Where are the best areas to visit in Prague?
Prague’s Old Town Square is everything you want it to be, from its cobblestone streets winding along arched doorways to its Gothic spires piercing the skyline. Listen to chimes filling the air as the famous Astronomical Clock marks time. Every hour a figure of death rings his bell and the 12 apostles parade past two little windows above him. Ascend the Old Town Hall Tower for a stunning view of postcard-pretty buildings snuggled up together and standout structures like the Powder Tower and Church of Our Lady Before Tyn flaunting their beauty.
A day in Lesser Town usually consists of a scenic walk, a scan of the graffiti-plastered John Lennon Wall, and a visit to the Kafka Museum. The area’s other main attraction is Petrin Lookout Tower, which looks like a small version of the Eiffel Tower placed atop a leafy hill. Ride the funicular up Petrin Hill and climb the tower’s wooden stairs to take in sweeping views of Prague. Continue your idyllic day by navigating a mirror maze and ambling around walled gardens in Petrin Park. Nearby, Prague Castle watches over you from its perch.
The Castle District is (unsurprisingly) where you’ll find Prague Castle teeming with fairytale turrets, mysterious streets and gloriously hideous gargoyles. Peek around Golden Lane, where stories say 16th Century alchemists tried to uncover the secret to eternal life. Find the window Ferdinand II’s representatives were flung out of during a 17th Century defenestration that some believe started the Thirty Years’ War. Then see an art nouveau stained-glass window light up with vivid colours as the sun shines through St Vitus Cathedral. From the 9th Century to today, these immense grounds have been added to, lived in and altered. Stories wait behind every heavy door and glinting window.
The Jewish Quarter is a peaceful area home to the popular Jewish Museum. Respectfully make your way around five preserved synagogues and stand in the Old Jewish Cemetery. Expect moving memorials and enlightening exhibits as you learn about the lives of Jewish people in Prague over hundreds of years. Look out for a statue commemorating Franz Kafka, who was born in the Jewish Quarter, at the entrance.
Over in New Town, the Naplavka riverbank is lined with floating restaurants bobbing on the water, little cafes filling with live music and farmers markets overflowing with local produce. Wander over to the area’s most famous landmark, Wenceslas Square, and pop your head into art deco arcades before spending a few hours at the National Museum or National Theatre. Don’t forget to check out Dancing House Prague. Czechia’s capital might be brimming with Gothic and Baroque architecture but there are a few modern show-offs also vying for attention – and this eye-catching building loves to take the lead.
