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Visiting Prague



Introduction to Prague


Since the 10th century, Prague has been the administrative center of Czech territories and has played an important role in European economical and cultural life. Today it is the capital of the Czech Republic. With almost 1.2 millions inhabitants, Prague is the largest city in the country. Prague lies on the Vltava River, the longest Czech river that passes directly through its center.

In 1992, the historical core of Prague was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural Register. The center itself is not large. It takes only a few hours to explore the Center as it is quite compact. Almost every building within its limits is of historical and cultural interest. In order to explore it thoroughly, allow several hours for a basic understanding and few days to gain a deeper insight and to be able to enjoy it fully. If you fall in love with Prague, you can walk endlessly, breathing in its atmosphere and discovering new details and stories from its past and present.

The Center is composed of four quarters: Old Town, Lesser Town (or Little Quarter), Hradcany with Prague Castle and New Town. Until the 18th century, each quarter was an independent township with its own administration.


Historical Prague

Old Town Square

Old Town (Stare Mesto)

Old Town lies on the right bank of the Vltava River and is surrounded by New Town. Here you will find beautiful Old Town Square situated in the middle. The Square is surrounded by edifices in Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo style with foundations from earlier times. This is true not only for the Old Town Square but for all of Old Town. Because the area was threatened by flooding of the Vltava, the terrain was artificially raised and ground floors became cellars centuries later. There are many other sites to see in the area of Old Town, par example the Jewish Town, the Municipal House, Tyn Yard, and the Estates Theater.

Old Town Square, Old Town Hall, Tyn Yard, Jewish Town, Municipal House, Estates Theatre, Rudolfinum, Charles Bridge



Wallenstein Palace

Lesser Town (Mala Strana)

You travel from the Old Town to the Lesser Town by crossing the five hundred meter long Charles Bridge one of the major cultural symbols to be discovered in Prague. Lesser Town is situated on the left riverbank, under the Prague Castle and is different in character from Old Town due to a fire in the 16th century and architectural development in the following centuries. Many noble families built their residences here and numerous gardens were created next to the palaces and on steep slopes. The 19th and 20th centuries brought few changes and the district has preserved its Baroque character. Today, the palaces harbor offices of Czech authorities, foreign embassies and other institutions. It is also here that the Czech Parliament conducts its affairs.

St Nicolas Church, Prague Jesus Child, Wallenstein Palace, Kampa, Charles Bridge, Petrin Look-out Tower


St. Vitus Cathedral

Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad)

Prague Castle is a large complex of administrative, sacred and residential buildings along with fortification elements towering high above the city on the left bank of the Vltava River. Its appearance has changed significantly from the construction of its foundation in the 9th century. In 1929 St. Vitus Cathedral was completed, a highly dominant edifice. Only one characteristic remained unchanged: its mission. For many centuries, Prague Castle served as the seat of Czech princes and kings. From 1918 to the present, it now serves as the seat of its President.




Hradcany


Hradcany

Hradcany is a beautiful, majestic and very well-preserved district, lying adjacent to the Prague Castle. You will find here many palaces and churches from the Baroque era, along with monasteries. The entire district lies on a hill. The edifices are very noble and the streets and sites spacious in their allure. In the northern district, there is an area called New World (Novy Svet), formerly a poor district. It is made up of simple little houses and is most picturesque.

Loretto, Cernin Palace, Strahov Monastery



New Town (Nove Mesto)

The New Town was founded in 1348 by King Charles IV. It was a large-scale undertaking, with the area being far larger than the three existing towns (Old Town, Lesser Town and Hradcany). New Town was developed around three open spaces. Today's Wenceslas Square (originally Horse Market) is one of them. Several crafts and trades were moved here from the Old Town and it soon became a center of production and trade. It remained however, inhabited by poorer citizens. In comparison with the other central quarters, only a small number of historical monuments have been preserved. Most of the old buildings were replaced in the 19th and the 20th century by new businesses and public buildings and today is a lively commercial district.

Wenceslas Square, National Museum, National Theatre



If you have time,

there are numerous sites worth visiting outside the Historical Center. We suggest the following: Vysehrad Castle, Baroque Troja Castle, the ancient Brevnov Monastery, Villa Bertramka (where Mozart once stayed and composed) or any of the modern architectural sites.

And, if you have even more time,

leave Prague and travel to any of the surrounding quaint Czech towns in the countryside. There are ten UNESCO sites along with other beautiful locations waiting for you to discover a different economic and social reality.


When to go to Prague?


The Prague tourist season starts at the beginning of April and lasts through to the end of October. These months are usually warm, although the temperatures do vary. This season is perfect for strolling through the old streets of the City Center, relaxing in the parks and gardens or eating lunch/dinner in one of the many garden restaurants.

However, as many tourists visit Prague during this time of year, it often becomes crowded in the historical parts of the city, especially at famous places like Prague Castle, Old Town Square and Charles Bridge. To avoid the crowds, organize your daily schedule to rise early in the morning and enjoy the special charm of an empty down town. You will then be able to spend the tourist rush hours on the less famous and visited locations.

Another option is to travel to Prague during the off-season. The main advantage of visiting Prague between November and March is a quieter downtown without large tourist groups and an abundance of accommodations with substantially lower prices. Most of the monuments are open to the public all year and many different cultural events take place during the winter months. Be prepared for cold and changing weather. In November and March there are warm days, but from December to February, the weather is often cold and freezing. Fog and smog are also known to occur. Yet you will discover that the palaces, churches and streets covered with snow are absolutely gorgeous. A cup of tea or coffee in a warm, quaint restaurant or spending an evening at a famous theater listening to a live concert while it is dark and cold outside, is most relaxing, enjoyable and memorable.

Accommodation prices are at their lowest between November and March and highest between April and October. Some hotels offer reasonable prices in July and August. In the tourist season it can be sometimes difficult to secure a decent accommodation, especially during public holidays. Another major tourist travel time to Prague is at the end of the year.

There are many cultural events throughout the year. More festivals take place in the spring and summer months, but you still have a wide choice of concerts and theater performances at any time of the year. Please be aware that many theaters close during the summer holidays, including the National Theatre, Estates Theatre and State Opera. If you desire to hear classical music, you can attend a concert in a historical church or a concert hall, but chose well as they all do not offer the same quality performance.


Getting around


Our tips

There is a very dense and inexpensive system of public transportation in Prague that will allow you to travel wherever you need without difficulty. It is easier and often better to leave your car at a safe location and use public transportation, especially if you are not familiar with the city and your destination is the Historical Center.

Once in the Historical Center, most of the interesting places can be reached on foot. The distances are small and walking is the best way to see Prague. There are many pedestrian zones in the historical part of town and walking is the only way to see certain places. It sometimes is best to use the underground (lines A and B pass through the City Center) or to take a tram, p. ex. in order to get from the New Town (Wencelas Square) to the Prague Castle or vice versa, but be prepared for considerable walking which will require comfortable shoes.


Public transportation

The major city-transport carrier in Prague is Dopravni podnik hl. m. Prahy, a.s. (The Capital City of Prague Transport Company), which is running a system of underground (metro), trams and buses.


Metro

The Prague Metro network consists of three lines designated by letters and differentiated by color. A: green color; B: yellow color; and C: red color with transfers possible at Museum Station (A and C), Mustek Station (A and B), and Florenc Station (B and C). The Metro operates daily from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.


Trams

Daytime operation is from 4:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. There are some night trams operating from 12:15 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.


Buses

Buses operates outside the City Center, usually from 4:30 a.m. to midnight. There also are some night lines operating.


Prague City Transport Fares


Single tickets Tourist Passes

Taxi

The standard fares are about 30 Kc for boarding, 22 Kc for 1 km and 4 Kc waiting. Unfortunately, not all drivers are fair and they sometimes charge excessively. It is more appropriate to ask for information at one’s hotel. Larger hotels have their own taxi service (they usually charge a fixed price to a specific location). Others will arrange a taxi for you with a reliable company. It is always better to call a taxi for service than to hail a taxi on the street.


Airport, Train and Bus stations


The Praha Ruzyne airport is located northwest of Prague, some 15 km from the City Center. In addition to taxis and buses (No. 119 to the Dejvicka Metro station or No. 179 to Nove Butovice Metro Station), you can also use shuttle buses Cedaz with arrivals to Namesti Republiky. Some hotels offer transfers from the airport for their guests.




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