Crowds in Prague

At certain times and locations Prague is indeed crowded. I could compare it to Florence and Venice. The most crowded is so called Royal Golden Way from Wenceslas Square to Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Mala Strana Square, Hradcany Castle. Everything else is much less crowded. My strategy is to hit the Royal Golden Way around 7 am and be done around 9. And then crowds come. And then you can do uncrowded parts of Prague like Vysehrad, Petrin park with views, Nove Mesto and so on and on.

You mean Vienna Austria, which is bigger and not as much of a tourist draw;

My mistake, I meant to write Venice, Italy. I corrected the post and look forward to replies. Thanks.

I've been to Prague twice, one in May and once in October and both times it was extremely crowded in all the places listed above. It's still worth every minute!

I have never been any place that was as packed as was Prague when i visited one August some years ago. The advice is always not to go to the main tourist attractions or start your day at sunrise. Neither works well for me. I see another post that faced something similar in October? Its a shame, because it really is a beautiful Disney sort of place.

@ JamesE. Disney? Really? Implies cheap shallow and tacky, . Not my experience.

I visit Prague probably 10x/year, and apart from January and February the main sights are always crowded. So crowded actually that it's no fun anymore. The cathedral feels like a busy train station, the Jewish cemetery is often full of teenagers without any espect for the place, the Charles bridge is so packed that you can't take a pic anymore etc.. But that's the same everywhere with too much "stupid tourism", i.e. people who only know the 2 or 3 top sites of a place. Visiting the Vatican for example is equally horrible.
The good thing is that you can easily avoid this "stupid tourism". Just buy a good travel guide and, in case of Prague, stay away from the Kings Road.

Peter, not at all. Just a place that exists solely for tourism, and is so successful that it can't contain the crowds. Prague has a lot to offer, but they haven't really tried to capitalise on much outside the main tourist zones.

In Prague 22 years ago I got very cranky because of the crowds on the Charles Bridge so it is not a recent situation. I wouldn't go near the place now.

Actually the majority of Prague residents would prefer to keep the hordes of tourists in Disneyland and let them have their superficial, overpriced and overcrowded experience. There is nothing worse than a nice, out-of-the-way, formerly quiet and local spot, becoming suddenly overrun by tourists - so most people are content to sacrifice the Old Town Square and the Castle to the mob, if it means that they get to keep the real city to themselves.

I noticed on this Travel Forum that it has become almost fashionable to whine about crowds in Prague. IMHO it is no worse than in for example Florence or Venice and it is very easily avoidable. Crowds in Prague are only in certain places and at certain times. After 9-10 am till 11pm to midnight avoid like Devil cross so called Zlata kralovska cesta (the best translation is probably Golden Royal Way sometimes also translated as King's Road). Naturally most tourists by looking at the map won't find it. It is several streets and squares from the Wenceslas Square to Hradcany Castle: Na mustku, Melantrichova, Staromestske namesti (Old Town Square), Karlova, Krizovnicke namesti, Karluv most (Charles Bridge), Mostecka, Malostranske namesti, Nerudova, Hradcanske namesti, Hradcany Castle. If you want to walk this Way as almost everybody wants, be different than everybody and get up early. Then it is almost just for you, no crowds whatsoever. If you absolutely cannot get up early, walk on nearby streets and cross any other bridge than Charles'. Crowds will be no worse than in any other European big city. The worst crowds I ever experienced were in Hermitage in St.Petersburg and in Moscow, London, Paris Metro at certain times.
"just a place that exists solely for tourism" - not so. It was not built for tourism and until relatively recently it was mainly for local inhabitants. But with return of freedom and capitalism capitalist laws prevailed and because it is really a place of exceptional beauty (crowds confirmed it) local residents (not bringing the same money as tourists) were gradually pushed out and tourist industry (hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, etc.) won.
"in case of Prague stay away from the Kings Road" - I would add at certain time.
Norma, you can go to Charles Bridge and not to fight crowds - as I already said - at certain times.
Hopefully this talk may help some visitors to have the same experience of Prague as I always have - without crowds.

We were just in Prague last month. It was our first visit and we stayed for a week in the 7th district (i.e., well out of the tourist areas) which was easily accessible by tram and/or metro. We loved Prague and had a wonderful time! The weather was glorious for us. We got near the Charles Bridge - once - and never walked across it. We walked through the Old Town Square - once - and never returned there. We consciously chose to miss some of the "must-sees" for more obscure sights, and we had more than enough to occupy our time, mostly without having to interact with the tourist hordes. Hint: to enter the castle, go through the Royal Garden. We did this three times and never encountered a line at the security checkpoint, whereas at the main castle checkpoint the line was at least a block long. (Not to mention that the Royal Garden is beautiful.) When you're a tourist yourself, it doesn't seem right to complain about crowds of tourists (!) - but we all do it don't we?!?

So, we've heard a number of coping strategies; get up early, see the busy sites once only, avoid the most popular sites, stay out of the centre. I think that if you are prepared for the crowds it's somehow less painful. Looking back on the photos of our past trips there I see how busy it actually was. I didn't realize it at the time though, partly because I didn't know I had to be frustrated about the crowds and partly because of the overwhelming architectural eye candy.

I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to go back. But just to give James E's favourite hangout a fair shot (..and I'm not just talking about the Kadarka Wine Bar), we have plans for B'Pest and other parts of Hungary in the Fall of 2018.

I thought it was beautiful too.... I mean Kadarkas of course. And Prague was also worth every moment, but 2 full days was my limit with the crowds. As I predicted in my first post, the recommended solution involved a lot of compromise. I think if I return it would have to be right after the Christmas markets open. it's the sort of place not hurt by cold or short days and the crowds will be somewhat better.

Let me know what you need for Budapest. Happy to help.

Like everyone here is saying the crowds in Prague are fairly unprecedented. Literally wall-to-wall humanity in the corridor starting in Wenceslas Square, through the tiny winding streets to the Charles Bridge, across the Charles Bridge, and up and onto Castle Hill. I've never seen anything quite like it anywhere else except in the area around Westminster Palace in London, in front of Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard, and under the Eiffel Tower. Standing in front of the astronomical clock in Prague just before it chimes is somewhat like standing in a the mosh pit at a concert - I kid you not. I'm sure the pickpockets have a ball there...
When we spent a month in Prague a couple summers ago we avoided the crowds by simply getting up early and seeing the crowded parts of the city core before 9 or 10 in the morning. It was actually quite pleasant, still a manageable temperature, and you could enjoy the beautiful architecture and views with far fewer people. After that we would pick a museum or other point of interest, see it, and then get out of Dodge. Later in the day we got off the beaten path and saw the "lesser" sights of the city and the surrounding area. In the late evenings the crowds thin out which is great but then you get quite a few drunk people staggering around in packs...it seems Prague is a bit of a party destination for "young" people who want to let loose.

My wife and were there in May 2011 and found the crowds to be very oppressive on the Charles Bridge and the main square. At some hours more than others. To be fair this was during some kind of big soccer week and there were big groups who seem to have taken a holiday in Prague to celebrate that. The problem with Prague is that the areas where nearly everyone goes are so concentrated. There are parts of the city and times when it was fine. The Little Quarter, I wish we had discovered sooner as my wife was pretty tired on our last night and wanted to go back to the room. The cathedral was crowded but not overwhelmingly so on our visit. We have the Lobkowitz Collection to ourselves--walking down the hill back down to the old town was a highlight of our visit. Mucha Museum, museum of communism likewise not overrun. But you asked about August, I would not go in August myself. But there are few places in Europe that I can imagine going in August. Plus our visit was in 2011 and I am sure the crowds are worse now.

Thank you all for your very helpful comments. We will save Prague for at least an off-season trip.

It seems that Prague is crowded all year. We were there in December and there was a crowd. But it did not really impact our enjoyment. We took a cooking class, I took a photo walk (at the crack of dawn), my wife visited the castle, we rode a streetcar from end to end, and attended a couple of concerts. Outside dining was available with heaters and lap robes. We had a great time. It was not as crowded as St. Mark's Square in June!

"in case of Prague stay away from the Kings Road" - I would add at
certain time.

Yes, in February it's quite nice... ;-)
But even on the Kings Road the tourist hordes ignore many sites. St. Salvator for example is usually almost empty. The staircase of the Clam-Gallas palace is devoid of any tourist. And even the Teyn church is often surprisingly empty. And churches like St. Maria Snow are almost unknown... thankfully.

Yes, Martin, maybe February. But cannot guarantee it. What I meant was early morning, let's say 6 am to 9 am. That I will guarantee. Even in July. I am in Prague once to twice a year and always go for it in those times. Very few people if any. And that's not valid only for Prague, other crowded places like Florence, Venice, Rome - the same. People who want to see beautiful places and don't like crowds, should get up early.

I would consider Rome 5 times more crowded than Prague, and I was just there 3 weeks ago. Get away from the touristy areas and enjoy the beer gardens or the multiple parks that are everywhere in Prague.

As Carmen says - get away from touristy areas and if you want to see them, too, get up early.

I was in Prague last August and I did not think it was overwhelmingly crowded. It was crowded, but all the main cities in Europe are crowded. It is summer in Europe. It did not affect our good time at all. It is a beautiful city and you will enjoy your time there. On that same trip we went to Venice, which I thought was more crowded. So if you want a comparison, that is my opinion.

We just returned home from Prague so my experience is in late June not August, but what we found (at least this time of year) is lots of people but not so many that it was impossible to enjoy the sites. There were some lines at the Castle but not hours worth, there were lots of people on the Charles Bridge in the day and evening but not so many that you couldn't walk over it and we got up early twice to see this beauty with fewer people at sunrise, there was a crowd at the Astronomical Clock on the hour but there was still room for 3 of us to squeeze in and enjoy the chiming, restaurants weren't empty but we were able to get seats and good service where we wanted to be.

I went to Prague 25 years ago and it was much, much less crowded with tourists, a totally different experience. But this time part of the fun was being part of the bustling excitement and people watching with all the tourists from different places (and seeing adorable brides and grooms having pre-wedding photos done adding romance and whimsy to already romantic and whimsical attractions!).

Definitely expect crowds and take note of Rick Steves' crowd beating tips, but if you know to expect it, hopefully discovering this beautiful city along with others from all over the world will be a different but equally enjoyable experience!