Best attractions in Prague: Top 30
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Mysterious, enchanting, magical Prague - this is how to sum up the experience of getting to know this Czech city, but no epithets can convey the emotions received personally from walking through the historical part of the city, covered with centuries-old mysteries, from visiting the monumental Gothic cathedrals and majestic castles, luxurious palaces and rich museums. You will always find something to see in Prague, even if you are already an experienced fan of this city, which is not the first time you are here. You can continue to get to know Prague endlessly - the city has its own magnetic charm, and the sights of Prague are one enormous treasury, which contains many historical milestones in the life of the Czech capital.
What to see first in Prague
Visitors to Prague will find such a variety of excursion programs that it is sometimes not hard to get lost in this abundance. Anyone, anticipating the future adventures, looking for something to see in Prague in 1 day, or planning a long trip. Either way, it is very important to prepare in advance for the trip to meet and exceed all expectations.
1. Charles Bridge
The view opens one of Prague’s main symbols, Charles Bridge, a 520-meter-long structure that allows you to cross the waters of the Prague Vltava River to the other side. The history of the bridge began several centuries ago, in the 14th century, so many memorable events are associated with it. For example, the Royal Route, by which Czech monarchs arrived for coronation, passed over it. Today, the bridge is the most important tourist attraction, as it connects the two most important historical districts of Prague, where many of the city’s attractions are concentrated.
Official website: https://www.prague.eu/ru
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2. Wenceslas Square
This place can be called the heart of Prague - Wenceslas Square is located in the heart of the city and fulfills a primary role both for popular festivities and mass celebrations and as an iconic landmark of the city. It is the place where the end of World War II was proclaimed, where Yuri Gagarin was welcomed with the Peace Mission, where the most important rallies were held, and where to this day meetings and demonstrations are held. The square is surrounded by many historical monuments, which even have plaques with information about what events are associated with them.
3. Old Town Square
When choosing where to go in Prague, it is worth getting to another square in the city, located in the historic Stare Mesto district. This is Old Town Square, known since the 12th century. Once the square was full of market life, numerous traders, artisans, merchants from different countries gathered there. And today it hosts mass festivals, fairs and festivals. You can also buy souvenirs and from the high tower you can admire the panorama of the city in all its glory.
4. Old Town Hall
Moving from the general to the particular, it is impossible to ignore the complex of historical buildings in Old Town Square, called the Old Town Hall. These buildings served the needs of the Old Town’s self-administration. In 1338, the authorities bought back the stone house of the merchant Wolf Kamene, and later they began to enlarge the town hall, they bought out and added new buildings, and the crowning achievement was the Astronomical Clock built on the Old Town Hall tower - a unique technical masterpiece showing the amazingly precise work of medieval craftsmen.
Official website: https://www.prague.
5. Tyn Temple
The top top sights in Prague continues with the city’s main Catholic church, located in the same Stare Mesto neighborhood. Týn Church of the Virgin Mary is an extraordinary building in Gothic style with Baroque elements, which rises majestically above the red tiled roofs of Old Town buildings. The towers of the temple are crowned with corner turrets, which gives it a certain fairy-tale and even mystical look. The interior decoration deserves special attention: the church contains 19 altars, decorated in different years beginning from the mid 14th century, as well as a centuries-old pewter font and more than a dozen historical paintings.
Check out the magnificent views of Prague in this beautiful video!
6. Prague Castle
Another ancient symbol of the Czech Republic, reflecting the millennial history of the state, is located in another historic district - Hradčany. This is Prague Castle, the greatest castle complex in the world. The history of this unique monument of antiquity begins in the 9th century, the most active construction works began in the 14th century, and only in the 20th century the castle opened its gates to visitors. Its entire territory is divided into three courtyards: the first courtyard is lead to the Giant’s Gate - the main entrance to the complex, the second leads to the Arch of Triumph - Matyas Gates, and the third yard - the largest and oldest in the complex, where most of the ancient sights from the 9th century are concentrated.
Official website: https://www.hrad.cz/en
7. Old Royal Palace
All excursions to Prague that include a visit to Prague Castle necessarily include its most important site, the Old Royal Palace. This is the place where the country has been ruled throughout its history, where many Czech monarchs and Bohemian princes resided, and where today the election of Czech presidents takes place. History of architectural transformation of the palace is amazing - from a simple wooden building the palace went through all possible architectural styles, from Gothic and Romanesque to Renaissance and Baroque. Today, the palace is one huge museum, including a chain of historic halls.
8. Queen Anne’s Summer Palace
The next important site at Prague Castle is the romantic summer palace, which was a gift from King Ferdinand I to his wife Anne. Alas, the gift was not to be realized, as Anna did not live to see the completion of the palace for several years. The building was designed in the style of Renaissance, the facade of the palace is surrounded by arcades of 36 Tuscan columns, and their cornices are decorated with reliefs of mythological themes. This refined architectural creation is completed by the beautiful Baroque Royal Garden, with ornamental trees, fountains, curly paths and green meadows.
9. Vysehrad Fortress
South of the center of Prague on a hill is another historic district - Vysehrad, where the fortress of the same name rises. A visit to Vysehrad Fortress is another way to see and visit centuries of historic buildings in Prague. The castle itself, according to historical data, was built in the 10th century. Often this place is neglected, preferring Prague Castle, but at the same time, Vysehrad has its own priceless monuments - for example, the beautiful Neo-Gothic cathedral, a cemetery with graves of several hundred personalities of Prague, the rotunda of the 11th century or Vysehrad casemates - a complex system of underground tunnels.
Official website: http://www.praha-vysehrad.
10. Troja Castle
The Troja Chateau is a fine Baroque palace complex, which looks as if it came out of a picture. It is located in the Troja district of Prague. It is a country residence, a museum with a unique wine collection, and a neat, creatively designed park - in a word, another beautiful place to visit in Prague. The palace was built in the 17th century by order of Count Sternberg, and for a long time it served as the residence of the oldest Sternberg family. The main pride of the castle is its Imperial Hall, with numerous colored frescoes conveying the plots of the Ottoman battle.
Official website: http://www.trojachateau.com/
11. Prague Loreto
Those arriving in Prague for pilgrimage purposes, don’t think long about what to visit in Prague, go to the Prague Loreta. This massive religiously oriented architectural complex draws crowds of believers from all over Europe because it symbolizes the Holy Shack - the very house in Nazareth where the Virgin Mary heard the prophecy of the Savior’s birth. The founding of Loreto in Prague is connected with the name of Katharina, a devout Czech aristocrat who donated a substantial part of her fortune to build the sanctuary, the prototype of the Holy Shack.
Official website: http://www.loreta
12. St. Vitus Cathedral
At the very heart of Prague Castle stands the St. Vitus Cathedral - the most famous national shrine in the Czech Republic. Originally, in the 10th century there was a Romanesque rotunda of St. Vitus which was later transformed into a basilica, and only in the middle of the 14th century on the initiative of King Charles IV, the construction of the cathedral started. During the building of the cathedral, which lasted 6 centuries, a whole galaxy of architects replaced each other, and only the last of them, Camil Gilbert, was able to give the cathedral a unified architectural look in the Gothic style during the reconstruction.
13. Strahov Monastery
In one of the oldest districts of Prague, Hradčany, is the Strahov Monastery, one of the earliest Christian buildings in the Czech lands. The history of the monastery began in the 12th century with the emergence of the Premonstratensian religious order. Later it was rebuilt and changed the architectural style many times, and the monastery had more storerooms and barns than cells and temples because of the vast tracts of land where different crops were grown. Today the monastery, besides the monastery itself, includes buildings of a library, a museum and even a brewery, where for several centuries many varieties of high quality beer have been made.
Official website: https://www.strahovskyklaster
14. The Jewish Quarter (Josefov)
The next part of our recommendation will certainly touch on the Jewish Quarter, or Josefov Quarter, located near the already famous Old Town Square. At one time the area, also known as the Prague ghetto, was inhabited by Jews and was fortified by the wall, because Jews were not allowed to be present in the area. Until the end of the 19th century the area was full of crooked and ramshackle ramshackle houses and narrow alleys; later the city authorities decided to demolish the old buildings and build up the area anew. Only the iconic national buildings - a number of synagogues and the Jewish Museum with its collection of Jewish religious objects - remained intact.
15. Toy Museum
When you visit the Toy Museum in Prague, it’s as if you find yourself in a special country that has nothing to do with reality. A huge collection of unique toys from different times is gathered on two spacious floors, and the oldest dolls are about 2 thousand years old! The history of collecting toys began in 1968, with a small collection of film director Ivan Steiger. The first toys were purchased for work purposes, as filming props, and later began to be joined by truly vintage exhibits. Each category of toys on display has signs of its era and nation, so one can gaze endlessly into the unique features of each creation.
16. Chocolate Museum
Not far from Old Town Square is also the most “delicious” landmark of the Czech Republic, especially popular among sweet-tooths, the Choco Museum. This museum is quite young, having only opened its doors to visitors in 2008. Once inside, visitors immediately plunge into the chocolate world, filled with its flavors and aromas. The first section of the museum tells the history of the origins of the cacao drink, the second section reveals the secrets of the birth of chocolate production, and the third section is full of collections of unique chocolate wrappers from different times.
Official site: http://www.choco-story-praha
17. Magic museum “Speculum Alchemiae”
The chronicles of many European cities are often full of mysticism, and that includes Prague - you can plunge into the world of the supernatural at the Prague Alchemy Museum. History of this institution dates back to the 16th century, when the famous master alchemist Edward Kelly came to the Czech capital and organized in the city the laboratory for experiments on the verge of reality. The two-story exposition of the museum consists mainly of copies of the real devices used by the alchemist, and items typical of the magical arsenal - potions jars, flasks, stuffed animals, scrolls, and crowning the exposition several wax figures of the magician himself.
Official website: http://www.alchemiae.
18. Wax Museum
To see with your own eyes several dozens of historical figures who became famous in world history is a truly unique chance for everyone. To this end, guides in Prague recommend a visit to the wax museum, where on a relatively large area there are about sixty wax figures, strikingly accurate representation of the appearance of famous people. Among them are international celebrities, and stars of world cinema, and politicians of all times, and artists, and world-famous dictators, who are even allocated a separate tribune.
Official website: https://www.chocotopia.
19. AquaPalace Waterpark
Respecting the centuries-old tradition of building palaces, the people of Prague have built a real water palace - the name of the water park located in the town of Čestlice near Prague. On the vast area of 9 thousand square meters. m. there is a large number of water rides and pools, divided into several zones. Numerous water attractions, a diving center, saunas, massage rooms, spa, fitness room and even its own hotel - all this abundance will not leave indifferent not only children, but also the most sophisticated adults.
Official website: https://www.aquapalace.
20. Dancing House
Trending architectural trend, deconstructivism style, has given a unique form to buildings in different parts of Europe, and Prague has not been spared. Dancing House - a striking example of a very successful embodiment of style. Reviews of those who visited it confirm that this architectural creation devoted to the famous American dancers of the early 20th century really looks like a close-knit couple. Today the premises of such an unusual building are occupied by an international office center, and on its very top there is a restaurant with a panoramic view of the city.
Official website: http://tadu.cz/en/
21. John Lennon Wall
After the death of the famous Beatles composer in 1980, a local landmark was spontaneously created in Prague, a wall entirely dedicated to the memory of John Lennon. Fans, inspired by the famous Beatle’s work, painted inch by inch the wall that had previously been an ordinary wall in front of the French embassy as a sign of remembrance. Images, famous sayings of the musician, meaningful excerpts from songs, and graffiti dotted the entire surface of the wall. Despite the fact that John Lennon had never been to Prague in his life, his memory lives on on this wall and in the hearts of thousands of fans to this day.
22. Winarna Chertovka
Only some hundred meters from Charles Bridge there is another interesting place, which is difficult to notice without knowing about its existence. It is Vinarná Čertovka - the narrowest street in Prague: no more than 0,7 meters wide. In fact, the 10-meter-long alley is a narrow passage between two buildings, originally planned for fire purposes. Traffic lights have been installed at the beginning of the street so that two people walking down the street in opposite directions can separate. Descending the stone steps of the staircase laid out in the passage, one can at once reach the terrace of the famous winery of the same name.
23. Golden Lane
The old fortress of Prague Castle includes an attraction worth telling about separately. It is called Zlatá Alley - a narrow alley with colorful houses built into the arches of the castle walls. The history of the street began in the 16th century, when the Czech king decided to extend the walls of the fortress and build houses for families of guards to occupy them. But the street had been there even before, only jewelers’ workshops were situated there - that explains the name of the street, which survives to this day.
Official website: https://www.prague
24. National Theater of Prague
Getting to know the theaters of Prague is worth starting with its main pride - the National Theater, which is considered the main theater not only in the city, but also in the whole country. History of this cultural attraction dates back to the 70s of the 19th century, when the Society for the construction of the theater was founded, architectural project was prepared and majestic building in neo-Renaissance style was erected within 16 years. In keeping with the style, the structure is lavishly decorated, with themes including excerpts from the great works of Czech painting. The theater was originally planned as a venue for showing works of Czech national art, but since some time the repertoire has included works from around the world.
Official website: https://www.narodni-divadlo
25. National Museum of Prague
Along with other Prague museums, every tourist should definitely visit the most important, the oldest state museum in the country. National Museum opened its doors in 1818. The collection began with exhibits belonging to the field of natural sciences. Over time, thanks to the initiative of the head of the historical section, the collection began to expand and was enriched with exhibits relating to the history and cultures of other countries, a library and a department related to the national music appeared. The opulent decorations of the museum correspond to its status - inside spacious halls, wide staircases lined with carpets, the walls are generously decorated with sculptures and frescoes.
Official website: http://www.nm.
Prague sights: what else to see in Prague?
The main sights of Prague listed above are recommended to be included in the program of the first acquaintance with the city. They convey the very essence of this ancient city, as well as the whole Czech Republic, but in addition to them, there are always other interesting memorable places that convey the Czech flavor and spirit of these places. Here is an example of other attractions of Prague photo with names and descriptions, worthy of a visit.
26. Franz Kafka Museum
Prague is a multifaceted city, and everyone has his or her own impression of it. Kafka Museum is an opportunity to look at Prague through the eyes of the immortal writer, who loved and at the same time loved and hated the hometown, it is an opportunity to live through the inner drama, which the famous modernist lived through during his short life. The museum exhibition is divided into two parts. The first one reveals in detail how Prague shaped the writer’s life, who his friends and relatives were, the correspondence, first publications and drawings are shown. The second part allows you to see Prague through the eyes of the author, where each place is not named literally, but is recognizable by its description.
Official website: http://www.kafkamuseum.
27. Beer Museum
The Beer Museum in Prague is an opportunity not only to learn about the history of beer production in the Czech Republic, but also to taste one of thirty kinds of the high quality drink. In a cozy and disposing atmosphere, in the room, decorated in a somewhat ascetic manner, with retro-lights, everyone can taste the traditional beer varieties and original types of the drink - for example, cherry or chocolate. Since the bar is very popular, its visit should be planned in advance by booking a seat.
Official website: http://www.praguebeermuseum
28. Havel Market
Another attraction of the rating, which can be very useful for tourists, is Havel Market. It is here you can choose original souvenirs, buy memorable gifts for your family and friends. In addition to souvenirs, the counters sell honey, jam, flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables. The history of the market goes back centuries and begins in the 13th century, when a fruit market was founded here. Over time, other provisions began to be sold here, and even later, handicrafts.
Official website: https://www.prague
29. The Prague zoo
One of Europe’s largest zoos, ranked among the best zoos in the world, is located on the outskirts of Prague and has an area of 600,000 square meters. Such a high status the Prague zoo deserves first of all thanks to the extensive work on the restoration of endangered species. There are three large pavilions and several smaller ones. The large ones contain exotic tropical jungle animals and plants, as well as African and South American inhabitants. The smaller pavilions have no specific purpose and are home to both large animals such as lions, tigers and gorillas and small animals such as turtles, penguins and reptiles.
Official website: https://www.zoopraha.cz/ru
30. Krzykovy Fountains
For almost a hundred years the singing fountains in Prague have been top rated water and light shows all over the world. They are located in the large park complex Vystavštět. This water miracle was designed by František Křížík, a famous Czech engineer. The pumps he developed in 1891 became world records for pumping water per unit time. After the reconstruction in 1991, fountains have been improved and turned into a grandiose construction, combining the extravaganza of water jets, music and light show. Periodically, the show is supplemented by performances of ballet dancers and dance groups of the country.
Official website: http://www.krizikovafontana
One of the most popular European cities attracts visitors with its countless attractions and mysterious legends, which for centuries, passing from mouth to mouth, shroud Prague with mystic veil. This is accompanied by grandiose Gothic buildings and works of many writers, in which numerous magicians have done great things in the Czech lands. The influx of visitors contributed to the development of tourism infrastructure, and some hotels in Prague is included in the list of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
Read also about places of interest in Brno and be inspired for further travels in the Czech Republic.
