I’ve only ever heard people praise Prague, so this city in the Czech Republic has been on my bucket list for years. Several times, I tried to fit it into my itinerary on previous trips to Europe, but it was not to be — not until November 2024, that is. We flew into Munich, Germany and decided to spend a few days in Prague via train.

READ MORE on my Munich recommendations here.

Now that I’ve been to Prague myself, I can honestly tell you it lives up to the hype. In fact, while walking the streets of Prague with my husband John, I confided that I might love this Czech city more than Paris — and that is saying a lot!

READ MORE about my dream trip to Paris here.

Why I Love Prague More Than Paris

So what did I love about Prague?

1. Prague is COLORFUL! Building facades showcase an array of colors that adds whimsey to the detailed baroque, gothic, and medieval architecture. As much as I love Paris, it’s very gray. The charming architectural details are lost in a sea of the same color limestone throughout the city. The muted color certainly matches the sophisticated and subdued French etiquette, but it lacks character when compared to Prague.
2. Prague is easily walkable. Honestly, Paris is, too, but after two separate trips to Paris, I feel like the best parts of Prague are more condensed and it is quicker to get from place to place without walking too far in between. Of course, both Paris and Prague also have metro systems, but if you prefer to walk like I do, Prague wins.
3. Prague is very clean. My husband and I were massively impressed by this. And while Paris is not filthy by any means, its cleanliness was not something that stood out to me either.
4. Prague is cheaper. The Euro is France’s currency, which typically beats the US dollar, at least slightly. At the time I published this, the exchange rate was $1 USD = 0.94 Euros. In Prague, the chief currency is the Czech Korunas and your dollars will go a lot further. Currently, the exchange rate is $1 USD = 23.88 Korunas.
5. Overall, Prague feels less high maintenance. Trust me, I appreciate high fashion and luxury experiences. And authentic Paris feels quite posh. Even Prague has its share of ultra high-end shopping. But unlike Paris, Prague seems to welcome the idea of no pretenses. Just be yourself.

Best Things to Do in Prague

With a day and a half to explore the city, here’s what we prioritized and recommend for any trip to Prague.

Prague Astronomical Clock

Visiting Old Town was at the top of our list. We headed straight for the astronomical clock as soon as we checked into our hotel. Even on a Thursday afternoon / evening, the nearby pedestrian alleyways and old square were crowded.

The medieval clock is part of Prague’s Old Town Hall and is the oldest astronomical clock still in operation — and the third oldest in the world, installed in 1410. What else is unique about this clock? Its astronomical dial shows the position of the sun and moon, and a calendar dial shows the months. On the hour, every hour, figures of the twelve Apostles move, and the clock chimes in military time. (Example: We arrived just before 5 pm, and it chimed 17 times on the hour.)

Old Town Square in Prague

Adjacent to the clock tower, you can’t miss the massive open square, surrounded by charming facades on two sides — in architectural styles ranging from Romanesque and Gothic to Baroque and Renaissance. Rising behind one side of the square are the twin spires of a Gothic church, looming over the entire scene. It’s especially magical at night.

Wander and Explore Old Town

Old Town is far more than the astronomical clock and old square. Take time to wander the cobblestone streets and alleys, browse the local shops, grab a traditional chimney cake on the go, and just enjoy the sites and sounds of Prague without an agenda.

Cross the Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge is pedestrian-only and offers unique views of the river and both sides of the city, with Old and New Town on one side and Prague Castle and its surrounding fortress on the other side. The Prague Castle side also includes a network of cobblestone streets lined with shops and restaurants and more. It’s worth crossing the bridge to explore the other side if you have time!

Prague Castle

If you do visit Prague Castle, be prepared for an incline walk and stairs. I do believe there’s a way to get to the top that is all incline and no stairs to accommodate strollers and wheelchairs — but I am not 100% sure since we took the stair route toward the end.

Before you reach the castle, the main attraction — in my opinion — is the view at the top of the stairs, looking out over the entire city. It is stunning and worth a pause to soak it all in and appreciate how far you climbed.

The castle itself is more of a complex of buildings that includes a palace, church, and now art museum. We didn’t go inside any of the buildings, but walked the length of the square and went back down a different way to experience a variety of views.

Hike to the Hunger Wall

John and I did not plan to do this hike, but once we spotted a portion of the old fortress wall, we had to see it up close. On the map, it appeared in Czech as Hladová zeď, in case your map doesn’t translate. Using Google Maps, we walked to the park on Petrin Hill and took a trail up to the walls — following Google Maps’ directions.

Once at the walls, you can walk through old gates and openings and glimpse the city below through the trees. And even beyond the walls, Petrin Hill offers an abundance of hiking trails if you want to explore further.

Petrin Tower

The walls aren’t too far from the top of Petrin Hill, which is also the location of Petrin Tower — a steel tower that has a distinct Eiffel Tower feel to it.

You can pay to climb to the top of the tower, but we opted not to — partly due to frugality and partly just not wanting to climb any more stairs. Do I regret this? Maybe. The view from the top is supposed to be spectacular.

Archer’s Island (in the Middle of the Vltava River)

Instead of taking the Charles Bridge back across the river, cross over the Legion Bridge to access Archer’s Island (aka. Legii Park) in the middle of its span. You can get to the park by stairs or a small elevator.

From the park, you have a clear view of the Charles Bridge along with both sides of the city along the river banks. It’s a beautiful spot to relax and soak in more views from a unique vantage point.

Other Touristy Options in Prague

Palladium Shopping Mall

Besides all of the above, we did pop into a large shopping mall, the Palladium, located in a pink building. The mall includes many of the larger chains you’d expect and the food court is massive, with some of the nicest mall eateries I’ve ever seen.

Dancing House

At one end of the Legion Bridge (referenced above), you’ll find the famous Dancing House. Likely, you’ve already seen photos, but if not, check out mine to see if it’s something you’d enjoy seeing up close. Since we were already on that bridge, we had to see it for ourselves.

Top Bohemian Restaurants in Prague

We wanted an authentic Prague experience, so we searched for Bohemian food. The restaurants we chose for dinner were both highly rated on Google and the food and service were perfection. I also have a severe dairy intolerance, so finding dairy free (or vegan, in a pinch) options is vital for me. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the dairy free and vegan food options at a number of restaurants around Prague!

Kozlovna U Paukerta

On our first night, we ate at Kozlovna U Paukerta in New Town after reviewing several restaurant options online and passing by dozens during our walk around town.

I ordered grilled trout with roasted vegetables and potatoes and was in heaven — both because it was dairy free and because I am a sucker for good seafood. John ordered a new age twist on Bohemian pork in a gravy sauce with bohemian dumplings and a whipped cream topping. If that sounds weird, he says the combination of sweet and savory was surprisingly good!

Restaurance Mincovna

Though it is located just off the Old Town square, this restaurant was still a bit less crowded than some of the others right near the astronomical clock. We didn’t make reservations and managed to snag a table at an earlier time, but I would recommend making a reservation if you plan to eat during peak hours, especially on a weekend.

Once again, I ordered the local trout with roasted potatoes and vegetables. Fish, veggies, and potatoes seemed a safe bet for my dairy intolerance, and I am not complaining because I love these foods. Everything was cooked very well. John ordered the beef brisket with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. He LOVES brisket and thought it was amazing. And he even ate the spinach, which surprised me because it’s not something he would normally eat at home.

Prague Chimney Cakes

You can’t visit Prague without trying a chimney cake — a traditional street dessert. Thankfully, I found a shop that offers a few vegan options near Prague Castle, thanks to this vegan blog here.

Café U Kajetána is the name of the place, and it was made to order as we waited. The dough was perfectly chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside, with the optimal blend of cinnamon and sugar. I ordered one filled with whipped cream and bananas, but there were other flavor options — though not all vegan.

Granted, if you don’t have a dairy intolerance or allergy and you’re not vegan, you can find chimney cakes all across the city and I’m sure they’re delicious everywhere. But if you have a similar food restriction, go here so you don’t miss out on this local sweet treat.

Overview of Prague

In my opinion, Prague is doable in a day and a half if you are a go, go, go traveler. Two days is optimal and three would be nice to slow down and go inside some of the attractions or try more restaurants.

But if you only have a few days to fit it in, don’t think it won’t be enough time. GO TO PRAGUE if you have the chance. You won’t be disappointed.

Prague lives up to the hype.