Guide to Prague

Prague is a city that has it all: architecture, cobblestone streets, cheap local cuisine, viewpoints, huge nightclubs and after parties. It has become a hugely popular destination in Central Europe and is often compared to Budapest, however they are quite different and you shouldn’t go without visiting!

How to get there

You can fly from any city in Europe to Prague airport.

However I would recommend looking up buses as they are even cheaper than trains and planes. Student Agency is the cheapest I’ve seen so far and the most comfortable (www.studentagency.eu). They go to and from anywhere in Czech and central Europe. You get reclining seats, a TV on each chair, water and free coffee and hot drinks for a fare under $20- it cost me $12 to get from Vienna to Prague.

From Vienna it is a 5hour trip and from Cesky Krumlov it is 2.5hours

Where to stay

I couchsurfed in Prague and I would recommend this as I got to experience a lot of local nightlife and places to eat. I stayed in the University dorm and this was the best to meet young locals.

If staying in a hostel, try and stay near the Central Station or the Charles bridge as this is where the nightlife is.

What to do

1. Try some local cuisine!
There are a few signature dishes in Czech and they are all delicious! One in particular is the Svíčková na smetaně which is sirloin steak with dumplings, cream sauce and cranberries. Go to a local looking pub and it will be on the menu for cheap! It is absolutely mouth watering!

2. Do a walking tour
These are very thorough and you will see most of the city this way., however I wanted to do it at my own pace so I marked out places my host recommended on the map and made my own tour!

3.  Vysehrad Church
This is a beautiful church at the south of town. From here you get a great view of the whole river bank and other side of it. At night this turns into a really trendy beer garden serving amazing local food.

4. Walk along the river bank.
From the church you can walk back up to the city centre along the river bank. This is a great way to get some views of the other side of the bank and all the bridges. On your way you’ll see an awesome cafe with a piano where locals play.

5. Visit the floating building.
This strange concoction of a building is something you’ll see as you walk by the river back towards town and is worth a photo!

6. Lookout Tower
Walk through Petrin Park with cool sculptures and make your way up to the top of the hill for the spectacular tower view at the Lookout.

If you’re not feeling too fit you can take a tram car up; but the line is long and it’s expensive, so save yourself some money and walk.
Once at the top you can buy a ticket (only $2) to  the tower and once you’re up there the view is amazing! You can see the whole of Prague.

7. Make your mark on the John Lennon wall.
First of all find the John Lennon wall; it is hidden among some cobblestone laneways near the Charles bridge which are gorgeous. It is a very inspirational place filled with everyone’s messages and a guy playing guitar in front of it for ambience- so buy a marker and write something!

8. Letna Park and viewpoint
If it’s a nice day, walk across Cecha bridge to the other side at Letna park. Walk up the stairs and when you get to the top sit up on the concrete pillars. This is where you’ll get the best view of the city and for free! Take a picnic and make an afternoon out of it.

9. Walk across Charles bridge
This is the most famous bridge  in Prague. It’s full of tourists, statues and great views. During the day you can barely move or take photos, so I would recommend going at night or at an odd time!

10. Spend an afternoon in the Old Town Square
This is a beautiful open area with many cafes, bars, buskers and food trucks and is a beautiful place to relax in the sun! From here wander the narrow cobblestone streets from any part of the square and get lost in the architecture!

Nightlife

While in Prague you must visit the famous 5 storey nightclub Karlovy Lazne. It’s $10 entry and full of 18yr olds but it is so much fun and full every night! There are 5 levels all with different genre of music and different interior, lighting and effects. Even if it wouldn’t be your number one pick for music, just exploring all the different levels is fun for a night!

If you want something not to touristy, definitely go to Roxy nightclub. On Saturdays it has a resident DJ of over 20 years and really good house/techno. It’s full of locals and a really great party! It closes around 5am and there are always after parties; check out Bukanyr- an amazing after party on a docked boat that goes until 10am. If you’re there for sunrise you’ll be in for a treat!

How long to stay

If you want to party then I’d allow a few lazy mornings as the nightlife in Prague is pretty long standing! There is a lot to see there and I would recommend 3 or 4 nights.

For more information, check out Lonely Planet’s guide by clicking below.