Things to do in Prague: tours and attractions

A city with an ancient, majestic, romantic and nostalgic charm. A cultural center with a glorious past, Prague, heart of the Czech Republic, was the capital of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire. Today, with six million visitors a year, it is the most popular destination among tourists in Eastern Europe. It is not surprising the fact that it boasts of one of the most variegated collections of world architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, from Cubism to Gothic, from Neo-classical to Ultramodern. A tour of the city can only start from the historic center with its narrow streets, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1992. At its heart is the Old Town Square, surrounded by magnificent buildings, cafes, shops and galleries. Dominating the square are the Gothic spires of the Church of Our Lady before Tyn.

Here we also find the Old Town Hall, characterized by colorful Gothic and Renaissance buildings and a tower which offers a picturesque view of the city. At the base of the tower there is a lovely astronomical clock, built in 1400 by master clockmaker Hanus.

Founded in the ninth century, the Prague Castle is the national symbol of the Czech Republic, a cultural center and political power for centuries. This mighty monumental complex, consisting of church and residential buildings, fortifications and offices, was originally the residence of princes and kings of Bohemia; since 1918 it has been the seat of the President of the Republic. The area of the castle is dominated by the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest and most magnificent church in Prague.

Take a stroll in Golden Lane with its picturesque houses, home to alchemists before and goldsmiths later, but also to Franz Kafka, the most illustrious son of Prague and famous writer. Inevitable stop is to admire the romantic Charles Bridge, a stone bridge in the Gothic style that connects the Old Town to the Lesser Quarter, commissioned by Charles IV in 1357 and designed by the architect Petr Parler. On the other hand, the symbol of modern Prague is the sinuous Dancing House, designed in the nineties by the architect Frank O. Gehry and inspired by the famous pair of dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.