Prague

The Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and an astronomical clock on Old Town Square can all be seen in this well-preserved old city.

Prague
Photo: Moyan Brenn from Italy, CC BY 2.0

Attractive locations

Charles Bridge

Medieval stone bridge across the Vltava, closed to cars and lined with Baroque statues of saints. It links the Old Town with the Castle district and is busy from early morning until late evening.

Prague Castle

Huge hilltop complex above the river that has served as the seat of Czech rulers for over a thousand years. Its courtyards, palaces, chapels and gardens take half a day to explore.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Gothic cathedral inside Prague Castle, begun in the 14th century and only finished in the 20th. Its tall stained-glass windows and the chapel of St. Wenceslas are the highlights.

Prague Astronomical Clock

Medieval clock on the Old Town Hall wall, dating from 1410. Crowds gather on the hour to watch figures of the apostles pass by small windows above the dials.

Old Town Square

Main square of the historic centre, ringed by pastel townhouses, churches and cafés. It has the Jan Hus monument at its centre and is a lively place to start a walk.

Church of Our Lady before Týn

Gothic church whose two dark, pointed towers dominate the Old Town Square skyline. Its interior is more ornate than the exterior suggests, with a Baroque altar and old tombs.

Old New Synagogue

One of Europe's oldest synagogues still in use, built in the 13th century in the Jewish Quarter. It is a working place of worship, so visitors should dress modestly and respect the quiet.

Strahov Monastery

Hilltop monastery known for its Baroque library halls, with ceiling paintings and shelves of old volumes. The monastery also has a brewery, and the grounds look out over the city.

Petřín Lookout Tower

Iron tower on Petřín Hill, built in the 1890s and often compared with a small Eiffel Tower. A climb or lift ride brings wide views over the red roofs of Prague.

Vyšehrad

Old fortress on a rock above the Vltava River, with quiet walls, gardens and a neo-Gothic basilica. Its cemetery holds the graves of Czech composers and writers, including Smetana and Dvořák.

Lennon Wall

Wall in the Malá Strana quarter covered with graffiti, song lyrics and messages of peace, begun after John Lennon's death. The artwork keeps changing, and the nearby streets are pleasant to wander.

Wenceslas Square

Long, broad boulevard in the New Town, once a horse market, now lined with shops and hotels, with the National Museum at its top end. It has been a stage for major public events in Czech history.

Airports

Václav Havel Airport Prague PRG

Prague, Czech Republic

It is about 12 km in a straight line from Prague.

Pardubice Airport PED

Pardubice, Czech Republic

It is about 94 km in a straight line from Prague.

Karlovy Vary Airport KLV

Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

It is about 108 km in a straight line from Prague.

Getting around

From Prague Airport

Outside both terminals, public transport buses depart as follows: trolleybus 59 goes to Nádraží Veleslavín for Metro line A, bus 100 to Zličín, and bus 191 to Anděl for Metro line B. The Airport Express bus reaches Prague Main Railway Station in about 40 minutes, stopping at Terminal 1, and ordinary public transport tickets are not valid on it. Night bus 910 connects the city centre and the airport.

Metro, trams and buses

ROPID organises Prague's integrated transport system, which is mainly operated by the Prague public transport company, DPP. Three metro lines, A (green), B (yellow) and C (red), have interchanges at Můstek, Muzeum and Florenc. Trams, buses and trolleybuses serve the rest of the city, and night trams and night buses replace the daytime lines overnight. The network also includes ferries and the Petřín funicular.

Short-term tickets and stamping

PID short-term tickets are sold for 30 minutes, 90 minutes, 24 hours or 72 hours, either on paper or in the PID Lítačka app. A paper ticket bought from a machine or office has to be stamped once, when you first board or enter the metro, whereas tickets from the contactless terminals on trams, buses and the metro are valid immediately. App tickets take effect one minute after activation. The Petřín funicular and Airport Express are not covered by the 30- and 90-minute tickets.

Scams and safe taxis

Taxis and unofficial cars

Prague Airport cautions against taking unofficial taxi offers from people outside the terminals, and recommends looking for a TAXI sign, a yellow registration sticker and a visible driver ID. Always request a printed receipt. Where the fare is clearly excessive or no receipt is provided, do not pay and contact the Municipal Police; complaints made after paying go to Prague City Hall.

Ride apps and Uber Airport

Uber, Bolt and Liftago are the ride-sharing options named by Prague Airport. Within the airport, the official taxi provider is Uber Airport, which shows the final fare before you confirm. Orders can be made in the app, on the airport's web page, at kiosks in the arrival halls or at the service counters, and a PIN ensures you get into the right car.

Nightlife charges and spiked drinks

Prague bars and clubs carry risks of drink spiking, very high consumption charges at nightclubs, and heavy financial penalties for losing a consumption card before you have paid, UK advice warns. Do not accept drinks from strangers or leave your drink unattended, and check the charges before ordering. It also asks visitors to take care when using cash machines.

Pickpockets on transport

Busy metro and bus routes from Prague airport to the centre, trams to Prague Castle and crowded tourist areas are targeted by pickpockets, UK advice says. Keep your belongings close and never leave them unattended. If something is stolen, go to a Czech police station within 24 hours to report it in person, and ask for a crime report number, which you will need for insurance.

Weather by month

Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.

  • Jan-2.2 °C42 mm
  • Feb-0.7 °C32 mm
  • Mar3.3 °C39 mm
  • Apr8.8 °C36 mm
  • May13.6 °C69 mm
  • Jun17.9 °C78 mm
  • Jul20.1 °C79 mm
  • Aug19.5 °C81 mm
  • Sep14.4 °C53 mm
  • Oct8.8 °C46 mm
  • Nov3.6 °C43 mm
  • Dec-0.6 °C41 mm

Driest months: Feb, Mar, Apr. Wettest months: Jun, Jul, Aug.

Long-term averages from NASA POWER; the area covered is large, so local weather can differ.

Costs

Prices here are about 59% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Festivals and events

festival

Christmas markets

around Nov 2026 - Jan 2027 · Prague

One of the largest annual events in the country, it leads to full hotels and higher prices, so plan early.

festival

Christmas markets

around Nov 2027 - Jan 2028 · Prague

One of the largest annual events in the country, it leads to full hotels and higher prices, so plan early.

Who can help

Emergency

112 works across the EU for police, fire and ambulance.

local government

Police of the Czech Republic emergency line 158

Helps with: The Czech police's emergency line, 158. The police website says you can also send an SMS to that number. The page is in Czech.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the Czech Republic who needs the police urgently.

Phone: 158

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Czech Red Cross

Helps with: The Czech national Red Cross society. Its activities include first aid training, blood donation, disaster preparedness and humanitarian aid, a tracing service and psychosocial support.

Who qualifies: People in the Czech Republic who need its services; contact the national office in Prague.

Phone: +420 251 104 111

Email: [email protected]

Address: Rozdělovská 2467/63, 169 00 Praha 6

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Czechia

Helps with: The UN migration agency, working in Czechia since 1998. It gives humanitarian support to migrants, displaced people and returnees, and help with integration, including for Ukrainians finding work and housing.

Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees in Czechia. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +420 233 370 160

Address: Václavské nám. 1282/51, 110 00 Prague, Czechia

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign missions to the Czech Republic (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Czech foreign ministry lists embassies, consulates and honorary consulates in Czechia, with a detail page for each.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy or consulate.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

Prague City Tourism tourist information

Helps with: Prague's official city tourism organisation. It runs a tourist information phone and email service in Czech and English on weekdays, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Prague with questions about the city.

Phone: +420 221 714 714

Email: [email protected]

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

See all information for Czech Republic