Czech Republic

Prague

Café Savoy

Take the tram down from the castle and head to this beautifully restored Neo-Renaissance café for lunch, where the high painted ceilings feel just as impressive as anything in the castle. The svíčková (beef in cream sauce with bread dumplings) is a classic Czech dish that most kids will happily eat, and the pastries from the in-house bakery are worth ordering at the end.

Prague

Manifesto Market Anděl (riverside pop-up food market)

Head down to the riverbank for lunch at this popular container market, where food trucks and pop-up stalls serve everything from burgers and bao to Czech sausages and fresh lemonade. The outdoor seating along the water gives kids space to move around between courses, which everyone appreciates by day three.

Prague

Trdelník from a street vendor at Old Town Square

Trdelník is a spiral pastry cooked on an open spit, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and sold warm from street stalls around the square. It is pure tourist food and also completely delicious, especially when filled with Nutella or ice cream, and handing one to a hungry child buys goodwill for the rest of the afternoon.

Prague

Eska Restaurant

This award-winning bakery and restaurant in the nearby Karlín neighborhood serves creative Czech cuisine using seasonal ingredients, with a menu that changes regularly but always includes excellent sourdough bread and simple mains that work well for kids. The open kitchen and communal tables make it feel relaxed rather than formal, and the pastry counter near the entrance is worth visiting even if you only stop for dessert.

Prague

Lokál Malá Strana

This beloved Czech restaurant group operates several locations around Prague and the Malá Strana branch is reliable for classic dishes like goulash, svíčková, and schnitzel served with perfectly poured Pilsner Urquell for adults and Czech lemonade for kids. The atmosphere is cheerful and unpretentious, and the staff are practiced at handling families with young children.

Prague

Vojanovy sady (Vojan Gardens)

Tucked behind high walls near the river in Malá Strana, Vojan Gardens is one of Prague's oldest and quietest parks, filled with peacocks, fruit trees, and shaded benches that feel a world away from the tourist crowds on the bridge. It is a perfect final afternoon stop where kids can chase the peacocks and parents can decompress before the journey home.

Prague

Petřín Hill and Observation Tower (Petřínská rozhledna)

Ride the historic funicular railway up Petřín Hill, which is a fun experience in itself for younger kids, then climb the Petřín Observation Tower for sweeping views over Prague's red rooftops. The Mirror Maze (Bludiště) at the top of the hill is a genuine hit with children ages 5 through 10 and costs only a few euros to enter.

Prague

St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála svatého Víta)

Located inside the castle complex, this Gothic cathedral has stained glass windows so vivid and enormous that even kids who skip churches tend to stop and stare. Point out the gargoyles on the exterior and let older children try to find the mosaic of the Last Judgment above the Golden Gate.

Prague

Pedal Boat Rental on the Vltava River

Rent a pedal boat from the rental stands near Slovanský Island (Slovanský ostrov) and spend an hour paddling past the bridges and swans on the Vltava. Kids as young as 5 can help pedal, and the view of Prague from the water looking back at the castle is one of the best in the city.

Prague

Spanish Synagogue (Španělská synagoga)

The most visually spectacular of Prague's historic synagogues, with Moorish interior decoration in gold, red, and blue that kids consistently describe as looking like something from a Disney movie. The permanent exhibition on the history of Jews in Bohemia is well-designed and accessible to older children.

Prague

Old Jewish Cemetery (Starý židovský hřbitov)

One of the oldest and most layered Jewish cemeteries in Europe, this site has headstones stacked up to twelve deep because of limited space over several centuries, creating an otherworldly landscape of tilted stones under tree roots. It is deeply moving and appropriate for children old enough to understand a basic explanation of Jewish history in Prague, roughly ages 9 and up.

Prague

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

Arrive early to beat the crowds and walk through the castle complex, which is the largest ancient castle in the world by area. Kids love spotting the guards at the changing of the guard ceremony at 12pm and climbing the towers for panoramic views over the city.

Prague

Havelské tržiště (Havel's Market)

This outdoor market has operated in the same spot since the 13th century and today sells fresh fruit, wooden toys, painted eggs, marionettes, and Czech souvenirs at reasonable prices. Let kids pick out a small wooden toy or a hand-painted ornament to take home, and browse the produce stalls for a snack to carry through the afternoon.