A Guide to the Neighborhoods of Prague, Czech Republic

The Czech capital city of Prague, like any older city, can best be described as being a mosaic whose parts are made up of its neighborhoods. Not every neighborhood in Prague is discussed here, but only the ones that a traveler may visit or an English speaking person might want to find home.

Stare Mesto In English, this translates to Old Town, and it is the historic center of Prague. It is the largest tourist destination in Prague, home to the Tyn Church, St. Nicholas Church, and the Astronomical Clock, all located in the Old Town Square, which happens to be the site of Prague's annual Christmas market. Architecturally, it's a lovely area, but it is crowded, filled with tourists all year long, and it's very expensive.

Nove Mesto This translates to New Town and is basically comprised of two general areas, Wenceslaus Square and Charles Square. Wenceslaus is a major shopping district and like the Old Town Square is crowded with tourists year round. Charles Square (most English speaking locals refer to this square by its Czech name Karlovo Namesti) is a very pleasant and affordable urban residential neighborhood. And if you like dogs, the park at Charles Square is for you. It is thee place for locals to bring their dogs for a run and a bit of canine socializing. Huff-huff! (Interestingly enough, Czech dogs don't say "ruff" or "woof," they say, "huff.")

Mala Strana This neighborhood baffles translators, and I wish I could offer up something better than "Little Quarter" or the "Lesser Quarter," but just be forewarned that different people have different translations for this neighborhood. Which is why we English speaking Praguers just call it Mala Strana. It's easier that way. Picturesque is the best way to describe Mala Strana. Lovely architecture, lovely streetscapes built into the hill leading up to Hradcany and the Prague Castle. Unfortunately, today's Mala Strana is not the Mala Strana described by the great Czech author Jan Neruda. It's been overtaken by tourists and tourist related businesses.

Josefov I'm not even sure that this is a real neighborhood. On the maps, it is, but unlike most Prague neighborhoods, there is no sense of borders. Historically, Josefov was the Jewish district of Prague, and today, the neighborhood is largely a Jewish Historical Museum. And in that sense, it is a very fascinating neighborhood. A must-see for tourists. It is also home to Parizska (street), the most expensive shopping boulevard in Prague.

Vinohrady It's time for a bit of authorial disclosure; I live in Vinohrady. And in my opinion Vinohrady is the best neighborhood in Prague. Vinohrady translates to "vineyards" and this neighborhood historically was the site of the royal vineyards. But that all changed in the 19^th century, when the vineyards were cut down and replaced by a new residential neighborhood. It is home to lovely 19^th century architecture and is filled with parks and pubs and restaurants for nearly everybody's tastes and budget.

Smichov Located on the Left Bank of the Vltava, Smichov is still a neighborhood that surprises everyone when they first visit. Locals remember it for being home to the controversial Soviet tank monument and the political firestorm surrounding it when Czech artist David Cerny painted it pink. The tank is no longer there (it has been removed to a museum). Smichov, today, represents the new Prague in many ways, delicately combining older historic buildings with large glass and steel buildings which house large western style shopping malls and film houses. Smichov is also home to the Staropram brewery, the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic.

Zizkov One of Prague's most interesting neighborhoods, Zizkov is reputedly the neighborhood with more pubs per capita than any other in the Czech Republic. It is also an area that houses more university students than any other in Prague. That said, Zizkov is also working class neighborhood that is quite rough around the edges.

Karlin On the north side of Zizkov is the Vitkov Hill and Park where you'll find the statue of Czech hero Jan Zizka for whom Zizkov is named. It is said to be the largest equestrian statue, at 32 ft tall, in the world. When I lived in Karlin, I had a fantastic view of this statue from my flat. Karlin, however, is best known for suffering some of the worst damage during the Great Prague Flood of 2002. It is probably the only part of the city where you can still see evidence of the devastation. That said, the neighborhood is recovering.

Letna This is the neighborhood that abuts Prague's famous Letna Park, which was once home to the largest statue in the world. The subject was Joseph Stalin, and it was torn down many years ago. Today, a very large metronome (possibly the world's largest) stands in its place. The neighborhood itself is a largely residential area filled with French styled housing buildings. It is a very friendly and accommodating middle-class neighborhood.

Dejvice When I first came to Prague, I lived in Dejvice. It's an interesting area. It is principally divided into two parts with the Evropska motorway separating them. On one side are the nicest private homes in the city. That's where Vaclav Havel owns a home. Also, there are many foreign embassies in the area. (Which explains why the famous Diplomat Hotel is located in Dejvice.) On the other side, there are many cheaply (and poorly) built housing towers and behind them are modest private single family homes. Many visitors pass through this area, because the Airport is located on the outskirts of Dejvice.