District · Prague
Josefov (Jewish Quarter)Josefov
The old Jewish ghetto north of the square: six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, plus the Pařížská street shopping strip. Closed on Saturdays for the museum.
Key facts
- Suits
- History, a quiet hour, museum visitors
- Sights here
- 2
- Eats here
- 2
What it's like
- Feels:
- Dense, historic, cobbled and busy; a gothic and baroque maze
- Suits:
- History, a quiet hour, museum visitors
- Best time:
- Before 09:00 or after 20:00Before 9:00 AM or after 8:00 PM
- Watch out for:
- Midday on the square and stag groups on weekends.
- In short:
- The old Jewish ghetto north of the square: six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, plus the Pařížská street shopping strip. Closed on Saturdays for the museum.
About these names
Prague is small enough to walk, but the hills and cobbles slow you down. The castle is on a hill on the west bank; the Old Town Square, Josefov and the New Town are on the flat east bank; Malá Strana links them below the castle. A first visit needs four clusters: the castle, the bridge and Lesser Town, the Old Town, and the New Town with Wenceslas Square.
Where exactly
This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Josefov (Jewish Quarter)Josefov
see
The old Jewish ghetto north of the square: six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, plus the Pařížská street shopping strip. Closed on Saturdays for the museum.
Suits: History, a quiet hour, museum visitors
On the map: Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock, Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the Jewish Museum
District guideWalk: Old Town Square & JosefovIn the districts table
Off the map: Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) (35–55 min by the usual route).
Not drawn yet (no coordinates in this guide): Vinohrady, Vyšehrad, Holešovice and Letná, Žižkov and Karlín. See the table above.
Where’s what, as a list:
- Old Town (Staré Město) (Staré Město): The square, the clock and the lanes around it: the busiest and most expensive part of the city, but the shortest walks. Choose a side street, not the square, and expect cobbles under a suitcase. Suits: First visit, walking to everything, short stays. Price band $$$.
- Josefov (Jewish Quarter) (Josefov): The old Jewish ghetto north of the square: six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, plus the Pařížská street shopping strip. Closed on Saturdays for the museum. Suits: History, a quiet hour, museum visitors.
- Malá Strana (Lesser Town) (Malá Strana): Baroque palaces and gardens below the castle, reached over the bridge. Calmer than the Old Town at night; hillier, with steps and tram noise on the main road. Suits: Quiet evenings, baroque streets, the castle climb.
- Hradčany and the Castle (Hradčany): The castle complex and the quiet square in front. It is a half-day visit, steep to reach: take tram 22 or a car up and walk down. Suits: Morning sightseers, views, cathedral and palace visits.
- New Town (Nové Město) (Nové Město): Founded in 1348 and now the business and shopping centre; Wenceslas Square is its spine. More affordable than the Old Town, with good metro links; the square itself is busy and a little rough after dark. Suits: Trains and metro, mid-range hotels, dining out. Price band $$.
- Vinohrady (Vinohrady): A leafy residential district east of the New Town with cafés, wine bars and the Náměstí Míru square. Metro line A and trams reach the centre in 10 minutes. Suits: Second visits, cafés, quiet residential streets.
- Vyšehrad (Vyšehrad): A hill fortress south of the New Town with a church, a cemetery and the best sunset view over the river. Metro C to Vyšehrad, or walk along the river. Suits: A quiet fort hill, river views, a half-day out.
- Holešovice and Letná (Holešovice): The former industrial district north of the river: the National Gallery's modern art building, a market hall and Letná Park's beer garden with a skyline view. Suits: Modern art, cafés, a park with a beer garden.
- Žižkov and Karlín (Žižkov): Žižkov has the TV tower and the densest pub streets; Karlín is a rebuilt riverside district with restaurants. Both are 10 to 15 minutes from the centre by tram. Suits: Late pubs, bars, a local feel.
- Sleep area New Town (Nové Město): suits Trains and metro, mid-range hotels, dining out, price band $$.
- Sleep area Old Town (Staré Město): suits First visit, walking to everything, short stays, price band $$$.
- Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), 35–55 min by the usual route.
Stay here?
Not a base in this guide
See
Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.
Six historic synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Pinkas memorial on one combined ticket: go on a weekday morning, and not on a Saturday, when it is closed.
- Hours:
- Roughly 09:00–18:00 in summer, earlier close in winter; closed Saturdays (check).Roughly 9:00 AM–6:00 PM in summer, earlier close in winter; closed Saturdays (check).(check)
- Entry:
- about CZK 500-600 adult; about half for children and students (2026 estimate)
- Old Town Hall and the astronomical clockBook a time
The medieval clock on the Old Town Hall: see the hourly show from the edge of the square, then skip the crowd and climb the tower for the view.
- Hours:
- Hourly show through the day; tower open most days (check the season).(check)
- Entry:
- Free
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Havelské tržiště (Havel's Market)
A small open-air market street near Old Town Square for fruit, bread and a light lunch; go on a weekday morning, and price-check the souvenirs against a shop.
Order: Kolik to stojí?: Ask before the seller weighs.
Price: Fruit is CZK 60–120 a kilo depending on season; the same fruit is cheaper in a supermarket (2026 estimate).
- Lokál Dlouhá
Czech pub-style hall a few minutes north of the square: go for an early dinner or a late lunch; tables fill from 18:00, so book for evenings.
Order: Svíčková: Say 'svíčková, prosím'.
Price: A main is about CZK 250–450 and a half-litre of beer about CZK 55–80 in a hall like this (2026 estimate).
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Walk from the hotel; the square is car-free · for Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock
- Metro line A to Staroměstská, then a 5 minute walk · for Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the Jewish Museum
- Můstek (metro lines A and B), about 5 minutes · 5 min walk to Havelské tržiště (Havel's Market)
- Dlouhá street, north of Old Town Square · 5 min walk to Lokál Dlouhá
Walks inside the district
- Old Town Square → Celetná Street: 5–7 min on foot (Walk on)
- Old Town Square → Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock: 2–3 min on foot (Walk on)
- Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock → Celetná Street: 8–11 min on foot (Walk on)
- Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock → Lokál Dlouhá: 8–11 min on foot (Walk on)
- Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock → Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the Jewish Museum: 9–13 min on foot (Walk on)
On to the next area
- Walk west to the bridge: about 12 min to Charles Bridge & Malá Strana
- Walk south-east: about 12 min to Wenceslas Square & New Town
From other sleep areas
- From New Town (Nové Město): 15–21 min walk to Old Town Square & Josefov
- From Old Town (Staré Město): 3–5 min walk to Old Town Square & Josefov
Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.
Walking loop
A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.
About 109 min in all: 34 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 4 stops, back to where you started.
- Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the Jewish MuseumStart here · stop about 30 min
- Old Town Hall and the astronomical clock9 min walk · stop about 15 min
- Havelské tržiště (Havel's Market)6 min walk · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Lokál Dlouhá11 min walk · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Back to Jewish Quarter (Josefov) and the Jewish Museum: 8 min walk
Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.
Half-day walk
In the day plans: Day 3 — Old Town Square and Celetná, car to the airport at 11:00 (Prague in 3 days)
Photo and sunset spots
Old Town Square and the clock tower
Light: Early morning or blue hour
Stand at the edge before the show; a wide lens helps.
Safety at night and noise
Old Town Square and Charles Bridgeday: cautionnight: caution
Pickpockets in crowds at the hourly clock show and on the bridge; keep phones in front pockets.
Josefov and Pařížská streetday: oknight: ok
Quiet at night; the usual pickpocket cautions near the square.
Nearby districts
Built from this guide’s Prague districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.