Svíčková na smetaně
Braised beef sirloin under a creamy root-vegetable sauce, served with sliced bread dumplings, cranberries and a dollop of whipped cream. It is the Czech family Sunday lunch par excellence.
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Free walking tours in Prague
Kings, alchemists and revolutions in the city of a hundred spires.
- 3 themed routes
- 17 stops
- Audio guide
Prague was an imperial capital under Charles IV, a haven for astronomers and alchemists under Rudolf II, and the stage for the great upheavals of the 20th century, from 1918 to 1989. Its historic centre, which came through the wars almost untouched, keeps Gothic bridges, Baroque churches and legends like that of the Golem. Three free routes to explore it on foot, at your own pace.
Choose your free tour
One city, three walks.
All routes are free and can be combined. If it’s your first visit, start with the essentials.
History
Prague in Six Dates That Shook Europe
From Charles IV's Gothic bridge to the square of the Velvet Revolution: six centuries of Czech history on foot.
Mysteries & legends
Golems, Alchemists and a Hanging Arm
From the Jewish Quarter to Charles Bridge: Prague's most unsettling legends, told without passing them off as history.
Essentials
From Castle to River: The Prague You Can't Miss
A downhill walk from the world's largest castle complex to Charles Bridge, via the cathedral, Kafka's lane and Malá Strana.
The map
The whole city on foot.
The routes cross in the old town. Tap a point to see which story awaits you there.
History
Mysteries & legends
Essentials
Filled points already have a published article; the rest are in the works.
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A day in the city
What to see in Prague in one day
Link the three routes and you will see the best of the city on foot, for free: the essentials in the morning, history in the afternoon and legends as the sun goes down.
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Morning
From Castle to River: The Prague You Can't Miss
- Hradčany Square and the Castle GatesThe great forecourt of the Bohemian kings' castle, watched over by stone giants and guards in blue uniforms.
- St Vitus CathedralAlmost six centuries in the making: the cathedral where kings were crowned and the crown jewels are kept.
- Golden LaneDoll's-house cottages built into the castle wall, once home to guards, craftsmen, a fortune-teller and Franz Kafka.
- Malá Strana Square and St NicholasPrague's most spectacular Baroque church, where Mozart played and from whose belfry the secret police spied.
- Charles BridgeHalf a kilometre of Gothic stone, thirty Baroque saints and the finest view of the castle over the Vltava.
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Afternoon
Prague in Six Dates That Shook Europe
- Old Town Bridge TowerThe Gothic gateway Charles IV raised as a triumphal arch, where the heads of executed rebels hung for ten years.
- The ClementinumThe Jesuits' fortress of learning, launchpad of Bohemia's re-Catholicisation, where the weather has been recorded since 1775.
- Old Town SquareThe stage where Prague has executed, celebrated and proclaimed for eight centuries; twenty-seven crosses in the ground remember it.
- Estates TheatreThe only surviving theatre where Mozart conducted the premiere of one of his operas: Don Giovanni, in 1787.
- Municipal House and Powder TowerA Gothic tower that once stored gunpowder and, next door, the Art Nouveau palace where Czechoslovak independence was proclaimed.
- Wenceslas SquareA former horse market that became the great stage of 20th-century Czech history, from 1918 to 1989.
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Early evening
Golems, Alchemists and a Hanging Arm
- Old Jewish CemeterySome twelve thousand gravestones crammed over layers of earth, and the tomb of the rabbi tradition credits with the Golem.
- Old-New SynagogueSeven centuries of prayer under one roof and, according to legend, a clay giant asleep in the attic.
- Basilica of St JamesA Baroque church where, beside the door, a mummified human arm has hung for centuries.
- Church of Our Lady before TýnTwo fairy-tale black spires, a chalice that vanished by night and the tomb of the astronomer whose death set tongues wagging for four centuries.
- Astronomical ClockMore than six hundred years of telling time, and a cruel legend about the clockmaker who was blinded.
- St John of Nepomuk on Charles BridgeThe oldest statue on the bridge, the saint thrown into the Vltava and a relief polished bright by countless hands.
Where to eat. Try Svíčková na smetaně at U Pinkasů.
What to eat
Flavours of Prague
The dishes you can’t leave without trying, and the classic spots that have been serving them for years.
Goulash with dumplings
The Czech take on goulash: beef in a thick paprika and onion sauce, made for mopping up with knedlíky. It almost always comes with a beer on the side.
Where to try it
Vepřo knedlo zelo
Roast pork, dumplings and sweet-and-sour sauerkraut: the trio Czechs regard as their national dish. The name is an affectionate shorthand for its three ingredients.
Where to try it
Smažený sýr
A thick slice of breaded, fried cheese, crisp outside and molten inside, served with potatoes and tartar sauce. It has been the comfort food of Czech beer halls for generations.
Where to try it
Utopenci and draught beer
The «drowned men»: plump sausages pickled in vinegar with onion and peppers, the classic pub snack. Pair them with a well-poured Pilsner and its creamy head.
Where to try it