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short trip report Prague

I just returned from a trip to the CR, and wanted to report back on a few things. I was with a non-RS tour group, but kept my Forum eyes on things to report on.

1. yes, too many tourists. Even our local guides commented on this. You could see groups (like ours) following their flags marching across the squares like armies. But really, this is in the popular touristed corridors, where tourist-shops and businesses are concentrated and all the workers speak english. The Charles Bridge was un-enjoyable, and there just aren't enough infrastructure, like WCs and benches to rest on, where needed because of it.

  1. Clothes. Yes, everyone wears everything possible. As one in our group said, everyone dresses badly now, like Americans with no self-respect. :) But what our local guides pointed out, was that the majority of who we were seeing, were other tourists. Not locals. Outside of the tourist areas, locals dressed more conservatively. White shoes and jeans everywhere.

  2. DCC. Tap worked everywhere. Unexpectedly, after multiple ATM and merchant transactions, I did not see DCC offered once.

  3. All our transport and most restaurant transactions were covered by the tour, but I must say the food was great everywhere.

I'm going to make another post about outside Prague, but I will just say that I think one needs to visit more than just Prague if you go to the CR.

Posted by
2867 posts

I am not surprised by the number of tourists.

I was in Prague in 2017 ahead of the latest surge of tourists. It was April and raining and the Charles bridge was jammed with tourists. I was really shocked. I had wanted to go to Prague for a very long time but was not as enamored with it as I thought I would be. The center of the city is totally given over to tourism.

It the food was great and less expensive than Vienna where we had come from.

Posted by
8338 posts

Here's another who was uncomfortable with all the crowds in Prague. And I was there back in 2010 in September, so I can only imagine that it has gotten worse. I did really enjoy my visit to Cesky Krumlov, though, and would love to explore other areas of the Czech Republic. But I have no desire to go back to Prague.

Posted by
3595 posts

A bit dismayed to read this from several forum folks. We have never been to Prague and were planning a 7 day trip there in 2026. Now, based on this I might shorten it to 5 nights and add somewhere else. Some crowds we expect, but overrun we would not enjoy.

Posted by
1333 posts

Honestly, we found the Charles Bridge to be less crowded this year than in years past. It was a crowded madhouse of tourists 11 years ago, and remains so to some degree, but it's still special.

I would not shorten my trip because of crowds. Prague is always crowded. Ask yourself why that might be.

Posted by
8338 posts

Tammy, I don't think even at its best that you need 7 nights in Prague—5 would be fine. That said, I really enjoyed my 2 night visit to Cesky Krumlov, which is a small town that is south of Prague, and reeks of atmosphere and charm. I loved my visit there. So you could conceivably spend 5 nights in Prague and then head down to CK if it works out.

Don't get me wrong, I am glad I went to Prague, but it was probably one of the most crowded places I've been to. I think it helped that I stayed outside the city center, so I got a break from the crowds.

Posted by
9064 posts

I thought 3 nights was enough for Prague, as the sights we visited were close enough to manage. Yes, we did Cesky Krumlov too. A UNESCO world heritage site. It is a beautiful town, while not exactly undiscovered. We did 3 nights in Prague, 2 in Cesky Krumlov, and then 5 in Mikulov in south Moravia. I plan to make separate thread about Mikulov.

Posted by
733 posts

I was there in mid-October 2023. No crowds to speak of. Yes, a bit crowded at the Old Town main square, watching the clock, in the cafes, etc. But no streets were impassible due to mobs of people, Charles Bridge was not crowded. Castle was nearly emply. No problem getting a seat for lunch or dinner. Weather was good, some light rain, but nothing nasty. Only downside was that most of the gardens were in transition from summer to winter plantings.

Posted by
622 posts

Again timing may be everything, I was there the last week of October and even the Charles Bridge was very doable. More and more I’m convinced worse possible weather and less daylight hours is a trade off I’m willing to pay for fewer bodies. Vienna the first week of November was fine as well.

Posted by
1745 posts

October is a wonderful month to visit Prague. We first visited in October 2003. Yes, that's right. Over 20 years ago. So it wasn't crowded at all. But this is what we liked about visiting in October. The air was cool and crisp, perfect for doing a lot of walking. We did wear winter coats (end of October) so that certainly helped. I remember walking uphill to Vysehrad walking through fallen autumn leaves. Just beautiful! And restaurants and bars were serving hot mulled cider! In some cases, all we had to do was walk up to an open window and order our drink. It was so much fun, and a great way to keep warm.

Another interesting city to visit in addition to Cesky Krumlov is Karlovy Vary situated in the mountains. KV is a spa town known for its mineral springs. When we were there you could purchase small cups and walk up to faucets and get yourself some mineral water. And the architecture is very different from Prague. A great place to visit!

Another small town we enjoyed is Telc located in the Moravian region of CR. It has a wonderful castle and a very pretty square surrounded by pastel colored buildings. We have fond memories of our visit here.