“Prague never lets you go,” wrote native son Franz Kafka, “This dear mother has claws.” Kafka was prophetic in so many ways, including his feelings about this birth city. The Czech capital, home to 1.3 million people, has never been more popular. Similar to Venice and Amsterdam, Prague isn’t really a city that you visit to check sites off of a list. Sure, there are sites to be seen — the Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Old Town Square, the Old Jewish Cemetery, to name a few — but the City of a Hundred Spires is really about wandering, letting yourself get lost in the enormous historical center, where twisting cobblestone streets are flanked by Gothic, baroque, neoclassical and art deco palaces, burgher houses and churches.
If that were all Prague had to offer, it would be enough to draw hordes of curious visitors into the city’s claws. But, it turns out, Prague pleases more than just in the visual sense. The Czechs have been making some of the world’s best beer for centuries — they drink more of it per capita than anyone in the world — and there are ample amounts of atmospheric pubs in which you can sit back and sip while the world spins outside. The dining scene here used to be largely forgettable, but that has changed in the last 15 years: You can now come hungry and be rewarded with inspired Central European fare at gastropubs or Michelin-starred restaurants.
Prague is attractive to a fault. These days, the center of town is teeming with tourists, even in the off-season months. So do yourself a favor and hop on a subway or tram and spend some time in the outer neighborhoods: Vinohrady, Žižkov, Karlín, Vršovice, Letna, Smichov, Vyšehard and Holešovice all have something to offer the visitor while also maintaining a historical ambience. Below, the ultimate Prague travel guide, according to someone who knows it well.
Best Craft Brewery: Dva Kohouti
Dva Kohouti, or the Two Roosters in English, has only been open since late 2018, but it feels like it’s an old stalwart of the Prague beer scene. In partnership with the excellent small brewery, Matuška, Dva Kohouti brewmaster Lukaš Tomsa makes a very potable unpasteurized Bohemian lager, as well as some memorable IPAs, APAs, sours and stouts. The one-room brewery boasts floor-to-ceiling beer tanks, so you can sip your pivo, as it’s called in Czech, right next to where it’s made. In the warm-weather months, the space in front of the brewery becomes a beer garden. There’s no food here, but when the stomach starts to rumble, sister establishment Lokal, a mini-Prague chain of great gastropubs, is right next door.
Honorable Mention: Bašta Neighborhood Brewery, Bad Flash and Cobolis
Best Wine Bar: Veltlin
In the Karlín neighborhood — a short subway or tram ride from the center — Veltlin has a cool concept: They only offer wines that were made within the erstwhile boundaries of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. That means you can sip natural wine made in the Czech Republic, Dalmatian Coast, Slovenia, northeastern Italy and, of course, Austria and Hungary. In case you need to brush up on your historical knowledge of the empire, there’s a large illustrated map on the wall.
Honorable Mention: Vinárna Náplavní, Autentista and Vinograf
Best Cocktail Bar: Parlour
This quasi-secret, speakeasy-ish cocktail bar is an artisanal ice cube’s throw from bustling Wenceslas Square. But once you descend the steps and perch yourself at the bar, you’ll feel miles away, perhaps transported to a bygone era.
There’s not really a menu at Parlour. Instead, tell the bartender what you’re in the mood for, what flavors you like or give them a base spirit, and they’ll get to work, whipping up something very drinkable. Prague has a small handful of serious cocktail bars, and if you only have the time or inclination to go to one, point yourself to Parlour.
Honorable Mention: Nalyvky Zi Lvova , L’Fleur and Hemingway Bar
Best Traditional Czech Pub: U Hrocha
U Hrocha (translation: At the Hippo) has only been pouring near-perfect pints of Pilsner Urquell since 1994, but if you thought it was a centuries-old drinking hole, you’d be forgiven. The interior looks very well worn in the best possible way, and many of the patrons are locals. In fact, this is one of the last few pubs in Mala Strana still patronized by Czechs.
Located in a tangle of backstreets between the castle and the powder-blue-domed St. Nicholas Church, U Hrocha only has a handful of tables. If you’re lucky enough to get a seat at one, you’ll likely be sharing with someone who is at first a stranger but will likely be a friend after a few pints. The food offerings are minimal, but you should always go for the pivní sýr, soft beer cheese that comes with onions and mustard. Pour a couple ounces of beer onto the plate and commence mixing it all together. Spread it on some bread and eat. It goes perfect with your beer.
Honorable Mention: U Sadu, U Slovanské Lípy and U Kalendů
Best Hotel Bar: Alcron Bar
Housed on the ground floor of the Almanac X Alcron Hotel just off of Wenceslas Square, Alcron Bar is a dimly-lit, atmospheric cocktail den, the type of place one might have an illicit meeting with a lover or a spy. The bartenders have created a list of drinks that reference various aspects of 20th-century Czech history. The Velvet Revolution, a blend of whisky, dessert wine, sherry, citrus and cream, is a reference to the 1989 revolution that largely took place just down the street in the elongated Wenceslas Square. If you get hungry, the kitchen makes excellent creative twists on Czech staples.
Honorable Mention: Cloud One, Black Angel’s Bar and Minus One
Cheap Lunch/Local Specialty: Kantýna
Set in a former bank building on an untrammeled side street just off of Wenceslas Square, Kantýna is a meat eater’s Valhalla. Order your food from the counter, grab a beer at the opposite counter and then try to snag a seat. The casual restaurant has displays of steaks, pork chops, sausages and other meaty delights that you can point to, and it gets cooked on demand. There are also daily specials like goulash, schnitzel, smoked meat-stuffed potato dumplings and meatloaf.
Honorable Mention: Lokál Dlouhá, Alma and Kro
Best Gastropub: Hostinec Na Výtoni
Opened in autumn 2023 in a medieval customs house near the banks of the Vltava River, Hostinec Na Výtoni is a bustling tavern with a duck-focused menu. If you’re feeling adventurous, start with the beer-battered duck hearts and liver or the stinky (but delicious) Olomouc cheese before moving on to the duck blood sausage or simple and delicious half roasted duck. Of course, pair your meal with a pint of the Czech lager Pilsner Urquell. Reservations are not essential, but it’s always a good idea to make one, just in case.
Honorable Mention: Výčep, U Matěje and U Kroka
Nice Dinner: Cafe Imperial
Perhaps the most exquisite dining space in Prague, Cafe Imperial has high ceilings, thick columns and art deco stylings throughout. It’s the ideal space in which to enjoy celebrity chef Zdeněk Pohlreich’s Czech and Central European fare, which manages to be both elevated and rustic at the same time. Tuck into a plate of ultra-tender braised veal cheeks with creamy mashed potatoes or confit of duck with red cabbage and potato dumplings.
Honorable Mention: Marie B, 420 and Bockem
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Nicer Dinner: La Dégustation Bohême Bourgeoise
This temple to Mitteleuropa fare kicked off a dining revolution in Prague that has not slowed down since the restaurant first fired up its burners in 2006. During the 41-year Communist period (1948-1989), the ruling party dwindled the scope of Czech fare in order to fit into the socialist economy, and a plethora of old Czech dishes were lost. That is until chef Oldřich Sahajdák unearthed a 19th-century Czech cookbook by Marie B Svobodová, Kuchařská Škola (Culinary School), published in 1894. It opened up an entirely new world for him, as he realized the breadth of Czech cuisine was much larger than anyone alive imagined.
Today he runs the kitchen at this elegant Michelin-starred spot, which serves dishes from that late-19th-century cookbook but in updated 21st-century forms. The results are edible magic. The five-course tasting menu is paired with excellent wines from Moravia (the eastern half of the Czech Republic and the country’s up-and-coming wine region), as well as Austria, Slovakia, Italy and France.
Honorable Mention: Štangle, Field and Alcron
Best Coffee Shop: EMA Espresso Bar
There once was a time when it was impossible to get good coffee in this city of 1.3 million. Fortunately, those days are over, as third-wave coffee houses have popped up in every neighborhood and baristas are proudly serving up excellent brews.
Located near Masaryk Railway Station (or Masarykovo Nádraži, in the local parlance) and offering views of a fantastic new Zaha Hadid-designed structure, EMA is one of the best cafes in the city. It’s a busy coffee shop that happens to pull as perfect an espresso or cappuccino as you’re going to get in Prague. You can also get very good sandwiches and baked goods.
Honorable Mention: La Boheme, Můj Šálek Kávy and Kavárna Co Hledá Jméno
Best Vintage Shop: Bohemian Retro
The “Bohemian” in the name of this vintage shop could refer to the historical name of the western half of the Czech Republic, or it could mean a style or way of life. Or probably both. British owned and located in the gritty-cool neighborhood of Žižkov, Bohemian Retro is a highly curated shop, selling vintage clothes and artifacts from the entire 20th century.
There are plenty of treasures to unearth here. You might find a 1970s sports bag from Czech shoe company Botas or a corduroy blazer from the ‘60s that may or may not have been worn by a local during the Warsaw Pact invasion in August 1968. There are also decades-old sunglasses, hats, earrings and even the occasional rotary telephone.
Honorable Mention: The Vintage Prague, Trash Vintage and Almo Vintage Prague
Best Menswear: Gentleman Store
Located in Karlín, this two-level shop peddles all things sartorial for men. There’s a classic British gentleman vibe to the clothes and shoes they sell here. The minimalist space with industrial concrete floors and walls boasts solid oak tables to display Barbour lambswool sweaters and Peregrine Hampton cardigans, while hangers show off Portuguese flannels and Charles Tyrwhitt linen shirts.
Head downstairs to the cellar where a stunning arched brick ceiling and exposed brick walls become a showcase for leather Berwick loafers, Manesy boots and casual sneakers. There’s also a nice selection of leather bags from Carl Friedrik, Bellroy and John & Paul, as well as wallets, toiletry bags and backpacks.
Honorable Mention: Denimheads, Van Graaf and Clochard9.2
Best Bookstore: The Globe
When Prague was teeming with post-collegiate hipsters, slackers and wannabe writers in the 1990s, The Globe was one of a small handful of spots that would pull them in on a daily and nightly basis. The bookstore’s expat cred is long gone (just as most of those expats are, too), but the bookshop is still a fine place to pick up a new read. You can find lots of popular books here, but if you’re looking for some local lit, you’re in the right place, as The Globe has ample stock of Kafka and Kundera, Havel and Hrabel, Klima and Kohout. The Globe also has a lovely high-ceilinged cafe and bar where you can take that new book and sidle up to a table while drinking a coffee or beer and grazing on chili con carne, hummus or chicken wings.
Honorable Mention: Shakespeare & Sons, Budget Books and Academia
Best Design Store: Deelive
Prague is awash in cool design shops, as Czechs have a knack for the inventive and eye-catching. Set on the banks of the Vltava River just behind the National Theater, Deelive sells design objects made by local artists and designers, as well as their own brand of cool objects and artifacts. The large space displays Deelive’s glassware and homeware objects, as well as funky socks, jewelry, glasses and bags, all designed by local Czech artists. After browsing, head upstairs to the SmetanaQ showroom, a company that sells (mostly) clothes designed by up-and-coming Czech fashion designers.
Honorable Mention: Artěl, Qubus and CzechDesign
Best Running/Hiking Trail: Brewery Hike
Perhaps only in the Czech Republic is there a hiking trail that has a brewery at the finish line. Okay, the trail wasn’t necessarily created with beer in mind, it just depends how you perceive it. From Prague, take a 20-minute train ride to the village of Roztoky, just over the city border. About a block south of the train station is the street Tiché Ůdolí. Follow it until a dirt trail ascends up a hill. If you have access to Google Maps on your phone, you can follow the trail easily from beginning to end.
The pleasant hike takes about an hour, leading trekkers through agricultural fields and by a small tranquil lake before depositing them in the charming village of Uňetice. And it’s here where you’re rewarded at the Únětice brewery. They offer free brewery tours at noon on Saturdays and Sundays, but they’re only in Czech. Instead, grab a seat at the in-house pub and taproom where you can sample the brewery’s excellent Bohemian lagers and tuck into hearty plates of roast duck, goulash with dumplings or tender pork neck in onion sauce.
Honorable Mention: Klánovice Forest, Kunratický Woodland and Divoká Šárka
Best Gallery: DOX
If you’re into contemporary art, the Czech collection housed at the National Gallery in Veletržní Palác in the Holešovice neighborhood is certainly on your radar. But DOX should be as well, a space in the same neighborhood that puts on temporary exhibitions of art from the late-20th and early 21st centuries.
Housed in a renovated factory building from the 19th century, DOX puts on shows that change every few months. But whatever the exhibition, it is worth your time and energy to seek out. The complex also has a nice bookshop and sleek cafe in case all that contemporary art gawking builds up a hunger and thirst. And don’t miss the Gulliver Airship on the roof, an enormous 120-foot long steel-and-wood blimp that was inspired by the elegant curves and lines of early 20th-century zeppelins.
Honorable Mention: Kunsthalle Praha, 400 ASA Gallery and Meet Factory
Best Place for Live Music: Estates Theater
Prague has its fair share of music venues for rock music and jazz as most big cities do. But most big cities can’t say they have a music venue in which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart conducted the premiere of two of his operas.
Built in 1783 in Prague’s Old Town, the Estates Theater will forever be connected to Mozart, thanks to the fact that on October 29, 1787, the musical genius was in Prague to premier his opera Don Giovanni, which he dedicated to the people of Prague — a city that had much more appreciation for the composer than he had received in Vienna or Salzburg. Four years later, the theater saw the premier of Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito. Today, the theater is the only existing music venue in the world where Mozart actually conducted his music.
Honorable Mention: Reduta Jazz Club, Lucerna Music Bar and Rudolfinum
Tourist Spot That’s Actually Worth It: Charles Bridge (in the morning)
One of Prague’s main attractions is the 14th-century, sculpture-studded Charles Bridge. And rightfully so —the 600-year-old Bohemian sandstone span is one of the most beautiful on the planet. But appreciating it in prime time is nearly impossible these days. In fact, it’s best to avoid it all together.
But if you wake up early and point yourself there in the morning, it’s downright magical. You’ll have the bridge nearly all to yourself, save for a few local Czechs crossing on their commutes to work. Sometimes you may even encounter a nun strolling across.
Framed by two Gothic bridge towers, the 1,700-foot bridge is flanked by baroque-era statues of saints and Biblical figures. There’s nothing else like it, and the best time to fully appreciate it is by setting that early-morning alarm on your phone.
Honorable Mention: Old Town Square, Old Jewish Cemetery and Žižkov Television Tower
Best Luxury Hotel: Four Seasons
The Four Seasons, located on the right bank of the Vltava River, just a cobblestone’s throw from Charles Bridge, first flicked on its lights in 2001, making it one of the first luxury hotels to anchor itself in the Czech Capital after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. You’d think by now the 161-room hotel would be worse for wear, especially because the five-star hotel market here is as competitive as any European capital. And yet, the Four Seasons feels fresh, like it just opened yesterday.
The property, made up of three historic buildings from the baroque, neoclassical and neo-Renaissance periods, offers spacious, high-ceilinged rooms. Service is officious to the point that when you drop something in the lobby, there are three employees there to pick it up before you can start to bend over. The in-house Italian eatery CottoCrudo is elegant, if a bit on the pricey side (this is the Four Seasons, after all). The real dining star here is breakfast. There’s an a la carte menu available, as well as an enormous buffet filled with fruit smoothies, local farm cheeses and sausages, pastries and anything else you can think of that makes up the morning meal.
Honorable Mention: Mandarin Oriental, Almanac X Alcron and Andaz
Best Boutique Hotel: Maximilian
Located in a quiet part of Old Town, this 71-room stunner of a hotel is a favorite among people who frequently return to Prague for business and leisure. The hotel was designed by Czech-born, London-based architect Eva Jířičná who created sleek spaces in the hotel’s common areas, including a glassed-in breakfast room.
The spacious rooms with high ceilings are comfortable enough to inspire lingering for a bit. The neo-cubist furniture is easy on the eyes. Some rooms have balconies and larger sitting areas. Two unique perks to the hotel are the sensory deprivation tank and that guests can request a goldfish, which arrives in your room swimming in a small fish bowl. The complimentary breakfast is also very good.
Honorable Mention: Alfons Boutique Hotel, BoHo Hotel and U Zlaté Studně
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