Get ready to be swept off your feet and into a lifelong tryst! As a first-timer, focus on capturing the city’s energy and unbelievable beauty. It’s ok to be smitten over the city’s romantic architecture and poetic vibe. Over time, this love-at-first-sight will undoubtedly call you back to Prague and develop into a deep, long-lasting relationship!
15 things to do in Prague for first-timers
Prague has plenty of places to see and things to do. While it is more of a wallet-friendly city than others in Europe like London or Stockholm, it’s still smart to save money anywhere you can. One way to save money no matter where you’re traveling is to look for bundled sightseeing cards and decide whether these passes include the places you want to visit.
The Prague City Card gets you free entry to 50+ Prague sights including Prague Castle and the museums in the Jewish quarter. It also comes includes a sightseeing tour and a river cruise, as well as up to 50% off other tours and shows. I also love sightseeing cards because it means not needing to worry about having local currency when my travel rewards credit card isn’t accepted!
If visiting Prague for the first time is like love-at-first-sight, then having a 2, 3, or 4-day Prague City Card means not having to worry about who’s paying for the first date. 😉
1. Walk across the Charles Bridge.
The Charles Bridge is the most iconic place in all of Prague and for good reason, too. Walking under the arched bridge tower entry, you’ll feel as if you’re stepping back to medieval times. The cobblestone path and the Baroque saint statues guide you across the Vltava River in what feels like an absolute fairytale.
The best times to capture the essence of the bridge is as the sun is rising or late at night. Otherwise, the bridge fills with tourists and makes it all but impossible to take classic photos of the bridge from this vantage point.
2. Go to Old Town Square.
Gather in front of the Astronomical Clock Tower for the hourly show. The show is a bit underwhelming at best, but a must-see, so no worries if you can’t quite see everything. Listen to musicians play. Marvel at the architecture. Eat some roasted meat or a sweet, delicious trdelnik.
Touristy? Yes, surely. But, as a first-timer in Prague, it’s the heart of the old town and gushes with European Medieval charm. If you can, wake up early to have the square to yourself. You’re sure to love this alone time with the city.
ProTip: Can’t get enough of the historic feel in Old Town Square? Why not travel back in time and have dinner at a tavern in Medieval times with a fun and festive 3-hour performance experience that includes dinner with swordsmen, jugglers, music, and more.
3. Visit Prague castle.
After you’ve spent time in Old Town Square and on the Charles Bridge (hopefully in the early morning hours), make your way up the hill to Prague Castle. Take time to enjoy the sweeping views of the city and the river below.
Use your Prague City Card for free entry to Prague Castle including St. Vitus, the Royal Palace, Golden Lane, and St. George’s Basilica. Or go with a guide to skip-the-line and learn more about this famous Prague sight.
Either way, arrive when the castle opens or choose an early tour to enjoy your visit with fewer people.
Wander through the complex and enjoy visiting the Old Royal Palace with its grand hall and artistically supported ceiling. Don’t miss St. George’s Basilica and its pretty muraled altar and apse. Stroll along Golden Lane and visit the tiny, brightly colored houses still decorated with items from past residents. And, of course, go inside the perfectly Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral! (More on St. Vitus below.)
4. Admire St. Vitus Church.
The Roman Catholic Cathedral is within the walls of the Prague Castle complex and is a can’t miss! The Gothic Cathedral dates back to the mid-1300s, with earlier religious structures on the site dating back 300 years earlier.
Walk around the entire Cathedral. The Gothic spires, gargoyles, and flying buttresses are worth admiring Once inside, take note of the Cathedral’s stained glass windows. They’re long and colorful, filling the Cathedral with light. The Cathedral also holds the remains of past Kings and Emperors. If you visit on a Sunday, parishioners attend Mass and St. Vitus is closed until Mass is finished.
5. Eat Trdelnik and Horice rolls.
Two sweet treats you’ll not want to miss! Trdelnik is a tube-shaped bread roasted over an open flame and coated with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. The warm bread with its crunchy outside and doughy inside is sold on the street for cheap and is the perfect snack for strolling.
Horice rolls are tubes of joy, a.k.a. wafer-like tubes filled with fluffy cream and served with a bowl of hot melted chocolate. Simply dip the Horice roll in the chocolate and place gently in the mouth. If you visit Choco Cafe, you’ll want to just go for it and order one of their thick signature hot chocolates, too.
Looking for more authentic foodie fun? Take a food walk with a local or join a traditional dinner party.
6. Get a Thai Massage.
I bet you never expected to see this on a “things to do in Prague” list! But, there’s a chain of Thai Massage Spas that are quite affordable and relaxing, especially after walking all day. After being massaged by ex-prisoners in Thailand, I can verify the Thai massage I got was authentic and worked out all the kinks. If a Thai massage isn’t your thing, try a foot rub or shoulder rub instead!
7. Drink Beer.
Whether or not you typically enjoy a good beer, be sure to give one a try in Prague. It’s perfectly chilled and is as pure as the water from a mountain lake. There are places like the Prague Beer Museum (not really a museum, but bar) where you can try a beer flight. Be warned, though, because when it’s busy it’s quite a smokey place.
Or just opt, instead, for anywhere you’d like to have a bite or settle in for a few drinks. We stumbled upon Lokal, a local beer hall with delicious food and…yes, of course…beer.