10 Mistakes People Make When Visiting Prague

As you walk along King’s Road between Old Town Square and Prague Castle, you’ll see dozens of shops selling Matryoshka dolls – otherwise known as Russian nesting dolls. Well, the clue’s right there in the name: Russian nesting dolls. Despite the widespread belief that they’re a typical Czech souvenir, they have nothing to do with the local culture.

The famous Trdlo or Trdelnik are the same. They’re certainly tasty and sweet, and you’ll find them advertised as traditionally Czech, especially at the Easter and Christmas markets, but they’re actually a relatively recent invention. If you want to buy a souvenir that’s properly Czech, consider getting a wooden toy, beer or tea paraphernalia, mucha posters or spa wafers. If you want to get a T-shirt, look for one with the city’s name spelt the Czech way – “Praha”.

To fully experience and appreciate the local culture in Prague, you need to employ all 5 senses, including your sense of taste. Czech cuisine is very hearty and filling and, if you get it from the right restaurants, can also be very cheap, making it a budget-friendly way to fuel your trip.

The names of some of the top Czech dishes can be a bit of an obstacle. It’s hard to tell which is more off-putting: the thought of trying to pronounce “kozel světlý” without mangling it or the idea of eating braised pork knuckle. However, missing out on trying some of the top local dishes in favour of familiar fast food would be a huge mistake to make on your first visit to Prague.

While trying some of the best local dishes in Prague is certainly a must, where you choose to try them is also a factor to consider. Those restaurants on the tourist trail, particularly in the centre of Prague, tend to be specifically marketed at tourists and not locals. As such, their prices are usually a lot higher, the flavours are less authentic and the quality may be lacking. It’s also fairly common for them to charge you for the bread or pretzels on the table without mentioning it – a little scam to be aware of.

Fortunately, the number of great local restaurants in Prague far outweighs the number of tourist traps. If you head off the beaten track, you’ll find no shortage of better options. If you really want to get a taste of the city, though, we recommend heading to some of our own favourite local restaurants.

Prague is pretty famous as a party destination, in no small part due to its extraordinarily cheap beer. There’s something very satisfying about being handed a huge glass of foamy Bohemian beer and knowing that it’ll cost you only a few Czech koruna, though that’s only really true of the pubs outside the touristy city centre. If that's all you want from a holiday, that's fair enough. However, you'll be missing out on one of Europe's most fascinating, beautiful and diverse cities.

It's a bit of a cliché to say that Prague has something for everyone, but it's not far off being the truth. It’s a place that’s rich in history and culture, with fantastic dining, live music and shopping scenes. The list of amazing and unique things to see and do is extensive and goes well beyond propping up the nearest convenient bar. So, consider including at least 1 day in your itinerary to look at more than just the bottom of a glass – you won’t regret it.

If you sat down at an Italian restaurant and just asked for “a pizza”, you’d understand if your server was a little confused. There are dozens of varieties available, so you’re going to need to be more precise. The same goes for beer in Prague. Clearly frustrated with tourists just asking for “a beer”, wait staff in Czech bars and cafes have taken to punishing ignorant customers by assuming they want the most expensive beer on the menu.

To save yourself the ire of servers and a shocking bill, be sure to ask for a beer menu and choose a specific brand. Better yet, even ask for recommendations. Some reliable local brands include Pilsner Urquell, Kozel, Svijany and Bernard.

It can be a little shocking to encounter the seemingly reserved nature of Czech people, especially for those visiting from nations known for their welcoming and friendly dispositions. You may find that restaurant staff don't immediately act like they’re your newest and best friend. Strangers on the bus aren’t likely to strike up a conversation out of nowhere.

Rest assured, it’s nothing personal. If you manage to get to know a local, you will find no stauncher friend. However, getting to that stage takes more than a winning smile. Even long-term expatriates in Prague can sometimes struggle to make Czech friends and they’ve got years to try, not just a few days. This can make the locals come across as hostile or shy, but such is not the case (well, not usually, anyway). If you’re determined to meet and talk to locals, trying to speak a few words of basic Czech or buying a round of drinks at a local pub will certainly help.

The centre of Prague is where you’ll find most of the city’s star attractions, including the Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square, but that’s also its greatest fault. The fact that this area is so popular with tourists means that most of the shops and restaurants here are geared towards overseas customers with plenty of money in their pockets. As such, few locals head there unless they have to.

There are many unique and interesting attractions to be found within a relatively short distance of the tourist trail. If you want to drink at a proper local pub, eat at a proper local restaurant and experience a more local side of the city, consider straying from the beaten path to places like Náplavka, Vinohrady or Karlín. You’ll find the prices lower, the atmosphere hipper and the experiences more authentic.

Prague is a relatively compact city, with its main attractions focused around the city centre. It’s also a beautiful historic city with an ancient network of narrow roads. These factors combine to make walking the best way to explore. However, trying to do too much of it at once will come back to haunt you.

Firstly, you need to make sure you bring some comfortable shoes. The distances between attractions can be deceptively long and walking for long periods on cobbled streets will tire your calves and ankles. Secondly, consider breaking up your exploration days with stops in cafés, parks and other rest stops. If the journey is an especially long one, think about using the city’s excellent public transport network. This includes a metro system, buses, bicycles, river taxis and trams. There are road taxis, too, but they have been known to overcharge tourists.

Knowing where to get their currency exchanged is a major dilemma for many visitors to Prague. While there are plenty of options, relatively few give good rates. However, the worst place to exchange currency is on the street. If a random person walks up to you offering to swap your money for Czech koruna, say no and walk away. If you’re lucky, they would have given you a dreadful exchange rate. At worst, you’d be given notes from a completely different country on the assumption that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

Prague is generally a card-friendly city, but it’s usually a good idea to have some local notes. It’s best to get your koruna from a respectable source, but avoid using the exchange offices at the airport, bus or train stations. The banks around Wenceslas Square offer better rates, though they do charge a small commission. Ask your tour guide or hotel staff for their recommendations.

This is hardly a unique issue with Prague, but the crowds you are likely to encounter around the main attractions are big. We mean really big. Most photos probably give you the impression that you’ll be able to get uninterrupted views of the Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock, but that will rarely be the case. With the city centre being a tourist hub and relatively compact, the reality is that you will have to deal with being around a lot of other visitors.

Of course, there are ways to minimise the amount of time you have to spend among the crowds. Visiting during the week and out of season is a good start. Hit the main attractions as early as possible in the morning or after about 2 pm or 3 pm, when the guided tours have finished. For attractions that require tickets to enter, book ahead of time online to dodge the queues. You could also consider getting away from the city centre and, indeed, away from the city entirely. Czechia is a beautiful country – go explore more of it!