Much has been written about this truly beautiful city and the reasons why Prague remains so popular are quite simple. You will understand simply by strolling along the cobblestone streets of the old town, observing the fantastic architecture of the buildings, the churches and the magnificent Castle. You can have a relatively cheap lunch or dinner in a pub, accompanied by a world famous Czech beer. Later on, get a half price entrance ticket to enjoy a classical music concert, or for the younger crowd there is a great clubbing scene. When you have had enough of tourist places just escape to the peaceful leafy grounds of Vysehrad, Stromovka Park or take the funicular railway to the top of Petrin Hill - no city in Europe has more rewarding views. Shopping lovers will not be left out as many excellent and reasonably priced local goods are always available. No matter if it is winter or summer, you will enjoy Prague at its best.

Prague was seldom visited by tourists until 1989 but is now one of the most popular destinations in Europe. The city is situated on both banks of the Vltava (Moldau) river in central Bohemia. ‘Maticka’ Praha or ‘little mother Prague’ is a very beautiful city. It’s our capital and the cradle of our culture where many famous writers, artists, athletes, sports players, models, and film directors were born. This city was under communist rule for over 40 years. Then the Velvet Revolution of 17th November 1989 changed everything (the date is now a Czech Republic public holiday). From the moment that freedom came to the streets, the city started enjoying a huge economic boom; even more so after the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004. Prague has a huge number of buildings of special architectural interest. In 1992 the historical core of the city covering 866 hectares was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register. No matter where you go there, you will discover parts of the city’s multi-layered history dating from the Holy Roman Empire, the Hapsburg Empire, the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918), the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, the Communist Republic of Czechoslovakia to the present time of the democratic Czech Republic. The city was undamaged by WWII and can now offer you an unforgettable experience just by walking through the Baroque, Rococo and Art Nouveau redeveloped streets. 

Take a walk

Exquisite examples of long periods of European architecture are joined together on the twisting narrow streets of this city; just take a walk to feel the city's pulse, spend time in the pubs and cafés, do some shopping, take a few romantic photos over the Charles Bridge ... and continue marvelling at the beauty of a thousand spires that has already attracted millions of tour groups. To see more we encourage you to take the tram rather than the metro. We recommended tram no. 22 to 23 up to Prague Castle.

Why is Prague so popular?

There’s something magic about the city. We don’t know if it is Franz Kafka, who attracts many Jewish people to see the Old-New Synagogue. We don’t know if it is the view from the famous café Slavia (where the former president used to go) of the river and castle. We don’t know if it is because Prague is an inexpensive break offered by some travel agents. We don’t know if it is a desire to see a post-communist city which has been closed to visitors for many decades. We don’t know if it is strolling over the Charles Bridge at dawn... We don’t know what it is exactly … but what we do know is you will fall in love with Prague.

How long should I stay in Prague?

We recommend you stay at least three days otherwise you won’t have enough time to see all the best attractions that Prague can offer. Of course, if you have more time you will be less rushed and you can indulge yourself in the atmosphere of Prague even better.

Why and When go to Prague?

Prague’s compact centre and very efficient and inexpensive transportation system makes discovering this magical city’s architectural gems very easy, no matter if you visit during the cold winter or the hot summer. Although it can get quite cold in the winter, the spring and autumn are very pleasant. Prague is a mixture of modern shops and ancient architecture, Gothic spires and Baroque facades. It is an absolutely fantastic place for leisure, for seeing architecture, for shopping, for tasting European cuisine and enjoying chilled Czech beer. For most young male travellers, Prague is famous for two things: the beer and the women, who are some of the best-looking in the world (statistics on visitors to Prague: 40% - recommendations by friends and relatives, 30 % returning after a previous visit).

Modern Prague and the Czech Republic are becoming more westernized every day, but still offer glimpses of what was once a truly distinct part of Eastern Europe. This westernization comes with perks (everyone speaks English) and downfalls (insane inflation), but overall there is much charm to be found if one ventures even remotely off the beaten path. For the beer aficionado, however, things are changing for the worse all too rapidly. Small breweries are going out of business and even the mighty Pilsner Urquell has undergone vast changes that most view with regret. Still, there is no better place to drink a pilsner and there are some great beers to be found by the astute hunter. There are some sights to see along the way as well. But get there soon before it becomes just one more stop on the European itinerary of the college sophomore crowd.


Prague Money & Costs

- 1 EUR = 28 CZK, 1 GBP = 31 CZK, 1 USD = 21 CZK
- Cup of coffee in the city centre: 35 to 100 CZK
- McDonald’s meal: around 100 CZK
- Metro/tram ticket: 26 CZK
- Hostel dormitory average: 400 CZK
- 3-star hotel, low season, last-minute price: 500 CZK
- 3-star hotel in high season rate: 4000 CZK
- Estimated average spend: 70 EUR per day on average
- Annual beer consumption: 160L per head
- Number of bars in Prague: over 11,000
- Number of churches in Prague: over 150
- Population: 1,184,000
- Time zone: GMT + 1 hour