It’s 11 AM. Dozens of tourists are packed shoulder-to-shoulder to see the 16th-century Prague Library for a ticket price of Kč400 ($19) apiece. I breeze right past them and go in for free.
Prague is one of the fastest-growing tourist cities on earth, breaking new volume records every year, and attracting visitors from around the world who come to sample $2 pints of beer and endless blocks of Art Nouveau architecture.
The Czechs are quick to capitalize on the human bounty, charging extortionate fees to enter the most popular tourist sites such as Prague Castle, the Powder Tower, and the Klementinum Library.
But what if I told you that there are ways to see these places, and many more, for free or almost free? You just have to think like a local.
Let me tell you about some magical and budget-friendly places I visited during my three weeks in Prague.
Cultural Sites
As mentioned, one of Prague’s most popular cultural sights is the 16th-century Baroque Klementinum Library, which boasts ornate buttresses, spectacular frescoes, and gilded artwork – and for the price of $19 USD, you get to stand inside the room and then get shuffled off so that the next tourist group can take your place.
A fantastic alternative to this sardine-can of an attraction is to visit Prague’s Czech National Library, which is just adjacent to the Klementinum and just as old and ornate.
For free, any member of the public can get a day pass and roam around at leisure, study and work there, and then get a Kč35 ($1.60) eggs benedict at the canteen afterward.
When I visited, I was the only tourist – everyone else was local. They were surprised that I knew where to look, and when you’re enjoying the spacious medieval surroundings, you will be surprised that you never knew about the place.
For other cool cultural ideas, consider Prague’s many inexpensive or free museums. For tourist centers such as the Czech National Museum or the Museum of Communism, visitors will shell out Kč300 ($14.50) for one ticket, but you don’t have to spend a thing to see and learn a lot.
Consider, for example, the Army Museum Žižkov, the Czech Republic’s main military museum.
It contains six floors of exhibits, I spent three whole hours there, and it’s just adjacent to the (also free) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a gorgeous (and also free!) viewpoint from which you can see the whole city and the surrounding area.
Want to relive the most exhilarating and heroic moment in recent Czech history? The Operation Anthropoid Memorial site, which commemorates the last stand of the assassins of a Nazi mastermind, is also free.
If you want to see the final resting places of Czech national heroes such as Antonin Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana, that’s free too – they’re at Vyšehrad Cemetery, and you don’t have to pay to get in.
And by the way, Dvořák’s home in Prague is now a museum to his masterful composing, and entry is only Kč70 – less than $4.
Churches
Prague has dozens of churches, and the most popular ones are crowded and expensive – you have to get timed tickets to Prague’s Cathedral, and they’ll cost you Kč450 – $22. Yikes!
Here are some churches I saw for free or nearly free that were as beautiful and way less crowded than the Cathedral:
- Basilica of St. James the Greater (free)
- Church of St. Gallen (free)
- Vyšehrad Basilica (Kč130, or $6, but it’s a can’t-miss Art Nouveau church)
- Strahov Monastery Basilica (free, but adjacent to a bigger building where they’ll try to make you pay Kč200 – you don’t have to!)
- St. Nicholas Church (Kč150, or $7, but worthwhile for the grandiose ornateness of the building)
- Church of St. Ignatius (free)
Recreation
Many tourists choose to pursue diversions such as axe-throwing, shooting, escape rooms, and live classical music concerts in Prague, and while these are all fun nights out, they cost a lot, like around $100 per person on average.
So, here are some ways to have fun like a local:
Prague has many beautiful parks, filled with flowers, trees, and water features.
Personally, my favorites were Letna Park, whose Metronome offers a sweeping view of Prague, especially at sunset; Riegrovy Sady, a hilltop park in a neighborhood full of trendy restaurants and bars at which local youths gather in the evenings; and Královská obora Stromovka, a quieter park nestled among Prague’s “Beverly Hills” at which I found that I was the only foreigner.
How about a sauna? For just Kč180 ($8.50) per hour, you can relax at Lázně na lodi, a sauna on a boat overlooking the scenic Vltava River.
Is a day at the movies more your thing? Prague boasts many cinemas that show films in English (although I went to see one in Czech for the novelty!), and that cost less than movies in America.
Personally, I went to Bio Oko, where I was the only non-Czech person present, and I paid Kč150 ($6) for a solidly fun day.
Finally, and especially when it’s warm outside, there always seems to be a festival or free concert occurring outdoors. You just have to sniff them out!
Eating and Drinking Like a Local
Everyone wants to try the local fare, but most tourists will shell out exorbitant sums at places with English-language menus just to feel transiently Czech. But here are some places where I tried the local food and beer, at local prices, and sitting among locals:
- K-Remember: One doesn’t think of Prague as being a locus for great Vietnamese food, but due to the highest Vietnamese immigrant population per capita of any country on earth, Prague has amazing Vietnamese food. K-Remember will run you about $8 for a hearty, filling meal, and it’s a can’t-miss.
- Lidl: Yes, the grocery store chain Lidl. But the local prepared-foods section is massive, and you can get a microwavable Czech meal that, when prepared, perfectly resembles a restaurant dish for as little as $3. And coffee is always Kč20 ($0.95!)
- U Zlatého tygra: Translating to “The Golden Tiger,” this is a locals’ pub at which my group and I were the only foreigners. It’s lively, loud, and authentic – and Bill Clinton used to drink there with Vaclav Havel!
- Havelska Koruna: Want a sit-down Czech food experience for under $10? Look no further – Havelska Koruna is a cafeteria-style restaurant in the heart of the Old Town with more than 100 items on the menu – a taste for everyone!
- Bageterie Boulevard: A sandwich chain popular in the Czech Republic – and I was blown away by the quality and price of the food. For around $6 – less than a Big Mac meal – you can eat a healthy and local lunch.
So, are you ready to skirt the crowds and enjoy Prague like a local? Dive in and experience Prague like never before – and for less than ever before.
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Author Bio: Manny Marotta is a legal and political journalist who has contributed articles to JURIST, The Hill, Business Insider, and other outlets. He has appeared on television as a Ukraine War reporter and as a U.S.-Canada trade relations expert. He enjoys adventure and showing lesser-known regions to the world. He is currently traveling indefinitely in Eastern Europe.
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