In the 15th century, Papal armies looking to put out a religious reform movement that had lit up Central Europe marched into Bohemia, the western half of today's Czech Republic. Two centuries later, the Austrians, also under the guise of religion, subdued the region. In 1968, a quarter of a million Warsaw Pact Troops — from Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, and East Germany — rolled into Prague to dampen the socialist reform movement known as the Prague Spring. In the early '90s, when the city was extremely affordable, American, British, and Irish post-collegiate slackers wandered into Prague and stayed for about a decade.
And in 2024, a record eight million foreign tourists invaded this city of 1.3 million denizens, up nine percent from the previous year. Nearly all of them did the same thing, lingering in Old Town Square, marching across 14th-century Charles Bridge on their way up to the largest castle complex on the planet, and sipping pints of pilsner in tourist trap restaurants.
But there's another Prague that most visitors don't see. The other Prague. Not enough Prague visitors leave the center of town, but those who do are rewarded: the neighboring districts of Vinohrady, Žižkov, and Karlín are crammed with cobblestone streets flanked by ornate 18th- and 19th-century buildings where locals frequent third-wave coffee houses, wood-paneled pubs pouring craft beer, and inspired eateries serving creative takes on Central European fare, all with nary a foreigner in sight.
Here is everything you need to know about visiting three of Prague's coolest, relatively off-the-radar neighborhoods.
What to Do
Admittedly, most of the check-off-the-list sites in Prague are in the center of town — Old Town, Mala Strana, and the area around Prague Castle. The main appeal of spending time in Vinohrady, Žižkov, and Karlín, instead, is for the ambience and the local vibe. But that said, there are still a small handful of intriguing things to do in these three districts.
Vinohrady
In the heart of Vinohrady is the impossible-to-pronounce Jiřího z Poděbrad Square — most expats have given up and now just call it "JZP." In the center of the square is the church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord. This avant-garde Art Nouveau masterpiece of architecture was designed by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik in 1929. It's worth popping in to gaze at the high-ceilinged interior of the church.
Žižkov
Construction on the Žižkov Television Tower began in 1985 and this 700-foot-tall retro-futuristic rocket-like TV tower was completed in 1992. Locals hated it from the very beginning. And not just because the then-Communist government partially destroyed a 400-year-old Jewish cemetery that is at the base of the tower, but because the design of the tower was not in harmony with the historical architecture of the city, in general, and the neighborhood, in particular.
But it wasn't until the year 2000 when the city installed 10 enormous fiberglass sculptures of crawling babies, designed by bad boy local artist David Černy, on the shaft of the tower that local disdain for the tower began to thaw. The television tower is far from having Eiffel Tower levels of adoration but it's a start.
At 300 feet up, there's a viewing platform. There's also a hotel. Just one room, though, hence the name One Room Hotel. As you would expect, the views from the lookout platform and the "Sky Suite" in the hotel are stunning. You can ensconce yourself at the in-house restaurant, fittingly enough called Clouds, and enjoy the view while sipping a beer.
Prague's largest cemetery, Olšany, is right at the edge of Žižkov. One need not be a fully fledged tombstone tourist to appreciate this necropolis of sculpture-studded graves and leafy pathways. Since 1680, there have been more than two million souls laid to rest here.
If you want to burn off some of that beer, take a hike. On the northern edge of Žižkov is a high ridge-like hill where you can find the world's largest equestrian statue. The Vitkov National Monument offers incredible views of the city. The man atop the horse is Jan Žižka — for which the neighborhood is named — a 15th-century general who took on Papal Armies and almost won. He's now a national hero. The boxy structure behind him was built in the 1930s and was meant to commemorate Czechoslovak soldiers who died in World War I. It ended up being used as a mausoleum for deceased high-ranking Communist party leaders during the country's Communist days, 1948-1989.
Karlín
The sprawling Invalidovna is a late-Baroque, early 18th-century complex that was used to house the war wounded. It was designed by famed Baroque architect Killian Ignaz Dienztenhofer and was modeled after Les Invalides in Paris. Some scenes from "Amadeus," the 1984 Academy Award winner for Best Picture, were filmed here. So was Guillermo del Toro's 2004 film "Hellboy" and "Nosferatu" from 2024. If visitors yearn to see more of the complex, there are guided tours.
Where to Eat
Prague is no longer the culinary desert it might have been in the past. In the last decade and a half, young talented Czech chefs have worked their way around some of the world's best kitchens and then returned to Prague to open restaurants and serve inspired Central European cuisine. Prague also has a very solid Vietnamese restaurant scene and non-Czech restaurants are getting more and more diverse by the day.
Vinohrady
Vyčep, which means "bar counter" in Czech, feels like an upscale but unfussy pub. Hungry locals lounge on bench seating (with wooden tables) and feast on elevated Czech fare, such as tartar of Šumava forest deer and wild boar-filled dumplings in a bacon sauce. If Vyčep became more experimental, it would be a lot like U Tellerů, just a five-minute walk down the street. This sleek restaurant peddles in elevated Central European fare. Think: foie gras crème brûlée, deconstructed goulash with pork cheeks, and tender beef neck in a creamy dill sauce.
If you've had your fill of heavy meat and potatoes, here's an alternative. Thanks to a Communist-era student and worker exchange program between Vietnam and Czechoslovakia, Prague's main ethnic minority hails from the Southeast Asian country. And many have set up great northern Vietnamese restaurants in town. Pho Vietnam Anglická is one of them. Set in the basement, the restaurant makes excellent Hanoi-style pho.
Žižkov
Ignore the curious name and make sure you're hungry. Mi I'm, on the Žižkov/Vinohrady border, serves excellent Chinese noodle soups with aplomb: spicy beef noodle soup, chicken soup, and an excellent bowl with a tomato broth base.
Outside of Central Asia, you'd be hard-pressed to find a restaurant serving the cuisine of Turkestan, a region in northwestern China that borders on Uzbekistan. Expect excellent grilled meats and some very slurpable soups at this bright, colorful eatery, which is named after the cuisine they serve. Located at Bořivojova 116.
Locals like to tell visitors that Žižkov boasts more pubs per capita than anywhere else in Europe and the second-highest density of bars in the world. True or not, there really is a pub or two on pretty much every block in this quasi-gritty district. One of the best is U Sadu, an old-school spot with better-than-average Central European pub grub and a small handful of Czech beers on tap.
Karlin
One of the reasons why Karlín has become such a hip and happening neighborhood is because of Lokal Hamburk and Dva Kohouti — both the offspring of the same restaurant group. Dva Kohouti (the Two Roosters) is an excellent craft brewery, making top-notch unpasteurized Bohemian pilsners and some IPAs and sours. They don't serve food here, so when the stomach starts to rumble, stagger approximately 50 steps to Lokal, part of a small chain of gastropubs in Prague that serve very good Czech pub staples and Pilsner Urquell on tap.
If Scandinavia and Bohemia had a love child, it would look and taste a lot like what's coming out of the kitchen at Štangl, a second-floor industrial-looking restaurant where there is no separation between the kitchen and the dining room. Possibly the best restaurant in Prague without a Michelin star, the restaurant serves up an elevated tasting menu. Expect dishes like a smoked butter-spiked Jerusalem artichoke and ponzu-laced smoked eel.
For a nightcap, head to Veltlin, a cozy, ambient wine bar with a cool concept: they only serve wine that is produced within the borders of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. If you need a refresher on the borders, there's a plus-sized illustrated map on the wall. So, you'll have your pick of wine from the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, and even a sliver of northeastern Italy, among others.
Where to Stay
Vinohrady
The 26-room Hotel Anna is a true boutique hotel in one of the best parts of Vinohrady: on a swath of leafy, tranquil streets. Rooms have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a refrigerator, and large televisions. Breakfast is always included.
Žižkov
If the one room in the One Room Hotel is already booked, there are other accommodation options in Žižkov. Hotel Olšanská is nicely situated on the tram number 9 line and is deep into the heart of the neighborhood. The property is an old, Communist-era hotel artifact that has been fully renovated for 21st-century travelers. Olšanská puts an emphasis on wellness: there are five different saunas, hot tubs, a massive swimming pool, and various spa treatments offered.
Karlin
The Hilton Prague is located on the western edge of Karlín (the side closer to the historical center). The enormous, boxy building may be an architectural eyesore, but inside it boasts all the creature comforts you'd want in a hotel, including a rooftop bar, an indoor pool, yoga and pilates classes, and rooms with blackout curtains, walk-in showers, and coffee and tea. For something with a bit more personality and a location deeper into the district, put the Pentahotel on your list. The lobby is bathed in cool colors and the spacious rooms have fast Wi-Fi, rain shower heads, and upscale bath products.
When to Go
There once was a time when the obvious answer to this question was autumn and spring. In these post-pandemic days of mass travel and overtourism, Prague can be crowded any of the 12 months of the year. But if you're going to be based in a neighborhood outside of the historical center (such as the three districts above), you're in luck: you can actually go in autumn or spring, when the weather is not overbearingly humid like in summer, and you won't feel burdened by the crush of tourism. And even if you dare go during the sweltering summer months, you'll feel more comfortable lingering in Vinohrady, Žižkov, and/or Karlín.
How to Get There
If you're flying to Prague from the United States, Delta is the only airline that has nonstop flights (starting at JFK International Airport in New York City). If you're willing to transfer in a European airport, fares will be more affordable. Typical transfer airports include Copenhagen (with SAS Airlines), Amsterdam (with KLM), and Munich or Frankfurt (with Lufthansa).
Know Before You Go
- If you're planning on doing some major sightseeing — museums and monuments, etc. — consider buying the Prague Visitor Pass. For 48, 72, or 120 hours, you'll get free public transportation (including to and from the airport), access to sites such as Prague Castle, Old Town Hall (and its great top-floor viewing platform), and various palaces and historical buildings. Alternatively, the Prague Cool Pass offers similar benefits, but without free public transportation. It also offers access to most of the outposts of the National Gallery. But if you're sticking to the outer neighborhoods and largely eschewing the historical center, neither card is very beneficial.
- At most major metro stations, as well as the main railway station (Hlavni Nadraži), you can purchase a 24-hour or a 72-hour metro pass. Once validated, it gives you access to Prague's clean and efficient subway, tram, and bus systems.
- Most of the best restaurants in Prague fill up fast, so it's highly recommended you make a reservation at least one week out. Most of them subscribe to online reservations services (accessed via the restaurants' websites), so figure out a few places you're keen to eat at and make a reservation as soon as possible.
- Visitors, particularly from North America and Western Europe, used to find Prague very affordable. Not anymore. These days, prices for food, drink, and hotels are on par with what you'll find in most big cities in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
