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Welcome to Prague: Prague Information & City Guide
Prague is the 'Jewel in the Crown' of Central Europe and tourism has played an important role in its economic development, transforming run-down buildings into fine restaurants, stylish hotels, vibrant bars and pumping clubs.This guide introduces you to Prague. It explains the layout of the city, covers the sightseeing and entertainment highlights, and contains information on where to stay. |
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Prague Castle | |
Prague is the capital city of Czechia (Czech Republic). The country lies at the heart of Central Europe, and is bordered by Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.
In the Middle Ages, Prague became the capital of Charles IV's Bohemian Kingdom, with Prague Castle the seat of the empire. The city has played a pivotal role in the region ever since.
Prague's epic history has produced a city full of beauty, of stunning Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque era buildings, and of majestic squares. |
| | | In modern times, the statist communist era of the mid-20th century has given way to dynamic capitalism. Tourism in Prague has helped drive its regeneration, transforming grey, run-down buildings into fine restaurants, stylish hotels and vibrant bars; a virtuous circle, which encourages an ever greater number of tourists to visit the city. Prague Tourism Fact: In 1992, the entire historical centre of Prague, all 866 hectares, was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register. | | 
Old Town Square in Prague | |
Prague Highlights
Prague is a city to immerse yourself in, a place to explore captivating sights, discover fascinating history, and, when the moment is right, find a cosy café or pub to refresh yourself in. All the while, letting the worries of the world gently dissipate.
The city centre is compact, and many of its most beautiful areas are pedestrianised, so Prague is best explored on foot; from Wenceslas Square on one side of the city to Prague Castle on the other is just a 30-minute stroll (walking via the Old Town, across Charles Bridge, and through the Lesser Town).
One of the first things to do in Prague, therefore, is simply to wander its cobbled streets and magnificent squares, admiring the stunning architecture and revelling in the unique ambience. |
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Prague river cruise | |
Making your way around Prague, your travels will soon lead you to the Vltava River, which runs through the heart of the city. Walk along its banks and over Charles Bridge to enjoy wide panoramic views across the water.
Taking a river cruise is the most relaxing way to discover the riverside attractions, with a range of lunch cruises, sightseeing boat trips and dinner cruises on offer.
You can also admire the river scene from above by visiting Prague Castle, which is set on the hillside overlooking the city, or by riding the Petřín Funicular to the top of Petřín Hill. |
| | | Tip: If you are the kind of person who likes to understand what you are looking at, then Prague is perhaps the best city in Europe to take a sightseeing tour early in your visit. A local guide can introduce you to the main sights and attractions, explaining the history and significance of everything you see. You will find it both informative and entertaining, and it should set you up perfectly for the rest of your stay. | | 
Estates Theatre in Prague | |
In terms of entertainment, classical concerts, opera and ballet are a true highlight of Prague, which is historically a city filled with music.
A variety of performances are on offer every day, staged in grand concert halls, Baroque palaces, ancient churches, and ornate opera houses and theatres.
When choosing a concert, first-time visitors to Prague, or anyone unfamiliar with classical music, may prefer one featuring a mix of composers. Look out for concerts such as 'Classic Spectacular', 'Best of Classics' and 'Ave Maria & Arias', which feature well-known pieces by Mozart, Bach, Handel, Pachelbel, and others, alongside works by renowned Czech composers like Smetana and Dvořák. |
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Smetana Hall, Municipal House | |
Vivaldi’s 'The Four Seasons' is also popular. Most people will recognize its beautiful melodies, which are frequently used in films, television and advertising.
For a typically Czech experience, black light theatre is unique to Prague. Shows are fast moving and highly visual, with little or no words spoken. They appeal to all ages and nationalities.
Turning to refreshments, Prague is fast establishing a global reputation for offering first-class food and drinks to suit every taste and budget. |
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| There are fine dining restaurants set in the most beautiful locations, such as by the river, inside historic buildings, or on high offering stunning views over the city.
For every day dining, Czech and pub style restaurants serve hearty food and fast flowing drinks at very reasonable prices.
Appropriate for consumption at any time of the day, the world famous Czech beer is deeply embedded in the national physique. Put on your drinking boots, because you will find beer is enthusiastically consumed in cafés, pubs and beer halls throughout the city; the Czechs are the largest consumers of beer per capita in the world! | | 
Old Town Square at night | |
While the warm, cosy pubs may draw you in during the winter, on sunny days the action moves outside. Take a seat on the terrace or in the beer garden of one of the many bars or cafés, order a cold beer or a chilled glass of Moravian wine, and watch the world go by. You will find that time just slips away!
For a non-alcoholic treat, join the locals at one of Prague's elegant traditional cafés, where coffee, hot chocolate, and cake are always the order of the day. |
| | | Inevitably, at some point in your trip you'll wish to buy something tangible, whether that be a tourist souvenir or a new dress. Well, you are in luck.
Tourism and business investment has boosted the Czech economy dramatically in recent decades, which has led to increased consumerism, making shopping a national pastime!
Prague boasts a wide variety of shops and department stores, selling local and international branded clothing and apparel.
The largest shopping mall in the centre of Prague is Palladium, but shops can be found throughout the city, especially around Wenceslas Square and in the pedestrianised shopping street, Na Příkopě. In terms of locally produced goods, Czechia is famous for producing Škoda cars, Czech beer, and glassware under the name Bohemia Crystal. Moser Glass and Erpet Bohemia Crystal are examples of fine glass shops in Prague. You can also visit the town where Moser Glass is produced on a day trip from Prague: view the Karlovy Vary Tour. |
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Layout of the City - Prague Map
Prague is made up of 22 administrative districts, numbered Prague 1 to Prague 22.
Prague 1 is the city centre and is itself divided into several distinct areas spread across both sides of the Vltava River.
On one side of the river are:
• Old Town (Staré Město), centred around the historic Old Town Square • New Town (Nové Město), with Wenceslas Square at its heart • Jewish Quarter (Josefov).
Across the river are:
• Lesser Town (Malá Strana) • Castle District (Hradčany), home to Prague Castle, situated on a hill above. |
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Charles Bridge & Prague Castle | |
Charles Bridge is the main pedestrian route linking the two sides of Prague. It connects the Old Town with the Lesser Town, and ultimately Prague Castle.
The city's main sights, tourist attractions, entertainment, and nightlife are spread across all five areas of Prague 1, and it's easy to walk between them. |
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Where to Stay in Prague
The district of Prague 1 is the best place to stay in Prague.
Book a hotel in any of its five areas and, with a good pair of walking shoes, you'll find it easy to explore the entire city centre on foot.
The two most popular areas to stay in within Prague 1 are the Old Town and New Town. A third option is the Lesser Town across the river, which is quieter and offers pedestrian access to the other two via Charles Bridge.
With plenty of hotels and apartments in Prague 1, prices are highly competitive.
Accommodation in Prague's other districts is generally cheaper, and from most of them, getting into the city centre by public transport - metro and tram - is straightforward.
Public transport is particularly good in the neighbourhoods of Vinohrady and Vyšehrad (Prague 2), Smichov (Prague 5), Holešovice (Prague 7), and Karlin (Prague 8). These outlying areas have an up-and-coming vibe and offer access to local shops, bars and restaurants. | |
How Many Days to Spend in Prague
3 full days or around 72 hours is an ideal length of time to spend in Prague. This allows you time to explore the main sights and tourist attractions, enjoy leisurely food and drinks breaks, and sample the varied evening entertainment and nightlife on offer.The most popular hotel stay in Prague is 3 nights, however many visitors fly in for a whirlwind 2-night city break, while others opt for a more leisurely 4 or even 5-night stay. Flight times can be a factor when choosing the number of nights for a trip. For example, if you arrive in Prague in time for lunch on day one, you can be out exploring the city in the afternoon, and enjoying dinner and drinks somewhere nice in the evening. Two nights might therefore suffice. In contrast, arrive in Prague in the evening and you won't see much, so will probably need to stay an extra night. | |
| | | To dine with a view, see restaurants with a view or riverside restaurants. | |
| | | For the full list, view our guide to the Prague sights and tourist attractions. | |
Czech Language
Czech is a consonant-rich Slavic language. It is considered to be one of the most difficult European languages to learn by speakers of Latin and Germanic based languages. Native English speakers can find certain sounds very hard to pronounce.The requirements of tourism and globalisation ensure that many Czechs in Prague speak English, particularly the younger generation. | |
Wenceslas Square in Prague | |
Czech Phrases & Pronunciation
Good day / Hello = Dobrý den (Dobree den)
Good evening = Dobrý večer (Dobree ve-chair)
Goodbye = na shledanou (Naskledanou)
Hi / Bye = Ahoj (Ahoy)
Yes = Ano (Ano)
No = Ne (Neh)
Thank you = Děkuji (Dyekooyih)
Cheers = Na zdraví (Na-zdra-vee)
Where's the toilet? = Kde je záchod (kdeh-yeh zaakhot)? |
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Czechia (Czech Rep.) in Europe | |
Prague in Czechia
Czechia (Czech Republic) covers 78,864 square kilometres (30,449 square miles), and is divided into 14 regions. Prague is in Central Bohemia, the largest region.
The highest mountain in Czechia is Snezka (1604m).
The longest river in Czechia is the Vltava River (434km), which flows from the Bohemian Forest in the south of the country to meet the Elba at Mělník in the north. On its journey, the Vltava passes through Prague. |
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Czech People
The population of Prague is 1.4 million. The population of Czechia is 10.9 million.Czechs belong to the West Slavic group of peoples, along with Poles, Slovaks and Lusatians.
Romanies (or Gypsies) form the most conspicuous minority in Czechia. They are thought to descend from Indian migrants in the 15th century.
Migration
Over recent decades, a significant number of individuals from Central and Eastern European countries have migrated to Prague to work in the city’s booming tourism and construction sectors - particularly from Slovakia, Russia and Ukraine.
The Vietnamese community represents the largest non-European ethnic minority in Czechia. Additionally, there is a small but steadily growing population of Arabic-speaking newcomers, especially concentrated in Prague. | |
St. Nicholas Church in Prague | |
Tourism: Visitor Numbers
Tourism in Prague is hitting record highs, with around 7.5 million visitors arriving each year. Visitor numbers are growing by nearly 10% annually.
The largest groups of tourists come from Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The highest increase in tourism to Prague is from Asia, particularly from Israel, South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. To meet rising demand, Prague Airport has expanded its network of direct flights to more Asian cities. |
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Religion in Czechia
Christianity is the dominant religion in Czechia, with the Roman Catholic Church being the largest denomination. Several Protestant churches are also present, including the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and the Evangelical Church. | | | |
More Information
For practical information, including advice on when to visit Prague, the weather, what to wear, and currency exchange, view Prague tourist information.For travel information, view Getting around Prague by public transport and Travel to Prague. For an easy way to visit Prague, the Prague Package includes a hotel, Prague airport transfers, sightseeing and entertainment. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. |
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 CURRENCY GUIDE |  | | £1 = 28 CZK |
| |  | | €1 = 24 CZK |
| |  | | $1 = 20 CZK |
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