The Journal
Practical guides to getting around, tickets, food and itineraries.
Photo: Sandwort / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Away from the Crowds: Quieter Places and What to Eat
Four quieter places near the centre, from a baroque garden to a monastery library, and the Czech dishes worth ordering.
Photo: ŠJů / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Autumn in Prague: Burčák, Vinobraní, and Fewer Tourists
September brings young wine, harvest festivals, and the best light of the year — with a fraction of summer's crowds.
Photo: Erik Albers / Wikimedia Commons / CC0Getting Around Prague: Trams, Metro and Walking
Prague's public transport is dense, cheap, and genuinely easy to use once you understand one thing: tickets are time-validated, not per-ride.
Photo: ekeidar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Prague in Summer: Beer Gardens, River Days, and Beating the Crowds
Long evenings, riverside beer gardens, and the biggest crowds of the year at the sights everyone already knows about.
Photo: Vlasenko / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0The Best Day Trips from Prague: Kutná Hora, Karlštejn, and Beyond
Two of Central Europe's most striking sights are both under an hour from Prague by train — no tour bus required.
Photo: Ymblanter / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A Local's Guide to Prague's Café Culture
Between marble-and-mirror grand cafés and third-wave espresso bars, Prague's coffee scene has two very different personalities — and both are worth your time.
Photo: Another Believer / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Prague in Spring: Blossoms, Fewer Crowds, and Unpredictable Weather
Petřín's ancient orchard blooms, the summer tour groups haven't arrived yet, and you'll want a jacket and sunglasses in the same afternoon.
Photo: Petar Milošević / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A First-Timer's 3-Day Prague Itinerary
Three days is enough to see Prague properly without sprinting between sights. Here's a pace that actually works.
Photo: Janmad / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0Prague Castle: Tickets, Timing and Queues
The castle grounds are free — the interiors aren't, and the ticket system trips up almost every first-time visitor.