alternative things to do in prague
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The darling of the central European tourist scene and the cherry on top of many a bucket-list checking, dream fulfilling trip to the continent, it’s easy to say that in the past decade or so Prague has gone from being a bargain hunter’s sort-of-secret spot to a destination known the world over for its beauty and its beer. yet, despite the barrage of visitors, there are still many lesser-known, alternative things to do in Prague.

A panoramic view of Prague (image courtesy of D.Goykolov/Unsplash)

Alternative places to visit in Prague

On any given day, a trip to the Old Town or hanging around Wenceslas Square will see you shoulder to shoulder with tourists from all corners of the globe anxious to get their snapshot in this postcard perfect city, or trying to drown out the decibels coming from the British stag-dos stumbling down the streets more than a little merry on the local brew.

Charles Bridge and Prague Castle by night (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).

This has led a lot of people to believe that Prague is nothing more than a tourist trap with little to offer the intrepid explorer. True, nowhere in Prague is truly the path un-trodden, but there are alternative places to visit in Prague where you can escape the hoards and feel like you’re in a living, breathing city and not just a parking lot for tour buses.

Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord

Try saying that name three times quickly without getting tongue ache. If your eyes have grown tired of the fairytale architecture of the Old Town, then hop on the metro and get off at Jiriho z Podebrad. Walking straight out of the exit, you’ll come across this church with the oh-so-long name. The church was built in 1932 by a Slovenian architect, and seems to be something of a love-it or hate-it addition to Prague’s architectural canon. Whatever your feelings, it’s a building that will stop you in your tracks after all the eye soothing buildings of the old town.

Church of the Sacred Heart (image courtesy of Michael Caroe Andersen)

Letna Park

Popular with locals and expats alike, Letna Park is a place rarely visited by tourists, yet only a short way away from Charles Bridge. Take the bridge to the right of Charles Bridge and you’ll end up a world away from the street hawkers and wind up in a quiet area with a road that winds up and up and up. The road takes you to Letna Park, which is a popular place for people to walk their dogs and, when summer hits, to hang out at the beer gardens. The park also offers spectacular views over Prague.

View from Letna Prague (image courtesy of Michael Caroe Andersen)

Beer Monastery

Yes, you did read that correctly. If you’re going to be in the area around the castle, make a beeline for the Strahov Monastic Brewery. The monastery brews it’s own beer, St Norberts, and serves up hearty grub to the folk who make it over there. Despite its location in the heart of the castle district, the monastery has a very relaxed atmosphere and is the perfect place to recharge with a glass of beer before setting off to explore the rest of the area.

Svickova

Czech food doesn’t quite carry the same cache as, say, Italian or French food, but that’s not to say that it’s without its charms. Sometimes the charming aspect can arise from rather peculiar combinations of food, a category which svickova definitely falls into. A dish made of beef that has been marinated in a cream of decomposed vegetables, the meal is served up with dumplings and then has a generous dollop of whipped cream and cranberry sauce plopped on top.

Svickova (image courtes of swobodin)

Far more appetising than it sounds, the best place to Czech out (sorry, I couldn’t resist) svickova is in Therapy, a trendy but not pretentious restaurant where the waitresses are all former drug addicts (hence the name), with dim lighting and dark wooded furniture.

Terezin

OK, so this one is maybe cheating a bit, as Terezin is actually an hour’s day trip away from Prague on the bus. However, for anyone who has a few days in the city, Terezin is unmissable. Better known by its old name of Theresienstadt, Terezin is a small town that was home to a Nazi concentration camp in World War Two. A visit here is a truly humbling yet eerie and uncomfortable. Walking among ghosts, the message that we should never forget what took place at this dark point in human history rings loud and clear. Terezin receives around 250,000 visitors annually, with October to March being the quietest months for anyone who wants to experience the place in relative silence.

Beer Museum

More beer? Well, it’s what Prague does best along with that fairytale feeling. The Beer Museum isn’t a museum but more accurately a bar with 30 weird and wonderful beers on tap. Sure you’re bound to run into a few tourists here, but you’ll forget it once you sample the offerings from the somewhat surly bartenders. Thick and rich chocolate beer, bubbly and fresh cherry beer, beer with herbs and a hint of banana, and a local brew made from blueberries – you could spend quite a long time trying one of everything, although your liver may not thank you the next morning.

Hermelin

Another Czech culinary delight is hermelin, a kind of cheese that originates from the central Bohemia area of the Czech Republic and is best served pickled. Head to the Vinohrady part of the city for a more authentic – and cheaper – experience and pick any pub that you come across. A bar snack extraordinaire, hermelin is the perfect accompaniment to a cool pint of Pilsners (that’s the last beer reference, I promise you).

 

Prague Metronome

Even more divisive than the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord, for another healthy dose of quirky architecture Prague-style, make sure you check out the Metronome. Overlooking the Vltava and constructed in 1991, the Metronome is an oddity on the Prague skyline, and the hangout of local skater boys and graffiti artists. If you like your city with a bit of grit, pay it a visit. The Metronome offers killer photo opportunities of the city.

Old Town Square

I’m sorry, but I couldn’t resist. Yes, it’s full of tourists and yes you’ve seen it in photos a thousand times, but nothing beats actually going to the square at the heart of Prague’s Old Town. Ignore the fact that the first thing you’re likely to see as you approach is Starbucks. Old Town Square’s beauty will knock your socks off and the streets leading off it will lead you on numerous different adventures, from exploring a Jewish cemetery to ending up on a chic boulevard with clusters of Italian designers. Visiting Prague and skipping the Old Town Square is like visiting Paris and not going to the Eiffel Tower or leaving out the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. You’ll be glad you went, and you’ll be spared the questions when your family start nagging you about why you didn’t go.

Old Town Square, Prague (image courtesy of Tom Stockwell)

Read more about ways to explore Prague.



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About the guest writer
Tom Stockwell is the voice, brain and fingers behind Waegook-Tom.com, a travel and expat lifestyle blog. Living in South Korea, Tom is in the midst of planning his round the world adventures which kick off in spring 2013. In the meantime, he’s eating as much Korean barbecue as he can and treading the fine line between his love of terribly singing karaoke and wanting to actually keep his friends.

15 Responses

  • Hey, great article! I reposted it with my comments – agree with most of what you cited and of course have my own opinions living in beautiful Praha for 4 years. Please check out my blog as well – inanewcountry.com. I look forward to reading more of yours.

  • Excellent suggestions! I have written about off-the-beaten-path things to do in Prague but did not choose the same ones as Tom. Central Prague is so crowded, so I’m sure this list will help some travelers have a better experience there.

  • Thanks for the suggestions, Tom. Heading to Prague soon with Runaway Juno and will definitely heed your advice to get off the beaten path.

  • I love Prague and this post brought back many fond memories from my time there. Thank you, its inspired me to go back again:)

  • Tom! you rock!! Leah & I start our Euro invasion in Prague in early November. BEER is high on the to-do list so thanks for letting me know about the monastery & beer museum. now on our list!! can’t wait to meet you on the start of your RTW tour.

    xo – lola

  • Wow! I LOVE the AMoYA!!!

    My favorite food in the whole world is knedlicky. (I kid you not.) I LOVE the recommendation of Therapy too. Do you think it’s like strip clubs, though. Sure they “”saaaaay”” they are former drug addicts (or college students), but do you think it’s really true. 🙂

  • Thanks for having me, Keith! Hope this’ll come in handy for anybody who’ll be in Prague for a few days, especially my tips on food and beer – always the best way to experience a city in my opinion 😉

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