Prague City Break — Old Town, Prague Castle & Czech Beer
Prague
Holidays
A perfectly preserved medieval city of Gothic spires, Baroque palaces, the world's best beer and extraordinary value for money
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Flight Time
2h from London; direct flights from most UK airports
Best Time
May–June and September–October; December for Christmas markets
Country
Czech Republic
Suppliers
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Prague Holiday Guide
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe — a perfectly preserved medieval city of Gothic churches, Baroque palaces, Art Nouveau cafés and a castle complex that dominates the skyline from its hilltop above the Vltava River. Unlike many European cities, Prague's historic centre survived the Second World War virtually intact, giving it an extraordinary density of architectural beauty.
The Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) with its astronomical clock (Orloj), the Charles Bridge (Karlův most) with its 30 Baroque statues, the Jewish Quarter (Josefov) with its six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, and the Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) — the largest ancient castle in the world — are all within easy walking distance of each other.
Prague is also one of the most affordable city break destinations in Europe — Czech beer (Pilsner Urquell, Kozel, Budvar) is the best in the world and costs less than a coffee in London. The food scene has improved dramatically in recent years. Prague is 2 hours from London by air and has direct flights from most UK airports.
Popular Areas in Prague
Average Temperatures
Jan
1°C
Feb
3°C
Mar
8°C
Apr
13°C
May
18°C
Jun
21°C
Jul
23°C
Aug
23°C
Sep
18°C
Oct
12°C
Nov
6°C
Dec
2°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Prague
The medieval old town, Gothic castle, Baroque bridges, Jewish heritage and legendary Czech beer that make Prague one of Europe's most beautiful and affordable city breaks.
Old Town Square & the Astronomical Clock
The Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) is the heart of Prague — one of the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe, surrounded by Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque buildings. The Astronomical Clock (Orloj) on the Old Town Hall tower, built in 1410, is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world — every hour, on the hour, the 12 Apostles parade past the clock windows. The twin Gothic towers of the Týn Church dominate the square. The square is magical at Christmas, when it hosts one of the finest Christmas markets in Europe.
Charles Bridge — Prague's Most Iconic Monument
The Charles Bridge (Karlův most), built by Emperor Charles IV in 1357, is Prague's most iconic monument — a 516-metre stone bridge across the Vltava River lined with 30 Baroque statues of saints (the originals are in the National Museum; the bridge has replicas). The bridge is best experienced at dawn, before the crowds arrive, or at dusk when the castle is illuminated. Street musicians, artists and vendors line the bridge throughout the day. The bridge connects the Old Town to Malá Strana and the castle.
Prague Castle — The Largest Ancient Castle
Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), perched on a hill above the Vltava, is the largest ancient castle complex in the world — a 70,000 sq metre complex of palaces, churches, gardens and galleries that has been the seat of Czech rulers for over 1,000 years. The St Vitus Cathedral (Gothic, begun 1344, completed 1929), the Old Royal Palace, the Golden Lane (a street of tiny medieval houses) and the Lobkowicz Palace are all within the castle complex. The views over Prague from the castle are extraordinary.
Jewish Quarter — Six Synagogues & the Old Cemetery
The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) is one of the most important Jewish heritage sites in Europe — a compact area of six synagogues (the Old-New Synagogue, built in 1270, is the oldest active synagogue in Europe), the Old Jewish Cemetery (where 12,000 gravestones are stacked up to 12 layers deep) and the Jewish Museum. The quarter survived the Nazi occupation because Hitler planned to preserve it as a 'museum to an extinct race'. Franz Kafka was born in the Jewish Quarter — his birthplace is marked by a plaque.
Malá Strana — Baroque Palaces & Gardens
Malá Strana (Lesser Town), between the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, is the most beautiful neighbourhood in Prague — a Baroque quarter of palaces, churches, gardens and cobbled lanes that has changed little since the 17th century. The Church of St Nicholas (the finest Baroque church in Prague), the Wallenstein Garden (the first Baroque garden in Prague, with its extraordinary sala terrena) and the Vrtba Garden (a UNESCO World Heritage terraced garden) are all in Malá Strana. The neighbourhood is best explored on foot.
Czech Beer — The Best in the World
Czech beer is the finest in the world — the Czech Republic has the highest per capita beer consumption of any country on earth, and the quality reflects it. Pilsner Urquell (the original pilsner, brewed in Plzeň since 1842), Kozel (dark and light), Budvar (the original Budweiser, brewed in České Budějovice), Staropramen and Bernard are all excellent. A half-litre of draught beer in a Prague pub costs around 50–60 CZK (£1.80–2.20) — less than a third of the price in London.
Vinohrady & Žižkov — Prague's Best Neighbourhoods
Vinohrady and Žižkov, east of the New Town, are Prague's most vibrant and authentic neighbourhoods — a grid of Art Nouveau apartment buildings, independent restaurants, wine bars and cocktail bars that are largely free of tourists. The Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) in Vinohrady is the heart of the neighbourhood. The Žižkov Television Tower (with its crawling baby sculptures by David Černý) offers the best views over Prague. The Riegrovy sady park is excellent for a picnic with views of the castle.
Prague Food — Svíčková, Trdelník & Modern Czech
Czech cuisine is hearty, warming and deeply satisfying — svíčková (beef sirloin in cream sauce with bread dumplings and cranberry), vepřo-knedlo-zelo (roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut), guláš (goulash), smažený sýr (fried cheese) and trdelník (chimney cake, a street food staple) are the classics. The Prague food scene has improved dramatically in recent years — the Manifesto Market (a container market in Vinohrady) and the Lokál chain of Czech pubs are both excellent.
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Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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