Where to stay in Prague: This guide will cover the best areas to stay in the Czech capital, including hotels in Prague, and a cost of travel analysis of this charming European city

Looking for the best place to stay in Prague? Let’s find out the main attractions of the city featuring a hotel location guide to maximize your trip to the Czech capital.

Tourism in Prague: Overview

Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe, and it’s easy to understand why. The charming Czech capital offers attractions for all types of visitors. If you are an architecture enthusiast, you will be mesmerized by the city’s unique Gothic buildings. If you are coming for the nightlife, Prague has some of the best clubs in Europe.
The Czech Republic (or Czechia) is consolidating its role as a main tourism hub in Europe. Since the 90’s, the city’s tourism infrastructure developed quickly, and today Prague is one of most visited cities in Europe.

Apart from its attractions, one of the biggest advantages of the city is its central location in Europe. The capital of Czechia is just a few hours away by land from cities like Berlin, Vienna and Budapest. If you are flying, you can reach most European capitals in a 2 to 3 hours flight. Prague’s Airport is also showing steady growth in the past years, and has direct intercontinental flights to Asia and North America.

The city is also famous for its signature building and sights. Among the most famous ones, we can mention the Charles Bridge, the Prague Castle, and the Old Town Square with its iconic Astronomical Clock.

On top of that, the Czech Republic also has numerous day trip attractions that you might consider when in Prague. The most recommended ones are the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora, the Karlstejn Castle, and the town of Cesky Krumlov.

The capital of the Czech Republic offers days of intense and unique experiences, available day at night, with a safe, clean and well organized infrastructure for tourism.

If you are travelling by bus in Europe, book your tickets using Flixbus and GoEuro. If you are flying, compare and book tickets using Jetradar. For those using the train, buy train tickets on Trainline.

Where to Stay in Prague

Now, let’s analyze the best areas to stay in Prague, explaining each one of the city’s main districts. The Old Town (Staré Město) is the best place to stay in Prague if you are coming for a short visit, but there are other great locations also available. Some of them worth mentioning are Mala Strana, Zizkov and the New Town (Nové Město).

One important aspect to point is that the city’s metro network is extremely reliable and relatively fast. So as long as you are close to a metro station you will have easy access to the city centre.

Another thing you may want to consider is that Prague is divided in districts. Each districts has a few cadastral areas, more on how the city is divided on this link.

Prague Old Town (Staré Město)

The Prague Old Town (Praha Staré Město) is the most central area in the city, and also gathers the main attractions in the Czech Capital. This area is relatively compact, and you can easily walk around it. The old town is located in the Prague District 01.

Some of the most important sights in the old town are the Charles Bridge (Karlův most), and the Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí). They are a 5-7 minutes walk from one another.

The biggest disadvantage of the city’s old town is the cost of accommodation. As the old town is the most prestigious area in the city, it is also the most expensive.

Mala Strana

The Malá Strana area is also in the district 1 and is possibly the second most privileged area to stay in Prague. This area has direct access to the Prague Castle, located in Hradčany right next to Mala Strana.

The famous Charles’ Bridge connects Malá Strana with the old town, making of Mala Strana on of the best places to stay in Prague.

Zizkov

Zizkov(Žižkov) is one of the best areas to stay in Prague, especially if you coming to Prague by train. This area is 10-20 minutes walk to the old town, and has considerably lower prices than those in the District 01. The Zizkov area is in the District 03.

New Town (Nové Město)

The New Town, or in Nové Město in Czech is another great area to stay in Prague. It is also pretty central, with easy access to the Main Railway Station and the Old Town.

Other areas

As Prague is a rather big city with a high influx of tourists, there are many accommodation options in almost every district. If you are staying in other areas, the biggest recommendation is to stay near a metro station. As mentioned above, Prague’s metro network is fast, reliable and affordable.

Budget Accommodation in Prague – €

Hostel One Prague– a great budget option in the the Zizkov area (District 03) of Prague.

McSleep Hostel Prague – an affordable and exciting hostel in the District 01, one of the best places to stay in Prague.

Reasonably Priced Accommodation in Prague – €€

Residence Tabor – an reasonably priced hotel in one of the best areas to stay in Prague, with a good breakfast.

Bed&Books Art Hotel – a great hotel right at the heart of Prague in the District 01.

Luxurious Hotels in Prague – €€€

Grand Hotel Bohemia – a great luxurious hotel in one of the best locations to stay in Prague, in the District 01.

Smetana Hotel – an excellent hotel next to the Czech National Theater and the Charles’ Bridge.

Cost of Travel in Prague

The price of travel is often an important factor when choosing a destination. Despite a trend of price increases, especially in regards to accommodation, Prague still remains cheaper than other Western European cities. You will notice the price difference especially if you coming from Vienna or Germany.

Accommodation will probably be the highest cost during your stay in Prague. As the city is handling a bigger influx of tourists every year, the demand is also influencing the prices. However, it will also depend of when you visit the city, as prices change considerably depending on the season.

Eating out options are widely available in Prague, regardless of your gastronomic taste and budget. Prague is one of the best cities in Europe to eat out, as you will find great variety, delicious local and international restaurants, as well as the fantastic Czech beer everywhere. If you are on a budget, you can have great meals for as low as 100 CZK (or less than 5 dollars) especially if you like Asian food.

Transportation is also quite cheap in Prague, as in the whole Czech Republic. A single ride in the public transport costs 24 or 32 CZK, and the tickets are time based. The network includes 3 metro lines, a lot of trams and buses. They run pretty frequently, even on weekend or public holidays.

Best Months to Visit Prague

The Czech republic is a good destination almost year round. Most seasons are quite pleasant in the city, and the calendar of events always offers something interesting in the city.

Spring is probably the best time of the year to visit Czechia if you enjoy sightseeing. The months of May and June offer long days and pleasant temperatures to enjoy the most of Prague’s attractions.

Summer is the busiest time of the year for tourism in Central Europe. The months of July and August are especially crowded, and the prices can be quite high. If you are coming to enjoy the city’s nightlife, summer is an excellent choice. Nights usually have a pleasant weather, with bars and clubs full of people from all parts of the world.

Autumn is also a good option to visit Prague, and all of Central Europe as a matter of fact. The temperatures are still quite pleasant during September and early October, and the golden leaves give a charming atmosphere to the city’s parks. Autumn is also a good option as accommodation prices decrease noticeably from summer rates.

The winter is probably the least attractive time to visit the Czech capital. That is especially the case in January and February, the coldest months in Czech Republic. Winter in the city is quite harsh and sightseeing is often unpleasant when temperatures plummet below 0 C (32 F). However, if you are coming for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, the capital of Czechia is quite charming.

Other resources for traveling in Central Europe

If you are traveling the region beyond Prague, you might check some of our other guides. Check where to stay in Bratislava and the cost of living in Prague.