Name: 15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Prague ??
Uploaded: 2026-03-17T14:48:14.000Z
Duration: 9 min 26 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Prague is one of those cities that looks like it's straight out of a fairy tale.

The cobblestone streets, the castle on the hill, the bridges over the river.

But there are also so many things about Prague that tourists just don't know.

Scams to avoid hidden costs, cultural quirks that'll catch you off guard.

So here are some of the things I wish I had known before visiting Prague in Eastern Europe.

Czechs will correct you on this fast, and, you know they are right.

But on the other hand, I get it, because Prague does feel a bit more unregulated and wild compared to some other Central European cities.

You know, you got weed shops on every corner, sketchy currency exchanges, and taxi drivers constantly trying to scam you.

So it's got that slightly chaotic energy.

But geographically and culturally, it's Central Europe, so don't call it Eastern Europe to a local, unless you want a lecture.

You'll see these everywhere in the Old Town.

Those spiral pastries that smell like cinnamon heaven.

They look perfect on Instagram, and tourists seem to be obsessed with them.

It's actually from Romania or Hungary, I think.

It's just been marketed as, you know, traditional Czech.

But it's quite a new thing in Prague, actually.

So if you want some real Czech food, skip the Tsrdelnik and try something actually Czech instead.

Prague, and Czech Republic in general, uses Czech crowns, not Euros.

And this is where it gets a bit dangerous.

You know, never ever exchange money on the street, even if people look nice, because you will probably get approached by people offering great rates, and if you use them, you'll end up with worthless Belarusian rubles or old Hungarian currency.

So a pro tip, just use ATMs from actual Czech banks.

That way you won't get scammed or honestly, you know, just pay by card.

I haven't really used check Czech Crown since I was there in 2017 or something like that.

I just use my phone with Apple pay all the time.

So as far as I understand, tipping is kind of expected in Prague, maybe around 10%.

And it's actually illegal for restaurants to automatically add a service chart to your bill, but some places still do it, especially in touristy areas.

So always check your receipt before you tip extra.

Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock.

They're all stunning and well worth a visit.

But they're also packed with Tourists shoulder to shoulder.

So if you walk just a couple of minutes away from the main bits of Old Town in any direction, you.

You know, locals going about their day, affordable restaurants, cool cafes where locals actually hang out.

And I'd highly recommend heading out to neighborhoods like Kalin Siskov or Holovice.

This is where people from Prague actually hang out.

So if you want to experience something a bit different than the Old Town, just head outside of that little touristy zone.

And Czechs drink more beer per capita than any other country in the world.

And I kind of get that because the beer here is 10 out of 10.

But an important mistake that tourists make all the time is that here in the Czech Republic, when you get your pilsner, that massive foam is actually supposed to be there.

It's not a bad bartender, it's how it's supposed to get served.

So it's a sign that the beer was actually poured correctly.

Here in Prague, Everyone seems to put the Wenceslas Square on their itinerary because it's famous.

But honestly, it's just a big commercial boulevard basically with a McDonald's and trnik stands.

It's fine, I guess, but just don't go out of your way to see it.

If you're passing by foreign, you'll see shops advertising cannabis and weed everywhere, especially in the Old Town.

But they don't actually sell weed because that's not legal around here.

They sell synthetic stuff, you know, so it's basically just sketchy chemical substances that have made people very ill. And it's actually not supposed to be eaten.

I think on the back of it it says in Czech, of course, that it's only, you know, for display purposes, so maybe just don't buy it.

So you're in the Old Town, you want a bottle of water or a snack, don't go into those touristy mini markets around the Old Town square or anywhere in the Old Town, actually.

You know, a bottle of water that cost maybe 15 Czech crowns at a normal supermarket will be five or 10 times that in the touristy shops.

There are plenty around the city and the prices here are normal and we are not in Eastern Europe.

But the prices are way lower here in the Czech Republic compared to France or Germany or Copenhagen.

Prague's metro Trams and buses are clean and efficient and it's honestly ridiculously affordable.

For example, you can get from the airport to the city center on public transport for like 40 Czech crowns and the taxi will cost 10 times that.

So just download the Pitlitaka app to buy tickets on your phone.

E scooters are everywhere and tourists love them, but locals really hate them because of those narrow cobblestone streets.

They aren't really designed for speeding around on an E scooter.

Honestly, it's kind of dangerous both for you and pedestrians and locals.

You'll see much more of the city that way anyways.

Prague is one of the safest cities in Europe.

Violent crime here is super rare, but of course pickpockets are everywhere, especially on the Charles Bridge, in the Old Town, around the Old Town Square and on public transport, I guess.

So keep your bag zipped or phone in your front pocket.

Prague isn't different from any other European capital city.

It's stunning, it's iconic, it's historic and absolutely worth seeing and everybody knows that.

And it's also where you cross over from the Old Town to Malastrana.

If you've seen my where to Stay video up there, you will know that these are two of the best areas.

So around here you will be shoulder to shoulder with other tourists.

But if you get there around sunrise or sunset, like 6 to 7am or right before dark in the evening, it's a different story.

So I'd highly recommend if, if you're up for it, set your alarm early.

I would say Prague is amazing all year round, but it's gorgeous in late spring and early fall.

So, you know, maybe May, June and September would be ideal because the weather is great and it is slightly less crowded than peak summer season because summer in Prague, it's gorgeous and you can be outside in all the nice beer gardens, but it's also just packed.

Winter is freezing, but of course quite magical with all the Christmas markets and how long should you spend in Prague?

I'll probably say around three to four days.

That's perfect to see the city properly and, you know, get outside of the tourist zone any less, I think you will feel a bit rushed.

Now if you're planning a trip to Prague, you need to watch honest guide on YouTube.

It's run by these two Czech guys and they expose every scam, every tourist trap and just give you the perfect local, real local perspective on things.

And their videos are funny, helpful and just super cool.

So of course, watch all my videos first, but then go watch a few of theirs too.

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15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Prague ??

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