Prague — 5 great things to do on a budget
Get some nice views in the beautiful and popular European metropole
Currently, in the middle of the corona pandemic crisis, it might not be the right time to travel unfortunately. Last year I was on a little eurotrip and one of the places I visited was Prague in the Czech Republic. If you’re sitting at home watching Triple X and dreaming about where to go next after all this is over then here are some budget tips on what to do in one of the most beautiful cities in central Europe.
Walk around in the old town
With documented settlements dating back over a thousand years and current buldings such as the Old Town Hall with the foundation being built in the 14th century, Prague’s old town called Staré Město in the Czech language will leave you with a magical feeling.
This is a must and quite frankly difficult to avoid since the medieval Staré Město is smack in the middle of the city center. Go see the astronomical clock which was installed in 1410, the old town square, the stands in the narrow streets and the Charles bridge. If you look around closely you might find some cosy hidden restaurants such as the Charles Bridge Restaurant which is basically a floating barge, sitting on the water by the base of the bridge on the Old town side. Pro tip: You might also wanna try the local Czech cuisine at some smaller place around the corner on a side street away from the tourist rush. That’s generally how I’ve stumbled on some of the best food on my trips. The Czech cuisine resembles other central and east European dishes such as goulash, various soups and pancakes, bread dumplings, schnitzel and baked meat. For a drink you should try any Czech beer. It really doesn’t matter which one you choose, they all taste magnificient and much better than at home.
Prague is literally a city of bridges, it has over 300 hundred of them, so there are many more to see than just the Charles bridge. Each with their own history to tell. Some other famous ones are the Legion bridge, the Mánes Bridge and the Palacký Bridge.
Visit the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Castle complex
This huge breathtaking gothic style cathedral is the largest church in the Czech republic. The main tower is over 100 metres high (328+ feet) and the cathedral itself is situated on top of a large hill which is housing the Prague Castle complex. From the hill you are able to see most of Prague’s center and the nature around it. One of the slopes even has a vineyard.
The castle is very big and was originally built in the 9th century and went on being improved up until the mid 19th century. Because of all the different eras in which it was constructed it consists of different architectural styles. Inside the complex are several museums in which you can learn all about the history of the Czech republic and also the famous so called Golden Lane. There are also several art galleries, small cafe’s and shops, although it might be bit of a tourist trap. Be wary of the prices and unnecessary touristic small stuff.
Go up the Petřín Hill
A large hill is situated just off the center on the other side of the Vltava river above the Malá Strana district. The top is higher than the castle hill and rises 130 metres above the river. From there you can get some amazing views over Prague. The Petřín Hill is a popular rectreational area and almost the entire hill is covered in parks. The so called Hunger Wall was built in the 14th century on the hill and is still there to be visited.
There is also a tall Eiffel styled lookout tower which you can visit for a fee. Although for sure a nice view I would however say that it’s not worth its price, and if you walk past by over to the Strahov Stadium (one of the largest stadiums ever built) there is a nice view point there by the tunnel ventilation tower. Although still in use, the stadium is a remnant of the old communist era. The tunnel towers has an interesting modernism style and were built and designed in the 80’s and 90’s by an architect called Jiří Trnka.
To get to the top of the hill you can either walk, take the bus or tram or the funicular rail. If you’re walking from the city center there is a restaurant on the way up called Petřínské terasy. It’s situated straight up to the west of the Kampa riverside. Grab a bite with Czech styled food and enjoy the view over the city and the castle if you’re hungry or just step by for a drink.
While not a super fancy place, they do offer weddings and it has a large outdoor terrace. Inside you can enjoy the lumberjack styled pub and restaurant. They also have a large open fireplace that you can watch while you’re sitting and relaxing reading Frommer’s.
Check out the Vítkov hill Monument
There’s another hill in the Žižkov district on the opposite side of the city center which is called Vítkov. On top of it is a memorial monument that features a large granite stone plaza and a large grey bulding. A huge bronze statue is standing on a pedestal in front of the building resembling Jan Žižka, who in 1420 in the Battle of Vítkov Hill defeated enemy forces.
The memorial monument was mainly built in the 1930’s but had to be paused when the WWII started and the Germans occupied the land. It was later finished and was for a while used to promote communism. In 2000–2009 a renovation work was made by the National Museum and was reopened for the public to enjoy. From this place you will have one of the best views over Prague. It’s especially extraordinary in the sunset and many people are coming there to watch it.
Bonus tip: Around the Seifertova street nearby are several cocktail bars for having a little preparty or a drink on the way into the Old Town districts. You should maybe not stay too late as it might get noisy in this area and filled with drunk people.
Also nearby, on the other side of the railroad is a beautiful church called the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and just past it is a small asian place called Ngô where they serve fantastic food. This is a convenient area to stay in and with walking distance from the Old Town so look for hotels here. I stayed at Hotel Alwyn which is a pretty good hotel.
Have a drink at a roof bar
Roof bars are getting more and more popular and Prague has them as well. There is for example a nice one on top of the Hotel U Prince, nearby the Old Town Hall, with 360° views over the city. There is a restaurant so you can enjoy a bite and they make their own signature cocktails. It’s possible to stumble upon higher priced places but this one is still fairly reasonably priced. Just enter the hotel at street level and look for a glassed elevator, it will take you up to the roof restaurant and terrace. Other roof bars worth a visit are Cloud 9 in the large Hilton hotel, CODA restaurant in the Malá Strana district, Duplex in the center and T-anker in the old town.
Generally you will find value for your money in Prague and in the Czech republic. They have their own currency, Czech crowns, but might accept euros in some places. In smaller restaurants they might be slightly reluctant to taking cards for some reason so be sure to bring some cash as well. Situated in central Europe you can get there by car from Germany and Poland, or Austria from the south. There is an international airport for which most European airlines operate to and from the US you can go with Delta or American Airlines.
About the author: Marcus Segerros is a freelance Writer, Content Creator, Designer, Engineer and Business owner with a double BS and University Diploma Degree in Design and technology. Travelling as often as he can, he has visited a numerous number of countries and places and shares travelling tips in his articles.
