Don’t Do This In Prague: 20 Things to Avoid and What to Do Instead

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Don’t do this in Prague: mistake cheap for careless. This guide covers what actually catches visitors out: the traps, the scams, and the local etiquette worth knowing, so your trip runs smoother than most.

Prague pulls off something rare. It has a genuinely stunning old town that hasn’t been flattened by war or over-restoration, with the castle looking down over red rooftops and the Charles Bridge doing exactly what it’s supposed to at sunrise. It photographs well because it earns it.

That said, it’s also become one of Europe’s cheapest and most heavily marketed weekend-trip destinations, and the old town bears the weight of that. So this guide takes a different approach: a practical, don’t do this in Prague breakdown built from what actually catches visitors out.

Whole stretches near the main square now cater almost entirely to stag parties and day-trippers, longtime residents have largely moved out of the historic core, and some streets feel more like a nightlife strip than a Central European capital.

Prague Basics

Don’t Do This In Prague: Overview

Prague’s Old Town can feel like a theme park built for visitors rather than a living city. And that’s exactly where its scams and tourist traps thrive. Currency exchange rip-offs, restaurants aimed squarely at photo-menu tourists, and a fair number of ways to waste an afternoon are all avoidable once you know where they sit.

This isn’t a list to put you off Prague. It’s the practical version of what a well-informed local friend would tell you over a beer and a goulash with knedlíky: what to watch for, what to skip, and what to do instead. So your time and money can go toward the Prague that’s actually worth experiencing.

#	Category	Don’t Do This In Prague	Do This Instead
1	Trap	Eat at restaurants directly on Old Town Square or Wenceslas Square	Vinohrady, Žižkov, or Holešovice – look for a “polední menu”
2	Trap	Buy Trdelník from every street vendor	Koláče, Buchty, or Medovník from a real bakery
3	Trap	Visit Prague Castle and Charles Bridge during peak hours	Before 9am or after 4pm, or lesser-known bridges like Mánesův most
4	Trap	Buy mass-produced souvenirs from generic shops	Bohemian crystal, garnet jewelry, or wooden toys from Vinohrady/Letná
5	Trap	Shop the “bulk candy” stores near the main tourist strip	Trdelník or pastries from an actual bakery, away from the square
6	Trap	Take a Segway tour	Walk, use public transport, or book a bicycle tour
7	Trap	Book a medieval dinner show in the center	A classical concert at the Rudolfinum/Municipal House, or a real hospoda meal
8	Trap	Stick only to Old Town and Malá Strana	Vinohrady, Žižkov, Karlín, or Holešovice
9	Trap	Skip local pub (hospoda) culture	A traditional hospoda with Czech beer and pub food
10	Scam	Exchange currency with a stranger on the street	Use a bank ATM or a reputable exchange office
11	Scam	Use a “0% commission” exchange booth in Old Town	Check the Czech National Bank’s official rate first
12	Scam	Take an unlicensed taxi at the airport or Wenceslas Square	Use the Bolt or Liftago app, or AAA Radio Taxi
13	Scam	Order the “1-liter beer” as a “large”	Order a standard 0.5L, check the price board first
14	Scam	Buy tickets from a “Vivaldi concert” street flyer	Book at the Rudolfinum or a verified box office
15	Scam	Sign a charity petition at Charles Bridge or Old Town Square	Decline without stopping, hand on your bag
16	Scam	Follow a stranger’s bar recommendation	Choose your own bar from reviews
17	Culture	Read Czech directness as rudeness	Expect short, direct answers as the local register
18	Culture	Assume euros are accepted everywhere	Pay in CZK wherever possible
19	Culture	Default to big smiles and small talk with strangers	Keep it polite and low-key at first
20	Culture	Skip the tip entirely	Round up or leave roughly 10%

For a more detailed take on each of the listed Prague items, chose a “Don’t Do This In Prague” category below:

That’s our list of tourist traps to avoid, scams aiming at visitors and cultural tips. To experience this romantic and lively city in the best way possible, remember: don’t do this in Prague!

Heading to a different destination? Here’s what not to do in Rome, Paris, London, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Amsterdam or Barcelona.