock is simply gorgeous!! I did love the castle and discovered loads of Art Nouveau. Loved it. I also went on a food tour, that was so brilliant!! Your photos look fab!
#WanderfulWednesday
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I am so drawn to Prague, thank you for reminding me all the amazing things to see there! Great list. #FarawayFiles, Erin
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Really enjoyed reading your guide to Prague, Lisa. I spent a wintry weekend there once and loved the architecture. I really need to go back to try that pastry though. #FarawayFiles
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You definitely should. It’s sooo yummy!
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Prague is such a beautiful city! We had a great time exploring it (and drinking all the beer!) #FarawayFiles
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I say this all the time, but I can’t believe I’ve never been to Prague! It is such a beautiful city and one I know I will love…hope to make it there some day soon! Thanks for linking up with #farawayfiles
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Oh I didn’t know Prague is quite close to Vienna! The markets is a good introduction to a new place – get to see (and taste too) the types of food, fruits and flavours in that region. Sex Museum haha – Europe has a few, isn’t it? I believe there is one in Amsterdam too :-) #FarawayFiles
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Yep, it’s like a 4h drive from Vienna to Prague. And yes, those museums are all over Europe :’D
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The Astronomical Clock looks amazing, I would love to visit Prague to see it. #MondayEscapes
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happy to hear that! :-D
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Prague is one of my favorite European cities, it has so much culture and different things to do. I love everything about it. This is definitely a great compiled list of things to do. #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Prague is a beautiful city. It’s another location on my endless list. The ice cream pastry looked amazing. I’m ok with messy if it’s tasty lol. I love eating local dishes when I travel. #TheWeeklyPostcard #WeekendWanderlust
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Prague is one of my favourite European cities – there is so much to see and do and the food and beer are so delicious! You managed to see loads during your trip! And the trdelnik is so good, despite not being Czech at all! Great list of things to see and do!
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I know right! I tried really hard to find out where Trdelnik actually comes from but nobody seems to know for sure. Fact is they sell it on every corner in Prague and it tastes suuuper yummy!
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Prague is one of my favorite cities to visit and you have captured the 10 things to do there. I missed the market and the museums. I must visit these places on my next adventure. I pinned this for later. Thanks for sharing! #TheWeeklyPostcard
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Prague keeps creeping up higher on our Travel To Do List! Old Town and the Castle are our top priorities, but Nove Mesto and a variety of museums are on the agenda as well. Great ideas to fill our days…now we just need to get there! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard!
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Great list of recommendations for Prague. I loved this city and hope to return there someday. #TheWeeklyPostcard
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yes, trdelnik is yummy:) I like Prague too:) #theweeklypostcard
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Next time, you need to go up one of the many towers in Prague or visit some of the libraries! https://www.caliglobetrotter.com/top-attractions-to-see-in-prague/ or check out my second post! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
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I’ll definitely check that out during my next visit. Thank you! :-)
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Prague is a great city, one of my favorites. We spent some time there a few years ago, visited most of the sites you talk about. Didn’t have time for too many museums, in four days, but we are sure to be back. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
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Looks absolutely stunning. Such beautiful photographs. I have heard so much about Prague. It’s definitely on this years list of destinations . Happy travelling
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It looks incredible I love the idea of wandering the streets of Prague in search of that cake. This is somewhere I have never been but its high on the wish list, thanks so much for linking up #MondayEscapes x
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I’ve been to Prague a couple of times and it is such a beautiful city – wandrting the streets and enjoying the architecture is definitely one of the big attractions, although the Jewish quarter is fascinating and should be on everyone’s list, I think. Thanks for linking up with #citytripping
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We’ve been to Prague a couple of times now and really love it. Its a city I feel we could keep going back to and keep discovering more.
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We visited Prague for Easter one year and I dream of making it back some day!
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This has brought back some great memories from my own girls weekend in Prague about eight years ago. Such a beautiful city. I loved the castle and sitting in the beer gardens people watching #MondayEscapes
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We visited Prague last summer and it surpassed all of my expectations. We didn’t have time to go to any museums (other than the castle). I would love to return. I did try the Trdelnik and decided I prefer a plain cup of gelato, but yes, you do have to sample this unusual pastry!
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