Do you want to visit Prague and spend as little as possible?
Then follow this Top 10 of free tours, museums and activities to do in Prague that we have created for you to enjoy without breaking the bank.
Table des matières
Prague’s Old Town Square
Old Town Square is bustling with activity and you’ll always find something to see.
In the summer, the cafes spill out into the street. In winter, the Christmas market attracts a crowd of tourists and locals. The square is lined with fantastic colorful houses that give the square a special atmosphere.
The cobblestone streets lined with stores extend in all directions from the square. The pink and white rococo stucco works of the baroque Kinský Palace glisten in the afternoon sun.
In 1948, Klement Gottwald proclaimed the communist regime from the balcony on the second floor of this building.
Today the palace is part of the National Gallery and exhibits Czech art from the 17th to the 20th century.
The most beautiful building on the square is undoubtedly the Church of Our Lady of the Týn with its two unique towers flanked by a forest of spires and a pinnacle.
But the most popular attraction in the area is the old town hall tower with its famous astronomical clock. Join the crowd as they wait for the show, which invariably takes place every hour.
Watch as the dead man rings the bell while a procession of apostles passes by two small windows.
The monument in the middle of the Old Town Square commemorates the reformer Jan Hus and remains one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau sculpture.
Charles Bridge
Decorated with beautiful statues and always busy, Charles Bridge is the most popular bridge for tourists staying in Prague.
Named after Charles IV, it replaced the old Judith Bridge, which was destroyed by floods in 1324.
The construction of the new bridge, not quite straight, was a real technical feat. It had to be wide enough for four cars to pass at the same time, but today it is only for pedestrians.
At first, only a crucifix adorned the bridge. Today, a long series of statues decorate the parapet.
The most popular is that of St. John Nepomuk. Legend has it that if you touch his feet, you will return to Prague.
Others claim that it will simply bring you good luck. Either way, don’t forget to touch his feet!
In order to protect the original statues from wind and rain, the originals were moved to the Lapidarium Museum and now replicas are installed in their place.
Mingle with passers-by on the bridge, listen to the Dixieland band and buy souvenirs from hawkers and peddlers. You simply cannot leave Prague without crossing the Charles Bridge.
The Astronomical Clock
The Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square is probably the most famous attraction in Prague.
Not only does the clock tell the time, but it also indicates the phases of the moon, the equinoxes, the seasons and the days.
You can also see the twelve signs of the zodiac in their celestial course. Join the crowd as you wait for the show that invariably takes place every hour.
An allegory of vanity contemplates her image in a hand mirror. A miser clutches a bag of gold. Death rings a bell and a Turk shakes his head. A shutter opens to reveal a window through which you can see a procession of apostles. They make their rounds and leave. The rooster crows. The hour is ringing.
Without a doubt the most popular attraction for tourists!
Visit the Prague Castle moat for free
If you want to avoid the crowds of tourists, take a walk in the castle moat, you will walk along a green path amidst the songs of birds where you can also admire sculptures.
You’ll feel like you’re far from the hustle and bustle of the city, but when you look up, you’ll see the spires of St. Vitus Cathedral, one of Prague’s most popular tourist spots.
The moat connects the castle to the Royal Gardens and the Summer Palace. One of the highlights of your visit to the moat will be the passage through a brick tunnel that runs right under the castle gates.
Just take streetcar 22 to get there. Just before the entrance gate to Prague Castle, turn right and follow the path down to the moat.
Free guided tour of Prague
Look for guides dressed in yellow. All the guides offering free walking tours wear canary yellow t-shirts and also carry prominent yellow umbrellas.
Tours start at 11am and 2pm, and no need to make reservations, just show up in the old town square in front of the astronomical clock.
You will visit the most beautiful sites in Prague. Your guide will also give you a crash course in Czech history.
The tour will take you through the cobblestone streets of the Old Town, over the Charles Bridge to Prague Castle.
The tours are free of charge, it’s up to you what you give the guide at the end of the tour, and of course you are under no obligation, you only pay if you are satisfied with your tour.
The John Lennon Wall
At the beginning, every night, political activists wrote slogans on this wall. Every day, the police would erase them.
After the murder of John Lennon in 1980, this section of the wall, which belonged to the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta (the Knights of Malta), became a political work of art overnight.
The wall was then a symbol of protest against the totalitarian regime in place at the time. Today, some locals, but mostly tourists, continue to embellish it with graffiti, but the political messages are more discreet.
The John Lennon Wall is located only a few steps from the Charles Bridge. Take the metro line A to Malostranská station or streetcar 12, 20 or 22 and get off at Malostranská.
St. Michael’s Church in Petřín
Take a breath of fresh air to escape the city and climb to the top of Petřín Hill.
Have fun in the “mirror maze” maze before climbing the steps to the very top of the miniature Eiffel Tower.
Try to count the hundreds of spires and towers that form the Prague skyline.
On your way back down, make a detour to the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Michael.
A charming wooden building built in Ukraine in the 17th century and donated to the city of Prague in the 1920s. It was later dismantled piece by piece to be rebuilt in the Kinsky Garden on Petřín Hill.
Inside, you will discover a beautiful white, green and red decoration. The exterior is very different, as it is made of dark wood. Its shingled domes and rather low roof give it a look that blends perfectly with the landscape.
More info at: https: //www.prague-stay.com/lifestyle/review/1608-st-michaels-church-in-the-kinsky-gardens
Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas Square is the busiest place in the Czech capital and the heart of the city.
Here you will find souvenir stores, bookstores and cafes. Tourists mingle with office workers and sausage sellers.
The place is not really a square, as it is actually a sloping avenue about 750 m long and 60 m wide with a pedestrian walkway.
The statue of St. Wenceslas is placed at the top of the perspective. Behind it you can see the huge national museum.
Climb to the top of its majestic steps to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view.
Wenceslas Square is a true course of architecture condensed in the open air. Neo-Renaissance, Art Nouveau, socialist realism and modern buildings built side by side.
The splendid Art Nouveau Hotel Evropa sparkles in the sun. Right across the street, the Wiehl House is decorated with colorful sgraffito.
The socialist realist style Hotel Jalta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and houses the Bata shoe store, an exquisite example of functionalist architecture.
The Royal Way
One of the best ways to discover and admire Prague is on foot.
You won’t need a guide to follow the Royal Way, but make sure you have a good pair of comfortable shoes to walk the cobblestone streets of the city.
The Royal Way is a three-kilometer walk that follows the path taken by the Bohemian Kings to St. Vitus Cathedral. The route begins in Obecni Dum on the Republic Square (Námestí Republiky) where the Royal Palace once stood.
On your way, you will pass many of Prague’s most famous landmarks such as the House of the Black Madonna, one of the most incredible examples of cubist architecture in Prague, the Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge.
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