Prague, Czech Republic
Capital of the Czech Republic, Prague is a city full of history, culture, and treasures. Located just 900 km from Brussels, it's also an ideal city to discover in a weekend!
We went to Prague during our road trip in Central Europe and spent three days there. A real highlight of the trip, we walked around discovering this magnificent European capital.
It is possible to visit Prague on foot (which we did) but the city offers many public transport options. Between subways, buses and trams, the city is often taken as an example for its mobility.
There are many types of tickets to travel by the hour or for a whole day. For example, a transport ticket giving access to the infrastructure for 24 hours costs approximately 5€.
There are different ways to get a transport ticket in Prague. You can pay directly contactless on all buses and trams, at many ticket desks (available at metro stations), and finally, you can also use a mobile application to buy tickets.
More information about the price of public transport in Prague via this link
To visit Prague, we chose to get up early to admire the sunrise over the city. The advantage of getting up so early is not only to discover the city bathed in the warm light of sunrise, but also to have the city to ourselves (or almost). Indeed, Prague is a very popular capital for city trips and bachelor/bachelorette parties, especially on weekends.
The best way to enjoy the city is therefore to get up early.
We begin our visit of Prague in the Old Town by crossing the Powder Tower, which was formerly part of the eleven gates of the Old Town fortifications.
A hundred meters further on, we arrive at the Old Town Square where we discover the Astronomical Clock Tower of Prague and behind us, the Church of Our Lady before Týn. The rising sun dyes the sky with shades of pink and makes the place spectacular!
We continue our journey towards the Charles Bridge which spans the Vltava River that flows through the city.
We arrive at Charles Bridge passing by the Old Town Bridge Tower, an imposing Gothic-style tower that marks the beginning of the bridge.
Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge in the capital, and today a symbol of the city of Prague. It connects the Old Town to the Malá Strana district at the foot of the Prague Castle.
Over time, thirty religious statues were built on the bridge and are still present (even if some original statues are kept in museums and have been replaced by copies).
From the bridge, we can also observe many monuments of the city of Prague such as Prague Castle, numerous church steeples (no surprise for the city nicknamed The City of a Hundred Spires) and other historical buildings like the Old Town Bridge Tower.
We continue our visit of Prague by entering the city's lower part and the Malá Strana district, where we climb stairs between the colorful houses to reach the city's heights and its castle.
Along the way, we enjoy the view and the warm light of the sunrise illuminating the city's spires.
We arrive in front of the castle entrance, it is still early and it is not yet open. Prague Castle is open daily from 6am to 10pm, while we wait for the guards to open the castle gates, we enjoy the warmth of the sunrise and the breathtaking view of the Old Town and the Vltava River.
The Prague Castle is a fortress where the leaders of the Czech Republic reside. It is located on Opyš hill and houses the St. Vitus Cathedral and the St. George's Basilica. It is also possible to visit the Prague Castle gardens.
We are the first to enter the castle grounds, the atmosphere is special as the place is both immense and calm! We have the impression of entering a movie set, everything seems new and many details bear witness to the history of the place.
We wander for several minutes through the streets of this small town surrounded by the castle walls.
⌚ Opening hours: daily from 6 am to 10 pm.
👍 We really recommend coming at opening time, especially in summer! You can enjoy the place without the crowds of tourists and have a chance to discover it at sunrise!
We leave the castle and decide to go through Letna park before crossing the Vltava River again and returning to the old town.
This park, located on the heights of Letna hill, offers a breathtaking view of the old town. We were also lucky enough to observe a sparrowhawk eating the fruits from the park's trees.
Back in the Old Town, we arrive in Prague's Old Jewish Quarter: Josefov. This neighborhood is definitely worth a visit, you'll find, among other things, Prague's six synagogues:
🕍 Pinkas Synagogue: it's located at the entrance to the Jewish cemetery. Its special feature? The names of the 80,000 Jewish victims killed by the Nazis are engraved inside.
🕍 Maisel Synagogue: a victim of numerous fires, it was rebuilt several times.
🕍 Spanish Synagogue: this is the newest synagogue in the district.
🕍 Klausen Synagogue: it's the largest of the 6 synagogues.
🕍 Jerusalem Synagogue: with its colorful facade, it's the only synagogue in Prague still operating outside the Old Jewish Quarter.
🕍 Old-New Synagogue: built in 1270, it's the oldest synagogue in Europe.
We didn't visit the inside of the synagogues, but we really took the time to walk around, enjoying the charm of this historic neighborhood.
🕍 Old-New Synagogue : Adult CZK 220 (± 9,00 €) – Children from 6 years old & students CZK 150 (± 6,00 €) – Free with the Prague City Pass.
🕎 Jewish Museum: Includes among others the Maisel, Spanish, Pinkas, Klausen Synagogue and the Old Jewish Cemetery. Adult CZK 400 (± 16,00 €) – Children from 6 years old & students CZK 300 (± 12,00 €) – Free with the Prague City Pass.
ℹ️ Info and Bookings on the Jewish Museum website: www.jewishmuseum.cz
Small bonus of this article : the Dancing House. This unusual place in Prague is an office building with a special architecture. What makes it even more unique is its rooftop bar where you can go for a drink and discover a panoramic view of the city!
To enjoy it, nothing could be simpler! Just enter the ground floor, take the elevator and have a drink on the top floor to be able to enjoy the place and its magnificent panorama.
🕒 Opening Hours: Open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.
📍 Address: Jirasek Square 6, 120 00 Prague
ℹ️ More information on their website: www.glassbar.cz
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