With its stunning setting on the Vltava River, gothic towers, and elevated viewpoints, Prague is a gorgeous city to visit and photograph. One of the best things to do in this “city of a hundred spires” is to climb its towers for panoramic views. In this guide, we list the 10 best views of Prague, with practical information on how you can get the same photos.
Table of Contents
Best Views of Prague
In no particular order, here is our list of the best views of Prague. At the end of this guide, you can see all of them on a map.
Note: We have visited Prague several times. Some of these photos were taken in May and some were taken in December.
1. Old Town Hall Tower
Let’s start with one of the easiest towers to visit (an elevator takes you right to the top!) and iconic views of Prague.
The Old Town Hall sits next to Staroměstské náměstí, Prague’s most famous square. Sitting on the outside of the Old Town Hall is Pražský orloj, the Prague Astronomical Clock, a famous landmark to photograph in the city.
On a visit to the Old Town Hall, you can visit the exhibits in the various rooms of the building, get a behind the scenes look at the figurines of the Astronomical Clock, and the best part, enjoy the view from the tower.
To get to the top of the tower, you will ride an elevator most of the way to the top. From this point, it is another short elevator ride or a 5-minute walk up a large, spiraling ramp. Finally, it is one final climb up a narrow, metal spiral staircase, so you will have to climb a few steps, but that’s nothing compared to the other tower climbs on this list.
So, if you want an elevated view of Prague without a massive stair climb, this is the best tower to visit.
The elevator and ramp in the Old Town Hall tower
From the top of the Old Town Hall tower you get 360° views of Prague. It’s one of the best views of Prague and you can snap the iconic photo of the Týn Church and Staroměstské náměstí square.
Old Town Square
A view across the snowy rooftops in December
How to Visit the Old Town Hall Tower
There is an entrance fee to visit the Old Town Hall Tower. On your visit, you can simply visit the tower for the view or spend more time touring the state rooms, the chapel, and seeing the Astronomical Clock apostles. To do all of this, plan on spending an hour in the Old Town Hall. If you just plan to visit the tower, budget 30 minutes.
Website: Get hours and pricing here. We purchased our ticket online in advance through GetYourGuide to skip the ticket line.
2. Old Town Bridge Tower
For another classic view of Prague, climb the steps of the Old Town Bridge Tower (Staroměstská mostecká věž). This tower sits at the eastern end of the Charles Bridge and from here you get the iconic view of Charles Bridge with the backdrop of Prague Castle. It’s not to be missed.
Construction on this tower began in 1357. Imagine the events that took place during this tower’s lifetime.
Old Town Bridge Tower
The view in December
The view in May
How to Visit the Old Town Bridge Tower
The tower is open 7 days a week. Get hours and pricing here. You can get a combination ticket with the Lesser Town Bridge Tower, mentioned next.
Climb 138 steps to get to the indoor viewing gallery. A short climb from here takes you to the upper outdoor terrace, the best place to take your photos. From the top of the Old Town Bridge Tower, you get 360° views of Prague, including a view along the entire length of the Charles Bridge. The header photo for this post was taken from this tower.
3. Lesser Town Bridge Tower
This tower is located on the western end of the Charles Bridge, opposite from the Old Town Bridge Tower (Malostranské mostecké věže). It doesn’t get quite the same number of visitors as the Old Town Bridge Tower but in our opinion, the views from here are some of the best in Prague. Not only do you get a unique view of the Charles Bridge but you also get wonderful views of Mala Strana, Prague Castle, and the dome of St. Nicholas Church.
On a visit here, you’ll climb the taller of the two towers. The smaller tower is Judith’s Tower.
How to Visit the Lesser Town Bridge Tower
I don’t have the exact number, but it is a shorter stair climb to the top of the Lesser Town Bridge Tower than the Old Town Bridge Tower.
It is open 7 days a week. Get hours and pricing here. If you also have plans to visit the Old Town Tower Bridge, purchase the combi-ticket.
4. Powder Tower (Prašná brána)
The Powder Tower is a gothic tower located to the east of Staroměstské náměstí and the heart of the old town. It doesn’t have the same iconic views as the towers already mentioned, but you still get a very nice view of Prague’s old town. It also tends to be less visited than many other places on this list.
The Powder Tower is one of the original 13 city gates in the Old Town. Construction began in 1475. In the 17th century it was used to store gunpowder, giving it the name it still has today.
How to Visit the Powder Tower
Tickets can be purchased at street level or at the ticket kiosk halfway up the tower. Again, you get 360° views from the upper, outer terrace. The best view is looking back towards the Old Town. Get hours and pricing here.
5. Charles Bridge
No steps to climb this time, just a leisurely stroll across one of Europe’s most famous pedestrian bridges.
The Charles Bridge (Karlov Most) runs from the Old Town to Mala Strana. Walking across this bridge is one of Prague’ top experiences.
It is an extremely photogenic walk, with views of the Prague Castle, Vltava River, Old Town Tower Bridge, and Lesser Town Tower Bridge. Thirty statues line the bridge, each with an important history.
The view of the Lesser Town Tower Bridge, St. Nicholas Church, and St. Vitus Cathedral from Charles Bridge
Mala Strana and Prague Castle
How to Visit Charles Bridge
The Charles Bridge is free to visit and open 24 hours a day. The best time for photography is near sunrise and sunset, when the lighting is ideal. Crowds are lowest at sunrise.
6. Prague Castle
Prague Castle is the largest castle in the world. There is a long list of things to see and do in the castle, including a few viewpoints where you can get a great view of Prague.
From the Lobkowicz Palace Restaurant and Café, there is an outdoor terrace with a panoramic view of the city. Here’s the view.
The view from Lobkowicz Palace
For an even better view (and no need to purchase a ticket to visit the castle), there is a terrace with a similar but slightly better view of Prague. It is called Vyhlídka Na Opyši and is located just outside of the castle. Here’s the view.
The view from Vyhlídka Na Opyši
A third place to get a great view from Prague Castle is from the tower of the St. Vitus Cathedral, mentioned next.
How to Visit Prague Castle
Prague Castle is massive. You could spend most of a day here if you visited all of the palaces, churches, and landmarks. In our Guide to Prague Castle, we cover the best things to do, ticket options, and have lots of helpful tips. Get hours and updated pricing on the official website.
7. The South Tower of St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral forms the centerpiece of Prague Castle. From throughout the city, you can see the church spires rising up from the castle. Climbing the South Tower of St. Vitus Cathedral puts you at one of the highest points in the city so it may come as no surprise that the view from the tower is pretty awesome.
However, it takes some work to get here.
To get to the top of the tower, you will climb a tight spiral stone staircase most of the way. It is 287 steps in total, according to the official website.
Your reward is 360° views of Prague. From this elevated position, you can see just about every landmark in this beautiful city.
How to Visit St. Vitus Cathedral
First, you’ll need a ticket to enter Prague Castle. There is an additional ticket to climb the South Tower. These tickets are not available for purchase at the tower (at least when we did this in 2023) so make sure you purchase it at the ticket offices in Prague Castle (the additional ticket is called ‘Tower of the Cathedral with a View Gallery.’) Get pricing here.
Once on top of the tower, you get unobstructed views from the outdoor viewing terraces.
8. St. Nicholas Church Bell Tower
St. Nicholas Church is located in Mala Strana, a short walk from Prague Castle.
This Baroque Church was constructed between 1704 and 1755 and was dedicated to St. Nicholas. Climbing the tower of the church gives you a very nice view of the Lesser Town of Prague.
This is one of the most interesting towers to climb. Instead of a monotonous climb up a spiral stone staircase, this tower has wooden steps that are broken up into various sections and always changing direction, which really helps to keep things interesting.
When you climb the tower, there are two different viewpoints to visit. As you get near the top, look for a door to the right that opens up to an outdoor terrace. This is best viewing option from the tower, with unobstructed 360° views of the city.
Back inside, continue up the stairs to the very top. You’ll end up in a small room with windows offering partial views of the city.
How to Visit St. Nicholas Church
Tickets are purchased outside of the church, next to the tower (a separate ticket office than for that to enter the church). Get hours and pricing here.
9. The Dancing House
The Dancing House, also called Ginger and Fred, is a unique looking building famous for its deconstructivist architecture. Photographing the outside of this building is a popular thing to do in Prague but you can also visit the upper terrace for panoramic views of Prague. This is also a hotel and restaurant.
Dancing House
How to Visit the Dancing House
The Glass Bar sits on the top floor of the Dancing House and has a rooftop terrace (the best place in the Dancing House for photography). You can also dine with a view at the Fred and Ginger Restaurant or stay in one of the hotel rooms.
10. Petrin Tower
This tower, designed to resemble the Eiffel Tower, just on a smaller scale, offers another breathtaking view of Prague. It was built in 1891. The Petrin Tower sits on Petrin Hill, in a gardenlike setting west of the Vltava River.
This is the highest viewpoint of the city and from here you get a sweeping view of Prague.
How to Visit Petrin Tower
To get to Petrin Hill, you can walk from Mala Strana (about 30 minutes), ride the funicular from Ujezd in Mala Strana to the summit, or take a taxi.
To get to the top of the tower, climb 299 steps or take the elevator for an additional fee. Get hours and pricing here.
Best Views of Prague: On a Map
How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each viewpoint. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.
Our Favorite Views of Prague
All of the viewpoints listed above are well worth the time and effort, but here are our favorite views of Prague.
The Old Town Hall Tower offers one of the best views in Prague (a bird’s eye view of the Týn Church and Staroměstské náměstí). An elevator takes you most of the way to the top, so it is a great option for all ages and ability levels.
For the iconic view of Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, climb the Old Town Bridge Tower.
The Lesser Town Bridge Tower is underrated. You’ll climb fewer steps than the Old Town Bridge Tower and get a very nice view of Charles Bridge and Mala Strana.
If you don’t mind rolling out of bed early, strolling across Charles Bridge at sunrise is an unforgettable experience.
It’s also worth visiting the South Tower of St. Vitus’ Cathedral or Petrin Tower if you want elevated, sweeping views of Prague.
Photo taken from the Old Town Hall Tower
9 Objects in 365 Days
This multi-ticket costs CZK 990 and includes 9 attractions in Prague: Lesser Town Bridge Tower, Old Town Bridge Tower, Old Town Hall Tower, St. Nicholas Bell Tower, Powder Tower, Petrin Tower, The Clementium, the Mirror Maze, and the New Mill Water Tower.
If you plan to climb a lot of towers in Prague, it could be worth it to purchase this pass.
Learn more here.
If you have any questions about the best views of Prague, or if you want to share your favorite views, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Prague
PRAGUE: Get started with our article Best Things to Do in Prague. For the best experience, take a look at our Guide to Prague Castle for lots of helpful tips for your visit.
CHRISTMAS IN PRAGUE: If you will be visiting Prague in December, don’t miss our guide to the best Christmas markets in Prague, which also includes other festive things to do in the city.
CESKY KRUMLOV: In our Guide to Cesky Krumlov, learn how to plan your day trip from Prague.
CENTRAL EUROPE ITINERARY: Learn how to put together Budapest, Vienna, and Prague together in our 10 day Central Europe Itinerary.
GERMANY: The Bastei Bridge is a beautiful place to visit in Saxony, Germany. Learn about the best things to do in Berlin, how to day trip to Rakotzbrücke, and how to spend 10 days in Bavaria.
Read all of our articles about Czech Republic in our Czech Republic Travel Guide.
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Comments 1
amazing place