Prague is set beautifully on a winding river with the town spreading across both banks. Old town and many of the popular places to visit are on one side of the river. Across the famous Charles Bridge (or one of the many others) on Prague’s left bank, you will find the castle, some really cool neighborhoods and beautiful parks. You should plan to spend at least one day exploring this side of the river.
We’ve already shown you the best view for sunset in Prague in this post. Today we wanted to share a few more favorites on Prague’s left bank. We stayed on this side of the river in District 7. It was nice to be in a quiet, residential neighborhood since we were staying for longer than a few nights.
Castle Grounds & Cathedral
The main attraction on Prague’s left bank is the castle. It sits high up on the hill overlooking the city and it takes up quite a bit of land. Founded in the 9th century, it has been renovated many times, but the layers of history remain. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it is listed as the largest castle complex in the world. All the structures on top of the hill are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are many tours of the castle and the multiple museums in the area, so you can choose the options that work best for you. The castle grounds are free to walk through and you just have to go through a short security check. The Cathedral was our favorite building on the grounds.
Get all the most recent castle information on their website here.
Lesser Town – Malá Strana
Malá Strana, aka lesser town, is located underneath the castle hill. It’s a great neighborhood to explore with lots of restaurants and places to grab a drink. There is a strange little sidewalk that is only wide enough for one person, so a stoplight lets you know when you can cross. The famous Lennon Wall is located in this neighborhood as well. When we were there, it was “closed” so they could clean up some recent graffiti and restore it to its glory. I was pretty bummed to miss out, but it was reopening in November so anyone visiting now shouldn’t have that problem.
Take some time to stroll the quieter streets and enjoy the canals that slice through the neighborhood. If you are looking for some great food that is served in a beautiful beer garden, check out Pivovar a restaurace Vojanův Dvůr.
Letenská pláň
This beautiful park sits up on a hill that overlooks the river and Old Town. There is a beer garden located in the park with some of the best views we found. It’s the perfect place to bring a picnic and do some people watching. It was especially beautiful as the leaves were starting to change and the weather was sunny and warm. There were multiple markets around the park as well so it was a great place to stock up on some produce for the week as well.
Prague 7
The city is divided into multiple districts. Seven is on Prague’s left bank just on the other side of the park from the castle and lesser town. It was a great location for us because we were able to stay in a local’s apartment while he was traveling. We took advantage of the quiet balcony and great small shops and cafes. The public transportation is amazing in the city and it’s extremely easy to get around. We could be in the middle of Old Town within 20 minutes.
Even if you choose to stay in the middle of the action, the neighborhood is great to check out if you like modern art or a quieter vibe. You’ll find the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art as well as lots of old converted industrial buildings that are now bars or venues. VNITROBLOCK is another cool venue to check out in this area.
Other Details for Visiting Prague’s Left Bank
Most of these areas are easily accessible on foot. Nothing in Prague is too far to walk. If you do need a break, use their extensive public transportation system. You can get passes for 1 day, 3 days or a week that are unlimited. We opted for one ride at a time because we didn’t ride it very often. There are ticket machines in every station plus you can buy them at many convenient stores.
Plan to spend at least one day on this side of the river. The Castle itself can consume a lot of your day, but there is a lot to see and explore on this side of the river.
Click here to find hotels in this area if you want to stay on Prague’s left bank. We had the best experience with our AirBnB as well, so that’s an option. If you haven’t used the service before, click here to get a discount on your first stay.
And as always, let us know if you are visiting Prague so we can follow along with your photos.
