Prague isn’t that huge, and as long as you don’t live too far on the outskirts, you can easily reach all parts of Prague on foot. But there are still areas that we’d recommend more than others.
When you travel to a city for the first time, it’s often difficult to find your way around.
Where is the city center and where should I stay?
There are many things better than arriving in a foreign place and finding out that the hotel you booked is in a bad location.
To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, we’ve written down everything you need to know about booking a hotel in Prague.
The best area to stay in Prague
In this post, we’ll be introducing the top 3 districts and helping you figure out which district is the right one for you to stay. We’ll also tell you our personal hotel tips for each district.
Overview of the districts on a map
For better orientation, we’ve marked the districts we recommend for accommodation in Prague on this map.
These are the three districts we recommend:
- Praha 1 (Lesser Town, Old Town, New Town, subway station Mustek and surroundings)
- Žižkov and Vinohrady
- Smichov
Praha 1
Praha 1 is perfect for you if this is your first time in Prague and you want to stay as close to the famous sights as possible.
Praha 1 includes the Old Town of Prague (Staré Město), as well as the adjacent districts of the New Town (Nové Město) and the Lesser Town (Malá Strana).
From there, you can easily get to all the famous sights on foot.
Our favorite is the Mustek area, located between the Old Town and main station.
It’s a little quieter, but it’s only a few minutes walk to the Old Town and the Charles Bridge, and the districts of Žižkov and Vinohrady are close by too.
Pros of staying in Praha 1:
- Historical and cultural center
- Most famous sights in immediate vicinity
- Wide range of stores, bars and theaters
Cons of staying in Praha 1:
- Quite touristy
- Hotels and restaurants are a bit more expensive
Our hotel tips in Praha 1
Overall, Praha 1 is the district in Prague with the most hotels. Almost all tourist attractions of the city are located here. Of course, the prices for hotels are also the highest in this district, especially directly in the Old Town.
Of course, we show you different hotels of all price ranges. There is something for every budget.
Žižkov and Vinohrady
Žižkov and Vinohrady are perfect for you if you like to blend in with the locals and you don’t mind a 20-minute walk and a 5-minute subway ride until you’re in the Old Town.
You won’t feel so much like a tourist here and you can get to know a different side of the city.
The districts of Žižkov and Vinohrady are probably not typical hotel districts in Prague. But in Žižkov, you can visit the famous TV tower, and you can mingle with the locals in cafes, restaurants, and bars.
You can also tell by the prices that Žižkov and Vinohrady aren’t typical tourist destinations. Hotel rates are generally lower here, and food and drink are also a lot more affordable here than what you spend in the Old Town.
Pros of staying in Žižkov and Vinohrady:
- You can blend in with the locals
- Cozy cafes and some of the best restaurants in town
- Many affordable accommodations
- Lively and trendy neighborhoods
Cons of staying in Žižkov and Vinohrady:
- Not that close to the center
Our hotel tips in Žižkov and Vinohrady
Smichov
Smichov could be starting point for you if you don’t want to stay right in the Old Town (Praha 1) because the hustle and bustle there is too overwhelming, but you still want to stay as close as possible to the famous sights.
Smichov is located on the western side of the Vltava River and borders Malá Strana to the south, as you can see at the top of the map.
This part of Prague also directly skirts the Petřín Hill. Every 10 minutes, a funicular leaves for the summit.
Smichov is a great starting point to explore Prague Castle and all the surrounding sights.
Pros of staying in Smichov:
- Not so touristy
- Well connected to main tourist attractions
- Beautiful old buildings
Cons of staying in Smichov:
- A little further way to the city center
Our hotel tips for Smichov
Personal hotel tips for Prague
We have been to Prague many times and got to know different hotels.
We liked the NYX Hotel very much. The location of the design hotel is perfect. The rooms are all differently furnished and very stylish.
A very special Prague accommodation is the Admiral Botel. Here you stay on a real boat in the middle of the Vltava River!
On the boat you will find a restaurant and a nightclub and the absolute highlight is the view. Not only from your room, but also from the roof terrace you have a breathtaking view over Prague.
The rooms are simple, but comfortably furnished. The location of the Botel is also great – you can easily reach Prague’s Old Town on foot.
Do you have tips for Prague too?
Do you have a hotel tip for Prague? Where did you like it, which accommodation can you recommend? We are looking forward to your comment!