Prague’s 7 Best Kept Secrets

Have you already seen the major sights in the Czech Republic’s capital city? If not, click here for my top 5 things to see in Prague!  Have you exhausted your list of things to do (or ahem, maybe you missed your flight and suddenly have an extra day…maybe that was just me)?

In any case, I created a super enjoyable list of things to do (after the main attractions) when I was rewarded with an extra day in the city. Read on for Prague’s best kept secrets…in some cases they’re not super secret, but they’re not on the first page of the guidebook. In my opinion, that qualifies them for this list.

This post may contain affiliate links.

1 | Prague’s Dancing House

Check out the Dancing House for a bar with the best views of the city. Located right on the Vltava River, you get sweeping views of Prague. I bought a lovely cup of tea to recover from the trauma of missing a flight, and just soaked in the panoramas. (Please excuse my neon gym top…I thought I would be back in the USA at this point, and was low on clothing options.)

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague

Also, did I mention how cool the building looks?!

Prague attractions #visitprague #czechrepublic

2 | Golden Lane

Located within the Prague Castle complex, Golden Lane was probably the highlight of my experience there. Comprised of 11 historic houses, each house is staged to show the life of the artisans that once lived and worked there, from the 15th century through the 1900s. I might be a bit of a nerd, but I absolutely loved being able to peer into ancient taverns, check out the fashionable armor of the times, and read about the life of a medieval healer. The other high point for me here was how tiny the houses were…I felt like a jolly old giant wandering down the tiny lane.

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague

3 | Eat Goulash

This isn’t so much an attraction as what I decided to do for lunch. One of my favorite things about traveling is sampling foods from different cultures…and in Prague, that food has to be goulash. When I’m scouring a city for authentic local food, I always look for a hole in the wall restaurant with menus in the local language.

Prague attractions #visitprague #czechrepublic

In my wanderings, I stumbled upon a dark little pub with a few old Czech men smoking inside. I checked the menus…and nope, no English. I was set. I promptly ordered goulash, and before long, the waiter came back with a bowl of it and an entire loaf of bread (for just me)! I’m not sure if that’s how goulash works, if they thought I looked especially hungry, or if they just assume all Americans eat a lot, but I was a happy camper. Definitely recommend if you’re open to trying new foods and are OK with eating things on non-English menus (aka you’re never quite sure what you order). If you prefer a guide, try out a Prague food and culture tour…such amazing food and stories about the city!

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague

4 | Mala Strana

From Old Town, cross the Charles Bridge and you’ll find yourself in Mala Strana (The Lesser Quarter). After several hours of exploring, I still couldn’t figure out why it was “lesser” than any other quarter, so if anyone could tell me, that would be awesome. I actually thought it was greater than a lot of other quarters since 1) There were fewer crowds. 2) The embassies were here, and it was cool to check out their architecture, and of, course find the embassy of the good old US of A. 3) I got some gelato, so what’s not to like? This area is definitely one of Prague’s best kept secrets.

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague

5 | Love Locks

So this isn’t really an attraction, but I adored these, so here you go. Love locks are padlocks that sweethearts lock to a bridge/ gate to symbolize their love. That’s nice and all, but as a solo traveler, I wasn’t going to get all mushy about it. I love the artsy look of the locks, and taking pictures of all of the various bridges with brightly colored locks is a surprising amount of fun (and makes for great photos!) I’d recommend renting an e-bike if you’re tired of walking–it’s an easy way to get around the city! Another fun option is to take a bike tour around the city; the guide will show you the highlights and introduce you to the magical city of Prague.

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague; Prague love locks

6 | Vltava River

Oh my gosh, I could not get enough of this spot. In the summer evenings, the area lining the Vltava River hosts live bands, very many beer stands, and amazing people watching. Beer is basically cheaper than water in Prague, so do yourself a favor and sample as many kinds as you can! Try out a live jazz dinner cruise or a lunch cruise along the Vltava for the full experience!

Prague's best kept secrets; top things to do in Prague; Prague activities; attractions in Prague

Prague is a truly picturesque city!

Prague attractions #visitprague #czechrepublic

7 | Pub Crawl

Finish off your night with a pub crawl. There were loads of organized options for the lazy partier.  For the last minute drinkers, it can be just as fun to create your own with your new BFFs from the hostel. Prague has some crazy nightlife, so you kind of have to experience it…otherwise you’re doing a disservice to yourself, right? At least that’s how I justified it. For a DIY version, check out this guide to the ultimate Prague pub crawl!

Bottom line: Prague is amazing, and there are examples of this throughout the whole city. If you’re looking for a place where you’ll fill up your camera’s memory card with photos and you’ll fondly look back on as the craziest city in Europe, then add Prague to your bucket list. It is so unbelievably worth the trip!

Prague attractions #visitprague #czechrepublic

Logistics

Flights to Prague, Czech Republic: I’d recommend searching through eDreams.net. They scan tons of different travel discount sites and feature special flight deals. Fly into Prague, and grab the bus or an Uber to downtown!

Where to Stay in Prague:  I personally opted to stay at Hostel Downtown since I was traveling solo. It had a fantastic location, plus a great social atmosphere. If you’re traveling with friends, I always recommend checking out your options at a local rental…it’s awesome to have the flexibility of your own apartment or house. If you’d prefer a hotel, I’d recommend the Art Deco Imperial Hotel. Not only is it a fantastic location, but the hotel is an awesome spot for travelers interested in historyarchitecture and culture.

What to do after Prague: I have SOOO many suggestions, but I’ll just name a few easy ones here. Hop on a night train, and head to Austria for a few days: check out my guide to Austria here! From Austria, make sure you take a day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia…definitely worth the train ride!

Have you been to Prague before? What were some of your favorite things to do there?

Pin for Later!

48 Comments

  1. I love Prague! I went there just last year and could have stayed there wayyyy longer. Now I’ve seen all the hidden bits I missed, I have the perfect excuse to go back!

  2. Thanks for sharing your experience! I always prefer to go off the beaten track. Airfares are so insanely cheap this year I may have to pop over to Prague!

    1. They really are! Plus, there are supposed to be some additional European – USA budget airline routes starting up over the next few months. Not sure where you are, but I’m super excited for that!

  3. I think I will have to visit Prague now 🙂 your tips are VERY helpful! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 especially the pub crawl sounds. ..so good!

  4. Prague is one of my bucket list item. Was delighted to read about offbeat things to do in Prague. Looks like you had a wonderful time 🙂

  5. You gotta love places where beer is cheaper than water 😉 I’ve been seeing so many awesome posts about Prague that I think it’s time to plan a trip! Will definitely save this for later!

  6. Nice post! If you like the Goulash and haven’t been in Hungary then you definitely have to go there and try the soup there, where it is originally from.

  7. Love to read about Prague, where I spent 12 years of my life 🙂 And you mentioned all my favorite places – including pub crawling (loved my college years :D)

  8. I was in Prague in July and I loved it! I agree, getting a view of the Vltava River is a must! The others I didn’t do, but wish I had, especially the Golden Lane. Next time! =P

  9. Prague is a wonderful city! The Dancing House is awesome. The restaurant at the top – Ginger & Fred – is also delicious – and while pricey for Prague, totally reasonable for a fancy restaurant. And if you eat there you can go to the bar at the top for free 🙂

  10. Now you have me really curious – are you saying that people are/might be overlooking Malá Strana because of its name in English? That would really be a mistake…
    The story of the origin of the name goes like this: Once upon a time (in 1257) a king founded a brand new town and named it the “New Town”. Then, not even a hundred years later another king decided to found a new town next to it (but of course bigger, better, more modern, etc.). And he named it… the “New Town”. So the old “New Town” needed to change the name. And because there already was one “Old Town” in the vicinity, the new name of the not so “New Town” was changed to “Lesser Town” or, as you know it the “Lesser Quarter” (meaning “a bit older not so fashionable smaller town”). Nowadays the keyword “Malá” translated into English as “Lesser” means plainly “Small”.

    I consider the Golden Lane to be a tourists trap (I admit it has its charm, but I would rather go to Vyšehrad).

    I appreciate you listed the Dancing House (for many Praguers the building was too modern, but eventually we came to love it:). Another master peace of (once) daring architecture is Plečnik’s The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord which is nothing like the baroque churches you see everywhere in Prague.

    Goulash indeed is from Hungary, but we adopted it and love it as our own. Some eat it with a huge slice of bread (we love our bread, too), you can get goulash with dumplings, my husband prefers his goulash with potatoes and I’ve heard about people who eat goulash with rice (must be rumors).

    Beer is cheaper than BOTTLED water. Bottled water is about as good as the water running in pipes in your hotel room… So I have to agree, if you want to buy yourself a drink, choose beer.

    1. Wow you have a ton of great info!
      And yes, I’m serious about the “Lesser Quarter!” In English, it just doesn’t have that same ring as old town!

      I will definitely have to check out that church you mentioned next time I’m in Prague, sounds like it’s worth a visit!

      And I guess I’ll have to keep choosing beer lol

  11. I lived in Prague and honestly can’t wait to go back. This list is so true, especially Golden Lane. I feel many miss this fabulous part of the city.

  12. Another tips for your visit
    * Letna metronome – huge and most of time functional (sometimes off because of wind) – after the communist era it replaced Huge Stalin’s statue that was looking after Prague. So now the metronome gives the beat to Prague. I recommend watch there sunrise or sunset. But there’s often a lot of people for drinking so you don’t really want to be there alone in the night. And if you are facing the beautiful view to the city go to the right park (don’t go down but stay on the hill) and really close there is that one spot where you can see all the bridges of Prague where the stunning photos are taken.
    *Karlin – if you haven’t been there shame on you! Karlin square is one of the best place with the best pub and best coffee shops! There is beautiful church and park where lot of people chills. And it’s not that crowded there (huge mistake). If you continue walking from the centre you will get to lovely parks and buildings near the water. It’s really peacefull there.
    Or you can go from Karlin to the Vitkov hill – that one with the statue of Jan Zizka on the horse and you will get to reaally long tunnel that leads through the hill (it’s for pedastrians and cyclists)

    Tips for czech republic
    *****Hluboka nad Vltavou!!!!!!!!!!! The most beautiful castle!
    * Lednice castle – another one
    * Cesky Krumlov – lovely city

Leave a Reply to Maps and Merlot Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.