Prague attractions

For a completely different museum experience, don’t miss Prague’s Museum of Senses, an attraction as fun as it is educational. Get ready to engage every one of your senses as you discover a world of sensations and optical illusions you may not have known existed.

The Gothic Loket Castle (Hrad Loket) looms over the Western Bohemian town of Loket. The town was founded in about the 9th century, and the castle a few hundred years later. The castle is a beautiful sight from the outside, with its pointed turrets and thick stone walls. Visitors can also tour the inside, which has been converted into a museum.

The spa town of Mariánské Láznĕ (also known as Marienbad) is one of the Czech Republic’s favorite getaways and easily accessible from Prague. With a balmy climate, panoramic mountain views, elegant architecture, and lush gardens, Mariánské Láznĕ is the perfect place for a day trip or relaxing weekend away from the big city.

Prague’s outpost of the worldwide Hard Rock brand is one of the most popular hangouts in the city. Tucked away behind the fresco-covered façade of the 19th-century VJ Rott House, this rock-and-roll-themed restaurant is a short walk from the nightlife of Old Town Square and offers a mix of Czech pilsner beers and classic American burgers.

Home to Rückl Crystal, the Nizbor Glass Factory carries on the tradition of making the high-quality Czech glass and crystal that was originally known as Bohemian crystal. All stages of production are carried out here, including glass blowing, painting, crackling, and cutting. Champagne glasses, bowls, plates, vases, perfume bottles, and lamps are just a few of the items you’ll see made.

Not for the faint of heart, Prague’s Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments is filled with macabre displays. You’ll see more than 60 torture devices from all over Europe, from iron maidens to garrotes and hot pincers to head crushers.

Aquapalace Prague is a fun, family-friendly attraction that’s ideal for cooling off in the summer, staying warm in the winter, or sheltering from a wet day. With pools, fountains, waterslides, spas, saunas, a fitness center, medical spa facilities, restaurants, bars, and a hotel, any kind of traveler can find something to enjoy here.

This imaginative Prague attraction is technically a museum, but it’s far from a sea of dusty paintings and artifacts—instead, it’s a funhouse of optical illusions and visual tricks. With over 150 interactive displays, it’s a great rainy-day activity in the city center for all ages.

See the largest model railway in the Czech Republic (and one of the largest in Central Europe) at Prague’s Kingdom of Railways. Home to more than 1,300 feet (396 meters) of railway track, the permanent exhibition in the Smíchov district includes hundreds of model trains and cars, as well as models of Czech cityscapes.

This treasure trove of memorabilia is the work of just one enthusiastic Russian collector. The tiny KGB Museum in Prague houses an impressive collection of artifacts from the Soviet Union’s once-feared secret service, including uniforms, weapons, spy cameras, and interrogation and torture equipment.

The Bedrich Smetana Museum (Muzeum Bedricha Smetany) pays homage to composer Bedřich Smetana, considered the father of Czech music and best known for his opera The Bartered Bride. Set in a neo-Renaissance building, the museum is stuffed with the Smetana’s furnishings and pianos, personal photographs and letters, and original scores.

Located in the baroque former church of St. Mary Magdalene, built in the 17th Century, the Czech Museum of Music is one of the National Museum’s five institutions. More than 400 historical musical instruments of great value are on display inside the museum, which holds permanent and rotating exhibitions, as well as regular concerts.

Fans of Antonín Dvořák—whose works include the New World Symphony and Slavonic Dances—can learn more about this Czech composer at the Antonín Dvořák Museum (Muzeum Antonina Dvoraka). Take in the collection of scores and manuscripts as well as posters, photos, correspondence, and his instruments, including a viola and piano.

The Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures houses an eclectic repository of non-European treasures. Admire a hodge-podge of artifacts from across the globe in the permanent collection of masks, costumes, ceramics, fine art, coins, and jewelry. Many are accompanied by historic photographs for added context.

Architecture buffs will be in their element at Villa Bílek (Bílkova Vila), designed in 1911 by Czech architect František Bílek. Today, it’s home to a museum dedicated to his life and work. Admire the villa’s blend of Art Nouveau and Symbolist styles, and peruse sculptures, furniture, drawings, and other works by Bílek displayed inside.

Podskali Custom House at Výton (Podskalská Celnice na Výtoni) showcases the history of the now-extinct Podskali fishing and woodcutters settlement in Prague. This 16th-century structure is a final remnant of the settlement, which arose in the 12th century and was the site of the largest and richest wood market in the city, until Prague’s expansion led to its demolition in the 19th century.

At Prague’s Gallery of Steel Figures (Galerie Ocelových Figurín), prepare to be amazed by the variety of sculptures that have been fashioned out of scrap steel. Life-size sculptures of cars, animals, robots, and more are all assembled and welded by hand, and their construction takes months to complete. Everyone from families to art enthusiasts will enjoy this niche museum in the heart of Prague.

For a surprising slice of serenity right in the center of Prague, look to Vrtba Garden. High on the slopes of Petřín Hill, this magnificent baroque garden offers one of the best views of the city, but only for those in the know. This hidden gem—literally, as it’s hiding behind walls—is relatively unknown and objectively spectacular.

Handicrafts, magnets, and fresh produce are easily found among the stalls at Havel’s Market. This small market in a small pedestrian street of Prague's Old Town, surrounded by elegant pastel-colored buildings, is older than it looks and has been operating in the area since 1232. Fruit bowls and knickknacks make this a reliable stop for tourists seeking souvenirs or snacks.

Billed as the largest private collection of Apple products in the world, the Apple Museum sits inside the Pop Art Gallery in a revamped 12th-century townhouse. This homage to all things Apple includes more than 470 original products and highlights the backstory of the company’s legendary founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

At this gem for film lovers in Prague, you can explore two floors dedicated to Czech and international cinema, each offering interactive exhibits that bring the history of the art form to life. The museum also ventures into the tech side, displaying the creation process behind the world’s landmark films—a fun day for all generations.

A magic show in an intimate, fashionable nightclub setting, the Prague Illusion includes surprising illusions, mind reading, dangerous tricks, and plenty of audience participation. Even with close-up views, visitors are frequently amazed by magician Jonathan David Bass’ illusions.

Dedicated to the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who was highly popular at the end of the 19th century in Paris and beyond for his romantic posters and advertisements, Prague’s Mucha Museum is a must-visit for all fans of art nouveau. The museum hosts the world’s best exhibition of Mucha’s intricate posters, decorative panels, lithographs, and sketches.

Founded in 1961, Black Light Theatre Srnec is the first black light theater. More than five million spectators from all over the world have seen the show: a unique nonverbal experience where objects come to life and everything looks a little bit different.

A theatrical form that employs optical illusion and ultraviolet light, modern black-light theater evolved in the Czech Republic, and Prague’s Ta Fantastika Black Light Theatre is a well-known practitioner. Since the 1980s, Ta Fantastka has been putting on family-friendly shows with live actors and puppets, both in amazing costumes.

Prague’s former working-class suburb of Zizkov lies to the east of the city center and is best known as being home to the futuristic Television Tower (Tower Park Prague). Today it is a bohemian district with a reputation for underground drinking dens, grungy pubs, and edgy nightlife along Borivojova street, the perfect spot for pub crawls.

The Prague City Gallery (Galerie Hlavního Města Prahy or GHMP) is a network of seven historic buildings across the city, each of which exhibits modern and contemporary art. Take in collections in locations as diverse as the late 13th-century gothic Stone Bell House and the 1911 Art Nouveau Villa Bilek.

Set in a former tram depot in Prague-Střešovice, the Public Transport Museum (Muzeum MHD) is a fun ride through the history of Prague’s urban transportation, with around 40 historic trams, coaches, and buses on display. Other exhibits include miniature models; vintage ads, photos, and maps; and film shorts from the past 150 years.

In the center of Prague’s Old Town area, the M1 Lounge is an intimate and fashionable hip-hop and R&B club, with table service, a thumping dance floor, and a youthful, international crowd. The club hosts various themed evenings, including the popular Prague Illusion magic show by illusionist Jonathan David Bass on Saturday evenings.

Prague’s outpost of the Wax Museum of Legends by Grévin (Musee Grévin is one of the largest in Europe, famous for its waxwork likenesses of celebrities, royalty, athletes, and historic Czech figures. Opened in 2014, the museum provides three floors of family fun and fantasy close to the Staré Mesto (Old Town.