Have you ever heard of a city whose conception is speculated to have originated from a yearning? Well, Prague by popular culture brings together those facts, at least in the collective imagination. If you find it incredible then we invite you to review its importance in world tourism. Elegance, exclusivity, discretion, history, art and culture, with rare beauties and a lot of temperance which has helped to maintain its figure. This city is immortalized in novels, stories, myths and legends. A city where people of good taste come to give it a good taste, and you can’t leave it aside. Definitely it is for that you organize yourself well, since you will have much for seeing and many things to realize; we orientate you with this tourist map of Prague, depending on what you must not miss of one of the most beautiful cities of the world.
Tourist map of Prague
Contents
Prague is more and more in the mouth of the people, more and more we hear about that monumental city, of which the commerce and the entertainment are flooding its traditional places, but that in spite of it they do not replace its image of medieval city, that epoch that stands out more in the figure, with the Gothic-Germanic, that jumps in details and adornments of its more emblematic places like the Cathedral of San Vito, which is inside Prazsky Hrad or Castle of Prague. Romantic city, where many people come to declare their love over the Charles IV Bridge. It’s practically the center of the former Bohemia, which groups in the whole metropolitan area approximately 2.3 million persons. It is a city to come warmly, unless you walk its streets in springtime when the cool climate is conducive to come.
It is bathed by the Vltava River, a large, flowing river with rapids. Something to compensate for the lack of coastline. It is a place that many can identify with certain periods of modern history such as the Velvet Revolution, one of the most relevant anti-communist events in the debacle of the Soviet Union; a power that imposed its ideology in the framework of the Second World War, and that has Wenceslas Square as a living witness. But what it best preserves are older times, specifically the Middle Ages, which concentrates much of its heritage in Staré Mesto or Old Town, with the bridge, with the Astronomical Clock, a marvel of analog technology. Its towers are very popular and here we highlight to encourage you to know the gunpowder tower. If you are looking for more historical sites you can take a tour of Monte Petrin.
Prague Tourist Guide
Independent Prague of the time is always full of people from all over the world. You will see them eating, shopping for luxuries to souvenirs, having fun in their bars in their leisure centres. The point is that Prague has a lot to offer whatever your tastes are. And you, what would you like to see or do? We leave you with a selection of places to visit with this tourist guide to Prague. Make this trip memorable. You may well come with your family, there are lots of fun and educational places you will be surprised at. The adventure tours are served in its amazing natural landscapes, and to taste its gastronomy you will have novel and conceptual cafes and restaurants, in that same order of idea some of its hotels.
What to see in Prague
Prague Castle
I’m sure you don’t want to miss the biggest castle in the world. It is practically the jewel of the Middle Ages and is considered to be the whole of the palaces that are linked to its famous Golden Alley, as if they were veins where life flows. Today, people from all over the world pass through here, enchanted and leaving their best impression in this brand new capital. Within this complex is the Cathedral of San Vito, which for 6 centuries has served for the most important royal ceremonies, whether marriages, coronations, even monarchial tombs. In reference to the gothic style this cathedral is one of the maximum references. In the interest of increasing the diocesan status in the city, the initiative was taken to begin construction of the current cathedral, the most important in the country.
Charles IV Bridge
This pass over the Vltava River is one of the most popular bridges between its medieval peers. Technically it is more visited than the castle itself, so we should easily include it to the sites to show off in our escape to Prague. It has a couple of very beautiful gothic towers and during the day it is crowded with people. Because of its spaciousness it sometimes cannot cope with a continuous flow of curious souls. This bridge is the work of King Charles IV to replace a previous bridge in the fourteenth century, where he also occupied a Roman bridge. It is 500 metres long and is the repository of a couple of legends concerning its construction. Let’s let some inhabitant tell us what is the relation in the date and the material used for the construction of this resistant bridge.
Astronomical clock of Prague
This watch is the craziest thing you’ll ever see in the Czech Republic. Similar to the astrolabes used in antiquity, this wonderful device of analog technology has about 6 centuries in perfect working order. It has a beautiful aesthetic, along with a lot of curiosities related to its history. It is frightening that they have blinded their executor to avoid any replication after the completion of this one. Its operation is based on the measurement of time in five metrics: seasons, months, hours are marked by figures of the apostles, zodiac signs and stars, even the moon phases. In fact, this complete measuring instrument is a marvel that you cannot miss. Its curious data seems to be endless, so ask the guides all the questions and pay attention to their stories. There is a chance to climb the clock tower and get a good view of the city.
Staré Mesto
In the popular jargon it is mentioned as Ciudad Vieja (Old City) and is one of the most emblematic neighborhoods of the city. As it happens in every city, the first settlements are close to the rivers, and Ciudad Vieja was the first nucleus to be established. Here you can find most of the attractions of the city, so this neighborhood is a complete tourist route if you are in a short visit. Although for some it is difficult to cover everything in one sitting. It is connected to another neighborhood called Malá Strana through the Carlos Bridge. Astronomical Clock, the gunpowder tower, the City Hall and the baroque library Clementinum, are some of the attractions of the area. There are lots of pastel-coloured stately homes and remarkable details on the facades that you can admire on your tour.
Wenceslas Square
Among the many historical centres in Prague, it is worth a visit to this square to soak up more of the past and the founding of the city. Modern history has been written mostly in this place. Due to the sustained growth of the newly appointed imperial capital, squares were built around the city. Wenceslas Square became one of the focal points when the overflow of the old city forced the expansion of the city. Its name is of new date and is due to the installation of the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas. Witness of the arrival of the communism, still persist in their surroundings their main relevant buildings, like the National Museum of Prague or the Palace of the Opera. Considered a meeting point and center of urban art, it is the entrance to some commercial streets like Jindriska.
Mount Petrin
And if we’re talking about scenery, we can get a good one from this hill. To visit one of the most picturesque neighborhoods of the city as it is Malá Strana, you must climb this hill. To the 138 meters high of this hill we must add about 60 additional meters of a tower. This neighborhood is ideal for walking, you can take a picture of the Church of San Nicolas. Then you can take a tour of some of its museums, before having a succulent lunch in its cafes and restaurants of minimalist style. Anyway, there are some historical corners and terraces where you can spend your time in good taste. Finally it’s just a matter of heading to the tower, the main attraction to go with whoever you want to have fun with its many activities, such as the maze of mirrors.
Josefov
Or in English, the Jewish Quarter, is located north of the city; it is framed within the Old City. Prague was a city with several communities of Jews who had an important influence on the Czech economy. With the arrival of the Nazism in World War II began to pursue these neighborhoods managed to regroup in the form of ghettos in this place. But this ethnic group has had the same migration since time immemorial for the same reasons to Josefov. Jewish culture has a long history in Prague. By the 10th century the first settlements were established in the city within the walls, achieving stability thanks to the administrative charter granted by Otakar II. To learn more about this complex history you should take a tour, and even visit its synagogues; it has a Spanish synagogue. It also has an old cemetery and the residence of Franz Kakfa as places to visit.
Dancing House
This building is located in the heart of the city. Its figure leaves much to the imagination with its bold architecture. It turns out to be a marvel of post-modernism and breaks with the forms of classical architecture. So different that it came to be strongly criticized by some. The concept of this building is based on a tribute to the dancers Fred Astaire and Ginder Rogers. It has a composition of two towers; an upright one representing the male figure and the tower with the inclination to the female figure. A bit out of order for some; the good thing is that times change and each time society understands that there are changes that we must accept. And what better than this building where the new makes direct contact with the old, as if trying to convince its detractors that harmony between the two is possible.
Gunpowder Tower
It owes its name to the function it had in the 17th century as a warehouse for this material. But its reason for being is because it represents one of the 13 entrances to the city, taking its enormous lower arch as the door. It has a flamboyant Gothic style and is the only remaining door of all those that existed. Today it makes up for its obsolescence as the border between the old and new city. Being one of the most popular places to visit we recommend it. And if it is in your physical possibilities, climb to the top of it through its steep steps, to get a beautiful panoramic view of the city. If you prefer you can also visit its museum where you can learn about the history of the tower.
Map of hotels in Prague
While we talk about elegance as one of the elements with which to identify the beautiful capital of the Czech Republic, you will most likely want to prepare yourself for a glamorous experience. Because this is where you set the pace if you put your mind to it. But don’t worry if you’re only on a tight budget. Our map of hotels in Prague will help you find your way around the many hotels in this city that are friendly to your pocket, but don’t lose sight of those where you can spend a night in luxury. As usual, we will recommend you a good hotel, and because we always worry about having everything at hand, we offer you Majestic Plaza Prague as an option. It is a few minutes walk to Wenceslas Square and Prague Castle.