Top Tips for Prague

What I found to be helpful:

Transportation

Get the travel card.

Although most of the sites are clustered together and thus are within comfortable walking distance from each other, if you want to make the most of your time in Prague, you can still opt to use the transportation system to save time (e.g. walking for 40 minutes versus riding the tram for 12 minutes to get from one side of the Vltava River to another). 

The travel card comes in 1 day, 2 day or 3 day unlimited use of all kinds of transport. Just don't forget to validate it once because officers in casual attire regularly check and you don't want to pay a hefty fine if you get caught. It is very convenient, really.

Knowing the City

Join a walking tour.

Because what's the whole point of going to a place and just looking at the buildings or surroundings and not knowing what they meant or what history they possess?

Walking tours in Old Town Square

Join a free walking tour first. There are loads of types of tours to choose from. We chose Discover Prague tours because they got the best ratings and their schedule fitted ours. We didn't regret attending their Royal Walk free tour, and as a result, we ended up booking for their Prague Castle district tour which was 300 CZK pp.

Discover Prague Tours: David from Colorado

 It's a good way to learn about the city - especially if the tour guide is good and fun (we had David from Colorado). It is also a fun way to meet fellow travellers.

Go inside Museums.

We went inside the Museum of Communism as majority of Prague's history includes the bloody events brought about by the communistic era. Entrance fee is 290 CZK pp.

Money

Bring your Euro or GBP.

Instead of changing your money straight into CZK before going to Prague, bring your local currency and have them changed to Koruna in Prague. You'll get more out of your money because the exchange rate is higher, believe me.

Change your currency at Mango or Praha Exchange in Jindřišská, or at the International Currency Exchange in Mala Strana. They have 0% commission fee - so what you see in the exchange rate is what you get. ATMs or banks have lower exchange rates and they also have a processing/commission fee. 

Must do

Cross the Karluv Most (day and night).

Karluv Most early in the AM

Cross it as often as you can. I guarantee - you it's a different experience each time. The ideal time would be real early in the morning when there are only literally a handful of people present.

Karluv Most at night

See the Old Town Square (day and night).

Old Town Square at daytime

Sit back and relax at the square both during day and night. There are simply loads to see: the Astronomical clock tower and its show, St. Nicholas church, Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, etc. The same goes with sitting/strolling along the Vltava River.

Old Town Square at night

Cruise along the Vltava River.

Either have a lunch, snack or dinner, or just a simple cruise sans food/drinks along the Vltava River to enjoy the sights that the city has to offer.

Vltava River view at night

Vltava River at daytime

The Castle and the Changing of the Guards.

Prague Castle Complex - St. Vitus Cathedral

The castle complex is a must do in Prague and so is the changing of the guards at midday in the first courtyard. I suggest that you watch it instead in the gate near the Stag Moat/Jelení Príkop to be able to watch it with less people around. Be there about 30 minutes beforehand to secure a good spot in front of the gate.

Changing of the guards at the side gate

Panoramic Views.

Go up to Letna Park observation deck, the Petrin Hill, Prague Castle's South Gardens and Strahov Monastery for different panoramic viewpoints of the city. They're all free and breathtaking.

View from Strahov Monastery

View from Letna Park

View from Petrin Hill

View from Prague Castle's South Gardens

Find David Cerny's works.

Prague is known to have bizarre and provocative works of art scattered throughout the city. Look out for David Cerny's works, those dedicated for Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, and many more. Can you find them all?

7ft Sigmund Freud

Franz Kafka statue: a depiction from his story "Description of a Struggle"

Anna Chromy's Il Commendatore (Hollow Man)

Broken Men: A memorial to the victims of Communism

David Cerny's Piss

Nightlife

PubCrawl

3 pubs. free shot per pub. 1 hour open bar in the first pub. freebies. games/activities. Get to know people. For the nights we won't remember.

Drunken Monkey Pub Crawl

Food/Drinks

Koleno

Pork knuckles marinated in beer.

Duck confit (front) and Koleno (rear)

Trdelnik

Rolled dough which is grilled and topped with sugar and walnut mix.

Trdelnik

Goulash

Beef cooked with sauerkraut paired with bread dumplings.

Czech Beef goulash

Oplatky

Spa wafers with cream flavouring sandwiched between layers.

X-Beer 33

With an ETOH content of 11.8%, this is the strongest beer in Prague. The dark bittersweet lager ferments for 6 months in oak barrels and can be found in U Medvidku Beer Hall and Restaurant - Prague's first cabaret, the city's largest beer hall, and smallest brewery.

X-Beer 33

Strahov Monastery

Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians

View of the City of a Thousand Spires from the monastery

Founded in 1143, The Strahov Monastery is located at the back of the Petrin Hill and the castle complex.

Strahov Monastery

Head here for the famous Strahov Library, and for breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

Panoramic views from Strahov Monastery

The Strahov Library

Known as the most beautiful library in the world, the Strahov Library houses thousands of original volumes, is  adorned with beautiful frescoes, and is home to antique pieces of historical curiosity.

The library is located inside one of the buildings of the monastery. Entrance fee is 120 CZK. And to be able to take photos, you need to pay 50 CZK per person.

Theological Hall - left side

Tip: If going in by pairs or more, only one of you needs to pay and then just use his/her phone/camera to take photos. 

Theological Hall - right side

The library has 2 halls: the Theological hall and the Philosophical hall.

Theological Hall

The Theological Hall, which was the first hall built out of the two, houses thousands of volumes, mostly of the bible or bible parts in different languages. The frescoes there depict bible quotes.

The bigger and more impressive Philosophical Hall houses more than double of the amount of volumes in the previous hall. The ceiling is adorned with frescoes depicting the Intellectual Progress of Mankind: about science and religion and how true wisdom is found. 

Philosophical Hall - interior

Truly, anyone will marvel at the beauty of both halls. Who wouldn't want to study or read a book at this library?

Philosophical Hall

The Monastery also has a gallery and brewery. The brewery was reopened in 2000 and serves about 10 variations of St. Norbert beer. The gallery houses Rudolfian art, Gothic, Rococo and Baroque paintings which are among the most significant Central European collections. Entrance fee to the gallery is 120 CZK.

Restaurant Bellavista lunch

Restaurant Bellavista - outdoor seating

If you fancy a lunch with a view, this is one of the best places to be. The prices are higher - likely because of the view that you are paying for, and the meal and service is overall average. The view will definitely make up for everything else.

Pasta and Salad+Beer

We ordered pasta and salad, and tasted their beer. Mind you though, that this was the most expensive meal we've had during our trip.

Walk down from Strahov to the Castle Complex

The walkway to the castle

Then head down to Mala Strana. Cross Karluv Most yet again. Continue on to the Old Town Square and join a free walking tour.

Free walking tour

Kozlovna Apropos dinner

For another round of Czech cuisine, try out this diner near the Clementinum, or Staromestská metro station.

Duck confit

We ordered the famous beef goulash served on bread and duck confit. The serving was plentiful and the food tasted good. The price was just right. The atmosphere was average though, the place was packed and understandably, service was not as prompt but average. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

Beef Goulash

Stroll along the Vltava River at night

Enjoy the magical views of the city as you stroll along the Vltava River. People-watch while you relax at one of the benches. Cap off the night with a bottle of beer if you like, because you're in Prague.

Vltava River at night

Praha Castle

The largest medieval castle in the world.

What to know:

Opening hours:

Complex: 6AM - 10PM

Buildings: 9AM - 5PM (4PM in winter)

Ticket prices: there are different combos of buildings you can enter. Check out their website for more details.

No dress code implemented.

You can enter the castle complex without charge, as well as the St. Vitus Cathedral. But for the latter, you will need a ticket to be able to go around the cathedral. The other buildings require tickets for entry.

We didn't purchase any tickets because we weren't really keen on going inside each of the buildings. Mind you, just the views of Prague from the South gardens, and the squares inside the complex will already take plenty of your time.

It usually gets crowded starting 10AM. So if you want to have photos with less tourists, I suggest you have an early start.

Recommended length of stay: dedicate at least half a day's worth especially in peak times when there's a long queue to get inside each of the buildings/attractions. But if you have ample of time (like a whole day to dedicate), I would recommend buying a ticket to be able to enter all of the buildings.

Mind you as well, before you enter the complex, there is a security/bag check and the queue here gets really long starting 10AM.

I recommend the following route:

Climb the steps to the castle starting near Malostranská station.

Steps to the castle

Believe me, the views are worth it. You can also have a wine stop at a restaurant at the top of the steps before entering the castle complex or vice versa (i.e. after a day or half-a-day's worth of exploring) while enjoying the views of Prague and the Vltava River.

Wine stop with a view

Enter the complex and head straight to the back of St. Vitus Cathedral

Courtyard at the back of St. Vitus Cathedral

You'll find:

- The Basilica of St. George

Basilica of St. George

- The Story of Prague Castle

- The Back of St. Vitus Cathedral (looking like Notre Dame)

Side of St. Vitus Cathedral near the gate to Powder Tower

Proceed to the side of St. Vitus Cathedral and marvel at it's side facade

Side of St. Vitus Cathedral

You'll find:

- The Old Royal Palace

- An Obelisk

- The Great South Tower of the Cathedral

Draped in smooth marble and gold - St. Vitus Cathedral's exterior

Watch the Changing of the Guards at 12 NN

- The main one happens in the 1st courtyard, but you have to be outside the castle complex to witness it front view. Otherwise, go to the other gates and find yourself a nice spot in front of the guards and watch the change with less people around. We watched the one in the gate going to the Stag Moat or Royal Garden.

Changing of the guards

Go Inside St. Vitus Cathedral

And marvel at the stained glass and the details of the interior.

Front of St. Vitus Cathedral

The Cathedral serves as a place of worship, coronation site, and houses tombs of important figures of Prague.

Stained glass inside St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral's interior

The exterior is mostly Gothic but the top part of the cathedral was completed in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. This is due to the fact that whenever there is a change in rule, the preferred style changed as well.

St. Vitus Cathedral

Marvel at the City of a Thousand Spires from the South Gardens

Ala-King's Landing view of Mala Strana from the South Gardens

Breath taking, I tell you. The views of Prague from the South Gardens will leave you feeling like you've been to King's Landing. Dedicate loads of time for this spot for photo-taking!

Part of the South Gardens

Walk down the steps to Mala Strana

And after all the photos taken in the South Gardens, you can head back down to Lesser Quarter through the steps on the end of the Gardens near the 1st courtyard.

View from the top of the steps going down to Mala Strana

Other things to do:

- The Golden Lane

- The Stag Moat

- The Royal Garden

- The First Courtyard

- The Powder Tower

Gate to the Powder Tower