6 Best viewpoints of Prague

by Lizet Wesselman | Jul 14, 2022 | Czech Republic, Europe, Travel

6 Best viewpoints of Prague

Published

Prague is built on a hilly terrain and as the biggest advantage of that, it means you get to enjoy many beautiful viewpoints. The big disadvantage is that you always have to go up. Unfortunately, not all viewpoint are easily accessible by public transport. But these stunning viewpoints of Prague are worth the climb!

1. Letná park & beergarden

Number one for me is the view from Letná. It’s a steep climb to the top, but you can also take tram 6 to the back. The park is not very special, but you can have a nice walk and it has several viewpoints. The beergarden is my favourite place to spend a hot summer night with a refreshing drink. Because of the trees, it’s a cool spot in town, but with the most amazing view. With a beautiful sunset, this is also the best place to be, because you’re looking exactly in the direction of the setting sun.

2. The Prague castle

Besides it being one of Prague’s hotspots, Prague Castle is also the perfect place to enjoy a view of the city. As soon as you enter the city, the castle already towers high over everything. Not surprisingly, you get a great view from up there. The best way is to walk up from the Charles Bridge or to take the famous castle stairs. On both routes you will find many beautiful viewpoints. It’s a steep climb, but definitely worth it!

3. Riegrovy Sady

The view from Riegrovy Sady is not one of hotspots like Charles Bridge or the castle, but it is a lovely spot. On top of the hill, you overlook the northern part of the city and have a lovely spot for a picnic. An incredibly popular place among expats to hang out in the summer. On Friday nights there is a sunset jam session. What could be better than a beautiful sunset with good company and live music? This is really where you want to be if you just want to enjoy the little things in life.

4. Petrín

Petrín is a huge park and has lots of different points to go to. You have the Petrín tower which is supposed to be the viewpoint of the city, but in my opinion not worth the money. You can see the same view from the whole mountain, the only advantage of the tower is that you are just a little bit higher. But above the city and even higher above the city makes little difference to me…. Take a few hours for this park and walk around.

You have 2 good options.

Take the little train up, turn left and walk down the zig zag route there. You’ll encounter lots of open areas here with great views.
Or go from Újezd into the park itself, turn right (at the train, so walk around that building) and walk up there towards the castle. It’s a climb, but well worth it. Are you there in the spring? Then this is really a must! That part of the park is full of blossoms and perfect to relax with a book or a picnic in the spring.

5. Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad is actually an old church, but there is a large park around it that is worth a visit. Here, you get a view from every angle, but my favourite is the view of the river and the castle in the distance. For this you walk towards the church, to the left of the church is a cemetery and next to it is a road. On the left side you can go through an opening in the wall, and there you have the view. But be sure to walk around and enjoy all the views.

6. Bonus: Charles Bridge

The definition of a viewpoint is that it’s a high point. So this one doesn’t really belong on the list, but it shouldn’t be missed anyway. Because of the width of the Vltava River and the hill on which the castle stands, you have a beautiful view from the Charles Bridge. The Charles Bridge is of course not to miss hotspot in Prague anyway. But be sure to take some time to enjoy the view from both sides.

4 Ways to avoid the crowds in Prague

by Lizet Wesselman | Jul 6, 2022 | Czech Republic, Europe, Travel

4 Ways to avoid the crowds in Prague

Published

Prague is such an intense popular tourist destination that even the government tried to make changes in the way the tourists experience the city. I think it’s common knowledge that in the Czech Republic beer is cheaper than water (yes, this really is true), so there’s a lot of alcotourism (yes, they really call it that). Meaning, many stag parties and loud, annoying, drunk people. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, actually, there isn’t a city I found this far that I loved as much as Prague. But you do have to avoid the crowds, and I will tell you how.

Follow the locals

This might make sense if you’re a frequent traveller who doesn’t like to only do the touristic things. But in Prague, locals really avoid the old town like the plague. That’s really sad actually, but unfortunately true. Aside from the drunk tourists, this is also because the prices in the city centre are sky-high. The Czech Republic is super cheap, obviously, Prague is a bit more expensive but the prices in the old town are prices you’ll see in Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam, or Barcelona. You easily pay €5 for a coffee, while outside the centre you pay less than €3. Even after lockdown when bars opened up again but the borders were still closed, most Czech people didn’t go to the old town because they didn’t want to support the tourist places. So, basically, you either serve locals or you serve tourists. Follow the below tips to find the local places.

1. Cross the river

Wherever you are in the city, the other side of the river is cheaper. With as the only exception, the one street across Charles bridge. As this is the most popular tourist attraction in the city, it will be expensive on either side. If you cross that street until you reach Malostranské náměstí (a square), go left, and you’ll notice prices drop. On the right is Prague castle and you’ll definitely break the bank going there.

2. Cross the highway

Okay, not literally, you actually go under. But there’s a highway separating the city centre from the rest of the city. It’s above the red metro line. You will see it on Google Maps or get a metro map and cross the red line. The neighbourhoods on the Eastern side are mostly expat areas. Lots and lots to do, but without the crowds and touristic prices. Definitely worth a visit! The cool neighbourhoods are Vinohrady, Vršovice and Karlín.

3. Go in the opposite direction of others

This one pretty much goes anywhere. People tend to walk in the same direction, from one tourist spot to another. With the above example as proof. Malostranské náměstí is the square at the foot of the Prague Castle. So most people will go from Old town square to Charles bridge and then to the Castle. That’s why you’re coming to Prague, right? Restaurant owners know this, so every single place on that exact route will be expensive. Go the opposite way. Take a different bridge or walk away from the river altogether. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go to those tourist places altogether because they are definitely worth a visit. Just walk away from it once you’ve seen them and are hunting down a nice place for lunch or a drink.

Go to the parks

Prague is one of the greenest cities I’ve ever been, and it’s one of the reasons I love it so much. Also because most parks are on hills and therefore give amazing viewpoints. Some of my favorites:

Letna park (pictured on top)

Letna is next to the river. Take a tram or prepare for a bit of a climb. There are stairs, but they are high! While the tram takes you to the other side, where you’re already on the same level. But it’s so worth it. It will give you a wonderful view over the water with all the bridges and the castle in the back. Definitely, a must-go for a nice sunset drink at the beer garden.

Riegrovy sady

Riegrovy sady again offers an amazing view, but from a different side. It’s such a popular spot among locals and expats and if the weather allows it, there’s a live jam session on Friday evening. Watch another sunset with some nice music. There’s also a beergarden here. Because, well, Czechs and beer..

Petrín (pictured above)

Petrín, especially in spring because the park will be covered in beautiful cherry blossoms. It’s one of the biggest parks, and you can get quite the hike here. People tend to go here for picnics, reading a book and just lazy afternoons. Even though it’s right next to Prague castle and the top can get touristic, the rest of the park is never busy and only occupied by locals and expats.

Should I not go to the old town at all?

Touristic places are usually touristic for a reason. Pretty buildings and old structures draw in people. Definitely do go to those places! Charles bridge is one of my favourite places ever. Just leave the crowds once you want to go for a drink or food. And maybe try to get up early to explore an empty city around sunrise. It might be early, but you’re going to be happy you made the effort!

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