First Day: Old Town, Jewish Quarter, Charles Bridge

Old Town Square

The heart of Prague's historical center is the Old Town Square. It has been beautifully restored and it is a good place to start your Prague visit. You will find the Gothic spires of the Týn Church towering over the square and the statue of reformer Jan Hus, and theAstronomical Clock on the Old Town Hall on the opposite side of it. Personally, we don't think that the hourly display of the 12 apostles on the Astronomical Clock is worth a wait longer than five minutes, but some may disagree.

You will not regret a climb to the top of the Old Town Hall tower. The view of the square and beyond is spectacular.

 You can buy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage that starts and ends on Old Town Square. The carriages are lined up near the white St. Nicholas Church and a 20-minute ride costs around 800 - 1,000 CZK per carriage (seats four people).

Around Old Town Square

Wander the streets leading off the square - the grand Pařížská, the charming Týnská that leads to Ungelt, the ever-busy Melantrichova that will take you to Wenceslas Square... Walk down Celetná to the Powder Tower, one of the historical entrances to the Old Town. Connected to the tower is the exquisite Municipal House, Prague's Art Nouveau gem.

Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) is not far from Old Town Square and it would make sense to visit it in connection with your tour of the Old Town. The Jewish Museum administers the following sites: the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Klaus Synagogue, and the Ceremonial Hall. The Old-New Synagogue is the oldest working synagogue in Central Europe.


Charles Bridge

Walk across the Charles Bridge on your first day because you may want to do it again. We recommend strolling across it at night to enjoy the magnificent view of the Prague Castle all lit up. Also, at night the crowds will be smaller. Keep in mind that during the day you can climb the towers on both sides of the bridge. We especially recommend the one on the Old Town side for wonderful views of the bridge and the spires of the Old Town. Read more on our Charles Bridge page.