Prague offers a wealth of experiences for travellers, from exploring its historic sites to enjoying its vibrant cultural scene. Start with a visit to the iconic Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, and stroll across the medieval Charles Bridge for stunning views of the Vltava River. The Old Town Square is a must-see, featuring the Astronomical Clock and Tyn Church. Prague’s cultural offerings include world-class museums, galleries, and theatres, providing a deep dive into the city’s rich artistic heritage. For a taste of local flavour, try traditional Czech dishes like goulash and roast pork with dumplings, paired with a famous Czech beer.
Like a Local
Would you like to explore Prague like a local? Our colleague, Ondřej Caletka, put together a list of things to do in the city.
Follow Local Honest Guides
Two Prague locals, Janek and Honza, run a YouTube channel called Honest Guide, where they honestly present the best Prague can offer and also uncover various scams and tourist traps in the city. The tips they present in English are often unknown even to the locals so they recently also started a similar channel guiding Czech locals in their own capital.
Use Public Transport to the Maximum
If you arrived by aeroplane and used public transport, you probably used the (brand new) trolleybus line and two metro lines. But there are also other means of transport included in the standard price of a day ticket. What about the Funicular to the hill of Petřín? Just beware, only the 24-hour and longer tickets are valid for this ride. While up there, do not miss the copy of the famous Eiffel Tower and have some fun navigating the Mirror Maze.
But that is still not everything. You can use your public transport ticket on ferries connecting the river banks. For instance, ferry line P5 offers some nice views. It runs only until the end of October so make sure to visit it before the RIPE Meeting.
Local trains are included as well. You can take one from Praha-Vysočany, close to the meeting venue to the main station Praha Hlavní Nádraží and enjoy some beautiful interiors of Fantova Kavárna in the historic station building.
There is also a special hop-on, hop-off tram line 42 which provides better value for money than the typical commercial hop-on, hop-off buses.
Visit Vyšehrad for the Ultimate Views
Speaking of views, while visiting Prague Castle is definitely a thing to do, for the best views of Prague Castle, as well as the river Vltava and the old town, visit Vyšehrad. You can walk up the hill from the riverside or from the metro station of the same name. That metro station itself is also interesting as it is a part of Nusle Bridge, a massive concrete bridge across a valley, that was once nicknamed as ‘Suicide Bridge’ before an extra tall railing was installed there in 2007.
See Prague from the TV Tower
For the best view, you can visit the Žižkov TV Tower, featuring an observation platform 93 metres above ground. This tower was once voted the world’s second ugliest building so you can make your own opinion. The tower features a modern data centre built on the premises of the former TV transmitting technology; however, that part is not accessible to the public.