What’s New - Prague and Czech Republic - page 51

For Free
Once a famously inexpensive destination, Prague is no longer
cheap; there's not much on offer without a price attached. Parks
and gardens, some museums and galleries, and gazing at the glori-
ous architecture are all free, as is the street entertainment on
Charles Bridge.
Prague Without a Ticket
Without having to buy a ticket, you can wander through the courtyards and gardens of
Prague Castle ( CLICK HERE ), watch the changing of the guard ceremony and visit the
western end of the nave of St Vitus Cathedral ( CLICK HERE ), while Charles Bridge (
CLICK HERE ), with its array of jazz bands, buskers, caricature artists and postcard
sellers, is a smorgasbord of free entertainment.
Over in the Old Town Square, the hourly performance by the Astronomical Clock (
CLICK HERE ) is a classic tick without a ticket, as is the baroque glory of the nearby
Church of St Nicholas ( CLICK HERE ). Although you'll have to pay for a guided tour
of the Municipal House ( CLICK HERE ), you can wander through the glorious art-nou-
veau cafe, the lobby and to the downstairs American Bar without a ticket.
Visits to most churches in Prague (except St Nicholas Church in Malá Strana) are
free, as is the beautiful Wallenstein Garden ( CLICK HERE ) and imposing Vyšehrad
Citadel ( CLICK HERE ).
Public Art
Prague has a fine collection of public art on show, all viewable for free, including the
provocative and often humorous modern works of David Černý (see the boxed text,
CLICK HERE ) and the magnificent art-nouveau monuments to Jan Hus ( CLICK HERE
; Old Town Square) and Josef Palácký (Paláckého náměstí).