Prague: City Guide

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Prague completely and utterly surprised me in every positive way. I travelled there without any expectations and Prague still managed to succeed them. The food, the drinks, the architecture and everything was just so good! So let me share my tips and provide you with a full city guide to where to eat, drink and stay in Prague, Czech Republic.

Where to stay in Prague

Let’s start with where to stay. When I started researching hotels and apartments on Booking.com and Airbnb and the areas Prague 1 and 4 kept coming up, I had no clue where and what these areas where. So let me make it easier for you, by simply dividing it into east and west of the river.

Not a bad hotel room, right?

East side

The east side of the river is the touristy side. The closer you get to Charles Bridge and Old Town Square, the more tourists there’ll be. It’s a nice area and is the one typically referred to as Prague 1. It’s in close walking distance to most things – but so is most of Prague to be honest.

West side

The west side of the river is the hill where the castle, cathedral and some of the older streets of Prague are located. It’s a much more calm area compared to the east side, which was one of the most important factors for us. It’s still within walking distance of most things in central Prague and a lot of the tourist sights are located on the west side too. We were so happy that we chose to stay on the west side, since it was more calm and had the most beautiful view everywhere of Prague.

Domus Henrici Boutique Hotel

We stayed at Domus Henrici Boutique Hotel, and we could not have been happier. Domus Henrici is an old hotel from 1372(!) and you can just feel the history in the whole building. It has it’s own little terrasse and the most beautiful view of Prague to the left and the Monastery on the right. It was a nice and calm area but also just down the street from Prague Castle, the Cathedral and the Monastery. There was a lot of cute streets, restaurants and cafes all around and we spend a lot of time just wandering around the streets of the hotel – there were so many things to see. It took us less than 15 minutes to walk to the city centre, but if you don’t want to walk there were a few stops with the tram. It was so nice to be able to walk from the busy city centre and go rest in the more calm area of the hotel – especially at night too, where we did not get disturbed from parties and nightclubs.

The little terrace and our view to the right – now bad, right?

The staff was super nice and friendly, and upon check in they help you with a map of the city. They can always help you with stuff to do and how to get from A to B. We felt at home straight away. The breakfast was nice and there was everything you could need – eggs, bread, cereal, yoghurt, tea, coffee, etc. We definitely know where we want to stay next time we come to Prague!

The breakfast and the dining room – it was so nice and you could really feel how old it was!

Where to eat in Prague

Prague surprised us so much when it came to the food! Prague is truly a foodie heaven, with so many delicious and next level restaurants. Let me mention a few of my favourites and best restaurants in Prague, so you know where to eat.

Four Seasons CottoCrudo

Wow. Just wow. CottoCrudo is Four Seasons Prague’s very own Italian restaurant and it is beyond beautiful – and their dishes even more so! It was recommended by a Michelin Guide, and it’s definitely worth it. We were so lucky to be seated at the best table in the house, right next to the windows, where we could see the sun set over the river and surrounding hills.

We got a special degustation tasting, which was to die for! We started out with a selection of homemade bread with olive oil – which is always a sure way to my heart, haha! Then followed a salad for me with fresh homemade mozzarella, arugula and cherry tomatoes, while Brian got two oysters. I got the vegetarian menu and he got the normal one with meat.

Our two starters – mozzarella salad and oysters.

For our second dish, I got one of CottoCrudo’s signature dishes the Onsen Poached Egg with soft potato cream, porcini mushrooms and truffle pesto. It was love at first bite. I have never experienced textures like this, it was so so good! Brian got octopus with oxtail terrine, burrata cheese and roasted eggplant pure. He said it was good I didn’t eat meat, because it was so good he wanted every bit for himself.

The Onsen Egg was probably my favourite dish – it was so good and different!

Our third dish was for me a pasta linguine with aglio olio and peperoncino, which was also really delicious. The pasta was cooked al dente and just perfect. Brian got veal tenderloin with foie gras, truffle mushroom puree and a small truffle toast. I was sending him long jealous eyes over the table, because of all the truffle. He was so in heaven and made enjoyment noises at every bite – it was safe to say he really enjoyed it.

The Veal Tenderloin to the left and my pasta to the right – yum!

For dessert we got a chocolate cardamom gianduia on a pistachio cake with a raspberry basil sorbet. We were both pretty full at this point, but we still couldn’t stop eating because every bite was just so delicious.

Our beautiful dessert and our view. We could not have asked for more!

Definitely worth it going to CottoCrudo! The staff was so nice and welcoming, and they really knew what they were doing. It was such an amazing dining experience, and we can both only recommend going there!

Address: Veleslavínova 2A/1098, Prague 1 (just by the entrance to Four Seasons) Price level: $$$$

Bella Vista in Strahov Monastery

We got this restaurant recommend by our masseur (thank you, Milan) and I’m so glad we decided to check it out! Bella Vista probably has the best view in Prague with the most calm surroundings. You go in through the old Strahov Monastery to find the restaurant a bit hidden on the other side. It was a perfect spot!

Not a bad view, am I right?

The food weren’t anything crazy, this is particularly for the view and the vibe. I got a salmon and avocado tartar, which was a daily special, and Brian got the traditional beef goulash, which he said was really good.

We planned to come back for dinner, since we expect the view to be insane from there at night too. Unfortunately we did not have time, so it’s already on our list for when we come back.

Address: Strahovské nádvoří 132/1, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany Price level: $$

U Medvídků

We also got this restaurant recommended by our masseur, and since it’s one of the first Beer Houses in Prague, we had to visit. U Medvídků can be dated back to 1466(!) and was also the location of the very first cabaret in Prague. Today it’s one of the biggest pubs in Prague.

Being a vegetarian, the food options for me were.. very poor. But at least they had a few things on the menu! They only serve Czech food and they do it well. We started out with a traditional Czech platter with an assortment of cheeses and sliced meat. Nothing special, but we just had to try it. I got some roasted vegetables and tofu for the main course, and Brian got some pork with potatoes and homemade beer sauce.