Prague was the start of our summer trip to the Czech Republic. We arrived here on 18 July 2025, five of us: Artur, Michał, Krzysiek, Oliwia and me. In two days we saw practically all the city’s main sights – the Old Town with the Orloj clock, Charles Bridge, Hradčany with St Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane, Petřín and Letná hills, the National Museum – and on top of that we tried something completely new: a soak in a beer spa.
It was my third visit to the Czech capital – somehow it works out that I drop by once every 10 years. After Prague we spent four days in the mountains, in Bohemian Switzerland.
Table of contents
- The Old Town and the Orloj clock
- Charles Bridge and the Vltava
- Hradčany – the castle, St Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane
- Petřín and Letná – Prague from above
- The National Museum on Wenceslas Square
- The Film Legends museum
- A beer spa – bathing in malt and hops
- Smažený sýr and dumplings
- Practical information
The Old Town and the Orloj clock
We began our sightseeing with a walk through the narrow streets of the Old Town. Colourful townhouses, restaurant terraces and crowds of tourists – in midsummer it is hard to find a quiet moment here, but the atmosphere of the place does its job.
The heart of this part of the city is the Old Town Square. The two towers of the Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn rise above the townhouses, and on the other side of the square stands the town hall tower.
On the town hall tower is the famous astronomical clock, the Orloj, dating from the 15th century – a must on any walk around the Old Town.
Charles Bridge and the Vltava
From the Old Town to the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) we walked across Charles Bridge – a Gothic bridge from the 14th century, decorated with Baroque statues. It offers a beautiful view of the Vltava and the city skyline. At both ends of the bridge stand Gothic bridge towers.
During the day the bridge is really crowded – you need a lot of patience to get from one tower to the other.
In the evening we went down to the Vltava itself. In the setting sun, Charles Bridge, the National Theatre and the Legion Bridge looked completely different than in the midday heat.
Hradčany – the castle, St Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane
From the Lesser Town we climbed up to Hradčany – the hill with the Prague Castle complex. The cathedral towers are visible already from Lesser Town Square, and the higher you go, the nicer the views over the city’s red roofs.
You enter the castle through a gate watched over by guards, topped by statues of fighting giants.
The most impressive sight is the monumental St Vitus Cathedral. Standing below its facade, you have to tilt your head right back to see the towers.
There is plenty more to see within the castle grounds, including St George’s Basilica with its red facade and the white Chapel of the Holy Cross in one of the courtyards.
We also went to Golden Lane – a charming alley of colourful little houses once inhabited by goldsmiths. Franz Kafka lived in one of them for a while.
In front of the castle gate stretches Hradčany Square, with a statue of Masaryk and a view of the city. Among the buildings on the square is the Schwarzenberg Palace, its facade covered in sgraffito.
Petřín and Letná – Prague from above
On the second day we walked over the two hills with the best views of Prague. On Letná stands a giant metronome, placed where a monument to Stalin once stood. Today it is a popular viewpoint and meeting place.
From Letná you can see the bridges over the Vltava, one after another.
On Petřín hill there is an observation tower that looks like a miniature Eiffel Tower. From the slopes of Petřín there is a view of a sea of red roofs, the dome of St Nicholas Church in the Lesser Town and the Old Town on the other side of the river.
On Petřín we also took a group photo of all five of us.
The National Museum on Wenceslas Square
We started the second day at the impressive National Museum, whose building closes off the upper end of Wenceslas Square.
The interior alone is impressive – a grand staircase, colonnaded galleries and a glass dome with paintings.
We admired the archaeological collections, minerals, stuffed animals and reconstructions of prehistoric mammals. The mineral collection fills entire display cases, and some specimens shimmer in every colour of the rainbow.
The Film Legends museum
We also visited the Film Legends museum, which took us into the world of cinema and famous film characters.
The exhibition features figures and busts of characters from well-known films – from Harry Potter, Voldemort and Dobby, through Gollum and Gandalf, to Marvel and DC superheroes.
A beer spa – bathing in malt and hops
A unique experience was the beer spa (Original Beer Spa). We bathed in wooden tubs filled with a hot mixture of malt, hops and yeast – the ingredients used to brew beer.
For an hour we could pour as much light and dark Krušovice beer as we liked straight from the barrel, from a tap next to the tub. It cost just under €70 per person. The relaxation and atmosphere were truly unforgettable – it was something completely new for us, and we definitely recommend it.
In the same room, next to the tubs, there is also a wide bed lined with hay.
Smažený sýr and dumplings
We also tried the local specialities. Smažený sýr is breaded and fried cheese, usually served with chips or bread – simple, filling and very popular in the Czech Republic.
There were also knedlíky – traditional Czech dumplings, steamed or boiled, made from flour, potatoes or bread rolls. They are fluffy and go perfectly with meat in sauce, such as goulash or roast. And of course Czech beer to go with it – of various brands.
After Prague Michał went home, and the rest of us went to Bohemian Switzerland for four days.
Practical information
- How much time – two full days are enough to see practically all the city’s main sights.
- A two-day plan – day one: the beer spa in the morning, Film Legends, the Old Town, Charles Bridge, the Lesser Town and Hradčany towards evening, and to finish the day a walk along the Vltava. Day two: the National Museum, the Charles Bridge area again, Letná and Petřín.
- Beer spa – an hour in the tub with unlimited Krušovice beer cost just under €70 per person (as of July 2025).
- Weather – at times almost too good: one day it was 31°C in full sun.
- Crowds – on Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and Golden Lane you have to expect crowds in summer.
Photo gallery
