Czech Republic

Prague

  • Population:1.3M
  • Timezone:CET/CEST
  • IATA:PRG

Overview

Prague is the fairy-tale capital of the Czech Republic — a remarkably preserved city of Gothic spires, baroque palaces and a hilltop castle, straddling the Vltava on the statue-lined Charles Bridge, with an astronomical clock, a deep beer culture and an irresistibly affordable, atmospheric charm.

Travel

Prague is one of Europe's most beautiful and best-preserved cities — the “City of a Hundred Spires,” its Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau layers surviving the 20th century largely intact, earning the historic centre a place on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Vltava curves through the middle of it all, castle on one bank and the Old Town on the other, connected by the statue-lined Charles Bridge — magical at dawn before the crowds arrive. Prague is also a city of genuine pleasures beyond its monuments: some of the world's best and cheapest beer, hearty Czech cooking, Art Nouveau splendour in the Municipal House, and a thriving café and classical-music scene. It's busy year-round, so book ahead and start early to beat the crowds at the headline sights — the reward is a city that offers extraordinary beauty at a fraction of Western European prices.

Crowning the hill above the Vltava, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle complex in the world and has been the seat of Czech power for over a thousand years — today the office of the president. At its heart soars St Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece centuries in the making, with luminous stained glass (including a window by Alphonse Mucha), the bejewelled St Wenceslas Chapel and a tower view over the city. The complex also takes in the Old Royal Palace with its vast Vladislav Hall, the Romanesque St George's Basilica, and the enchanting Golden Lane, a row of tiny, brightly coloured 16th-century cottages (one once rented by Franz Kafka). The changing of the guard takes place at the gates, and the castle gardens and the surrounding Hradčany district, with the Strahov Monastery's spectacular baroque library and the Loreta pilgrimage church, reward a full morning before you descend to the river.

Frequently asked questions

Go early. Charles Bridge is magical and nearly empty at dawn, and Prague Castle and the Old Town Square are far calmer before mid-morning and after the day-trippers leave in the evening. Book timed tickets online for the castle interiors, visit the Astronomical Clock just before the hour, and explore the quieter lanes of the Old Town, Malá Strana and Vyšehrad to escape the busiest streets. Prague is popular year-round, so early starts pay off.

Diplomatic missions in Prague

4 embassies based in this city, grouped by region.

Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.