Prague’s most photogenic places on the map
Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
The most photogenic place in Prague. At 8 a.m., while there are no tourists, you can capture a variety of architectural styles: Gothic, Baroque and Rococo. This place could serve as a textbook for future architects, and for tourists it is a treasure trove of beautiful photos in any season.
Old Town Square has a concentration of «postcard» spots:
- The Town Hall with the Orloj, an astronomical clock, for the sake of which a crowd of tourists gathers in the square once an hour;
- Kinski’s white and pink summer palace from the late Baroque and Rococo periods;
- the white-washed Hussite church of St. Mikulasz;
- Gothic Týn church, fronted by the Trčkovský dom and the Týn School;
- medieval Romanesque houses with colorful facades and unusual names.
Old Town Square is so photogenic that you can take pictures in any season. In wintertime, the square hosts a Christmas fair, lights are lit and decorations are hung everywhere.
The narrow streets Celetná, Železná and Melantrichova run in different directions from Old Town Square. Along them are old houses — the ones that decorate your Instagram profiles. Until 1770, houses in Prague had no numbers, only names based on the owner’s name or occupation. You can guess the name by the coat of arms above the front door.
- How to get there: metro, Staroměstská or streetcars No. 2, 13, 17, 18.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Charles Bridge (Karlův most)
Photographs of the Charlemagne Bridge are placed on guidebooks, business cards and booklets. This half-kilometer long structure is chosen for the most beautiful wedding photos. The backdrop of the Vltava River and Prague’s ancient architecture makes for epic shots.
The only drawback: too many people regardless of the time of day.
- How to get there: take streetcars 2, 13, 17, 18 to Staroměstská, take the metro to the station of the same name.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
The Charles Bridge is a kind of lookout point. It is located between the Old Town side and the Lesser Town side. From the bridge you can see both districts and the main sights.
The pictures will come in:
- Prague Castle;
- Waldstein Palace;
- Petrshin;
- Bridge Towers;
- Clementium.
Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)
Prague Castle is an iconic landmark and a great place for beautiful photos. There are several photogenic objects within its walls. The main one is St. Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic church from 1334 with sharp spires and stained glass windows.
There is Zlatá ulička (Zlatá ulička), a former neighborhood of alchemists and craftsmen. Miniature houses from the 16th century stand by the Daliborka Tower. They are colorful, authentic and come out well in photos. Each building has its own story to tell.
The smallest houses on Golden Street are No. 13 and No. 14. Franz Kafka lived in No. 22. All buildings are photogenic from the outside. Inside you can see houses No. 16 (former tavern) and No. 26 (weaving shop).
- How to get there: take bus No. 22 to the Pražský hrad stop.
- Opening hours: Prague Castle is open from 6:00 to 22:00, visiting Zlatý Úlá zlátka is free of charge from 16:00. Until then, tickets to Circle A cost CZK 350, Circle B CZK 250 (includes a guided tour of other sites).
Nerudova ulice (Nerudova ulice)
Nerudova Street runs from Prague Castle down to Malostranská Square. This historical monument with houses from the Middle Ages is a great photo area. Baroque houses with portals, coats of arms and legends are well preserved.
Nerudova Street is a pedestrianized area with hotels, beer and souvenir shops. Atmospheric photos are taken on the way from Malostranská Square to Prague Castle.
- How to get there: by metro to Malostranská station.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Letenské sady (Letenské sady)
A shady and spacious park at the foot of Prague Castle. The observation deck in the Hanavský pavilion offers the best view of Stare Mesto, the Vltava River and bridges. In the fall, the park attracts people with golden foliage and beautiful pictures.
- How to get there: take the metro to Malostranská station, streetcars 15, 17 and 93 to the Čechův most stop.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Kampa Island
This place is called an island conditionally. A small green park at the foot of the Charles Bridge on the Malostransk side attracts you with the opportunity to find a lot of interesting things and take pictures.
A favorite place of many tourists is the intersection of the Čertovka River and the Vltava River. It is called «Czech Venice» because of its numerous canals and bridges.
There are several locations near the island for interesting photos:
- John Lennon’s Wall (Lennonova zeď);
- The narrowest street in Prague (Nejužšší pražská ulička);
- Viewing platform (Mirador de Kampa);
- Lichtenstein Palace (Lichtenstein Palace).
Sculptor David Cherna’s unusual statues are dotted throughout the island.
- How to get there: take the metro to Malostranská station and then walk to the island.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Dancing House (Tančící dům)
Prague has many unusual buildings. Some of them, such as the Žižkov TV Tower, the Czechs were not ready to accept and criticized it for a long time. Another example is the Dancing House, a deconstructivist building. It is hard to imagine Prague without it. Its photo is familiar to every foreigner.
The dancing house can be photographed even at night. The building is illuminated by numerous lights. It is especially photogenic from the Jiráskův most bridge.
- How to get there: take the metro to Karlovo náměstí station and then walk along the promenade.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Franz Kafka’s head (Franz Kafka — Otočná hlava).
Near the Quadrio shopping complex near the Národní třída metro station stands an 11-meter high art object — Franz Kafka’s head. The monument consists of several layers of polished steel. They rotate continuously at different speeds. The parts disintegrate, then come together again. The author of the sculpture is David Cherny.
There are always a lot of tourists near the statue, but it is easy to photograph the art object without any extra people. Everyone respects the process and stays out of the frame, you just have to wait for your turn.
- How to get there: by metro to Národní třída station.
- Works: 24 hours a day.
Vyšehrad (Vyšehrad)
The ancient fortress with its large grounds has everything you need for memorable photos: fortress walls with a viewing platform, secret passages and ruins. In spring, arches of roses are placed everywhere. In autumn, the leaves on the trees in the park turn golden.
- How to get there: take streetcars No. 2, 3, 17, 92 to the Výtoň stop.
- Open: the fortress area is open from 6:00 to 23:00.
