6 Tips for Visiting Prague for the First Time

Prague is an incredible city to visit and very popular among tourists, but there’s some tips first timer visitors should know before coming to Prague.

I arrived in Prague rather bleary-eyed after making my usual mistake of taking the earliest flight. It always seems like such a good idea until the alarm goes off that morning. A night bus, a train, and a short plane journey later and I had landed at Václav Havel Airport, ready to add a new country to my list and explore everything the city had to offer.

As my previous posts on Prague have explained, the Czech capital is perfect for a mini break exploring, including sights both beautiful and quirky, and some great beer and desserts to indulge in.

To round up this series, I thought I’d share a few tips for visiting Prague I picked up along the way:

See Charles Bridge early

A Prague must-see, but it gets so mobbed during most of the day. This was true even in the “off-season” in March. You wouldn’t want to fight your way across, never mind taking pictures. I went just after sunrise and not only was there hardly anyone on it, but the light was perfect for taking pictures. Start early, then depending on the side of the bridge you’re on, pop into Cafe Savoy in Mala Strana or Pauseteria in the Old Town for some breakfast.

Getting from Prague’s airport

Once you get into the centre of Prague, everything is walkable. And luckily, Prague airport is not too far by public transport to the centre. There are two main routes: the 119 bus and the Airport Express. I chose the latter, which costs 60kc, or about £2 (in cash paid to the driver). It leaves about every half hour and there was plenty of room for luggage/to sit down.

I avoided the 119 after having heard about frequent pickpocketing on it and as I’m quite small and can be a nervous solo traveller. The challenge was getting small change fresh off the plane. But I got some cash out at one of the bank cash machines and opted for the smallest 500kc, bought an overpriced water and managed to get change on 200kc back from the driver.

Have to take a cab? Use Uber

Prague is known for cab drivers that overcharge, so just use Uber if you have to take a car, you’ll know what your paying and get a good rate.

Venture away from the Old Town Square for food

Like many areas frequented by tourists, prices around the Old Town Square tend to be inflated compared to the rest of Prague. But luckily there are some great restaurants in the nearby area, with Dhlouha street being a fave. Need some recommendations? Check out my food guide here: Foods to try and places to eat in Prague.

Exchanging Money

I got all of my Czech koruna from bank ATMs and got a decent exchange rate. If you need some straight off the plane, skip the one right after the arrivals (I hear they charge fees) and head right towards the bank ones. Or find a good exchange rate before you go. Don’t use the local exchange places or exchange money on the street.

Getting around Prague

Prague’s main sights and city centre are quite walkable. I stayed near Wenceslas Square and it took less than 15 minutes to get to the old town square. There are also trams that run frequently around the city, particularly useful if you can’t face the uphill hike to Prague Castle. More information on Prague’s trams and metro can be found here.

I’m sure this is by no means a complete list of all the must-know tips for visiting Prague. So I’d love to hear all about your Prague travel tips in the comments!