Just like in every popular destination, Prague also has shameful, touristy and silly things to offer. A lot actually. Keep your eyes open and don’t let dishonest individuals change your impression of the otherwise beautiful and charming city of Prague. This is a list of the most flagrant Prague tourist traps! Read carefully before you come.
Who writes this blog?
My name is Dana, local guide and also founder of Prague Behind The Scenes, a small touring company. With my services I try to present Prague in a less touristy way and help travelers avoid the downtown touristy circus. Hope this article will help you to plan your Prague trip with ease. If you wish to see Prague landmarks and hidden gems with me, in a more authentic way, please drop me a line or book one of my Prague introduction tours.
Dana // dana@praguebehindthescenes.com
1. Trdelník or Trdlo (chimney cakes), legendary tourist traps
Do you know how locals recognize foreigners even from a distance? They are eating “trdelník” or “trdlo” (same stupid thing). Simple sweet pastry made on every corner in Prague and sold for ridiculously high prices. The promo signs always say that trdelník is a traditional Czech pastry. But believe me…I ate it myself twice in my life. It is nothing that our grannies make at home!!
Btw, do you know what “trdlo” in Czech language means? Dull person.
You will find this pastry everywhere downtown, especially in garbage bins. People just take a few bites, post pics an Instagram with their dull cake and dump it. Such is the life cycle of the touristy pastry. Don´t be part of this ridiculous circus and rather buy “koláče” – a pastry we actually like, eat and bake. Get one either in Kolacherie or in Torto. Both downtown located small bakeries. But don´t forget – come early! They tend to sell out soon.
2. Narrowest street in Prague
Maybe you have heard about Prague´s narrowest street which is currently so extremely popular among tourists…I will tell you a secret now. This is a tourist trap and another “discovery” of travel influencers.
My recommendation: please skip it, otherwise you will be standing in a line up like a sheep. For a tourist trap. The “street” is actually a gap between two houses, the “street” doesn´t have a name. It´s just a corridor leading to a very average restaurant. Rating 2.3 on Google says a lot about it.
3. Street market called Havelské tržiště (Old Town)
Guys, is this market mentioned in your guide book as a must visit place in Prague? Then you are either reading a very old book or a very bad bedeker. Written by someone who has never lived in Prague.
Please, please, please, this is not a place where we are going with a wicker basket for fresh veggies. Havelské tržiště (market) is currently another big Prague tourist trap offering just overpriced sh*t. Excuse me.
It’s basically just an outdoor souvenir shop with souvenirs of uncertain origin. Check the video below about so called “Prague chocolate” from Havelské tržiště. This is just one example of how souvenir scammers do their business downtown Prague.
4. Karlovy lázně (night club)
Karlovy lázně is a name for the biggest club in Central Europe. It´s situated just a stone throw from Charles Bridge. The ugly neon lights can be seen right from the bridge (who allowed that??!!). Couple years back this historical building got redesigned into a 5-floors club. It´s a big tourist attraction but don’t expect much. It is just a money factory with no added value. Just discrediting one of the most beautiful parts of the city center.
5. Matryoshka dolls
I have already written a lot about matryoshka dolls but they are still here, still being offered in all the kitschy souvenir shops downtown Prague. Matryoshka dolls are Russian traditional toys, not Czech! If you don´t know what matryoshka is: it is a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside another. Remember, you are visiting the Czech Republic not Russia and buying matryoshka or USSR fur hats isn’t funny. In fact it is very abusive especially these days. Russians have never had the best reputation in the Czech Republic and this doesn´t help either.
6. Historical / vintage cars
Once you reach Prague city center you will see them almost everywhere. So called “vintage cars” taking tourists around. They are replicas designed a couple years back in Poland. After recent controls initiated by Prague City Hall it was found out that many of these cars are in a very bad technical condition and some of them are offered illegally – without proper licence. Some of them were registered as tractors or snow cats!!! 55 cars out of 58 controlled had some technical or legal issues. 10 of them were pulled away right after the control. Think twice before you hop on.
7. Exchange offices and Euronet ATMs
Big shame of Prague! There are many exchange offices downtown Prague, however some of them are simply and officially ripping people off. It’s their daily routine. The best exchange place where you get a fair exchange rate is EXCHANGE CZ. You can also use ATMs, but only those branded by Czech banks (AirBank, Česká Spořitelna, Moneta, Komerční banka, etc…). Learn more about where to exchange money in Prague and where not in my other blog post.
Definitely avoid the tricky ATMs branded with Euronet Worldwide logo. Once their machines detect foreign cards, they will charge you high fees, give you a low exchange rate and will also push you to withdraw a high amount of money (like 10 000 CZK – for this amount you can buy for example 222 large tap beers). And please never ever exchange money in the street!!!! Pay by card instead!!
8. Taxi drivers
I could write an extra chapter about local taxi drivers (especially about those doing their business downtown). But to make this paragraph shorter I will give you a simple advice: never take a taxi in the street (train station, bus station…). The best option is to use Uber, Liftago or Bolt and leave the greasy taxi drivers behind. To make it clearer, Prague taxi drivers are well known for their disgusting tricks and ripping people off, especially tourists.
Please don´t support them. Couple days back my clients were charged 750 CZK for a short ride from the Main train station to their hotel in the Old Town. Such ride costs usually around 150 – 250 CZK.
9. Marihuana and absinth from souvenir shops
First of all I need to say that marihuana is not legal in the Czech Republic. Whenever you see marihuana shops, it is all fake. Simple “placebo” tourist trap. Just hemp, CBD and big show around that. Prague is not Amsterdam!
Regarding the absinth, that’s just another hype. Absinth is a legal drink in the Czech Republic and many tourists go crazy about it. They believe that absinth cause hallucinations and give them the right bohemian sensation. It´s a nonsense. You will not write poems or paint pictures after sipping absinthe in your hotel room. It’s a bitter alcohol and needs to be served right. Just don’t expect any hallucinations. Seriously. Also, please don’t buy those little absinthe bottles in souvenir shops, it’s not always clear what it´ s made from and how long they are standing there.
10. Thai massages
Thai massages rank among the top weirdest tourist traps in Prague city center. Plastic Buddha and riksha on Old Town sq.? It’s absolutely bizarre to see a scene like this in the historical city center. Double facepalm for tourists who need a Thai massage on Old Town sq. You deserve more than “fast food” style massage and locals deserve less places like this. Because our eyes are bleeding while passing them. There are great Thai wellness places in Prague with relaxed ambience and more comfort. Please don´t support bizarreness. These walk in massage places live from your money and we don´t want them here 🙂
11. People with animals
This is not only a Prague tourist trap, it’s very common in other big cities, too. Please don’t take pictures with animals of people who are pushing you to pet them. It can be a snake, bird, or a dog. Please don´t support treating animals like this.
Just like this guy in the picture. I keep seeing him regularly on the stairs leading up to Prague Castle. And yes (unfortunately) he still has enough “customers”.
12. Skip-the line tickets for Prague Castle
Are you planning to visit the interiors of Prague Castle? Then please don´t believe anyone who tells you that you need some skip-the-line tickets or to buy tickets ahead of time, blah blah blah….don´t get stressed by this. Prague Castle is not as busy is as Vatican or Louvre. The tickets are always available. Stay flexible and enjoy your holidays. Whenever you plan to visit the Castle interiors, just come and get the tickets at Prague Castle. BTW, all the exteriors, courtyards and gardens are open for free!!
The price for the Castle interiors is 450 CZK and you can get the tickets on the 2nd and 3rd courtyard. And also in the Prague Castle Picture Gallery (on the 2nd courtyard).
Just try to avoid the noon rush hours, the tickets offices might be a bit busier. I recommend buying the tickets on the 2nd courtyard, there are always less people.
13. Fake Banksy
All over the city center you will see posters for the Baksy museum / exhibition (WORLD OF BANKSY). This is unfortunately all fake – there is no connection between him and the exhibition. They simply present copies of Banksy’s artworks. Don´t get fooled, this is a cheesy, disrespectful touristy business. Especially when all the copies are presented in a beautiful deconsecrated church downtown Prague.
14. Beggars and fake charity
Fortunately there are not many of them but it may happen that you will see people in Prague street (and subway) asking for money. Either for their own use or for “charity.”
The truth is that there are also many fair charities (for example the people selling a magazine called Nový Prostor, they are homeless but they are working, not begging, they are selling the magazine). But then there are many real, prefessional beggars who don´t do anything just wait for your money. You really need to know which one is which. So my advice is: rather don´t give cash to anybody.
Unfortunately many of the beggars are pretending to have some disabilities or mental issues. I know about a guy who is temporarily one legged or a girl who is pregnant already several years in a row…some of these people are part of an organized groups and they often operate on Prague subway.
Then there are also people pretending they are deaf and ask for money (they always carry a piece of paper with a written message). Or there is a group of people selling inflatable balloons and tell you that it’s for charity ….blah blah blah. Nope. They focuse only on tourists and operate around the Old Town Square especially when it´s dark because the balloons make a special light effects.
Dana, owner and fully certified guide for Prague Behind The Scenes | small-group tours and experiences.
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