☰Staré Město

Staré Město — Prague's Old Town — is where most visitors spend the bulk of their time, and for good reason. Old Town Square is one of Europe's great public spaces, ringed by Gothic, baroque, and rococo facades and anchored by the medieval Astronomical Clock on the town hall tower, which puts on its mechanical show every hour. The Týn Church's twin Gothic spires loom over the square's eastern side, and the surrounding streets are a web of medieval lanes that predate any rational street grid. Venture beyond the main tourist artery connecting the square to Charles Bridge and you'll find quieter pockets — hidden courtyards, romanesque cellars beneath modern buildings, and the remarkably preserved Jewish Quarter (Josefov) with its synagogues and old cemetery. The area is undeniably crowded, especially in summer, but the density of history per square meter is hard to match. Visit early morning or after dark for a completely different atmosphere.