If you’re looking for a short European city break in winter, then Prague is hard to beat. The city boasts an enchanting atmosphere, thanks to its rich history and architecture, which is enhanced by the presence of the Vltava River flowing through it.
I visited with my daughter in late November, and we only had two full days, so we just scratched the surface, but it was long enough to get a flavour of the city and experience some of its main attractions.
Getting there
Flights to Prague from the UK are very affordable. We flew from Bristol and flew back to Bournemouth. The basic price for a seat and a small bag was around £30 each way. The flight took just under two hours.
There was some frustration when reaching Prague airport. EU citizens passed quickly through automated passport control gates. All other countries, including Brits, had long queues to endure to reach a human in a booth. And this was only after being electronically screened. It was equally slow on our return.
The journey from the airport to the city was reasonably straightforward. Here, there are different options between the bus, tram and metro. We took Bus 59 to Nadrazi Veleslavin, where we got the Metro line A (green) heading west to Depo Hostivar. It takes about 30 minutes to the city centre, where you can make various connections to your desired destination. Of course, you could take a taxi if you prefer.
We had an apartment in Mala Strana, which is across the Charles Bridge from the centre, so we got off at Malostranka station and walked the rest of the way.
Getting around
As mentioned, Prague is served by a Metro system, which consists of three interconnecting lines. A comprehensive network of trams and buses complements this. Services run every few minutes, so you never have to wait long for the next service. Tickets purchased cover all modes of transport and are time-limited. Paper tickets can be purchased and validated when you start your journey.
We downloaded the Pid Litacka App and purchased 24-hour tickets for around £4 each. If you’re staying longer, there is a 72-hour option, and there are discounts for youths and seniors (over 60). You just have to remember to activate the ticket in the app at least one minute before starting your journey. Fines are steep for not holding a valid ticket.
What to see
What you want to see and do is going to be different for everyone. However, there are some obvious must-see sights. Here are a few that we managed to squeeze in, plus one or two other personal favourites that we found:
Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square. This is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest still working. The oldest part of the clock, the mechanical clock and astronomical dial, was created in 1410.
At the top of every hour, you can witness something magical as it performs a brief show. If you wish to take the tour, which includes climbing the tower, you can do so at half price if you arrive in the first hour after opening at 9 am.
Charles Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava River. Construction started in 1357 and took 45 years to complete. The bridge is truly iconic and a magnet for tourists. If you wish to take photographs on it, I suggest you visit before 8 am, as it gets busy.
Prague Castle is described as an ancient symbol of the Czech State, the most significant Czech monument and one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles. It’s also the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m² and dates back to around 880.
Wenceslas Square is famous throughout the world. However, this was our biggest disappointment. To us, it looked little more than a busy shopping high street. I wasn’t expecting it to be lined with shops like KFC and M&S. To be fair, there was building work going on through the centre, so perhaps we didn’t see it at its best. The highlight was the impressive National Museum building, giving a stunning backdrop at the top end.
The Jewish Quarter, situated between the Old Town and the river, dates back to the 10th century. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beautiful and intricate architecture here was something special to witness.
Christmas Markets will be a huge draw for some people, and we came across a few, although many don’t start until December. We just bought a couple of food items, including a chocolate bar, which was really sweet and only contained 7% cocoa, so buyer beware!
Petrin Gardens and Tower are situated on the Mala Strana side of the river, just south of the castle. The tower is a scaled-down model of the Eiffel Tower and sits high above the city, offering spectacular views on clear days. It was snowing hard when we visited, so we didn’t go up. However, experiencing the gardens in the snow was a real highlight, although the descent wasn’t without jeopardy! We walked to the top, but you can get a tram. There is also a funicular, although it was closed during our visit.
Illusion Art Museum. Admittedly, we were getting slightly cold and wet and were looking for somewhere for the loo! We had previously seen it advertised and came across it in the Old Town so decided to give it a try. It was both surprisingly and amusing. Some of the illusions do mess with your mind, and the amount of work that’s gone into some of the pieces is amazing. In particular, the 3D portraits made from various objects that are only visible from one point are impressive. We also liked that you can interact with some of the items, and there are staff to offer explanations and take photographs. Upstairs, you can watch videos on how some of the pieces were created. Worth visiting if you have a spare hour.
Riding the trams. If you fancy a rest, in the warm and dry, then this is a great option to see the sights. Just hop on and off and see where it takes you. If you’re not sure where you are or how to get back, then getting off near a metro station is the easiest and quickest option to get back to the centre. Maps of all routes and services are available online.
Final thoughts
We very much followed a DIY itinerary. If you prefer, there are numerous tours available. From tip-based walking tours to themed tours, such as those based on history, food, drinking, music and the river.
Prague is a great choice for a short winter break. Our two-bedroom apartment was very spacious and cost around £260 for three nights. As mentioned earlier, flights can be very cheap, so it’s certainly a budget-friendly destination.
Remember to take a warm coat and layers. The temperatures hovered around zero degrees centigrade while we were there. But temperatures of minus 12 °C are possible in winter. Fortunately, if you get cold, there are many indoor things to do, and we never found it a problem. It’s certainly a destination not to be missed.
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