The parts of Prague you go and look at — and, more usefully, what each one costs, what is free, and when it is worth being there. We have not visited these places; everything here is checked against the institution’s own published information and dated.
Start with what is free
Prague is generous with its outsides. Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the streets of Malá Strana and the climb up to the castle gates cost nothing. What you pay for is going inside, and going up.
The castle is not one ticket
Prague Castle is a complex, not a building, and it sells several circuits covering different combinations of the cathedral, the old palace, the basilica and Golden Lane. The grounds can be walked without any ticket at all. Working out which circuit you actually want before you reach the counter is worth more than any queue-skipping product.
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The museums are the wet-afternoon answer
Prague’s museums are cheaper than western European equivalents and much less crowded than its bridges. The National Museum anchors Wenceslas Square; the National Gallery is spread across several buildings, which catches people out. What each collection holds.
The clock, plainly
The astronomical clock is sold as the oldest working clock in the world. Its oldest component was first recorded on 9 October 1410, which is remarkable — but the calendar dial is nineteenth-century, the apostles were added in the 1860s, and it was rebuilt after fire damage in 1945. Worth seeing; not untouched.
Where to go next
- Landmarks & Sights — what costs, what is free
- Museums & Galleries
- Neighbourhoods — which side of the river
- Day Trips — Kutná Hora, Karlštejn
Prices and opening arrangements as published for 2026, checked 4 September 2026.