Prague 1

Prague 1 is a district that covers most of the medieval heart of the city. Within its borders lies all of the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter as well as parts of the Little Quarter, Hradčany and the New Town. The Old Town which is the core of the historic center lies on the right side of the Vltava river. The former Jewish Quarter is located in the northwest corner of Old Town. It is surrounded by the New Town of Prague. The Charles Bridge connects the Old Town and the Little Quarter. Hradčany lies north of the Little Quarter. Because of the location, the properties here are more expensive and you can seldom find a parking space let alone a garage. However, if you are willing to give this up, the district will guarantee you an unforgettable living experience in Prague thanks to the modern and unique design of the new flats and the atmosphere of the medieval center. Not to mention the magnificent culture accompanying you every step of the way.

Prague 1 Locations:

• Old Town [Staré město]
• Jewish Quarter [Josefov]
• Little Quarter [Malá strana]
• Hradčany
• New Town [Nové město]

Old Town [Staré město]

The Old Town is probably the most well-known area of Prague among tourists. You might be pleasantly surprised by the number of apartments that you can find in the Old Town considering it is the heart of the historic center. There are still some wonderful flats just around the corner of the Old Town Square in streets like Pařížská, U Milosrdných, Petrská and Haštaltská for example. The Old Town Square is a place full of beautiful sights. Apart from the Astronomical Clock, there is the Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn, the tower of the Old Town Hall from which you can enjoy the view of the Old Town Square, the colossal baroque St. Nicolas Church, Jan Hus Memorial and Kinský Palace, an art museum of the Czech National Gallery. It also holds some of the best markets in Europe during Christmas and Easter.

The area has an abundance of museums and theatres and there are also many architectural gems you can visit, such as the Municipal House which is located on the Republic Square next to the Powder Gate, built in the Art Nouveau architecture style or the House of the Black Madonna, the best cubic building in the Czech Republic. On the Republic Square is also the department store Kotva which has some of the most luxurious shops. The Old Town is full of authentic Czech restaurants where you can taste our Czech cuisine and world-renowned beer, but it has many top-notch restaurants with international foods as well. If you start to feel crowded by the tourists here, you can visit the Jewish quarter, where you will find the Old Synagogue, Old Jewish Town Hall and Old Jewish Cemetery. The place used to be a Jewish ghetto and leaves a very mysterious vibe to this day.

Little Quarter [Malá strana]

The Little Quarter is located on the left side of the Vltava river. Like the Old Town, it is one of the most historic regions of Prague. The Little quarter is considered to be more noble while the Old town is more bohemian. Here, we can find a number of churches (St Nicholas church), palaces (Wallenstein palace, Schonborn palace) and other monuments. Furthermore, many gardens and orchards (Lobkowicz garden, Seminary garden, Wallenstein garden) are located in the Little Quarter. It is also the seat of many ministries and institutions. There is more greenery here than anywhere else in Prague 1, thanks to the second biggest park Petřínské sady. The Petřín lookout tower (a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower) is located on top of the hill and will give you the best view of the whole city. The island Kampa is a wonderful place for a picnic from which you can enjoy looking out on the Vltava river. The Little Quarter has a number of splendid residences that will ensure you an experience of the rich lifestyle. It also has some international schools, the junior and senior high campuses of the Park Lane International School are situated here, as well as the Duhovka kindergarten.

Hradčany

Hradčany is an area which belongs mostly to Prague 1. The rest that belongs to Prague 6 is composed of parks, institutions and embassies. Hradčany surrounds the Prague castle and is home to the most noble palaces in Prague (Czernin Palace, Schwarzenberg Palace, Sternberg Palace, etc.) The Prague castle complex which includes the St Vitus cathedral (the biggest cathedral in Prague) is one of the biggest castle complexes in the world. Again, thanks to its reputation of nobility and prestige, it is the seat of many ministries, embassies and schools. The Riverside High School and Jingle Bells Preschool are two international schools located in Hradčany. For nature lovers, there is the Deer ditch (Jelení příkop) right under the Prague Castle and some lovely parks such as the Royal Garden, Strahov Garden or Chotkovy sady.

New Town [Nové město]

The New Town is another district that makes up the historic center of Prague. It covers both Prague 1 and Prague 2, the street Žitná being the border between the two. This part of Prague 1 is ideal for all those who indulge in shopping sprees as there is the department store Quadrio, Wenceslaw Square and shopping center Palladium at your disposal. Again, this place has a myriad of palaces and theatres, the most famous being the National theatre and the Laterna Magika. Another building worth mentioning is the National Museum, the biggest museum in the Czech Republic, which closes the upper part of Wenceslaws Square.