Best Self-Guided Prague Old Town Walking Tour

Exploring Prague Old Town (Staré Město) is the medieval heart that still sets the city’s rhythm—cobblestones, crooked lanes, and spires like a skyline of exclamation points. Trade routes met here as early as the 10th century, turning the Old Town Square into a bustling marketplace beside the customs house at Ungelt.

By the 14th century, Charles IV supercharged Prague’s prestige: he laid out the “Royal Route” (your walking spine today) from the Powder Tower to Prague Castle, flanked by guild houses, churches, and the great gateway that is Charles Bridge. Over centuries, the district rode out fires, reforms, Habsburg grandeur, and 20th-century upheavals; the Old Town Hall lost its east wing in 1945, yet its tower and timepiece still command the square.

Today, Old Town is a glorious mash-up—Gothic bones, Baroque curves, Cubist surprises—best absorbed at sidewalk pace, with snack stops every time the kids (or your inner kid) spot trdelník. This route strings together the icons in an easy loop, with quick bits of history plus pragmatic bullets—why visit, exact address, and the site to check current hours. You bring comfy shoes; I’ll bring the fun facts.

Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)

Prague’s oldest and most important square grew from a 900s marketplace into the city’s ceremonial living room—ringed by patrician houses, the Town Hall, and Týn Church. It’s where processions passed, proclamations echoed, and history keeps photobombing your pictures.

• Why visit: The city’s “wow” reveal; festivals, street life, and that famous clock face, a few steps away.
• Address: Staroměstské náměstí, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours/info)

Church of Our Lady before Týn

• Why visit: Archetypal Prague silhouette; quiet, atmospheric nave.
• Address: Staroměstské náměstí 604, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Church of St. Nicholas (Old Town)

A luminous Baroque by K. I. Dientzenhofer (1730s), later used by the Hussite Church, with a glittering Russian chandelier gifted in the 1800s. The interior is all curves, stucco, and music.

• Why visit: Baroque jaw-dropper; frequent concerts; cool balcony views inside.
• Address: Staroměstské náměstí 1101/12, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Old Town Hall

Founded 1338, this was Prague’s civic HQ; its tower and patchwork façades chart the city’s fortunes, including wartime damage in 1945. The tower now has a modern lift—praise be for stroller people!

• Why visit: Panoramic city views; historic halls and atmospheric underground tours.
• Address: Staroměstské náměstí 1/3, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Astronomical Clock (Pražský orloj)

Mounted to the Town Hall’s south wall since 1410, the Orloj fuses astronomy and theater; hourly, the Apostles shuffle past as Death rings in a new minute. Nerdy and magical.

• Why visit: The medieval smartwatch! Time, zodiac, sun & moon all in motion.
• Address: On the Old Town Hall, Staroměstské náměstí, 110 00 Prague 1.
• Website (hours, show details & clock lore)

Celetná Street

A brick-oven-warm piece of the Royal Route, Celetná linked merchants and monarchs; its name comes from calta, a medieval bread. Today: pastries, arcades, and Cubist detours.

• Why visit: Royal Route vibes; House at the Black Madonna & cafés nearby.
• Address: Celetná, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.

Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky)

On the line where Old and New Towns met the city moat, this square bloomed into a 1900s showcase—Municipal House here, Powder Tower there, malls for pit stops.

• Why visit: Grand architecture + handy cafés and restrooms.
• Address: Náměstí Republiky, 110 00, Praha 1.

Municipal House (Obecní dům)

Prague’s Art Nouveau jewel (1905–1912) houses Smetana Hall and murals by Mucha; it’s where Czechoslovakia’s independence was proclaimed in 1918. Interiors = swoon.

• Why visit: Architecture, concerts, café with Belle-Époque sparkle.
• Address: Náměstí Republiky 5, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours/events)

Powder Tower (Prašná brána)

Late-Gothic gate finished in 1475, reborn in neo-Gothic dress; it’s the ceremonial start of the Royal Route—and a 186-step workout to a 44 m gallery.

• Why visit: Storybook gateway + views; pairs perfectly with Municipal House.
• Address: Na Příkopě / Náměstí Republiky 5, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Na Příkopě Street

Prague’s flagship pedestrian shopping boulevard linking Wenceslas Square to Republic Square; arcades like Černá růže and Slovanský dům make rainy-day detours easy.

• Why visit: Smooth sidewalks, snacks, and window-shopping morale boosts.
• Address: Na Příkopě, 110 00, Praha 1 (Old/New Town).

Havelská Street & Market

A market since 1232 (the last survivor in Old Town): fruit and veg in the morning, souvenirs later; handy for quick kid-bribes (I mean, culturally significant keepsakes).

• Why visit: Lively local-meets-tourist market; easy snack stop.
• Address: Havelská 13, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Old Town Bridge Tower

A triumphal Gothic gateway to Charles Bridge, begun under Charles IV and linked to the Parléř workshop. Climb 138 steps for that poster-shot of bridge & castle.

• Why visit: Best vantage for sunset photos; medieval symbolism everywhere.
• Address: Karlův most, 110 00, Staré Město, Praha 1.
• Website (hours)

Charles Bridge

A 14th-century stone span studded with saints, connecting Old Town to Malá Strana. By day it’s alive with artists, musicians, and buskers—part gallery, part stage, all vibes.

• Why visit: Iconic stroll; portraits, music, and river panoramas.
• Address: Karlův most, Praha 1 (Old Town/Malá Strana).
• Website (info)

Climb the Towers: Where they are + kid/toddler tips

• Old Town Hall Tower (on Old Town Square): Only medieval Prague tower with elevator access all the way to the gallery—gold for strollers and tired legs. Bookable; barrier-free entry via Mikulášská Street.
• Powder Tower (by Republic Square): Narrow spiral—186 steps, no lift. Great Royal Route context; go early to avoid queues.
• Old Town Bridge Tower (Old Town end of Charles Bridge): 138 steps, no lift; unbeatable castle/bridge views.
• Bonus just across the river: Lesser Town Bridge Tower (Malá Strana side) for a different angle on the Vltava and the bridge—also stepped, no lift.

Parent-pro tips (from one backpack to another):

• Timing: Hit stair-only towers right at opening; fewer crowds = safer ascent with school-ager + less chaos for toddlers. (Prague City Tourism lists seasonal hours.)
• Gear: Bring a soft carrier for toddlers; leave the stroller for elevator-free towers. Old Town Hall Tower is the accessible exception.
• Safety: Spiral stairs are narrow—one adult leads, the other tails; count steps as a game (138/186!) and take landing breaks.
• Tickets & deals: Family tickets and combo tower tickets are common—peek at the official pages before you go.