Complete guide to the best photography spots in Prague
|

53 Best Prague Photo Spots: Ultimate Photographer’s Guide

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s a true paradise for cityscape photographers as the city offers countless photo opportunities that, with luck and skill, you can turn into photographs you will be proud of. This complete photo guide will help you to discover the best photo spots and Instagrammable locations in Prague.

In this detailed guide, as a local professional landscape and travel photographer, who has been running award-winning photography tours in Prague, I’m going to share my knowledge of Prague’s best photo spots and give you pieces of advice on how to take stunning cityscape images at each of these locations.

You have chosen an excellent time to photograph Prague; perhaps you don’t feel like exploring the city alone. If you want a photography buddy who will make it effortless, consider joining me on my photo tour in Prague. Not only will you hit the spots at the right time, but you will also learn how to take better pictures with your camera. In addition, you get constructive feedback on your own pictures from a seasoned pro and make a new friend 🙂

Last but not least, if you are into viewpoints as I am, I have a dedicated article that will help you find the best viewpoints in Prague.

Enough with the sales pitch. Are you ready to explore Prague’s most photogenic places? Let’s get into it!

Last update to Best Prague Photo Spots: April 2024

This article is updated regularly and has become a blueprint for landscape, cityscape, or travel photographers going to Prague since 2018, when it was first published. This guide will help you plan your photography trip to Prague and reveal the best Instagram spots in the city.

Disclaimer: All pictures are copyrighted by Jan Miřacký. Please don’t use them without his explicit written permission.

Save the Map of the Best Photo Spots in Prague

Prague’s historical city center, where all the iconic pictures wait to be taken, is very compact and walkable. Save this map on your smartphone in Google Maps, and don’t miss a single spot as you walk through the city.

1. Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge is the most photogenic attraction in Prague that abounds with cool photo ops. It’s a fantastic location for sunrise and sunset, and night photography. I will break it down into multiple locations on the Charles Bridge itself or along the river in its immediate proximity to give you a concise information that is easy to navigate.

Note (April 2024): One statue is being reconstructed with scaffolding and nets around it. It is not so visible and won’t affect your shooting from the majority of angles. You will see it when photographing from the Old Town Bridge Tower.

1.1 Charles Bridge from the western Vltava Riverbank

This side of Charles Bridge offers one of the finest views of the Charles Bridge, especially at night. Vltava River adds gorgeous reflections to your long-exposure shots. Here, you have a high chance of creating your keeper from Prague. Both of these spots are best visited during the evening blue hour but, in certain situations, can be shot at even during the day or early morning.

1.1.1 Charles Bridge Arch

Illuminated arch of Charles bridge at night
  • GPS: 50.08691, 14.40947
  • Best visited: evening blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

There is a playing field for kids that is closed later in the evening sometimes (the official opening hours don’t reflect the actual opening hours, from my experience), so you will shoot from the spot right next to it. There is a high fence that you ideally need to get your camera over. If your tripod is not tall enough, shoot through the bars. Ensure you won’t get the fence in the corner of your shot.

1.1.2 Charles Bridge with reflections

Prague Charles bridge on a misty morning
  • GPS: 50.0871, 14.40957
  • Best visited: blue hour, foggy morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Get inside the playing field and shoot from there to get a different, wider-angle perspective of the bridge.

1.1.3 Another Charles bridge view with reflections

Charles bridge at night
  • GPS: 50.08633, 14.4093
  • Best visited: evening blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

The best spot is between the third and the fourth tree counted from the Charles Bridge. I highly recommend this location for the evening blue hour as you get the reflections of lights on the bridge on the waterfront, and it looks terrific.

Unfortunately, an annoying reflector next to the Old Town Bridge Tower will shine into your lens. Take a photo at the beginning of the blue hour before the reflector shines too strongly. You have about 30 seconds to do it. Feel free to curse the person who put it there as I do while waiting for your exposures to be taken 🙂

If you’re visiting Prague, come to get a photo with the ancient stone bridge in the background. Many tourists take their Instagram photos here throughout the day.

1.2 Charles Bridge from the eastern Vltava Riverbank

This side of the bridge faces west and, therefore, is excellent for shooting sunsets, the blue hour, or the first sunbeams hitting the Prague castle area early in the morning.

1.2.1 Old Town Bridge Tower

Elevated view of Charles bridge and Prague Castle
  • GPS: 50.0862, 14.41359
  • Best visited: morning, sunset, and blue hour after sunset
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, midrange zoom
  • Entrance fee: 190 CZK (as of April 2024)
  • Opening hours: vary throughout the year; read it here; note that the last entrance is 30 minutes before the closing time. In the summer, they ask people to leave 30 minutes before closing; you can usually negotiate to stay until 15 minutes before closing.

This location is another one that can give you the iconic postcard shot of the Charles Bridge that leads to Prague Castle. This is not a secret to general tourists either, so you must fight to secure your spot or be there 30-60 minutes ahead of your desired shooting.

You want to shoot from the top of the tower because there are no windows. The space there is minimal and doesn’t allow you to build a tripod (at least not correctly). That’s a pickle, you think. Let me cheer you up. The wall around the viewing area is leveled, and I use it to replace a tripod (don’t let go of your strap, though, safety first). It’s handy to have something to put under your camera body to control the camera tilt and adjust the framing to your liking.

Church of St. Francisco at night

Once you are happy with your shot, walk around, and don’t forget to photograph the view from the other side. You can take a nice picture of the dome of the Church of St. Francisco.

1.2.2 Viewpoint at Křížovnické Square

Charles bridge and Prague castle
  • GPS: 50.08632, 14.41352
  • Best visited: morning, sunset, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

I think it’s one of the best places to shoot at the blue hour. It is positioned right next to the Old Town Bridge Tower and offers a great vantage point to photograph the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. Although at night, I suggest shooting only the Prague castle area without the Charles Bridge. The frame has too many lights, and the composition becomes cluttered. Don’t crop the picture too tightly on the bottom; leave some space for reflections of the Castle area.

Foggy morning at Charles bridge

On a cloudy day, it’s a lovely spot for trying out some long exposures.

Join Jan’s photography tours in Prague and improve your photography skills while exploring the beautiful city of Prague.

1.3 On the Charles Bridge

1.3.1 Middle of Charles Bridge

Charles bridge at sunrise
  • GPS: 50.08647, 14.41172
  • Best visited: sunrise, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: Telephoto, wide angle

Roughly from the middle of the bridge facing the Old Town Bridge Tower, you can capture the famous sunrise shots many photographers are traveling to Prague to photograph. If you are lucky, you get mist, and you will only see silhouettes of the buildings on the river’s east bank, and your picture will get moody. Sounds good, right? But don’t expect it, you have to be very lucky…

Once you feel you used all possible compositions with your telephoto lens, put your wide-angle or midrange zoom on. Now notice the pattern on the ground formed from cobblestones. What if you use it as a leading line? Heck yeah! Get on your knees, get close to the line of cobblestones on a side, and frame it nicely. After that, try some wide-angle shots from the bridge’s center. Perhaps it can be your next cover photo on Facebook.

1.3.2 On Charles Bridge close to stairs

Lesser Quarter bridge tower at night
  • GPS: 50.08689, 14.40859
  • Best visited: morning, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Make fifteen steps away from the stairs toward the Lesser Town Bridge Tower and stand on the left. At some point, you will see the Saint Nicholas Church sticking up between the two bridge towers, with Prague Castle peaking from above a house’s roof. Long exposures will eliminate people walking by as long as they don’t stop to take a picture. Typically right after spotting somebody like you 🙂

1.3.3 The Arch of Lesser Town Bridge Tower

Arch at entrance to Charles bridge
  • GPS: 50.08722, 14.40702
  • Best visited: evening
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

Framed shots are always something to look for. Wait for the lights and use the lamp as your foreground element. You can play with a telephoto lens and bokeh to create interesting semi-abstract images.

1.3.4 Kampa Island

Kampa island
  • GPS: 50.08688, 14.40867
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

A simple shot with a small square framed by houses from both sides. As an extra, you can create more depth by including the stairs.

1.3.5 Elevated view of Devil’s Channel

Elevated view of Kampa island
  • GPS: 50.087, 14.40801
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Get an elevated view of the channel right from the Charles Bridge. The most admirable view is when trees bloom and abound with colors in spring or early summer.

Improve your travel photography in one week with my free minicourse.

2. Novotného lávka & Smetanovo nábřeží

Just from around a corner from the spot 1.2.2, you can find Novotného lávka and the beginning of Smetanovo nábřeží. Both locations offer many exciting views of the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. I prefer Novotného lávka slightly more as it gives me cleaner composition and fewer distractions.

2.1.1 Charles bridge from Novotného lávka

Prague castle and Charles bridge at night
  • GPS: 50.08533, 14.41285
  • Best visited: morning, sunset, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom

After you stop wondering who’s the guy on the statue behind you (Bedřich Smetana, one of the best Czech composers of all time), look at the marvelous view ahead of you. Please note that this place belongs to a restaurant. You rather avoid going there in peak times in the high season or, if you dare, be quick and invisible. Dining guests will appreciate it. I mainly say that so you don’t expect to go there in the summer and shoot a time-lapse there for one hour, even though the result could have been remarkable.

2.1.2 Ice-breaker from Novotného lávka

Bellevue hotel in Prague in the morning
  • GPS: 50.08536, 14.41319
  • Best visited: early morning, afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

I bet you are wondering what those logs are there for. Right? It’s an ice-breaker to protect the riverbank from larger chunks of ice and break it into harmless smaller ones. Does the river freeze? Not anymore, but I think it used to. You can capture this ice-breaker with that nice-looking red hotel in the background named Bellevue.

2.2 Smetanovo nábřeží

  • GPS: 50.08442, 14.41323
  • Best visited: morning, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

Truth be told, I was hesitant to include this spot as I don’t like it, but I know that it’s pretty popular among tourists and even some local photographers. I let you judge it on your own. It gives you a similar view to 2.1.1 but with more distractions. The only thing that I find interesting about this spot is that if the sky is dull, you can frame the sides of Prague Castle with leaves of trees and cover the uninteresting gray clouds.

Check out our award-winning photography tours in Prague.

3. Letná Park

If you have already done research on iconic images from Prague, you must have seen this already. Bridges lining up over the Vltava River photographer from an elevated viewpoint? Yes, that’s precisely what I’m going to show you now.

3.1 Hanavský pavilion

Bridges over the Vltava river at night, Prague
  • GPS: 50.09357, 14.41265
  • Best visited: late afternoon, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

There is one of the best photography spots in Prague. You can admire the expanding view of the city where you can take photos. The blue hour can get quite busy, so be there early enough to claim your spot. When you have a midrange zoom, do the entire scene focusing on the river and its bridges. Straka Academy (Government building) can also be a foreground element. Once you switch to your telephoto, get more details and go closer. The left side of the river is more interesting, so take advantage of that and show all those beautiful colorful buildings around the Charles Bridge.

Viewpoint at Letna park, Prague

When you feel like you’ve shot enough in this direction, look around to see what else may catch your eye. I like the Týn Church at the Old Town Square at night from here, and the TV Tower in Žižkov is worth trying if you have an interesting sky.

Church of our Lady Before Týn at night, Prague
Žižkov TV tower at sunrise, Prague

3.2 Viewpoint in Letna Park
Bridges over the Vltava river at sunset, Prague

  • GPS: 50.09395, 14.4141
  • Best visited: late afternoon, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

Since this viewpoint is only one minute’s walk from the previous spot, give it a go since you are up there. It’s considered one of the most Instagrammable places in Prague. Both viewpoints give you slightly different views of the Vltava River. I prefer the previous one from the Hanavský pavilion, but I know some photographers favor this one.

Are you short on time in Prague and want to maximize your shooting time? Have Jan guide you around the best photography locations in Prague and help you get the best shots possible.

4 Old Town Square and Astronomical clock

If you could only visit one square in Prague and photograph there, let it be the Old Town Square. It is the historic square in Prague, with a lot to see, photograph, and experience. Having said that, you’re worst enemies will be other tourists. The square is crowded typically between 9:30 am and 7:00 pm. Choose morning times for your photography here if you don’t want to be bothered and have your tripod kicked around.

4.1 Astronomical Clock and Old Town Hall

Let’s start off with the main sight of the square.

4.1.1 Detail of Astronomical Clock

Detail of astronomical clock
  • GPS: 50.08686, 14.42082
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: telephoto

The building from this angle doesn’t look very enticing so we will get to the details immediately. Stand close to the restaurant, right opposite the clock. This gives you less amount of distortion. Try different variations, including those statues on the sides, to make the frame more interesting. Be creative. It’s all about composition here.

4.1.2 Astronomical Clock with Týn Church
Astronomical clock and Týn Church in Prague

  • GPS: 50.08676, 14.42075
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Just another exciting angle. Leave some space on the sides to correct the perspective.

4.1.3 Old Town Hall
Old Town City Hall in Prague

  • GPS: 50.08664, 14.42069
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

To get a clear view of the Old Town Hall, you must get up earlier and be here before people start going to work and typical tourists hit the streets. Incorporate your foreground element by getting low and framing the cobblestone pattern on the ground.

4.1.4 Observation Deck of Old Town Hall Tower

Panorama of Old Town Square and Church of our Lady Before Týn
  • GPS: 50.08707, 14.42067
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, midrange zoom, telephoto
  • Entrance fee: 300 CZK (~10€; as of April 2024), check here
  • Opening hours: 9 am – 10 pm (except for Mondays, it’s 11 am – 10 pm)

Note (April 2024): One of the houses opposite the Astronomical clock is under construction and is covered with a blue net.

I dare to say that this Instagram spot offers the best views of the city. It’s dominated by the Church of our Lady Before Týn, Old Town Square, and omnipresent red roofs. You feel that you’re on top of the Old Town. It takes two lifts to get up there, but sometimes it’s too crowded that it’s wiser to walk. Please obey the direction of walking. It makes everything so much easier for everyone else.

Typical red roofs in center of Prague

The space on the top is very confined and doesn’t allow you to build a tripod (also, it’s forbidden). Walk around with a wide angle or a midrange zoom first, then do the second round with a telephoto. Don’t forget to look down and look for interesting patterns.

Elevator inside Old Town Tower, Prague

On the way down, consider stopping to capture creative shots of the lift leading to the top.

4.1.5 Old Town Hall Tower
Old Town City Hall Tower in Prague

  • GPS: 50.08746, 14.42113
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

A view of the Old Town Hall Tower and typical architecture is lovely to shoot at the square. Look for fast-moving clouds or dramatic sky for added interest in the sky.

Book a private photo tour in Prague with Jan.

4.2 Old Town Square and Týn Church

Let’s stay in the square, photograph the Týn Church, and a few more spots in the immediate surroundings.

4.2.1 Týn Church
Low angle view of Týn Church in Prague

  • GPS: 50.08738, 14.42147
  • Best visited: late afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

In the late afternoon, you must accept another challenge: tourists walking around. But even if it seems impossible at first, there are breaks in influxes of people that bring 30-second-long windows of opportunities. To achieve a slightly different shot than everyone else, get low, get a bit dirty, and include those cobblestones in your foreground. Be careful so you don’t crop the tops of the Týn Church.

4.2.2 Horses with Týn Church

Horse carts at Old Town Square in Prague
  • GPS: 50.08768, 14.42058
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Most of the time, there are horse carts for tourists waiting in the corner of the square. Why not use it to our advantage as photographers? Let’s include the horse in your frame along with Týn Church.

4.2.3 Church of our Lady Before Týn with flowers

Church of our Lady Before Týn, Prague
  • GPS: 50.08764, 14.42097
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

If you visit Prague in the spring or summer, you can capture beautiful photos with blooming colorful flowers planted around the Jan Hus memorial. This provides an excellent foreground for a shot of the church of our Lady Before Týn. Don’t be afraid to cross the chain; just be thoughtful of the flowers, and don’t step on the soil.

4.2.4 Panorama of houses on Old Town Square
Panoramic view of houses at Old Town Square

  • GPS: 50.08731, 14.42152
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

The houses on the square represent classical Prague architecture; as a bonus, they curve. This gives you a good opportunity for a picture as the houses differ in colors and create an interesting formation. Go either with a wide-angle lens or better with a stitched panoramic picture. Don’t forget to shoot the panorama vertically and be quick between each shot so people don’t move much between each frame.

4.3 House of the Black Madonna and the „Lightbulb Staircase“

Only a 3-minute walk from Old Town Square, you find a cubist house of the Black Madonna. Inside, you are not allowed to use a tripod. Be respectful; otherwise, a security guard will kick you out.

4.3.1 „Lightbulb Staircase“ looking up
Lightbulb Staircase in Prague

  • GPS: 50.08698, 14.4255
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

Right from the ground floor, come to the staircase and look up. You see a staircase spiraling up and finishing with the shape of a lightbulb, therefore the name. Keep it simple; seek lines, contrast, and symmetry. Don’t forget to set a high ISO (e.g., 3200) to get a sharp image while keeping your aperture at about f/4 (or even wider).

4.3.2 „Lightbulb Staircase“ looking down
Spiral staircase

  • GPS: 50.08698, 14.4255
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, midrange zoom

Walk to the third floor and shoot from the top to the bottom. You get a different perspective and still a lovely picture that will stand out in your collection of interior shots from Prague.

Our photography tours are the best photo tours in Prague. It’s not just us saying that it’s 260+ clients’ reviews on TripAdvisor.

4.4 Powder Tower
Prague city center seen from Powder Tower

  • GPS: 50.08726, 14.4278
  • Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm (with exceptions even longer, learn more here)
  • Entrance fee (April 2024): 190 CZK (check out price list)
  • Best visited: morning, late afternoon (backlit), or evening
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, midrange zoom, or telephoto

Powder Tower is one of the accessible towers where you can climb and get a great view of Old Town Square and Prague Castle. Beware, there is no lift, and you must walk up the stairs. Don’t have your expectations too high. Try a panoramic shot like mine if the scene is too wide for your lens.

5 Prague Castle Complex

Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral are important landmarks in Prague. This section will also cover locations reasonably close to the Gothic castle itself.

5.1 Prague Castle

  • Opening hours: the premises are open between 6 am – 10 pm year-round, and the interiors are open with exceptions between 9 am – 4 pm; learn more here
  • Entrance fee: entrance to the front neo-Gothic part of the cathedral is free; if you want to see more of the complex, check out the current price list
  • Note: You are not allowed to use flash or a tripod in the interiors, and a small photography fee applies (50 CZK, ~2€)

The Prague Castle complex is considered the largest ancient castle in the world. It also is one of the most iconic buildings in the Czech Republic. To avoid crowds, visit early in the morning. You may even have the Golden Lane almost to yourself.

5.1.1 Viewpoint at the Black Tower

View of Lesser quarter in Prague
  • GPS: 50.09175, 14.40578
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

Arguably the best viewpoint from the castle area offers a tremendous view of Lesser Town with its red roofs dominated by St. Nicholas Church.

5.1.2 Front face of St. Vitus Cathedral

Low angle view of St. Vitus Cathedral
  • GPS: 50.09063, 14.39953
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

With this shot, you won’t have much freedom for composition as you cannot take a step backward without losing the top of the cathedral; if you step to the side, you get a nasty distortion, and as the cathedral is tall, you don’t want to get closer. If you own a tilt-shift lens, use it here, that’s the only optimal solution.

5.1.3 Door of St. Vitus Cathedral

Facade of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
  • GPS: 50.09065, 14.3996
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

The impressive details on the front face of St. Vitus Cathedral will catch your eye immediately. I recommend visiting in the early morning before the cathedral opens to get a shot without crowds of people.

5.1.4 Mosaic windows inside St. Vitus Cathedral

Arches inside St. Vitus Cathedral
  • GPS: 50.09072, 14.40009
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

Beautiful colorful mosaic windows scream for attention, and they truly deserve it from a photographer like you. Look for small details like symmetry.

5.1.5 Ceiling of St. Vitus Cathedral

Ceiling at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague
  • GPS: 50.09076, 14.40019
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

A pretty typical shot that you will see on Instagram a lot. Usually, people walk around, so I crop it above their heads to get a clear shot. Symmetry is the key here.

Only up to 3 photographers can join our small group photography tour, which still allows individual approach and time to improve your photography skills.

5.2 Strahov Library

  • GPS: 50.08669, 14.38906
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle
  • Opening hours: daily 9 am – 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm – 5:00 pm; check here
  • Entrance fee (April 2024): 150 CZK (~7 EUR) and a small photography fee (about 70 CZK / 3 EUR)
  • Note: tripods are allowed as long as there are not many visitors

Strahov Library is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world and can be visited on the way to Prague Castle. It has recently gained popularity for its two spectacular rooms – the Baroque Theological Hall and the Classicist Philosophical Hall. But once you take these two pictures, you’re done. It’s a 15-minute location close to the Prague Castle. Expect only a minute or so to take pictures from a tripod. Others will be waiting behind you in the line, so have everything ready before you start composing your shot.

5.2.1 Theological Hall of Strahov Library

Strahov library - Theological Hall

This is my favorite hall at the Library.

5.2.2 Philosophical Hall of Strahov Library

Philosophical Hall at Strahov library

And this is the other one worth taking a picture of.

5.3 Viewpoint from Petřín Hill

  • GPS: 50.08561, 14.39154
  • Best visited: sunrise, early morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, telephoto

This is a fantastic location for a sunrise shoot next to Prague Castle and a viable alternative to Petrin lookout tower! It offers some of the best views of Prague Castle. The disadvantage is that it’s located on a hill, and if your accommodation is not close to Strahov Library or Prague Castle, you have to go uphill quite a bit. If it’s not something you are excited about, take a taxi to Vlašská 42, and from there, it’s only a 2-minute walk uphill to the desired photo spot.

5.3.1 View of Prague Castle

Prague Castle at sunrise

Get here in time before sunrise and hope for some nice clouds and beautiful colors. Compose the shot with trees and include the path as your foreground element.

5.3.2 View of St. Nicholas Church

Sunrise St. Nicholas church

Use your telephoto to get a great photo of the dominant church of Malá Strana – St. Nicholas Church.

6 Rudolfinum and Mánes Bridge

Rudolfinum is a famous concert hall that typically hosts concerts of classical music and art exhibitions. It is only a 5-minute walk from the Old Town Square or Charles Bridge.

6.1 View of Rudolfinum

Rudolfinum Concert Hall in Prague
  • GPS: 50.08912, 14.4151
  • Best visited: afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

You already know that foreground is crucial for landscape or cityscape shots. Here at Rudolfinum, there is a platform that used to serve as a mount for a statue (I believe), and it provides a great foreground with its leading lines. It’s okay to get up there, nobody has ever told me anything, and I’ve been there 200+ times.

6.2 Prague Castle with Mánes Bridge

Prague Castle at sunset
  • GPS: 50.08974, 14.41414
  • Best visited: morning, sunset
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom

Sun sets behind Petřín Hill or Prague Castle (depending on the season); this is a good spot to take a picture. There is a lane of benches, and you can take a break there.

6.3 Prague Castle from Alšovo nábřeží

Boats near Charles bridge
  • GPS: 50.08792, 14.41371
  • Best visited: morning, sunset
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

Just another spot on the riverside to capture Prague Castle at sunset or in the soft morning light. You can try a panoramic image, including the boats. Don’t forget to overlap your images by at least 30% to stitch them in post-processing without any trouble.

6.4 Charles Bridge from Mánes Bridge

Charles bridge at sunset
  • GPS: 50.08948, 14.41286
  • Best visited: late afternoon, sunset
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

A side view lets you capture Prague’s most famous landmark in a good light. If you shoot wide-angle, include one of the boats passing underneath (especially in the summer) to gain more depth in the shot. Use your telephoto for more detailed images of the left side of the bridge. If clouds move fast, use an ND filter for a long-exposure shot.

6.5 Cihelná park

Charles bridge after sunset
  • GPS: 50.08875, 14.41117
  • Best visited: early morning, late afternoon
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

If you like long-exposure photography, this should be one of the top photography spots to visit. Get your camera close to the river and distinctive cobblestones to give your shot more depth. Look for leading lines.

Sunset with swans and Charles bridge in Prague

Also, this location has become famous for its abundance of swans, typically in the afternoon and evening. However, since the pandemic, swans are not here anymore. If you are lucky, you may spot one or two swans here now. It’s more likely that you will encounter a nutria (coypu). It’s a rodent looking like something between a beaver and a rat. They are friendly, don’t worry.

Long-exposure photography is one of our greatest photography passions. Join Jan on his Prague photo tour and learn how to work with ND filters to create your own stunning long-exposure images.

7 Shooter’s Island and Legion Bridge

Legion Bridge is the other neighboring bridge of the Charles Bridge, and Shooter’s Island is just below, with easy access using the stairs.

7.1 View of Smetanovo nábřeží

Houses at Novotného lávka reflecting in Vltava
  • GPS: 50.08282, 14.41013
  • Best visited: morning
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

A nice view of light color-painted houses along Smetanovo nábřeží with reflections in the Vltava River. Go with a long exposure to enhance the reflection effect.

7.2 View of National Theatre

National Theatre in Prague at night
  • GPS: 50.0811, 14.41054
  • Best visited: late afternoon, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Perhaps this is the best spot to photograph National Theatre from a closer distance. Unlike many others, you get its reflections in the river and a clean, unobstructed view. Use a tripod and hold the tree branches to keep them away from your frame.

7.3 Memorial to the Victims of Communism

Memorial of victims of communism in Prague in autumn
  • GPS: 50.08115, 14.40402
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: telephoto, fast prime lens between 50 – 100 mm

This sad memorial is fun to shoot, and it’s only a 3-minute walk from the Legion Bridge. Try to keep the background of your shots clean, use low f-stop for subject separation, and keep exploring different angles.

8 Kampa Island

Kampa Island and its immediate surroundings are located right next to the Charles Bridge and are easy to cover while shooting the bridge.

8.1 John Lennon Wall

John Lennon Wall
  • GPS: 50.08619, 14.40685
  • Best visited: early morning
  • Recommended lens: wide angle, telephoto

This wall has gained popularity among tourists, especially selfie-makers, in recent years. This is why I recommend visiting the wall before 9 am when you can have the wall almost entirely to yourself. From a photography standpoint, it’s colors that make this wall attractive. It’s changing every week as more graffiti and rarely even art replace the old.

Emily at John Lennon Wall

The colors of the John Lennon Wall also make for an excellent backdrop for portraits.

8.2 Narrow cobblestoned alley

Narrow alley in Kampa
  • GPS: 50.08597, 14.408
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

This narrow alley is great for shooting wide-angle images from a lower view where you can accentuate the cobblestones.

8.3 Devil’s Channel

Devil's Channel in Prague
  • GPS: 50.0871, 14.4082
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Walk down to the wooden boardwalk close to a bridge over the Devil’s Channel. From here, frame your image with an arch of Charles Bridge and enhance beautiful reflections with a long-exposure technique.

Exploring a city with a local gives you a whole new perspective of the city and its photography opportunities. You don’t have to wing it; join Jan’s tour and enjoy.

9 Malá Strana

I want to include the other spots scattered in Lesser Town (or Lesser Quarter).

9.1 “Piss” sculpture

David Černý's Piss Sculpture in Prague
  • GPS: 50.08808, 14.41017
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: fast prime or telephoto

One of the most popular sculptures by David Černý, arguably the most famous Czech contemporary artist. It’s fun to see and has the potential for interesting portrait-style images. Try to keep your background distraction-free.

9.2 Prague’s narrowest street

The narrowest street in Prague
  • GPS: 50.08793, 14.40948
  • Best visited: all-day
  • Recommended lens: wide angle or midrange zoom

Even though it’s a restaurant entrance, it still classifies as the narrowest street in Prague. It’s behind bars until 11 am (I think), but you can easily shoot through the bars. When the restaurant is open, you can notice a traffic light for pedestrians to determine whether people can enter or leave. Expose for the bright light at the end of the alley and shoot from the right side to get a nice leading line in the foreground.

10 Prague Riverside South from Charles Bridge

This section will cover worthy locations to photograph spread around the Vltava River south of the Charles Bridge.

10.1 Dancing House

It’s a unique example of modern art in the center of Prague, designed by Frank Gehry and Vlado Milunić. This building is also sometimes referred to as Fred and Ginger.

10.1.1 Dancing House

Dancing house
  • GPS: 50.0758, 14.4136
  • Best visited: blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

The Dancing House is not easy to photograph because of the busy intersection right in front of it. Many tram lines obstruct the view. However, use the traffic to your advantage and use car light trails as a leading line in your shots. The cars producing the best light trails turn to the right and go on the bridge. You will be shooting from a sidewalk at one of the traffic lights.

10.1.2 Details of windows of the Dancing House

Detail of windows of Dancing house in Prague
  • GPS: 50.07572, 14.4131
  • Best visited: late afternoon, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: telephoto

Don’t forget to shoot some details of the Dancing house. Its windows are an attractive subject to try.

10.2 Railroad Bridge

This bridge is perhaps a 30-minute walk from Charles Bridge and takes you on Prague riverside that, especially in the summer, abounds with open-air beer stands and is a popular place to hang out mainly among a younger crowd.

Note (May 2024): The bridge is undergoing a complete reconstruction and is inaccessible.

10.2.1 Railroad Bridge

Railway bridge in Prague at sunset
  • GPS: 50.06701, 14.41469
  • Best visited: early morning, late afternoon, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: wide angle

Capture the bridge with some boats anchored here, use a strong foreground element, and experiment with vertical and horizontal framing.

10.2.2 View of Prague Castle from Railroad Bridge

Boats at Vltava riverside in Prague
  • GPS: 50.06712, 14.41414
  • Best visited: early morning, blue hour
  • Recommended lens: midrange zoom, telephoto

You can get on a bridge from the main road. Shooting from a tripod can be challenging since many people pass, and trains run regularly. If the shutter speeds are too slow, raise your ISO to avoid blurred photos.

Prague castle at twilight

Congratulations on reading this far! Book your photo tour with Jan if you want a Prague photography expert to accompany you on your photography experience in Prague.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best photo spots for sunrise?

I recommend shooting the sunrise at Charles Bridge (see 1.3.1) or Petřín Hill (see 5.3.1).

Which lookout tower do you recommend visiting?

In this descending order of importance: Old Town Square Tower, Old Town Bridge Tower, and Powder Tower.

Among notable photo locations are Karlštejn Castle and Máj viewpoint on the Vltava River, both located south of Prague.

How many days should I stay in Prague?

When it comes to photography, you are reliant on the weather, so it suggests that the longer you stay, the better shots you may get. However, I believe that 3-4 days in Prague are sufficient to cover the main historical areas and get beautiful images.

Conclusion

This guide to the best photography spots in Prague is an ever-green, always-updated, and constantly-expended blueprint for landscape and travel photographers coming to Prague. I hope you will find it helpful and informative. If you did, come to say hi in the comments.

If you prefer to explore the city with a local photographer Jan, check out his Prague photo tours for small-group and private customized photo tours tailor-made to your specific photographic needs.

Enjoy your stay in Prague and make it an unforgettable photography experience 🙂

complete guide to the best photography spots in Prague

32 Comments

  1. This is an amazing guide!!! So many nice spots, with very useful and detailed information to get there. Thanks a lot for sharing this knowledge!

  2. Well documented. Usually photographers consider sharing location details and time of the day, as their trade secret, which you have publicly shared. Great!!!

    1. Dear Kiran, thank you very much. I’m happy to share some tips with other photographers and save them some time in Prague 🙂

    1. Vineet, thank you very much for your kind comment! I’m happy that you enjoyed the article and photography in Prague 🙂 Jan

    1. Dear Peter, thank you very much! I’m happy that you found my photography guide to Prague useful. Cheers, Jan

    1. Ivan, thanks a lot! I’m glad you found it useful and enjoyed your first time in Prague 🙂

  3. Thank you so much for this great guide. Makes things so much easier for photographers. And your photos are great!

    1. Hi Yee, thank you very much for your kind comment. I’m glad you found the photo guide to Prague informative and useful. Cheers! Jan

  4. Awesome article. Thank you so much for sharing. I will be visiting Prague soon so this is very helpful.

    1. Dear Terri, you’re welcome. I hope you will enjoy your stay and photography in Prague a lot! Cheers, Jan

  5. Jsem rozeny Prazak, ale nebydlim tu uz pres 50 let…. what a wonderful way to explore the magic of Prague again. You´ve done a great service to thousands of photographers. Not only you have shown us where to go but also how to get the best of the best. And you were happy to share your secrets. Klobouk dolu, Jane. May the Force be with you!
    Jirka

    1. Ahoj Jirko! Thanks a lot for your kind words and I’m happy that you found my guide informative and useful. Hopefully, it has helped you to take some nice pictures! Cheers, Jan

    1. Hi Duaine, thanks a lot. I’m glad you found the guide useful and I’m confident it’ll help you to take some great images! I’m sorry I couldn’t do the tour with you though. Good luck, buddy! Jan

  6. Fantastic article Dan. You have spoilt me and now I have to search of similar articles for other town/cities in Europe and beyond. Heart felt thanks and keep shooting.

    1. Hi Narik, thank you very much for the comment. I’m glad you found my Photographer’s Guide to Prague helpful. I’m planning to prepare guides for other locations around the Czech Republic as well but it’s not a priority on my to-do list at the moment. Cheers, Jan

  7. Jan is an amazing photographer and teacher. I am so happy with the results I got and what I learned from him. The day after our tour I followed his blog to capture more sights.
    Thanks so much Jan!!!

    1. Dear Kevin, I’m very happy you enjoyed our tour and found this guide useful for the rest of your stay in Prague. Take care! Jan

    1. Hi Artūrs, I’m glad you found the guide useful! If you would need help, feel free to reach out. Enjoy shooting in Prague!

  8. Hi Jan, this is very useful guide. I will be visiting Prague in April 24 and along with visible light photography, I will also try some infrared photography as well.
    Regards,
    Jitendra

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.