Prague survived the twentieth century almost architecturally intact, which means the Old Town looks the way European capitals look in illustrations, Gothic towers, Baroque façades, a castle that has watched over the river for a thousand years. It's also, still, remarkably affordable for what it delivers.
Crossing the River
Charles Bridge at dawn, before 7am, is a different experience from Charles Bridge at midday, empty of the statue vendors and portrait artists, just the stone saints and the mist off the Vltava. Cross it early, then climb to Prague Castle before the tour buses arrive around 10am.
The castle complex is enormous, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane, and easily fills a half day. Buy the combined ticket online in advance; the queue for same-day tickets at the castle gates can run to an hour in summer.
Beyond the Old Town
Vinohrady and Žižkov, east of the centre, are where Prague actually lives, leafy squares, neighbourhood pubs, and a food scene that's overtaken the tourist-facing restaurants near the Astronomical Clock in both quality and price. The Žižkov TV Tower, with its unsettling giant baby sculptures, has an observation deck with the best 360-degree view in the city.
Prague's beer culture is genuinely serious, pubs here have house rules about how a pour should look and how long you're allowed to nurse one. A proper pub like U Fleků or Lokál is worth seeking out over anywhere with an English menu taped to the window.
Recommended Stay · Prague · Castle District
Golden Well Hotel
A Renaissance-era townhouse tucked below Prague Castle, with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Old Town's spires, quiet, small, and steps from the castle gates before the crowds arrive.
