A weekend in Prague is not long enough, given it’s such an incredible city, but we’ve been long overdue a visit. Having enjoyed many a European city break, its somewhere that’s been on the must-visit list. And now we’ve been, it’s easy to see why it’s one of Europe’s most loved travel destinations. We fell in love with Prague during our time there and we’re craving a return visit.
Our introduction to “the city of the hundred spires” was the Hotel Residence Agnes – a boutique hotel situated in the heart of the old town. We’d wanted somewhere central (and quiet!) so we could make the most of our time away. We received the warmest welcome on arrival at “the pink one” which is how POD referred to it while we were there. Our bags were taken off us almost immediately and we were provided with complimentary drinks in a beautiful cobbled reception area. The staff were excellent and while we knew what we wanted to visit, their local knowledge was invaluable. We’ll share more on the Hotel Residence Agnes another day. For now, here are some of the things you can do in Prague including what we got up to on what can only be described as a brilliant, but wet, weekend.
Things to do over a weekend in Prague
Explore the Old Town Square
Many of the winding lanes in the old town lead to the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and it was just a few minutes walk from our hotel. Founded in the 12th century, it’s a charming square, fairly quiet when we visited in March, which is home to the Baroque Church of St Nicholas, the Rococo Kinský Palace, the Gothic House at the Stone Bell and the Jan Hus statue. Not forgetting, of course, the spectacular Old Town Hall with its astronomical clock and the magnificent Church of Our Lady before Týn.
Watch the Astronomical clock
On the tower of the Gothic Old Town Hall is the 600-year-old astronomical clock. It has been showing the time and date for centuries along with the position of the sun, phase of the moon and astronomical cycles. What’s more, every hour on the hour, the clock comes alive with parading apostles and moving statues as the bell chimes at the top of the tower. We joined a small crowd to watch it and while the movement is subtle, it’s well worth a watch. It really is exquisite.
Take a cruise on the Vltava
We had considered booking a cruise before arriving in Prague. For an hour it’s around €14 per person (€8 for children), so a great way to see some of the sights – but only if the weather gods were on our side. Clearly they weren’t so we took to the streets by foot. Prague is super easy to walk around and out of choice, it’s generally the best way to see a city.
Count the statues on Charles Bridge
Crossing over the Charles Bridge is a quintessential experience for anyone visiting Prague. We walked from our hotel and thought it might be quiet given it was off-peak and pouring with rain. It wasn’t busy but there were certainly many out, just like us, making the most of their time in Prague.
The famous baroque statues are something else and the views either side of the bridge are lovely too even if you are trying to protect your camera beneath your waterproof. Eight-year-old POD had my umbrella so she kept dry even if the two of us were soaked through! Completed in the 15th Century, Charles Bridge has 16 elegant arches and although it was pedestrianised after WWII, it took wheeled vehicles for some 500 years. Legend has it that the builders added eggs to the foundation of the bridge to make it stronger – whether this is true however is another matter.
Browse the shops in Mostecká Street
Mostecká Street links Charles Bridge with Lesser Town Square. Lined with Renaissance and Baroque buildings, there are plenty of small shops to see along the way and gorgeous convertibles which presumably can be hired in better weather. The Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí) is in the heart of Lesser Town and known as Little Quarter or Malá Strana. It’s a pretty area with its ancient houses, quaint side streets and St Nicholas Church.
Visit the largest medieval castle in Europe
From Lesser Town Square, we headed up the picturesque Nerudova Street, quite steep for little legs, taking a right onto Ke Hradu which leads to Prague Castle. There are other routes you can take including the Old Castle Steps (Staré zámecké schody) which start near Malostranská metro station. Both offer magnificent views across the city and POD enjoyed taking it all in with telescope. We had planned to show her the changing of the guard but it was raining heavily at this point so we headed straight for the castle.
It’s said Prague Castle has the largest castle area in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from the remains of Romanesque-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications of the 14th century. There are three courtyards which cover around 18 acres so there is a lot to see if you have the time. We arrived in the afternoon so there was quite a queue for the castle. Much as we would have loved to discover the interior and have a wander around outdoors, the exterior really is spectacular, we were too wet to queue in the torrential rain – especially with an 8-year-old in tow. You can see from the photos below my camera was already waterlogged! Next time, we’ll pre-book tickets from the website and arrive early – we’d also like to see the infamous Golden Lane.
Take in the views from the Petřín Lookout Tower
With beautiful views of Prague, Petřín Lookout Tower is one of the most prominent landmarks. Standing over 63 metres high, there are 299 steps to its peak which is at the same altitude as the Eiffel Tower. Although you can see the city, on a clear day it’s possible to view nearly all of Bohemia. To get to the top of the hill, you can either walk or take the funicular. The funicular operates daily from 9am to 11:30 pm (April to October) or 9am to 10:20pm (November – March) running every 10 to 15 minutes.
Watch a puppet show
POD puts on the most brilliant puppet shows at home and she was really keen to see a traditional puppet show in Prague. It wasn’t to be on this occasion but we’re hoping to take her to a performance on our next visit. There are puppet shows on offer at the Říše loutek marionette theatre in the Prague Municipal Library building in the Old Town and the Spejbl and Hurvínek Theatre. She did see some great puppets at a market and in the shops while we were walking around though. Not the same but nice to have a play with at least.
Eat a pork knuckle and drink a famous Czech beer
Finally, you can’t come to Prague without trying two things – a pork knuckle and one of those famous Czech beers! Beer in Prague is cheap and it’s delicious with a great selection on offer. Added to the list for next time (this list seems to be increasing by the day!) is going on a beer tour. We’d recommend V Kolkovně for food – it’s a bistro pub with great beer and food including pork knuckle and pretzels as large as POD’s head.
You can probably tell we only skimmed the surface when it came to exploring Prague. We covered a lot of ground in a couple of days but we have a list as long as your arm of places we want to see when we return. Let’s hope that’s shortly and the weather is a little better.
