Prague has 10 main areas, which incorporate 22 individual districts. These are further divided into 57 municipal parts and then into 112 smaller local areas.
Whilst most people are aware of the centre of Prague (such as Mala Strana – Lesser Town or Old Town – Stare Mesto) when they are researching their trip to Prague, not all visitor attractions, museums, restaurants or fun places to visit are located in the centre.
Prague can also sometimes get very overcrowded (again!), so it’s good to go slightly off the beaten path and visit the less touristy places.
Why is Prague numbered?
The different districts of Prague are numbered to identify and organize the administrative divisions of the city. The numbering system was introduced in 1960 when Prague was reorganized into ten administrative districts, each with its own local government and mayor.
The districts are numbered 1-10 and are arranged in a circular pattern around the city center. District 1 is the oldest and most central district, which includes the historic Old Town and Lesser Town areas. As the district numbers increase, they move further away from the city centre.
Prague has grown over the recent years and it now incorporates 22 individual districts. These are grouped together to form 10 main districts, which have their own history, centres and very different feel.
The 22 individual administrative districts are further divided into 57 municipal parts and then 112 smaller local areas.
This is mainly based on how Prague developed and the individual areas, villages or homesteads that eventually become part of Prague.
Prague 1 -including Mala Strana (The Lesser Town), Stare Mesto (The Old Town), Josefov, Hradcany
The centre of Prague is easy accessible by foot, trams and underground (metro) and it’s where you find the main tourist attractions, such as the Old Town Square with it’s historic clock, Charles Bridge and other famous bridges across the Vltava River that flows in the middle of the town.
On the top of the hill, you’ll see the Prague Castle complex and the streets below the castle hill are full of amazing palaces, houses and hidden gems, like Vrtba Garden. Opposite the Prague Castle hill you’ll see the Petrin Hill with it’s famous Petrin Lookout Tower, which is great to visit any time of the year.
It’s one of my favourite places for a summer picnic when the evenings are nice and warm. There is a great view of the whole Prague from several points in the Petrin Hill Gardens and it’s particularly pretty especially at sunset.
If you have just one day in Prague you’ll probably want to stay around Prague 1 or 2 to keep central and make the most from your Prague trip.
The centre of Prague gets very overcrowded with visitors and tourists and can be quite expensive when it comes to eating out. But since Prague is very walkable is easy enough to walk a few streets away from the centre and eat at a local self-service canteen with traditional Czech food.
One place that is tucked away from the busy thoroughfare is a Kampa Island, which is easily reachable by the steps on the side of the Charles Bridge.
The Old Town Square is perfect for a self-guided walk around Franz Kafka’s places in Prague, including his birthplace and where he worked, lived, met with his friends and created his work.
Prague 2 – includes Nove Mesto (New Town), Vysehrad, Nusle and Vinohrady
The New Town stretches towards Vinohrady, which you can reach by walking up the Wenceslas Square. Wenceslas Square is know for shopping (all the main mid market shops have their flagship stores here – such as Marks & Spencer, Bata (shoes), Primark, Luxor (books), Sephora (cosmetics) etc. You can also find quirky shopping passages with theatres, art cinemas and unusual shops, restaurants and bars.
You’ll find a lot of trendy cafes and restaurants in Vinohrady, which makes it worth it to travel slightly further from the centre.
There are some amazing town houses in the area with their own history and feel. There are also plenty of green spaces and parks for picnics, such as Grebovka Park with it’s own vinyard.
Prague 2 also stretches from the National Theatre (Narodni Divadlo), where you can find the Dancing House close to the Jirasek Bridge.
Prague 3 – includes Zizkov
Zizkov is mainly residential area, but it does have quite a few interesting areas that are worth visiting.
There is the Zizkov Television Tower with the crawling babies by the artist David Cerny, the Jan Zizka statue and the Vitkov National Monument museum on top of the hill (with a great views of Prague) and one of the best farmer’s markets on Jindrichovo Square (next to the underground Jiriho z Podebrad).
There are also a lot of independent coffee shops and bakeries around the top part of the Zizkov, which are worth visiting.
Prague 4 – includes Branik, Podoli, Kunratice, Michle, Krc, Zabehlice, Haje, Chodov, Modrany
This is quite a residential area, where you can find an interesting old houses, but also lots of modern panel houses and high rise flats.
The area around the Vltava river is great for daily runs, walks and inline skating – you can reach as far as Davle and even further.
Podoli has a large swimming pool and also a designated swimming area at the Vltava river (the Yellow Spa).
Krc, Zabehlice and Modrany have a lot of green spaces, nature reserves and woodland areas and are great for a day out, when you don’t want to travel too far from the centre of Prague.
Prague 5 – includes Smichov, Motol, Kosire, Radlice, Jinonice, Hlubocepy, Mala Chuchle, Zlicin, Zbraslav, Radotin, Stodulky
Smichov is only a short ride to the centre of Prague by tram number 9, 10, 15, 16 or 20, which makes it an affordable place to stay or eat and explore Prague from. It’s quite a busy town area with shops, restaurants and independent cafes.
From the main shopping centre at Andel you can easily walk to beautiful Kinsky Garden and then follow the Hunger wall to Petrin Hill (with a great views of Prague), climb the steps to the Petrin Lookout Tower and walk all the way to Prague Castle (part of Petrin is technically in Prague 2). This is one of my favourite walks and I often walk it early in the morning to catch the sunrise at Strahov Monastery.
You can also explore the beer brewing history at the Staropramen Brewery or try a local microbrewery and pups along the Lidicka Street.
Whilst Prague 5 is perhaps known for areas with a lot of high rise flats it also has some amazing nature parks, lakes and old villages, which makes you think like you are miles away from the busy Prague centre.
Prague 6 – includes Dejvice, Stresovice, Brevnov, Ruzyne, Veleslavin, Repy, Suchdol
Dejvice has some amazing villas from the end of 19 century, which are now mainly government buildings or embassies for other countries.
Prague 6 also includes the green Sarka Valley (one of the many beautiful green spaces in Prague), which stretches nearly to the Prague Vaclav Havel airport. It’s great nature park perfect for level walking and suitable for everyone.
Prague 7 – includes Holesovice, Troja, Bubenec,
Whilst Holesovice is industrial and full of buzzing night clubs, restaurants and trendy cafe places, Troja (on the other side of the Vltava river) is built into the hill and it feels like a world apart. This is where you can find the Prague Zoo, Botanical Garden and Troja Chateau.
A great little walk includes walking there from the Stromovka Park on the Holesovice side which is close to the Prague Exhibition Area (Vystaviste).
If you want to stay on the top of the hill, follow the walk from Letna Park to Prague Castle and beyond to Petrin Hill and you will have a great views of the central Prague and can take some amazing photos of Charles Bridge and the Prague Castle.
Prague 8 – including Kobylisy, Liben, Karlin, Dablice, Bohnice, Cimice, Kobylisy
This area is mainly residential with a few historic places, but the ends of tram lines make a good starting point for a walks in the outer Prague.
Karlin had mainly an industrial and working-class feel, but then it was badly affected by the floods of 2002 and the whole area started to get re-generated.
You can now find modern buildings and flats close to the river and older buildings closer to the centre and towards the Zizkov Hill.
The army barracks at Karlin (Kasarna Karlin) are now turned into an alternative art space with outdoor cinema, cafe places, galleries, bars and various events.
My favourite place is the old army swimming pool turned into into cafe. Cultural events take place inside the pool and you can sit around to listen and watch. You can still see the outlines of old shower areas with the original tiles.
If that’s not enough reason to come and visit, then the cafe serves great coffe, homemade soups, cakes and sandwiches.
Dablice and Cimice are mainly residential area with high raised flats, but it also has a large natural park reserve, which is great for walks.
Prague 9 – including Vysocany, Prosek, Ladvi, Letnany, Hrdlorezy, Cakovice, Kyje, Klanovice, Pocernice, Ujezd nad Lesy
Vysocany is an old industrial area, where you can still find the remains of factories (some still working) with some cool art places like Pragovka (art gallery, exhibitions, cafe place, club and summer concerts).
If you like industrial heritage and planes, you can explore the historic airport at Kbely and Letnany with historic planes, helicopters and anything else to do with Czech aviation. The Praha – Kbely museum is open during the summer season only and it’s one of the few Prague museums that are free to enter.
Klanovice and Pocernice are pretty suburbs set in the quiet woodland areas with natural parks, walks and lakes. Klanovice were actually built purposefully as an upmarket suburb in late 19 century with detached houses built into existing forest for extra privacy and to get closer to the nature.
Prague 10 – including Strasnice, Vrsovice, Malesice, Zabehlice, Kolovraty
There are some lovely villas from the end of 19 century in Strasnice and Vrsovice , especially where Vrsovice borders Vinohrady.
The old Malesice has a historic centre (it’s a small village) with a botanical garden, greenhouse and a park all looked after by a local gardening colleage. There are some nice walks around Malesice park and Hostivar nature reserve with large lakes and streams. You can get to Hostivar park by the tram no. 22 – it’s one of the last stops.
STAY IN TOUCH
Hope this blog post inspires you and as ever I’d love to what you think! Let me know in the comments below or catch up with me over on Instagram.
Magdalena
This blog post was originally written on 25 April 2022 and last updated on 17 January 2023
