15 Unique Things to Do in Prague (Updated 2023)

Posted: 2/13/2023 | February 13th, 2023

Prague is one of Europe’s most popular cities. Owing to its stunning medieval architecture, it has developed a reputation as one of the continent’s must-see destinations.

Unfortunately, its popularity means it gets packed during the summer. In 2019, nearly seven million tourists descended on Prague, a city of just 1.3 million people!!!! And the crowds have now returned post-COVID.

But, while Prague may be battling overtourism, the city has a lot to offer intrepid (and repeat) visitors who want to see something other than the same old highlights.

For example, did you know that about a hundred years ago, a group of Czech architects decided to apply Picasso’s Cubist style to architecture and that scattered around Prague is a small handful of Cubist buildings, including a Cubist café?

Or that there are constantly revolving, doorless elevators in Prague that you have to hop in and out of?

To help you deepen your visit and get off the beaten path, here is my list of the best unique things to do in Prague to help you see something different:
 

1. St. Jacob the Greater Church

The Church of St. Jacob the Greater gets overlooked because it sits in the shadow of Týn Cathedral on Old Town Square. But, for the curious who do venture inside this 13th-century basilica, if you look up just inside the entrance, you’ll see an object hanging from a chain.

It’s a withered hand on a meat hook.

As the story goes, a thief tried to steal some priceless jewels from a statue of the Virgin Mary at the altar. As he laid his hand on the jewels, the statue reached out and grabbed him. And it would not let go.

Some parishioners — many of whom belonged to the Prague Butchers’ Guild — amputated the hand of the thief and Mary immediately dropped it. As a lesson (and warning) to potential future thieves, they hung the hand up in the church and, several centuries later, it’s still there.

If you take a ghost walking tour of Prague, you’ll stop here to hear all about this grizzly tale.

Malá Štupartská 635. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30am-4pm. Admission is free.

2. Charles Square

One of the largest squares in Europe, Charles Square sits in New Town (Nové Mesto). It was originally a cattle market where they also sold fish, wheat, and charcoal. And, for one week a year, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who made Prague the capital of the empire during his 14th-century reign, held an annual relics show here (relics were religious…