"Secondary" sights in Prague

Christine, here's a link to an article that I read in my research - it may give you some ideas.

http://thisismyhappiness.com/2013/01/18/off-the-beaten-path-in-prague/

The Lobkowicz Palace on Castle Hill has a fine art collection and original music of Beethoven and others in a beautiful building. Interesting family story to go with it.

The "Little Quarter" at the west end of the Charles Bridge, if you didn't see it before (or even if you did).

The Museum of Communism is supposed to be very good but I haven't seen it. .

Mucha Museum? And didn't Mucha's Slav Epic paintings just get moved somewhere in Prague? If you like architecture, I can highly recommend the Villa Muller by architect Adolph Loos.

Simply leave the busy royal road, stroll around and open your eyes. And maybe get a good!(!) guide book. There are many hidden, beautiful corners most tourists will never see. Novy Svet behind the Loreto chapel (a must see) for instance. Or the beautiful area around Schönborn palace, with the hidden Vrtba garden. Or Kampa island, which in parts still looks like Prague before the tourist invasion (around the French embassy). There are many beautiful baroque churches most tourists will never see, like the one behind Ungelt or on Charles square (my favorite). Or visit the Lapidarium, which not only houses many originals but also many traces of the less liked history of Prague.

Yes, Mucha Slav Epic paintings were moved to Prague from Moravsky Krumlov few years ago. They are now at Veletrzni Palac in Holesovice neighborhood. Easy to get there by tram. National Technical Museum was recently remodeled and is worth to see. Museum of Communism in downtown, street Na Prikope. KGB Museum close to US Embassy (on purpose?). The owner is also a guide there. The museum is well supplied by KGB devices, weapons, bugs, uniforms, cameras, etc. Guides view of KGB, history, USSR and so is different than we are used to. I was surprised by a lot of KGB relikvia displayed there and asked him about it. His father was an officer in NKVD (predecessor of KGB) and I suspect that he himself was somewhat involved with KGB. Anyway he is very informed and his view is presented from KGB angle. I did not buy it so we had lovely discussion. He speaks Russian, Czech and English (me too). He started with English then Czech and ended with Russian which he was most familiar with. There is so much to see in Prague. Get some ideas in visitor centers, check some useful websites:
http://www.prague-guide.co.uk/categories/attractionswhat-to-see.html
http://www.praguepost.com
http://www.pragueexperience.com

I definitely also vote for the Slav Epic paintings at Veletržní Palace , which you probably did not see before. You also have day-trip opportunities outside of town such as Terezin Concentration Camp, Kutna Hora, or Konopiste Castle

Another vote for the Veletrzni Palace . While we visited in order to see the Mucha works , the collection is HUGE and contains a vast amount of important painting and decorative and applied art not commonly seen in the west . A full day there was not enough .

Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions!

I saw the Veletržní Palác in 2007 before the Slavic Epic had been moved there, but I still went twice to see everything. The big deal there was the collection of French paintings (before the Iron Curtain fell, this was a place people in Eastern Europe could see these). But I was more impressed with the Czech artists I hadn't seen elsewhere, as well as things like Cubist furniture that I also was unfamiliar with. So, that's a third (or fourth) recommendation for the place.

I loved the Municipal House tour; you can't see the best things without a tour, and if you love Art Nouveau, it's a must.

Read up on the emerging and "hip" neighborhoods outside the center; when I was there it was Vinohrady and Zizkov, but of course this changes. Do bring a dictionary or menu translator if you plan to eat outside the center; unlike in the center, the menus in other neighborhoods were written in Czech only.

Another place I forgot to mention earlier: the Jubilejni Synagogue. It's near the main train station, and is a fabulous mix of Moorish and Art Nouveau styles. It made a much stronger impression on me than the synagogues in the Jewish Quarter (although, of course, those have exhibits inside, which were highly worthwhile).

As Harold points out , Do not miss the Municipal House or the Jerusalem Street Synagogue . The Municipal House is not , as one might think , a sort of City Hall , but a cultural center of sorts that comprises many facets including a grand concert hall , it is quite a bit of eye candy as is the Jerusalem Street Synagogue which is a wholly different experience as opposed to the complex of Synagogues in the Jewish Quarter . Both are what I would call " Must Sees " . Two other places come to mind ; at Resslova Street where it meets the Vlatava River embankment is Frank Gehry's " Dancing House " , a piece of modernistic architecture that incredibly fits right into its surroundings despite what might initially seem a clash , A block or two up Resslova Street from the river is the church of Saints Cyril and Methodius . Inside is the memorial to the " Heydrich Terror " . In 1941 , a covert operation hatched in Great Britain , assassinated Reinhard Heydrich , one of the principal architects of the Nazi regime . The principals in the scheme , Jan Kubis and Josef Gabcik met their end in the crypt of this church at the hands of the Nazis . It is a memorial now , and quite moving . You will not leave with a dry eye . This fifteen minute video will provide a glimpse of this moving story : http://youtu.be/tmfVUmGENAw

We just returned from Prague and would highly recommend you go to see the opera, Rusalka, music by Antonin Dvorak, libreto by Jaroslav Kvapil. It is in the beautiful opera house and has English supra titles so you will be able to understand it. It is based on the "Little Mermaid" written by Hans Christian Anderson. The sets are beautiful, the singing is marvelous, and the 80 orchestra sounds fantastic. We paid $17 for our seats in the second balcony and had no problem seeing or hearing. Some members of our group had never been to an opera and were amazed that they enjoyed it so much. One man plans to check out the opera in his home city when he returns. It is three acts long so started around 7 PM and ended around 10:20 PM with two intermissions.

A big thanks to everyone for the very detailed replies -- going to check out a number of your suggestions. Heading out on June 18th--cannot wait!

Vyšehrad is a fortification located south of the old town. You can get there on a street car that goes down the east bank of the Vitava river; I don't remember the number of the streetcar. Prague has only three metro (subway) lines, but an excellent network of streetcars.

Christine

A second vote for Vyšehrad. The graveyard there is interesting and there are good views back across the city. It's on the C line, a couple of stops up from Museum.

In June I would also definitely aim for Letna Park. My personal choice would be to get there early evening so as to give some business to the beer garden! Again great views across the city.

http://www.praguebeergarden.com/pubs/post/letna-beer-garden

You say you did the Castle but did you also do the Strahov Monastery? There is an interesting cluster of buildings there, including a very nice brewery. (I begin to perceive a link in some of my thoughts!)

http://www.strahovskyklaster.cz/

http://www.klasterni-pivovar.cz/en/restaurant/

Have a great time. I'm going back myself in September and really looking forward to it.

Alan