39 top free things to do in Prague in 2024 (recommended by a local)
Prague is a city that has something for everyone, from its rich history and stunning architecture to its vibrant nightlife and delicious cuisine.
But did you know that there are also plenty of free things to do in Prague? Whether you’re travelling to Prague on a budget or just looking for some affordable ways to explore the city, there are many free activities and attractions that will allow you to experience the best of Prague without spending any money whatsoever.
In this blog post, I wanted to share with you my favourite 39 completely free things to do in Prague, from exploring historic buildings and visiting museums to enjoying local events and concerts and admiring beautiful gardens.
So, come along and join me in discovering the best of Prague for free!
Visit the Prague Castle area
The good news is that even if you are on a budget, you can still see Prague Castle for free!
Not a lot of people know this, but you can walk around the Prague Castle grounds, including the inner courtyards and gardens completely free.
You only need to buy tickets, if you want to visit the castle buildings inside. The free entry won’t allow you to see the inside of the cathedral or the Golden Lane before 5 pm, but there is a lot to see from the outside. And to be honest, unless you want to know and see everything about Prague Castle and spend the best part one a whole day there, there’s not much point in buying a ticket anyway.
The best bit about visiting Prague Castle for free is that the Prague complex is open from 6 am – 10 pm. My favourite way is to get to Prague Castle by walking up the quiet New Castle Stairs early in the morning before everyone arrives for the castle tours or later in the evening. This way, not only you’ll see the castle for free, but you also get the best light for taking photos and you have more chance of escaping the Prague crowds.
Walk around the quiet streets of New World at the back of Prague Castle
The New World area is a historic part of town very close to Prague Castle. It was built between the 16th and 18th centuries and is one of the most charming and romantic parts of Prague. The area was originally home to craftsmen and artisans who worked for the castle, but it gradually became a popular spot for artists and intellectuals.
Apart from the lovely streets, you can also see the Military Church of St. John of Nepomuk, which was built by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer. The church was consecrated in 1729, shortly after the canonisation of John of Nepomuk.
There are some beautifully painted ceiling vaults by V. V. Reiner. The church is open to the general public, but its purpose is to provide pastoral care for the Czech military and is a place to pray for fallen soldiers and world peace.
You can explore the narrow streets, little park and quiet corners that are lined with colourful houses, small cafes and restaurants.
Watch the guard change at the front of Prague Castle gates
Each day at noon, you have a chance to watch the Prague Castle Guards change as the new group of guards comes on duty.
Watch the Old Town Square Astronomical clock strike the hour
The Old Town Square Clock in Prague, also known as the Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj, is a medieval astronomical clock that is built into the Old Town Tower. It was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation.
The clock features an intricate design with moving figures and symbols that represent various astronomical and cultural themes. It is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Prague and a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors alike.
Get yourself lost in the Old Town cobbled streets
This is one of my favourite things to do in any town I visit. It’s a simple game of walking the historic streets in any direction you like and making turns based on what the next street looks like.
If you start from Old Town Square take any street you like and keep going. Look up the houses (the architecture is beautiful), notice the shops, the quiet town squares and the names of the streets. You’d be surprised how many buildings look like they should be a tourist attraction and you’ll hardly find anything written about them.
I love discovering more about the local history of individual houses I find on my walks. These houses may not have had famous owners but they still have an exciting history!
Visit the Castle Gardens, Wallenstein Garden and Vojanovy Garden
All the gardens on the top of Prague Castle hill are free to enter – some like the Czernin’s Garden are open only at the weekends (during the tourist high season).
If you want to see most of Prague Castle Gardens, including the walk around the green castle moat and the beautiful Wallenstein garden, it’s best if you time your visit to Prague during the main tourist season, which is from April/May to the end of August/September. During that time all the free castle gardens are open and they stay open quite late – till 6 or 8 pm.
The Vojanov Orchards are open all year round (every day) and their closing time changes during the seasons – it’s usually around 4 pm during winter and 6-8 pm during summer time.
Explore the streets of Josefov and the Jewish Quarter
You can walk around the streets of Josefov for free and see all the buildings and the old cemetery for free.
The Josefov district is the smallest official area of Prague. Until 1850, Josefov was called the Jewish Town, and before that, this area was referred to as the Jewish Ghetto. Today, it is a preserved complex of significant Jewish buildings and monuments of European importance.
The original Jewish Ghetto was condemned to “sanitation” as a poor district at the end of the 19th century. Only a few buildings remain from the ghetto, including the Jewish Town Hall, the Old Jewish Cemetery, and six synagogues: Klaus, Maisel, Pinkas, Staronova (where you can find out more about the legend of Golem in Prague), Spanish, and High Synagogue.
One of my favourite synagogue (and the most decorative one) is the colourful Jerusalem synagogue, which is not in the Josefov Quarter, but you can find it easily next to the Jindriska Tram stop (close to Wenceslas Square).
Walk across the Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is such an amazing tourist attraction that people still ask whether it’s free to enter! And yes, it is!
The construction of Charles Bridge was so expensive that a bridge toll was paid until 1816, but after that, it was the only bridge in Prague where you didn’t need to pay a toll.
You can visit any time, but if you want to see the bridge without people, you need to get up early in the morning and arrive before everyone else. Charles Bridge is very magical in the morning and you can practically feel the history as you walk across it.
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Visit the Prague parks, River Islands for a walk, rest or a picnic
Prague is one of the greenest cities in the world and we are lucky that we have parks, gardens and green spaces not just around the city, but in the centre too.
There are only 3 gardens and 3 botanical gardens that I can think of that you need to pay to enter and the majority of the gardens and parks are open free all year round. If you want to escape the crowds, you can visit one of my favourite free gardens, which is next to the beautiful Czernin Palace in Hradcany above the Prague Castle area.
My favourite way to relax in the summer is to visit the green islands of Prague. I always visit Shooter’s Island as there are often free concerts in the evenings. If you are visiting with children, I’d recommend that you visit the Slavic island or the Children’s Island at Smichov as you’ll find different playgrounds there (based on children’s age) and entry to the island is completely free!
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Take a photo of Charles Bridge
When I was recently writing my blog post about Charles Bridge, I realised that despite walking across practically every day, I didn’t have a half- decent photo! So, I set myself a task to find out the best places you can take photos of Charles Bridge and put them all in a little guide for you.
Side note – even if you are not bothered about taking photos of Charles Bridge, my guide will take you to places around the bridge, such as the historic Shooter’s Island which are slightly hidden and it’s a good circular walk to do.
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Visit the John Lennon Wall & The area around
The John Lennon wall is accessible any time of the day and it’s free for everyone to see. Come early in the morning for the best photo without too many people. If you are visiting during the day, have a look behind the wall.
You will find a quiet garden with a hidden art gallery where you can buy modern art or just sit in front to have time to take everything in. The whole area belongs to the order of Maltese knights and I always find it’s such a contrast to the John Lennon wall on the outside.
If you walk around the block you can also visit the little square in front of the church that belongs to the Maltese Knights (the church is open sometimes too). There is another little art shop with locally produced art, jewellery and homeware, which is worth visiting if you are looking for inspiration for thoughtful Czech-made gifts.
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Visit the Botanical Gardens
Whilst the main botanical garden in Troja charges entry, the other two botanical gardens in Prague are free to visit. The Botanical Garden at Ke Karlovu (Prague 2 – just off Charles Square) is open all year round and the outdoor areas are free to enter (there is a charge to visit the indoor greenhouses).
The Botanical Garden at Malesice is open during school days only (Mon-Friday) and all outdoor and indoor areas are free to enter. The Malesice Botanical Garden is about 45 minutes away from the centre of Prague, but it’s set in a beautiful garden and the indoor greenhouse is bigger than in Troja.
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Get inspired by modern art in Jiri Svestka Gallery
Jiri Svestka Gallery was founded in 1995 by Czech art historian and curator Jiri Svestka. The gallery focuses on promoting modern Czech and Central European art and puts on several exhibitions a year.
The gallery is open: Wednesday – Friday 2 pm — 6pm and Saturday: 11 am — 6 pm
Location: Janáčkovo nábřeží 5, Prague 5, the nearest tram stop is ‘Zborovska’ on tram line number 10, 16, 7, 5. or it’s a walkable distance from Andel Underground station on line B (about 10 minutes)
Stomp or kick the Dancing House (only in the picture…)
The Dancing House, also known as the Fred and Ginger Building, is a modern building that looks interesting from any angle.
It’s lit up at night with different colours and is a great place to take photos. It looks really fun when you stand in front of the building (where the traffic lights are) and lift your leg to make it look like you are kicking the building (and the building is bending a little).
The Dancing House was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and Croatian-Czech architect Vlado Milunić and completed in 1996. The building is named after the famous American dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the building is designed to look like a couple dancing.
The Dancing House stands out from the surrounding baroque and gothic houses and when it was built, it was often criticised for disrupting the historic architecture in the street (and Prague as a whole).
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Pick up locally produced food from Prague Farmer’s Markets
My favourite thing to do on Saturday morning? Take the tram to Palackeho Namesti and walk down to Smichovska Naplavka to get my weekly foodie treats. Such as homemade blackberry syrups, poppy seeds cakes and game sausages; you can find just about anything at this farmer’s market.
There are coffee stalls, hot food stalls and also craft stalls (perfect for a locally made souvenir from Prague). If you don’t have time to have breakfast you can have a typical Czech breakfast on the go – a toasted bread with various toppings (topinka s cesnekem), freshly baked cakes with cheese curd, poppy seeds or plum jam with delicious coffee from the stalls.
There are farmer’s markets in practically every part of Prague and each is held on slightly different days and there are also different stalls at each location.
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Visit the Municipal House
The Municipal House was built between 1905 and 1912, and it’s one of the best examples of Art Nouveau building style in Prague.
The Municipal House was built on the site of the former Royal Court Palace, which was destroyed in the 19th century. The building was designed by a team of leading Czech artists and architects, including Antonín Balšánek, Osvald Polívka, and Alfons Mucha. The exterior of the building is decorated with allegorical sculptures and stucco, and the entrance has a beautiful mosaic called Homage to Prague by Karel Špillar.
The Municipal House was originally built to be used for civic and cultural events – for example for the declaration of the Czechoslovak Republic independence in 1918.
Inside the building you will find a concert hall, a ballroom, several restaurants and cafes. The tours of the building are payable, but you can look around the public areas of the building for free, which gives you a good inside into the beautiful style of this building.
If you fancy lunch, I recommend you walk down to the self-service canteen-style restaurant, which is in the basement of the building. The decor is absolutely amazing and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the budget friendly prices (lunch menu only – Monday – Friday).
Location: Namesti Republiky 5 (the Peace Square), Prague 1, nearest underground station is Namesti Republiky on the B-line.
Have fun in Malesice Park water installations
It was an absolute joy to find this spot and I think it’s a great park for all the kids – big or small! I discovered this park on my recent walk from the Malesice Botanical Garden and I’ve never seen such a large (and well-designed) place with water installations.
There are various installations that move and do things and it all involves water! It’s quite a good workout too – one of the installations is, for example, to generate water for a canal.
The best time to visit is, of course, summer, even better if you time it during a Prague summer heat wave) as if you get involved, you might get wet!
The water games installations are at the beginning of the Malesice park, with easy access to the bus (Malesice Sidliste stop). The Malesice park is free to enter, and it’s open all year round and there are no barriers or gates, so you can come any time you like.
You can easily spend an hour there and then carry on walking into the woodland park itself. There are coffee shops and outdoor exhibitions and other playgrounds for younger children too.
Location: Akademická Street 688/1, Prague 10, Malesice – The Malesice Park is about 40 minutes by public transport from the centre of Prague (Old Town Square). There are several ways to get there – from Staromestska Underground station (nearest metro stop from Old Town Square) go to Zelivskeho on line A (no need to change) and then get bus 188, ride 4 stops and get off at Planaska Street and the park is about 3 minutes extra walk.
Or you can also take 155 bus from Zelivskeho Underground stop and get off at Univerzitni Street plus walk about 1 minute to the park. Another option (if you are starting around Narodni Trida or Wenceslas Square is to take tram number 9 and go to ‘Nakladove Nadrazi Zizkov’ and get the 133 bus from Basilejske Namesti to Planaska Street.
View Prague from the balcony of the Vitkov Memorial Building
Whilst entry to the Vitkov National Monument does cost money (it’s a fairly low entry fee anyway), you can visit the cafe area for free.
The cafe is on the first floor (which is free to enter via the main entrance) and you can get really good views of Prague away from the centre towards the Zizkov Tower and Karlin on the other side, but I think it’s pretty cool too! The best views are from the cafe balcony, but the inside had good views to the sides of the hill too.
The cafe is very reasonably priced (they serve mainly drinks, sweet & savoury snacks and ice-cream) and every time I visit, it’s never too crowded there.
P.S. if you wanted to see the view from the top (towards the front of the building), you can buy a separate entry ticket which is only about 80 CZK (the cost of one coffee in Prague…).
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See David Cerny’s modern sculptures and art work
Whilst the newly opened Musoleum does have an entry charge to the main exhibition, you can visit the cafe and the side exhibition for free.
Most of the 23 different statues are located in the centre of Prague like the new Spitfire Butterflies and quite a few are in Prague 5 area.
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- The self-guided tour of all 23 David Cerny sculptures in Prague >>
- Kafka Rotating Head (by David Cerny) Visitor’s Guide >>
Visit Museums for free on special days
So, unfortunately, apart from the two museums I’ve already mentioned, Prague doesn’t have many free museums.
The entry cost is (in most cases) still very affordable, often it’s a case of having two coffees or buying a ticket to a museum, kind of cost… but if you are looking for a completely free entry to some of the museums, then let me in on a secret!
Most museums (or at least the ones looked after by the Prague main museum department) are free several times a year, usually during Czech National Holidays.
- 18 May – The International Museum Day
- 15 June – The Museum Night
- 29 September – St. Wenceslas Day
- 28 October –
- 17 November
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Visit Prague Palaces
To celebrate various anniversaries during the year related to the Czech Republic – such as 28 October (the founding of the Czech Republic), the Czech government opens their buildings to the public for free.
The entry is by guided tour only and since booking is not possible, you need to be prepared to wait in line for your turn. I’ve never waited more than 60-80 minutes and that was because I chose some of the more popular palaces. When I visited the Straka Academy garden, there was no wait and I walked straight in!
The Czech Government varies the days and the palaces that are opened to the public, but over the last few years, I’ve noticed that the following buildings have been opened: Kramář Villa, the Lány Chateau (outside Prague), the Straka Academy, the Cernín Palace, and the Kampa Lichtenstein Palace, New Town Hall, Prague City Library apartments.
The buildings are usually only open(for free) during Czech national holidays and special days, that celebrate the Czech Republic.
Have a reflective time in Prague’s many churches
Many churches in Prague are open to the public free of charge, although some may charge a small fee for admission or for a guided tour. When I was recently researching the buildings of architect Santini in Prague, I come across some amazing places, such as the Church of the Virgin Mary – At the Theatines at Nerudova Street, Prague 1.
Some of the most beautiful churches in Prague, such as St. Vitus Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady before Týn, are open to visitors free of charge during religious services only.
If you really want to have free entry to the St.Vitus Cathedral, then attending the service is your only option. You won’t be able to walk around, whilst the service is taking place, but you can probably look quickly around afterwards before they close the cathedral back up. I personally think it’s a good time for reflection, no matter whether you are religious or not.
Most of the smaller churches are open for free, but they might not be open all the time.
My favourite churches in the centre of Prague include St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town Square (and in the Old Town Square), The Church of Our Lady Victorious in Lesser Town, The Church of Our Lady before Tyn at the back of an Old Town Square (closed on Mondays).
You can also visit the Church of Our Lady Victorious and Saint Anthony of Padua in the Lesser Town in Prague and there is also a little free museum of the statue clothes, where you can also learn more about the legend of the Infant Jesus of Prague.
Visit the Kooperativa Art Gallery
I often visit this art gallery with my mum, and it was she who originally told me about it. This is a unique art gallery where you can see a selection of the best art from the Kooperativa collection, ranging from baroque art to the present day.
The Kooperativa insurance company started to collect Czech art at the beginning of the 1990s and uses part of the art collection to cover its financial reserves. There are at least two different exhibitions a year and they are always very well put together.
The gallery is open to the public free of charge from Tuesday to Sunday from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
There is also a spacious café located in front of the gallery entrance that has really good coffee and homemade cakes.
Location: The gallery is accessed through the public spaces of the Kooperativa entrance lobby (Pobřežní 21, Prague 8)
Escape the crowds for a walk to Petrin Hill
Since the entry fee to the Petrin Lookout Tower has gone up recently, I’m not entirely sure it’s a good value for money to climb up to the top.
But it’s certainly a great area to explore, since you can see the tower and all the other attractions from the outside, visit the church, gardens and the park for free and get an idea of what the place looked like when it was a popular place to socialise in the early 20th century.
Walking up can be a little steep, but if you are happy to make the walk slightly longer (and less steep), you can walk from the Kinsky Garden entrance at the Kinsky Square (Trams 9,15, 20) and enter the Petrin Park through the famous and historic hunger wall.
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Admire the largest post office hall in the Czech Republic
The Prague Main Post Office on Jindřišská Street is the largest post office in the Czech Republic. The construction started between 1871-74, and several floors and side buildings were added until the building was finally completed in 1922.
The building looks amazing inside – it’s a great space that’s decorated in murals and the whole building is very light and airy as the main hall is what used to be the courtyard of the building.
One of the murals on the wall has an inscription ‘Connecting all the nations of the world’ and the second inscription reads ‘ Connecting your thoughts and work’.
I think that in this day and age when we are more likely to update our Instagram than send a postcard from our holidays, it’s nice to see that people in the 19 century were already ahead of their time. It’s not just about the piece of paper, it’s what’s behind it that’s important.
But, if you still want to post a letter or postcard (and why not!), then you are in luck because the post office is open from 2 am in the morning to midnight each day! You are welcome to visit any time, but please be mindful that this is a busy working post office and not a tourist attraction as such.
My favourite fun fact about the main Prague Post office is that it has the best-preserved pneumatic post in the world, which was actively used until the Prague floods of 2002, making it the last functioning pneumatic post in the whole world.
The first route of the Prague pneumatic post was created during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1887 and led from the main post office on Jindřišská Street to the post office on Lesser Town Square. Later, this route was extended to Prague Castle, and its total length at that time was over five kilometers. The system was mainly used for transporting telegrams. The main development of the pneumatic post was between 1927 and 1932, when additional routes were created, and the system transported over 400,000 postal cases annually.
Location – Jindriska Street, just off the Wenceslas Square, Trams no 9,5,
Main City Library books statue
I’ve always liked this Infinity Book Tower Installation and I remember the library before it was installed as this was my favourite library to study from when I was at Charles University. I still use this library today to research and hide away when I need to get some inspiration.
The book installation is at the main entrance of the library (inside) and you might sometimes need to wait your turn, as the sculpture becomes more and more popular with tourists.
The installation is called Idiom and it was designed by the artist Matej Kren in 1998 and it’s made from over 8000 books.
Location: Marianske Square, Old Town, Prague 1 – just a short walk from Old Town Square. The entry to the lobby of the library is free and the library is open every day until 8 pm apart from Sunday, when it’s closed.
Visit the Vysehrad Castle Park
Whilst there are a few indoor areas of the Vysehrad that are accessible only by paying an entrance fee, you can walk around and see everything from outside for free. The park is open all year round and there are no time restrictions. The cemetery is also open for free.
The history of Vyšehrad dates back to the 10th century when it served as a fortified settlement and a seat of the Czech princes. In the 11th century, it became the residence of the first Czech king, Vratislaus II, who built a basilica dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul.
During the reign of Charles IV in the 14th century, Vyšehrad was abandoned as a royal seat in favour of the newly built Prague Castle. In the following centuries, the fortress was used for various purposes, including as a military garrison and a prison.
In the 19th century, Vyšehrad was transformed into a public park, and many of its historic buildings were restored. The fortress became a symbol of Czech nationalism and a place of pilgrimage for Czech patriots. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Czech artists and intellectuals, including Antonín Dvořák and Alfons Mucha, were buried in the Vyšehrad Cemetery.
Vysehrad is great to visit if you want to escape the crowds of central Prague, and you get some beautiful views of Prague from the top of the park. Whilst the original castle is long gone, you can still see the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, visit the Vyšehrad Cemetery, and see of the oldest buildings in Prague – the Rotunda of St. Martin.
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Visit exhibitions, Fun Fair, markets and outdoor events at the Exhibition grounds
Whilst the main exhibition centre building is being rebuilt (and this will take another few years), the markets and exhibitions that usually took place inside (and often charge a small entry fee) have been moved to the outdoor space in front of the building.
All markets are now free to enter and throughout the year you will be able to see the Mint and Design Market, Pottery Festival or Christmas Art & Craft Market. The markets are usually open during weekends 10 am -4 pm or 5 pm in the summer.
The Fun Fair is at the back of the exhibition centre in the main park and it’s always open from late February through to March. There is an entry fee for weekends, but if you go during weekdays then the entry fee is waived and you can get in for free.
Location: Vystaviste, Prague 7, Tram’s number 12, stop Vystaviste.
Visit the Olsany or Lesser Town Cemetery
The Olsany Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Prague and the old part of the cemetery in particular, is worth visiting if you want to see interesting architecture, sculptures and visit the famous graves of many important Czech people.
The Lesser Town Cemetery is a small, but very interesting and old cemetery, that you can find at the Bertramka tram stop in Smichov, Prague 5. There are many other historic cemeteries in Prague, that are worth visiting, such as the new Jewish Cemetery (see below) or the only cubism-styled cemetery in the world.
Location – Olsany Cemetary – Access is from Olsanska Street, J. Zelivskeho or Vinohradska Street, Prague 3
Visit the Jewish cemeteries
You probably know about the old Jewish cemetery in Josefov, right in the centre of Prague, but you might not be aware that there are three other important Jewish cemeteries in Prague that are also important in Jewish history and unlike the old cemetery, are free to enter.
If you are visiting the Zizkov TV tower, you might notice the old Jewish cemetery, which is easily visible from behind the fence. When this cemetery became too crowded in 1890 the new Jewish cemetery was founded.
The New Jewish Cemetery is a separate part of the Olšany Cemetery and is the largest Jewish cemetery in the Czech Republic. It’s also protected as a cultural monument.
The new cemetery is ten times larger than the Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov (in the centre of Prague) and is the main Jewish cemetery in Prague – a resting place for more than 25,000 people.
You walk into the cemetery through a very impressive entrance gate. The buildings inside are mostly built in the Neo-Renaissance style. These include the ceremonial hall designed by architect Bedřich Münzberger with a prayer room, a purification house for funeral ceremonies, and administrative buildings. The original ceremonial hall was built between 1891 and 1893. The second ceremonial hall, was built in 1933 in the functionalist style based on the design of architect Leopold Ehrmann.
Each cemetery field is dedicated to certain groups of people. In the centre of the cemetery, there is a field dedicated to workers of Jewish religious communities.
Here you will find the fields of significant rabbis, the Patria Memorial – a vanished Lower Kralovice community, and the Memorial to the Victims of World War I from 1926. Large family tombs, such as those of the Petschek, Waldes, and Bondy families, are located along the eastern wall.
The tombstones are in various styles (Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, or Classicism) and often come from the workshops of significant Czech sculptors and architects such as Jan Kotěra, Josef Zasch, Josef Fanta, Jan Štursa, or Čeněk Vosmík.
There is also a memorial to Czechoslovak Jewish victims of the Holocaust and resistance from 1985. You should not miss the grave of Prague’s Jewish writer Franz Kafka. On the opposite wall, there is a memorial plaque for Kafka’s friend Max Brod, who is buried in Israel. The cemetery is also the final resting place of writer Ota Pavel, Jiří Orten, and painters Jiří Karas and Max.
Location: Izraelska Street 1, Prague 10, Tram number 9
Have a beer at the beer garden at Letna Park & admire the views of Prague
You don’t even have to buy a drink to enjoy the views of Prague from the Letna Beer Garden Pub, just come in and soak up the atmosphere. Letna Park is great any time of the year and it’s open to everyone all day long.
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Watch the sunset from the top of Riegrovy Sady (Gardens)
If you fancy watching a magical sunset, you need to head over to Riegrovy Sady (gardens), which have the best views of the sun setting behind Prague Castle.
You can take a picnic with you, or buy a drink from the beer garden place. In the summer, when the Prague weather is warm you can also see an artisan ice-cream van, that has the most delicious ice-cream in Prague (pear sorbet is currently my favourite one!).
Location: Vinohrady, Prague 2 – nearest tram stop Italska
Watch the filmmaking in the Prague streets
I know that this one is a bit random because I can’t guarantee that a film is going to be made in Prague while you are visiting, but if you do spot a film being made it’s quite special to be part of it.
I’ve recently seen a Czech film being made in front of the Prague castle’s main gates and it was a real privilege to watch. The crew were fine with people standing behind a rope and only asked everyone to be quiet once they were ready to do a proper take. I saw the actors rehearsing the scene several times, before the main take was made.
A little hint on how you can spot where the filming is going to take place (shh…. don’t tell anyone…). If you see a parking change anywhere in the centre of Prague, something like parking prohibited 1-2 July 2023 due to filming, then you know that street is going to be used for filming.
Prague is often used for other cities in Europe and a lot of international films are made in Prague (recently, it was the Grey Man, Spiderman Homecoming or the Falcon & Winter Soldier series).
Enjoy free concerts, festivals and local events
Throughout the year, there are many festivals that take place in Prague, that are either completely free or always include a free element, such as taster workshops, concerts or film shows.
Since most of the free festivals are outdoors, there are more of these during the late spring and into the summer. For example, the United Islands of Prague concerts, which are held on the Shooter’s Island, are in May, Experience Prague Localy events are in May or June, Proms concerts are in June and July, Summer at Letna are in August, and festivals linked to harvest and wine making are held in September.
From late November to December and the beginning of January, you can enjoy the Christmas festivities with local events, exhibitions and markets.
Visit the historic ticket office at the main train station
Whilst you might be thinking that visiting the train station might not be much fun, you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that the main train station in Prague is the biggest and one of the best examples of Art Noveau-style buildings in Prague.
The main train building was built between 1901 and 1909 and has a high dome ceiling with walls decorated with Art Nouveau motifs and statues representing Czech towns that were connected to Prague by train at the time of the station’s construction.
The interiors were decorated by sculptors Stanislav Sucharda and Ladislav Šaloun, and the entire historic building was designed by architect Josef Fanta. The old ticket office now hosts a lovely cafe which is called Fanta’s Cafe (after the architect).
You can also see the old ticket sale booths, original railing, and entrance to the street level and to the platforms. You can get to the old ticket office through the current train station and just follow the signs to ‘Fantova Kavarna’ to the top level.
If you want to see the main building from a distance, the best view is from the other side of the busy dual carriageway, which you can get by walking to the car park top level on the top of today’s modern entrance to the train station.
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Army Museum
The Army Museum is under Zizkov Vitkov Hill where you can also find the warrior Jan Zizka riding on a horse statue that’s visible from most parts of Prague.
The museum was opened to the public in 1932 and went through a complete reconstruction from 2018 to 2022 with new exhibitions added. The museum exhibitions map out the military history of Czech territory in seven separate parts from the beginning until today.
The exhibition area covers impressive 5,000 square meters on four floors, with over 7,000 exhibits displayed in nearly 300 display cabinets and there are some interactive displays too.
The museum has a lovely cafe a the top floor with an outdoor terrace, where you can see the historic centre of Prague and Prague Castle. The museum is open every day, apart from Monday and it’s completely free to enter.
Location – From the outside the Florenc Main Bus stop – at the underground metro station Florenc (lines C a B) take bus numbers 133, 175 or 207 and get off at the stop U Památníku. You can also take bus number 175 to the same stop from the underground stop Flora on line A.
Aircraft museum Prague-Kbely
I know that this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and that the location of this museum is a little far from central to Prague, but if you are into planes, helicopters, war history or general flying history, you are in for a treat!
Not only is this museum is completely free to enter, but it’s also absolutely huge! The museum is partly indoors with displays in several aircraft hangars and party outdoors with displays of helicopters and planes.
There is a little cafe inside the museum, but it’s worth bringing your own sandwiches and snacks as there are no restaurants or shops nearby.
When I visited towards the end of September, I spent nearly a whole day there as there is so much to see and the displays are fairly comprehensive (and mostly in English too).
Location – Mladoboleslavská 425/9, Kbely, Prague 9 – the Army museum is about 45 minutes by public transport from the centre of Prague. From Muzeum Underground station (top of the Wenceslas Square) take the C line to Letnany (9 stops) (or change where necessary to get to Letnany on C line from where you are) and then take the 185, 209 or 302 bus to Letecke Muzeum – the bus stops directly in front of the museum main entrance.
Visit the National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror and the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral
The memorial commemorates the brave Czechoslovak parachutists who assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, a high-ranking Nazi official, in 1942. After the assassination, the parachutists were sheltered in the crypt of the cathedral by the Czech Orthodox Church.
However, the Nazis discovered their hiding place and none of the parachutists survived. You can visit the crypt where you can still see the bullet holes and shrapnel marks visible on the walls.
I found particularly haunting the experience of standing still in the crypt listening to the distant car and people traffic outside the church, thinking this is what the people there might have heard as well.
The memorial has a small museum that exhibits artefacts related to the assassination and the resistance movement, including weapons, documents, and personal belongings of the parachutists.
It’s also worth visiting the church of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius upstairs, where you can see the original entrance to the crypt underneath.
The memorial is open every day apart from Mondays, all year round. Because it’s free and on the educational curriculum of Czech schools, it can get quite busy. The place (as you can imagine) is very small, so if you see that it’s busy inside, it’s worth coming back later after 3 or 4 pm when the day trippers and schools have already gone.
Location: Resslova 9a, New Town, Prague 2
walking distance from Charles Square – Karlovo Namesti tram stops or underground stops.
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Lidice Memorial
The Lidice Memorial commemorates a small village outside of Prague, which was razed to the ground by German Nazis on June 10, 1942.
This was revenge for the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, a prominent Nazi official which happened a few weeks earlier in Prague. The Memorial is set on the grounds where the village was and you can walk through the grounds to see the remains of the buildings, cemetery and church. The memorial was opened in 1969 and also includes a museum, a sculpture garden, and a reconstructed village street. The museum houses a permanent exhibition on the history of Lidice and the massacre, as well as temporary exhibitions on related topics.
The memorial is open for free all year round and entry to the exhibition areas is inexpensive if you wish to visit them.
Location: Tokajicka 152, Lidice – the Lidice memorial is about 45-60 minutes from the centre of Prague, depending on which connection you get. From the centre of Prague (Staromeska, Malostranska, Mustek) take the A line underground to Nadrazi Veleslavin and then the bus 300, 322 or 324. Ride 4 stops to Pamatnik stop, which is right in front of the memorial.
This blog post was originally written on 5 June 2023 and last updated on 5 June 2023
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