What follows are the classic sights and experiences of Prague. And they start with the star of the Old Town Square, the medieval astronomical clock. Watch it at the top of the hour—on its face, an eerie, medieval morality play unfolds. Two doors slide open and the 12 apostles glide past, while the 15th-century symbols of evil, death, vanity, corruption, and greed shake and dance below.
Take in the Majestic Old Town Square
This square has been at the center of the city's economic life for nearly 1,000 years and is one of the most beautifully preserved Gothic and Baroque spaces in Europe. The statue in the middle is of Czech Protestant reformer Jan Hus.
Swoon Over Sumptuous Art Nouveau
This stained glass window at St. Vitus Cathedral is by Czech Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha. Most famous for his Parisian posters, his extravagant designs grace numerous Prague buildings.
Walk Across the Charles Bridge
This bridge is best in the early morning or late evening. It's only then that you notice the eternal spirit of the bridge, the breeze coming in off the river, the subtle play of light among the statues, the domes of Malá Strana, and the castle off in the distance.
Explore the Old Jewish Cemetery
This is Prague's oldest surviving Jewish burial ground, dating to the middle of the 15th century. Because local laws prohibited Jews from burying their dead outside the ghetto, the cemetery is crammed with some 12,000 tombstones and thousands of more bodies stacked up in 12 to 15 layers below ground.
Marvel at the Spectacular Vlasislav Hall
The chief sight at Prague Palace is this enormous hall, whose rib-vaulted ceilings are the work of celebrated late Gothic architect Benedikt Ried. At the time it was a tremendous technical feat to have a room of this size without supporting pillars.
