Even after living and working in Prague for over a year, visiting the beautiful and historic Charles Bridge still never gets old. If you’re planning your own trip to Prague, here are a few of my favorite things to do at the iconic Charles Bridge!
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1. Stroll Across Charles Bridge At Sunrise
No matter how many times we did it, I never got sick of walking across Charles Bridge, which connects Old Town Prague to the lovely Mala Strana district.
In the summer, it becomes choked with tourists, so it’s best to head out early in the morning, when you’ll get beautiful soft light and have the bridge almost to yourself.
If you visit Prague outside of peak season (May to October, and Christmas), you’ll have a much calmer experience anytime of day.
If you’re lucky enough to visit Prague on or around the summer solstice, be sure to visit the Old Town side of the bridge at sunset. Every year during this time, the sunset lines up perfectly over St. Vitus Cathedral while standing on Charles Bridge. They call it Praguehenge and it’s one of the best views of Prague!!!
Another great way to experience the bridge is on a walking tour of the city, where you can get a taste of all the city highlights and learn the bridge’s history from a local guide. (This private guided walking tour is the best, in my humble opinion!)
2. Rub St. John of Nepomuk
About halfway across Charles Bridge, you’ll see the St. John of Nepomuk statue, shiny and worn from years of rubbing.
If you’re already in love with Prague, be sure to rub the shiny scenes of St. John’s life…the story goes that those who rub it are destined to return to Prague one day!
3. Climb One of Two Bridge Towers (Or Go Crazy & Climb Both!)
On either end of Charles Bridge, you’ll see a watchtower, both of which can be climbed for spectacular views.
The Lesser Town Bridge Tower is the one on the Castle side of the bridge, and the Old Town Bridge Tower is the one on the — you guessed it — Old Town side of the bridge.
Both towers offer great views, and the Lesser Town tower tends to be less crowded. Climbing one of the towers is a great way to get an aerial view of Charles Bridge, enjoy the city from a different perspective, and escape the crowds if the bridge is packed with people.
The views are different, so don’t hesitate to climb both towers.
4. Visit the Charles Bridge Museum
In general, the Charles Bridge Museum gets mixed reviews from most people – some people love it, and some loathe it for its’ long (and some would say, boring) descriptions. I really debated about whether to include it in this list, but decided to based on the fact that different people like different things.
If you’re an engineer or an architect, or if you’re interested in how things are built, you’ll probably find this museum interesting. The museum does a good job at telling how the bridge was constructed using ancient techniques.
However, if you’re more interested in the stories and history of the bridge, you might want to give this a miss. If you don’t want to climb the bridge towers, there are some nice views from the museum as well.
Also worth noting, if you’re in need of a break, there’s a nice café inside!
You can book tickets for the Charles Bridge Museum here. Or if you get a Prague Card (highly recommended), admission is included.