Where to stay · Prague · Czechia
Where to stay in Prague
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ivan Korostelev, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Town. Gothic spires, the Astronomical Clock and lanes leading to Charles Bridge. Best alternatives — budget: New Town; nightlife: New Town.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Town
- Families
- Old Town
- Budget
- New Town
- Nightlife
- New Town
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Town | Gothic spires, the Astronomical Clock and lanes leading to Charles Bridge |
| Families | Old Town | Gothic spires, the Astronomical Clock and lanes leading to Charles Bridge |
| Couples | Malá Strana | Baroque palaces, embassies and gardens below Prague Castle |
| Budget | New Town | Wenceslas Square, 19th-century boulevards and practical hotels |
| Luxury | Malá Strana | Baroque palaces, embassies and gardens below Prague Castle |
| Nightlife | New Town | Wenceslas Square, 19th-century boulevards and practical hotels |
| Food lovers | Vinohrady | Art Nouveau apartment blocks, cafés, wine bars and leafy parks |
| Solo travellers | Vinohrady | Art Nouveau apartment blocks, cafés, wine bars and leafy parks |
| Shopping | New Town | Wenceslas Square, 19th-century boulevards and practical hotels |
| Quiet stays | Hradčany | The castle district, Strahov Monastery and the hidden lanes of Nový Svět |
Prague neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture and families
Old Town
Staré Město centres on the Old Town Square, with the Týn Church, the Old Town Hall and its Astronomical Clock, and a web of medieval lanes running to Charles Bridge. The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the elegant Pařížská boulevard are on its northern edge, and the Municipal House and Powder Tower on its eastern side.
- Good
- Walk to almost every sight; Huge choice of restaurants and bars; Beautiful at night
- Watch out
- Very crowded by day; Touristy restaurants and inflated prices; Late-night noise from bars
- Nearby
- Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Jewish Quarter, Municipal House
$$$$ · Best for couples, first-timers, luxury and culture
Malá Strana
The Lesser Town spreads across the slope between Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, with the green dome of St Nicholas Church, palace gardens such as the Wallenstein Garden and the riverside island of Kampa. Its cobbled streets, including Nerudova, are among the most atmospheric in the city, especially early and late in the day.
- Good
- Beautiful and quieter in the evenings; Walk to the castle and Charles Bridge; Riverside parks
- Watch out
- Steep cobbled streets; Expensive hotels and restaurants
- Nearby
- St Nicholas Church, Kampa Island, Lennon Wall, Wallenstein Garden
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and culture
Hradčany
Hradčany surrounds Prague Castle at the top of the hill, with Loreta, the Strahov Monastery library and the tiny cottages of Nový Svět, once home to the castle's servants. It empties of day-trippers in the evening, leaving quiet squares and views over the city.
- Good
- Peaceful at night; Castle and views on the doorstep; Characterful small hotels
- Watch out
- Steep walk or tram ride from the Old Town; Few restaurants open late
- Nearby
- Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery, Loreta, Petřín Hill
$$ · Best for budget, shopping, first-timers and nightlife
New Town
Founded by Charles IV in 1348, Nové Město is the commercial centre, with Wenceslas Square, the National Museum, shopping streets such as Na Příkopě and the riverside Dancing House. It has many hotels at more moderate prices than the Old Town and good metro and tram links.
- Good
- Good-value hotels; Excellent transport links; Walk to the Old Town
- Watch out
- Less charming streets; Wenceslas Square can feel seedy late at night
- Nearby
- Wenceslas Square, National Museum, Dancing House, Náplavka
$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, solo travellers and quiet stays
Vinohrady
Once the royal vineyards, Vinohrady is a residential district of grand early-20th-century buildings around Náměstí Míru and the twin-spired Church of St Ludmila. The Riegrovy sady park has a summer beer garden with views towards the castle, and the area has many of Prague's best cafés and LGBTQ+-friendly bars.
- Good
- Local atmosphere; Excellent cafés and restaurants; Metro A to the centre in minutes
- Watch out
- Few sights; Hilly streets
- Nearby
- Náměstí Míru, Riegrovy sady, Havlíčkovy sady
$ · Best for nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Žižkov
Žižkov is famous for its dense concentration of pubs, from old-school hospody to craft-beer bars. Its landmarks are the Žižkov Television Tower, with David Černý's crawling babies, and the National Monument on Vítkov hill, with views across the city.
- Good
- Cheap, authentic pubs; Lower hotel prices; Trams to the centre
- Watch out
- Rougher around the edges; Steep hills; Fewer sights within walking distance of the castle
- Nearby
- Žižkov Television Tower, National Monument on Vítkov, Riegrovy sady
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers and couples
Karlín
Karlín was badly flooded in 2002 and has since been renovated into one of Prague's most popular places to eat, with restaurants and cafés along Křižíkova and Sokolovská streets, the Forum Karlín concert hall and riverside paths. It is just east of the Old Town by metro or tram.
- Good
- Excellent food scene; Calm streets; Quick metro B to the centre
- Watch out
- Few historic sights; Some construction work
- Nearby
- Forum Karlín, Vítkov Hill, Old Town
$$ · Best for culture, budget and families
Holešovice
Holešovice, in a bend of the Vltava north of the centre, has the Trade Fair Palace of the National Gallery, the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art and the Prague Market (Pražská tržnice) in an old slaughterhouse. Letná park and its beer garden are above, and the zoo and Troja Palace are a short bus ride away.
- Good
- Creative, local feel; Good for the zoo and Letná; Lower prices
- Watch out
- A tram ride from the Old Town; Spread out
- Nearby
- Letná Park, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague Market, Prague Zoo
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town | $$$ | Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Jewish Quarter, Municipal House |
| Malá Strana | $$$$ | St Nicholas Church, Kampa Island, Lennon Wall, Wallenstein Garden |
| Hradčany | $$$ | Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery, Loreta, Petřín Hill |
| New Town | $$ | Wenceslas Square, National Museum, Dancing House, Náplavka |
| Vinohrady | $$ | Náměstí Míru, Riegrovy sady, Havlíčkovy sady |
| Žižkov | $ | Žižkov Television Tower, National Monument on Vítkov, Riegrovy sady |
| Karlín | $$ | Forum Karlín, Vítkov Hill, Old Town |
| Holešovice | $$ | Letná Park, DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague Market, Prague Zoo |
Getting to your hotel
Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) is about 17 km west of the centre and has no rail link. Bus 119 runs to Nádraží Veleslavín on metro line A in about 15–20 minutes on a standard PID ticket, while the Airport Express bus to the main railway station has its own fare. Taxis and ride-hailing cars take about 25–40 minutes to the centre.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Prague for first-time visitors?
Old Town. Staré Město centres on the Old Town Square, with the Týn Church, the Old Town Hall and its Astronomical Clock, and a web of medieval lanes running to Charles Bridge.
+Where should families stay in Prague?
Old Town: Walk to almost every sight.
+Which area of Prague is best for a budget stay?
New Town ($$): Wenceslas Square, 19th-century boulevards and practical hotels.