Posted 31 January 2023 in Travel Wanderlust

Don’t miss these 7 places on your trip to Prague

Prague is the capital of the European country Czech Republic and is also the largest city of the country. Located on the banks of Vltava River, Prague has been given the moniker of ‘the city of a hundred spires’. The city is one of the best cities of Europe and a significant cultural and economical centre.

Prague boasts its fine and spectacular architecture as the city takes pride in its rich architectural heritage. The architecture of the city is a mix of Bohemia and contemporary designs. Prague is known for its Old Town Square, abundant galleries, cinemas and theatres.

Take a walk in this ancient city with visuals of several churches, cathedrals and historical monuments. Prague is a colourful city full of energy and life. Some of the major tourist attractions in Prague are Charles bridge and the stunning Prague Castle among other reasons to visit this beautiful city in Europe.

Read more about - Reasons to visit Prague - The hidden gem of Europe

Places to visit in Prague

1. Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge is one of the finest landmarks of Prague. Located over the Vltava River, the bridge is a major tourist attraction and welcomes a plethora of tourists every year. It is also one of the ancient bridges in the country. Charles Bridge is a fine example of German-Czech architecture.

What makes the Charles Bridge more attractive is its splendid statues and decorative lamps. The bridge is standing on 15 pillars and its length is 516 m with an altitude of 13 m and around 10 m in width.

Covering the Vltava River in Prague, the Charles Bridge comes in between the royal route. The bridge was constructed in the medieval period and is one of the most prestigious and well-known bridges in the world. The bridge was built by Charles IV in 1357 when the earlier bridge, known as the Judith Bridge, was destroyed in 1342 by floods.

2. The Prague Castle

The Prague Castle is one of the most renowned and popular attractions of not just the city but in the entire country. The castle is important and famous because it was home to presidents and Czech rulers. The castle is till date the official seat of the Czech Republic president.

Founded in 880 in the 9th century, the Prague Castle is a historical and antique building complex. The castle was seen as a thing of power for the Bohemian Kings and Holy Roman emperors. The Prague Castle is sprawled over an area of 111 acres. The compound has offices, historical palaces, church, garden and fortification buildings.

This enormous and massive castle in Prague is a castle complex. The Prague Castle is also significant as it hides the Bohemian Crown Jewels inside a hidden room within its complex.

Guinness Book of Records has given the castle a status of being the largest primeval castle in the world as it covers an area of 70,000 square metres. This picturesque spot attracts lakhs of tourists in a year and is one of the most visited places in Prague.

3. St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral is a church in Prague and is one of the prominent landmarks of the city. Located within the famous Prague Castle, the cathedral is an epitome of Gothic architecture. The church exudes beauty in its architecture and is one of the major tourist attractions of the city. The cathedral was only devoted to Saint Vitus until 1997 and is still popularly known after the saint St. Vitus Cathedral.

This historical and ancient monument plays a significant role in the cultural and religious life of the natives of the country. When you are in the St. Vitus Cathedral, do not miss the St. John of Nepomuk Tomb, Wallenstein Chapel and Gothic Royal Oratory Balcony. The Vitus Cathedral is significant as coronations of kings and queens of the country also took place in the church. Also, the cathedral is the burial place of many saints, noblemen, sovereigns and archbishops. The St. Vitus Cathedral, now, comes under the ownership of the government of Czech Republic as part of the Prague Castle complex.

4. Prague Astronomical Clock

The Prague Clock is also called the Prague Orloj. First set up in 1410, the clock is a primitive astronomical clock in Prague. The clock is installed in the Old Town Hall in Prague and is the oldest astronomical clock that is still working.

Other than showing the date and time, the Prague Astronomical Clock also shows the comparative positions of the Moon, Sun, Earth and Zodiac constellations. Also, this ancient clock shows Christian holidays.

Historians and people who love technology should give the ancient clock a visit. The Prague Astronomical Clock has several machines like the Apostles, Bozka's chronometer and a calendar among others. The tourist attraction is located near the Vltava River.

5. Old Town Square

Being established in the 12^th century, Old Town Square is the oldest and historical square of Prague that has seen several historical events.

The splendid architecture and the vibe of the Old Town Square makes it one of the top attractions of Prague. The Old Town Square has several significant structures like the Church of Our Lady before Týn, Old Town Hall, Baroque Church of St Nicholas, the Gothic House at the Stone Bell, the Rococo Kinský Palace, and the monument to Jan Hus.

There are memorial stones in the pavement of the Old Town Square that mark the execution of 27 Czech lords in the year 1621. Walk through the square to know more about the history of the place and explore astonishing structures on your way.

6. The Dancing House

The Dancing House in Prague was built in the memory of dancer duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is one of the tourist attractions in the city as tourists visit this place to see the design and architecture of the building. The building is now used as a conference centre and as offices.

The Dancing House building has a gallery where exhibitions are being held regularly and a restaurant. The restaurant, named Ginger & Fred, is one of the famous restaurants in Prague. The terrace of the building offers a breath-taking view of Prague.

The Dancing House was designed on a vacant riverfront plot by Vlado Milunić, who is a Croatian-Czech architect, with Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry.

The Dancing House ensembles a dancing couple and that’s why it is known as a Dancing house. The building has nine floors.

7. The Powder Tower

The Powder Tower is also known as Powder Gate. It is a Gothic tower in Prague city of the European country Czech Republic. The tower is one of the original 13 city gates. The Powder Tower separates the New Town from the Old Town.

It was previously known as a gunpowder store as in the 17^th century, the gate was used to stock gunpowder. The sculptures on the tower were changed in the year 1876 after it suffered huge damage in the Battle of Prague.

The construction of the Powder Tower began in 1475. The foundation stone of the tower was laid by Vladislav II, who was gifted this tower as a gift for his coronation ceremony. The tower was first deemed as a beautiful entrance rather than being a defensive tower.

The look and design of the tower was inspired by Charles Bridge of Prague, which was designed by Peter Parler.

Travel tips

In any foreign country, it is advisable to be vigilant.
Some restaurants in Prague may charge you more than the actual amount seeing a tourist, mind your bill and question if you feel cheated.
For any concert or musical show, it is advisable to buy tickets directly from the ticket offices. It will be cheaper and genuine.
Respect the rules and regulations of the city.
Do not do anything to harm the culture of the country.

How to reach?

By air: The Václav Havel Airport serves the city of Prague as their official international airport. The airport is located at a distance of 17 km from the city centre. One can reach the airport within half an hour from Prague city centre depending on the mode of transportation. IndiGo offers connectivity to Prague with Turkish Airlines from Delhi to Prague. The airline also offers connectivity to other European cities.
By train: There are several trains that connect Prague with other European cities like London, Budapest, Vienna, Paris, Zurich, Munich and Frankfurt among others. A lot of tourists and travellers prefer train journeys to visit Prague or another European city as it is comfortable and takes less time. Most of these trains from and to Prague are operated by Deutsche Bahn (DB) which is a German railway company.
By road: Trams and metros are the most frequent and suitable mode of commutation in Prague. Trams are also best for exploring outlying areas. Buses are a less used mode of transportation in Prague and are used only to travel to airports or majorly the areas that are not travelled by metros and trams.

Best time to visit Prague

The best and ideal time to visit Prague is in early fall or late spring. Summer months are the peak season and months just before and after the peak season is the best time to explore Prague. The weather is comfortable during these months to explore the tourist attractions of the city. These months are the best as the airfares are cheaper and the tourist places are less crowded.

Climate/Temperature of Prague

Prague, capital of Czech Republic, has an oceanic climate. The winters are colder with average temperatures ranging around freezing point. There’s very little sunshine during winters. The temperatures in May and September range from 18°C to 20°C.

Conclusion

Tourists might need four to five days to fully explore the city of Prague. Get a sense of the city’s culture and its history by visiting these places of tourist attraction in Prague. For any international tour, it is advisable to book your tickets well in advance for a comfortable stay and journey.