Things to Do in Prague

Prague's centre survived the twentieth century intact, which is why it looks the way you hope a European city will. The essentials line up along one walkable axis: the Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock, across Charles Bridge, up through Malá Strana to Prague Castle. That walk — done slowly, with detours — is the core of any first visit and costs nothing but the castle interiors.

The crowd problem is real but extremely local: the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and the castle courtyards are packed from mid-morning through evening in season. The fix is timing, not avoidance — the bridge at 7:00 is transformed, and the castle at opening beats midday by an hour of queueing. Meanwhile Vyšehrad, the "other castle" upriver, offers the same river views with a fraction of the visitors at any hour.

Josefov, the former Jewish quarter, deserves unhurried time — the Old Jewish Cemetery and the synagogues of the Jewish Museum are the most moving sight in the city. When to visit Prague: April–May and September–October are ideal. Summer is busy; December brings the Christmas markets and real cold. Note the currency is the Czech koruna, not the euro — and the tourist-centre exchange booths are a known rip-off, so use bank ATMs.