Everything to know before walking Prague
Exchange scams and cobbles, where the toilets and water are, and the best views.
4 audio tours · 102 toilets · 63 drinking fountains
Cover: Charles Bridge and the Castle. Photo: Diego F. Parra / Pexels
Before you go
Prague from above
Prague is a city of hills and towers, and the best views of the red roofs are free.
- Letná park terrace
- Above Čech Bridge, with the river, the bridges and the Old Town roofs below. The beer garden is open in the warm season. Maps
- Petřín Lookout Tower
- 250 CZK by the stairs, lift 150 CZK extra. The funicular up the hill reopened on 22 September 2026. Maps
- Old Town Hall tower
- Straight down onto Old Town Square. About 350 CZK, half price in the first hour after opening. Maps
- Hradčany Square by the Castle gate
- Free. The terrace at the Castle entrance looks over the Lesser Town roofs to the Old Town. Maps
- Riegrovy sady at sunset
- A Vinohrady park where locals sit on the slope and watch the sun set behind Prague Castle. Maps
What can ruin the day here: Losing money on cash: '0% commission' booths around Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square and Na Příkopě hide a bad rate, and yellow Euronet ATMs add fees of 99 to 199 CZK plus a poor rate if you accept their conversion. Arriving at Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock or the Castle after about 9 to 10, when the crowds peak and pickpockets work them.
Book or buy ahead
What the streets are like
- Cobbles
- Almost every old street is paved in small stone cobbles and mosaic setts. Wear flat shoes with grip, they get slippery when wet.
- The climb to the Castle
- The Castle sits on a steep hill above the Lesser Town, up Nerudova street or the Castle steps. Tram 22 runs up to the Pražský hrad and Pohořelec stops, so you can ride up and walk down.
- Petřín funicular
- Back since 22 September 2026 with new cars, from Újezd up Petřín hill, about every 10 minutes from 7:00 to 22:15. 100 CZK a ride (90 CZK in the app). 24 and 72 hour passes are valid, shorter tickets are not.
- Trams and tickets
- 30 minutes 39 CZK, 90 minutes 50 CZK, 24 hours 150 CZK on paper, a little less in the PID Lítačka app. Stamp a paper ticket once in the yellow machine. Activate an app ticket before boarding, it starts a minute later. Plainclothes inspectors fine about 1,500 CZK.
Be careful of
Prague is a safe city, and most trouble comes from money tricks and crowded spots.
- Exchange booths
- Ask how many crowns you will get before you hand over cash. Keep the timed receipt: you can cancel within 3 hours at the same office, for up to EUR 1,000. Never change money with people on the street, they hand out fake or old notes.
- Euronet ATMs
- The yellow and blue machines charge 99 to 199 CZK per withdrawal. Use a bank ATM and always choose to be charged in CZK, not your home currency.
- Taxis
- Do not hail cabs at sights. Use Bolt, Uber or Liftago, where the price is shown first. Metered taxis are capped at 42 CZK per km again since 21 October 2026.
- Pickpockets
- They work Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock crowd, Old Town Square and crowded trams 22 and 9, mostly at the doors.
Prague, quarter by quarter
Six areas, each with its own feel. Any order.
- Old Town (Staré Město)Maps
Medieval lanes, Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock. Good for: Gothic towers, the Klementinum courtyards, concerts at the Rudolfinum. Careful: Exchange booths, menu traps and the thick crowd at the clock on the hour.
- Lesser Town (Malá Strana)Maps
Baroque palaces and gardens below the Castle. Good for: St Nicholas Church, the Lennon Wall, the riverbank by Kampa. Careful: Pickpockets at the Charles Bridge end and on tram 22.
- HradčanyMaps
The Castle district, quiet once the tour groups leave. Good for: Free Castle courtyards from 6:00 to 22:00, Hradčany Square views. Careful: Steep streets and a busy mid-morning queue at the security check.
- New Town (Nové Město)Maps
Wide 19th century boulevards and Wenceslas Square. Good for: The riverside Náplavka, the New Town Hall, everyday shops and cafes. Careful: Lower Wenceslas Square after dark, with strip club touts and stag groups.
- VinohradyMaps
Leafy residential streets of grand apartment blocks. Good for: Riegrovy sady, Náměstí Míru, wine bars and cafes at local prices. Careful: Little to watch for beyond a few uphill streets.
- ŽižkovMaps
A hilly, working-class district full of pubs. Good for: The TV Tower, Vítkov hill, cheap neighbourhood pubs. Careful: Steep streets, and it gets loud on weekend nights.
Worth it, and what to skip
A few famous sights are best early or skipped, and some of the best things cost nothing.
Worth it
- Charles Bridge before 9: Between 6 and 9 there are very few people on it. Later it fills until midnight.
- Letná beer garden: Beer at 65 to 75 CZK for half a litre with a view over the bridges, in the warm season.
- Vyšehrad: Free ramparts and the cemetery where Dvořák and Mucha are buried, far from the crowds.
- Prague Castle grounds early: The courtyards are free from 6:00. Get in before the groups that peak from 10 to 14.
- Náplavka Saturday market: A farmers market on the riverbank, Saturdays 8:00 to 14:00, with street food at 80 to 150 CZK.
Skip it
- The Astronomical Clock show: The apostles turn for under a minute while you stand in a packed crowd. Look at the clock face any other time.
- Trdelník: Sold as 'traditional Czech' but it is a Slovak and Hungarian pastry that spread in Prague after 2000. 130 to 210 CZK with filling.
- Wenceslas Square at night: After dark it is touts, strip club promoters and stag parties.
- Karlova street: A narrow souvenir funnel between the Old Town and the bridge. The Klementinum courtyards run alongside it.
Eat well for less
Eat a block or two away from Old Town Square and Charles Bridge, where the same beer costs double. Bread, nuts or sauces put on the table are often charged, so send them back if you do not want them. A 'service' line is only legal if a fixed amount is printed on the menu. Locals round up or tip about 10 percent. A half litre in a local pub costs 50 to 70 CZK, often less than bottled water.
- Polední menu, the weekday lunch deal in pubs across the city
- 130 to 200 CZK for soup and a main, roughly 11:00 to 14:30 on weekdays.
- Svíčková (beef sirloin in cream sauce with dumplings) at Lokál Dlouhááá
- 180 to 280 CZK at ordinary Czech restaurants. Lokál pours tank Pilsner. Maps
- Koláč and bakery sandwiches
- Koláče 50 to 80 CZK, sandwiches 45 to 95 CZK. Pastry and coffee for about 100 CZK.
- Manifesto Market Anděl food stalls
- 200 to 350 CZK a dish, with Vietnamese, Mexican, Czech and more. Maps
Example prices, not checked yet.
A night out, priced
The legal drinking age is 18. Bars in Vinohrady and Karlín usually stay open to 2:00 at weekends. Drinking in the street is banned in hundreds of spots, including much of the centre, with on-the-spot fines. Organised pub crawls are banned in the historic centre from 22:00 to 6:00.
| Local | Tourist centre | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-litre of beer, local pub | 50 to 70 CZK | 80 to 150 CZK in Old Town |
| Glass of wine | 90 to 150 CZK | 120 to 200 CZK |
| Cocktail | 180 to 260 CZK | 250 to 400 CZK |
Example prices, not checked yet.
Only in Prague
- Beer cheaper than water
- In local pubs a half litre of beer (50 to 70 CZK) often costs the same or less than a bottle of water (50 to 80 CZK).
- Tram 22 as a sightseeing ride
- An ordinary tram ticket takes you past the National Theatre, across the river and up to the Castle.
- Lennon Wall
- A free graffiti wall in the Lesser Town, open all hours. Pencils, markers and chalk only, no spray paint.
- Paternoster lifts
- Ride the open, never-stopping lift on the New Town Hall paternoster tour, 250 CZK.
Day trips
- Kutná Hora (Sedlec Ossuary)
- Train from Praha hlavní nádraží, about 50 minutes and 166 CZK each way. The ossuary is a 10 to 15 minute walk from Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží. Maps
- Český Krumlov
- RegioJet bus from Na Knížecí or FlixBus from Florenc, 2.5 to 3 hours each way, 220 to 430 CZK. Book ahead in season. Maps
- Karlštejn
- Train from Praha hlavní nádraží or Smíchov, about 40 minutes. The castle is a 20 minute uphill walk from the station. Closed on Mondays. Maps
Find the nearest one
102 toilets (23 free, 30 accessible) and 63 drinking fountains around the tour routes.
Public toilets usually cost 10 to 20 CZK, often coins only. Tap water is safe, and free fountains marked 'pitná voda' are dotted around parks and streets.
Toilets and water: © OpenStreetMap contributors, 2026-10-25.
Toilets and water: © OpenStreetMap contributors, 2026-10-25. Tap a point for directions, or a number to zoom in.
What a week costs
CZK 8,000budgetCZK 15,000mid-rangeCZK 28,000comfort
A half litre in a local pub is 50 to 70 CZK, a 24 hour transit pass 150 CZK, and the Castle main circuit 450 CZK.
per person, without flights or accommodation. Example prices, not checked yet.
Quick answers
- Can I pay in euros?
- Sometimes, at tourist places, but at a bad rate and with change in crowns. Pay by card in CZK.
- Where to change money?
- Take crowns from a bank ATM. If you use a booth, check the amount you get first and keep the receipt.
- Is tap water safe?
- Yes. Prague tap water is tested and safe, and public fountains are free.
- Is it safe at night?
- Yes, for walking. Avoid strip club touts around Wenceslas Square and watch your drink bill.
- Is the Castle worth the ticket?
- The courtyards and views are free. The 450 CZK ticket adds St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane.
- Luggage on the last day?
- Use the lockers at Praha hlavní nádraží or an app such as Bounce from about EUR 2.50 a day. To the airport, trolleybus 59 plus metro A costs one 90 minute ticket.
Our audio tours in Prague
Each tour is the walk in order, with the stories told at every stop. Compare our 4 tours.
In a bundle · save 37%
In a bundle · save 37%
