Regionen · Kapitel 7
By the HolidayGenie editorial team ·
The New Town (Nové Město) was founded in 1348 by Charles IV — "new" is relative. Here lie Wenceslas Square, the National Opera, and the National Museum. Vinohrady, southeast of it, is Prague's trendiest residential district with the best restaurants, craft beer bars, and a local flair that never reaches the tourist crowds.
Wenceslas Square
The Václavské náměstí (Wenceslas Square) is not a square in the classical sense, but a 750-meter-long boulevard — a mix of the Champs-Élysées and a city square, lined with hotels, department stores, restaurants, and Art Nouveau facades. Charles IV laid it out in 1348 as a horse market; today it is Prague's commercial main axis.
Historical Significance
Wenceslas Square is the place where Czech history was written:
- 1918: Here, the independence of Czechoslovakia from Austria-Hungary was declared.
- 1969: Student Jan Palach set himself on fire here in protest against the Soviet occupation. His memorial stands in front of the National Museum.
- 1989: The Velvet Revolution — 500,000 people gathered here, jingling keys and ending 41 years of communism. Václav Havel spoke from the balcony of the Melantrichova building.
Today, the square is less glamorous — currency exchanges, fast-food chains, and tourist traps dominate. But the historical aura and the National Museum at the upper end still make it a must-visit.
National Museum & Cultural Highlights
National Museum (Národní muzeum)
The neo-Renaissance building at the upper end of Wenceslas Square was reopened in 2018 after extensive renovation. The collection includes natural history, mineralogy, Czech history, and paleontology. The entrance hall with the staircase (marble, frescoes, bronze statues) alone is worth the visit. Admission: 250 CZK (€10). First Monday of the month: free.
National Opera (Národní divadlo)
The National Theatre on the Vltava riverbank is the most important cultural building in the Czech Republic — adorned with gold, financed by the nation ("Národ sobě" — The Nation to Itself), opened in 1883 with Smetana's opera "Libuše". Opera, ballet, and drama at world-class level. Tickets: from 100 CZK (€4) — absurdly cheap for a state opera. Book online in advance.
Mucha Museum
The museum is dedicated to the work of Alfons Mucha (1860–1939), the master of Art Nouveau: his iconic posters for Sarah Bernhardt, his designs for jewelry, stained glass, and murals. Small but exquisite. Admission: 250 CZK. Mucha's monumental masterpiece — the Slav Epic (20 huge paintings) — is on display in the Trade Fair Palace of the National Gallery.
Dancing House (Tančící dům)
The deconstructivist masterpiece by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić (1996) on the Vltava riverbank: Two intertwined glass towers that look like a dancing couple — called "Fred & Ginger". On the top floor: a rooftop bar with one of the best panoramic views over Prague. Cocktail with a view: from 250 CZK.
Vinohrady — The Local Prague
Vinohrady (literally: vineyards) is Prague's trendy district — a residential area with Art Nouveau facades, parks, excellent restaurants, and craft beer bars that most tourists never reach. Here live young Praguers, expats, and creatives; here you find the best restaurants and the most authentic nightlife in the city.
Why visit Vinohrady?
- Náměstí Míru (Peace Square): The central square with the neo-Gothic Church of St. Ludmila and a weekly market (Saturday mornings). Around it: cafes, restaurants, and a relaxed atmosphere that fundamentally differs from the Old Town.
- Riegrovy sady: The park with the legendary beer garden — panoramic view of Prague Castle, a half-liter of beer for 45 CZK (€1.80), and football on the screen. Prague's best sunset spot — and no tourist in sight.
- Restaurants & Bars: Vinohrady has Prague's best food scene: from Vietnamese pho soup (Prague's largest minority is Vietnamese) to craft beer bars (Beer Geek, BeerGeek Bar & Grill) to fine dining. The Krymská Street (sometimes called "Prague's Brooklyn") is the hipster mile with galleries, bars, and vintage shops.
- Havlíčkovy sady: Prague's second-largest park with a wine pavilion (Grébovka) where you can drink Czech wine — on a terrace overlooking the city. Romantic and local.
Tipp
Vinohrady is the perfect place for the evening: After a day in the Old Town and at the castle — take the metro (line A) to Náměstí Míru, dine at a restaurant on Mánesova or Vinohradská, then have beer at the Riegrovy sady beer garden with a view of the castle. This is how you experience Prague like the locals.
Vyšehrad — The Other Castle
The Vyšehrad (literally: high castle) is the older, quieter sister of Prague Castle — a fortress on a rock above the Vltava, south of the center. According to legend, Prague was founded here: Princess Libuše is said to have prophesied the Golden City from this rock.
What is there to see?
- Basilica of St. Peter and Paul: The neo-Gothic church with its twin towers — Vyšehrad's landmark. Inside: Art Nouveau frescoes reminiscent of Mucha's style.
- Vyšehrad Cemetery (Slavín): Here rest the greatest Czechs: composers Dvořák and Smetana, writer Karel Čapek (who invented the word "robot"), painter Alfons Mucha. An open-air pantheon of Czech culture.
- Casemates: Underground passages in the fortress walls that served as storage and shelters. Tour: 90 CZK.
- Panorama: From the fortress walls, you have a breathtaking view over the Vltava, the New Town, and on clear days, all the way to Prague Castle — without the crowds.
Conclusion: Vyšehrad is the perfect half-day trip for the second or third day — if you want to leave the tourist crowds of the Old Town behind. Entry to the grounds: free. Metro: line C, station "Vyšehrad".
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