Things to do in Prague: 12 experiences, from Charles Bridge at dawn to beer in Letná

At six in the morning the only sound on Charles Bridge is the river below, and the statues stand black against a pale sky. By midday the same bridge carries thousands of people. Prague is one of Europe’s most visited cities. The trick is to do the famous things at the right time, then slip away to the hills and beer gardens where locals spend their evenings.

In short: things to do in Prague

• Do first: Charles Bridge before nine, then up to Prague Castle.

• Free: the castle grounds, Petřín Hill, Vyšehrad and Letná Park.

• Book ahead: concerts, the castle buildings and the Jewish Museum.

• Best base: the Old Town or Malá Strana, so you can walk to almost everything.

Our first choice: Check availability and prices at Four Seasons Hotel Prague

Twelve things to do in Prague

1. Walk Charles Bridge before nine

Charles Bridge was begun in 1357 under Charles IV and is lined with thirty baroque statues. By mid-morning it is packed, but before nine you can walk it with only the street sweepers and a few photographers for company.

2. Climb up to Prague Castle

Prague Castle is one of the largest castle complexes in the world, with St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace and Golden Lane inside its walls. The grounds are free to walk, while the main buildings need a ticket from the castle’s own website.

3. See the astronomical clock strike

The astronomical clock on the Old Town Hall dates from 1410. When it strikes the hour, the twelve apostles parade past the windows above the dial. Go early in the day, when the crowd below is thinner.

4. Explore Josefov, the Jewish Quarter

Josefov holds the Old-New Synagogue, one of the oldest active synagogues in Europe, and the Old Jewish Cemetery, where the gravestones lean against each other. The Jewish Museum in Prague manages most of the sites on one ticket.

5. See the Strahov Library

The Strahov Monastery above Malá Strana has two baroque library halls with painted ceilings, the Theological Hall and the Philosophical Hall. Visitors look in from the doorway, and the view down over the city from the monastery gardens is worth the climb.

6. Walk up Petřín Hill

Petřín is a wooded hill above Malá Strana, with orchards, a rose garden and a lookout tower built in 1891. In spring the slopes are covered in blossom, and in any season the view from the top takes in the whole city.

7. Spend an evening in Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad is an old fortress on a rock above the Vltava, south of the centre. The cemetery holds the graves of Dvořák and Smetana, and the walls give one of the best sunset views in Prague, with far fewer people than at the castle.

8. Drink beer in Letná

Letná Park sits on a plateau above the river, north of the Old Town. In the warmer months the beer garden is the place to be in the evening. Expect long tables, cheap Czech lager and a view of the bridges down the Vltava.

9. See the Lennon Wall and Kampa

The Lennon Wall in Malá Strana has been covered in graffiti and messages since the 1980s, and it changes from week to week. Kampa Island next to it is a quiet park beneath Charles Bridge, with the Certovka stream and an old mill wheel.

10. Take in the Dancing House

The Dancing House on the riverbank in the New Town was designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić and completed in 1996. Its two towers lean into each other like a couple dancing, and there is a bar and gallery at the top.

11. Listen to a concert in a church

Prague is a city of music, and almost every evening there are concerts in churches and halls across the Old Town and Malá Strana. The Rudolfinum is home to the Czech Philharmonic, and the Municipal House has a magnificent Art Nouveau concert hall.

12. Take a boat on the Vltava

A boat trip on the Vltava shows the city from below, passing under Charles Bridge with the castle on the hill above. Short sightseeing cruises leave from the embankments, and in the evening some include dinner.

Where to stay to see it all

The Old Town and Malá Strana put most of the sights within walking distance. The Four Seasons stands by Charles Bridge, Augustine beneath the castle in Malá Strana, and Ventana a minute from Old Town Square. All three are on Picolo’s list of the best hotels in Prague, and our guide to where to stay in Prague compares the districts.

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Four Seasons Hotel Prague

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Augustine

Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Ventana Hotel Prague

A three-day plan

• Day one: the Old Town, the astronomical clock and Josefov, with a concert in the evening.

• Day two: Charles Bridge at dawn, Malá Strana, Prague Castle and Strahov, then down Petřín Hill.

• Day three: Vyšehrad in the morning and a boat on the Vltava, then an evening in Letná.

What Picolo would choose

What Picolo would choose: Charles Bridge at dawn, the castle before the tour groups arrive and an evening in Vyšehrad or Letná rather than the Old Town.

Why: the famous sights are at their best when they are quiet, and the hills give you the views without the crowds. The trade-off: you need to get up early. In December, read about the Prague Christmas markets too.

Sources

Opening details and tickets are published by Prague Castle, the Jewish Museum in Prague and Prague City Tourism, which we recommend checking before you go. Hotel facilities and guest ratings come from Hotels.com, last checked on 7 November 2026. The order, timing tips and picks are Picolo’s own.

This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.