how to visit prague with a kid

“Everything is dipped in gold in Prague,” said a colleague recently. She’s right. Medieval churches, clock towers, and statues are gilded through Prague, Europe’s fifth most visited city.

While my wife traveled to five cities in two countries in five days with her company’s CEO, my six-year-old daughter and I stayed at the Novotel Praha Wenceslas Square for their indoor pool. My wife and a dear friend from Madrid joined us for the weekend.

Here’s what we did with six days in Prague with a six-year-old.

Eat:

Create-your-own noodle or rice bowl at Wokin, a fast casual Asian restaurant with two levels of seating.
Eggs Benedict from Bistro Monk, a popular breakfast spot with an outdoor terrace.
Falafel from Paprika, a small Israeli restaurant with hummus bowls.
Goulash for breakfast at Cafe Louvre, a 1902 cafe and salon frequented by the elite, including Albert Einstein.
Pancakes with blueberry vinegar compote and honey ice cream at Etap a, a cafe opened by food bloggers that uses fresh ingredients.
Poppy seed gelato from Puro, an award-winning gelato shop with locations throughout the city.
Raspberries (the sweetest I’ve had) from fruit vendors at 12th century Havelsky Market.
Roasted cauliflower at Nejen Bistro, a well-designed cafe with a Czech wine list.
Veal from U Kroka, a restaurant and bar founded in 1895 serving traditional Czech food.

Drink:

Beer at Manifesto Market Andel, an open-air food hall made from shipping containers.
Czech white wine from Mlýnská kavárna, a restaurant in Kampa Park with outdoor seating along the Vltava River.
Lattes from two cafes in the hilly Žižkov neighborhood- VinCaffé and My Coffee Story.
Sea buckhorn lemonade at Misto, a mural-decorated, kid-friendly cafe with colorful restrooms.

Do:

Add your own art to the Lennon Wall, a graffiti wall that once had art honoring John Lennon.
Explore a 19th century Italian Renaissance grotta built by a millionaire at Grébovka, a park with a winery and vineyard.
Find less-crowded bridges over the Vltava River than the famous 14th century Charles Bridge. There are a handful of other bridges with equal views and fewer people like the Legion Bridge.
Rent paddle boats on Park Legií and see the views from the Vltava River.
Ride the train an hour to Park Mirakulum, a family-owned amusement center with massive playgrounds, a water park, petting zoo, butterfly garden, cafes, and more. (Watch my Reel here for the most fun I’ve had at a kid-centric place.)
Run through Žižkovský Tunnel, a pedestrian and bicycle path under Vítkov Hill that was built to double as an anti-aircraft shelter.
Shop with kids at Sparkys, a store with two-levels of toys with views of the Národní Muzeum.
Stroll by painted bunker air shafts in Folimanka Park. There’s a minion-painted one and one that’s meant to be R2-D2.
Take your kids to Královská obora Stromov ka, a large park with a playground and a parkour course.
Use the tram, bus, and subway system. For trams, simply tap your credit card at the machine inside the tram.
Water zorb at Aquapalace Praha, a large water complex with slides, lazy rivers, and more.

See:

City views the Bastion, a 1348 fortification with a walkway and public art.
Czech artist David Cerny’s work throughout the city- “Crawling Babies,” “Franz Kafka-Rotating Head,” “Man Hanging Out,” and “Upside-Down Statue of King Wenceslas Riding a Dead Horse.”
Dancing House designed by architect Frank Gehry in the deconstructivist style.
Gilded architecture at the National Theatre, an 1881 theatre that still operates today.
Infinity Book Tower at the Municipal Library.
Old-New Synagogue, a 13th century synagogue with rich Jewish heritage.
Original Banksy art along the Jiřská stairs coming down from the Prague Castle.
Yellow penguin statues lit up at night along the Vltava River in Kampa Park.