Charles Bridge
Karlův Most

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Go take a stroll along one of the most famous (and most beautiful) stone bridges in all of Europe, Charles Bridge.

If you’re looking for that iconic Prague picture then you’ll find it right in the middle of Charles Bridge. Amazing views of the Prague Castle with the Vltava River are right in front of your eyes. There’s nothing that screams Prague more than this. Well, maybe a Pilsner Urquell but this is definitely second!

The bridge is usually always filled with people walking in opposite directions taking in the views along with street traders which usually always have some beautiful art, jewellery, and other traditional Czech nicknacks. So don’t get flustered but the bridge does get crowded. In case you don’t like crowds, sunrise or sunset are much quieter times to visit the old stone bridge.

  • Emperor Charles IV. had the bridge built in the 14th century. He laid down the foundation stone on the 9th of July in the year 1357, at 5:31 a.m. It’s just a random date, isn’t it? Actually not! The date was carefully chosen because it makes an interesting numerical scale. If you were to write it down chronologically in this form: year/date/month/time, it makes a scale, going upwards and then downwards: 1 3 5 7 9 7 5 3 1.
  • While you’re on the bridge, you might notice that a lot of people are touching this metal plaque. Folktales have it that if you touch the Calvary, it brings you good luck.
  • There are towers on either end of the bridge that you can enter if you want an even better view of the bridge and castle. One of the towers even has a little museum of all the things that have been lost in the Vltava River right under the bridge...let’s just say there’s been some interesting things that have been lost.
  • quatationmark

    Whenever we’re downtown we always find a way to walk across the Charles Bridge. There’s just something magical about it.

    — Dom & Jo, adventurous travel bloggers and Prague experts

    quatationmark
Updated on 10 January 2022

Tips and Tricks

  • Try going early in the morning or later in the evening
  • Go up one of the towers on either side of the bridge
  • Makes for a good sunrise shoot
  • Bring some cash if you want to buy something from a street trader

Getting There

  • By Tram: 5 minute walk from Malostranské Náměstí. Trams 12, 15, 20, and 22 stop here
  • By Metro: 8 minute walk from Staromestska stop. Metro A stops here.
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Open everyday

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All seasons

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Free

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Open; national COVID measures apply.

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