Where to stay in Prague

In Prague the choice is usually between three quarters that give a very different day. Staré Město is the centre everything else is a walk from, and that costs. Malá Strana is the quieter side of the river, at the foot of the Castle. Vinohrady sits outside the main loop, with a lower price and shorter queues everywhere except its own high street. A hostel bed is €9.50–12, roughly the same across all three — the difference is what's outside the door.

Staré Město and Josefov: everything within reach

Outside the door are cobbles, and Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and Josefov are all inside a single walk. That's why this quarter is also the priciest place to stay on the site, and why the streets don't go quiet until late in season. For a short stay where every hour goes into sightseeing rather than a tram, this is the quarter with no trade-off on location.

BudgetWhat that closeness actually costs per day:What Prague costs →

Across the bridge from the Old Town, Malá Strana sits lower and calmer, with the Castle above and Petřín to the side. It's quieter here at night than in the Old Town, and the morning walk up to the Castle is shorter, since you don't cross the whole river first. The price is similar to the Old Town; here it buys quiet instead of proximity to the clock.

3 daysThe same loop from the bridge to the Castle, hour by hour:Prague in 3 days →

Vinohrady is a residential quarter east of the centre, without a sight on every corner, but with its own cafés and restaurants that don't run on tourist prices. Old Town Square is a ten-minute tram or metro ride away, and a room here often costs less than the same room in the Old Town. It suits anyone staying longer than two or three days and anyone who doesn't mind a short ride instead of a walk.

Getting aroundHow the tram and metro connect the quarters:Getting around Prague →

For one night

For a single night, pick Staré Město or Malá Strana. You don't carry luggage far, and the next morning starts right at the main sights instead of on a tram.

• A car solves nothing here. All three quarters sit on the metro or tram network, and the cobbles of the Old Town and Malá Strana leave nowhere to park.

FoodWhat to eat and where:What to eat in Prague →

Day tripsWhat lies beyond the city:Day trips from Prague →

When to goWhich month to pick:The best time to visit Prague →

Hidden gemsWhat the guides skip:Prague beyond the Castle: the garden, the library, the lane and the island the walk skips →

MistakesWhat not to do:Mistakes everyone makes in Prague →