Prague, the city of a thousand spires, is an increasingly popular tourist destination. Yet its Eastern European location and Communist past can be daunting to many prospective visitors. When planning a visit, one of the most frequent concerns is, where can I find a hotel or short term apartment rental in an area that is safe, central and close to the major tourist attractions? After a quick survey of websites and tourist guides, almost everybody can agree that Prague’s Old Town is in the Center, and as a result, for many people accommodation in the Old Town becomes a must.

In fact Prague has over ten distinct neighborhoods. These neighborhoods have numbers (Prague 1 – Prague 12), just like the districts in Paris, but also names that correspond to the same numbered districts (Mala Strana, Hradcany, Zizkov, …). Prospective visitors looking to get maximum value for their money will benefit from a careful examination of these neighborhoods, as many have their own historical charm, yet are located in close proximity to Prague’s historic center while remaining much safer in many ways than most Western cities.

The Old Town (Stare Mesto in Czech) is the geographic center of Prague and also the best location to find many of the city’s tourists attractions, restaurants and upscale nightlife. Although many of the most popular tourist destinations such as the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, and Wenceslas Square are all located in Prague’s Old Town (Prague 1); other popular destinations like Prague Castle (Prague 6 - Hradcany), the Vysherad Cathedral and cemetery (Prague 4), and the monumental TV Tower (Prague 3 – Zizkov), are not. Nonetheless, in some cases they are so close to the Old Town that the casual visitor normally will never know that he has passed over into one of the neighboring districts.

What all this means is that while any prospective visitor can rest assured that a hotel or apartment rental located in Prague 1 (Stare Mesto or Mala Strana) will ensure that you are located within walking distance of many desirable destinations, you will also pay a bit more for that privilege. On the other hand, the enterprising visitor to Prague will benefit from a careful look at some of the neighboring neighborhoods which are adjacent to the city center. These include Prague 6 - Hradcany, Prague 2 - Vinohrady and perhaps Prague 5 – Smichov, bearing in mind that while the outlying parts of these districts may be significantly cheaper, they will be far enough from the center that taxis or public transportation will become a necessity.

After careful consideration of these key ingredients to a successful trip, most well informed tourists will agree that the most important criteria for choosing an acceptable location for tourist accommodation will be its distance from the Old Town. For a visitor unfamiliar with Prague a look at the Prague Metro Map will be instructive. Any location that is two metro stops or less from the Vltava river and the Charles Bridge (metro Stations Staromestka or Malostranske Namesti) can generally be considered within a 15 minutes walk of the city center.

All things considered, visitors to Prague who seek more value for their money, as well as those who want to get a taste of the local culture, might want to consider accommodation located outside of the Old Town. Although the Old Town has much to offer in the area of sights, entertainment and nightlife, you will pay a bit more for the privilege of enjoying them there and you will be doing so largely in the company of new arrivals to Prague such as yourself!

Joshua Green lived in Paris for nine years and writes about travel and tourism.

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