Little Quarter, Lesser Town or Mala Strana, as it's popularly known is the most-tourist-frequented part of Prague.
Taking a stroll down the narrow, cobbled streets of Lesser Town will instantly transport you into the world of medieval Prague. There are so many historical wonders waiting to be explored. Just walk along using a map and you will find most of the places mentioned below.
The Lesser Town is in no way less than the rest of Prague, the name means little side. The River Vltava divides the city into Old Town Square side and the side on the other end of the river called Mala Strana.
I have listed 15 sights that you can aim to see in the Lesser Town, depending on your level of energy to walk around and the time available at hand. But they are all quite close by and can easily be covered on foot.
e. Petrin Hill
g. Petrin Tower
h. Lennon Wall
j. Kampa Island
k. Kampa Museum
a. Charles Bridge
The iconic Charles Bridge is the symbol of Prague. The majestic bridge connects the Old Town with the Lesser Town over the Vltava River. The construction of the bridge started under the regime of King Charles IV, hence the name and ended in the 15th century, giving this bridge the distinction of being the oldest stone bridge in Europe.
What makes this bridge popular among tourists is the amazing scenery one gets of the Vltava River from atop the bridge.
It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the Old Town Square to the Charles Bridge and this is exactly what all visitors to the city do.
There are hundreds of tourists jostling to get a picture of the many statues of saints erected along the length of the bridge.
The bridge leads into Mala Strana or Lesser Town. Why it's called Lesser Town is beyond me because this part of Prague is as scenic with its beautiful baroque structures and tilted red roofs as the Old Town.
The Bridge Tower is the entrance to the Charles Bridge from the Old Town. This Gothic tower is a sight to behold.
My Tip -
The bridge is always crowded, crawling with people, we tried going in the evening on one day and late evening on the second day. Maybe you should try going in the early morning.
A lot of interesting boat tour options are available on the river that takes you around and under the bridge.
I'm not a big fan of streetside hawkers selling trinkets and souvenirs and drawing pictures of tourists on the bridge. It just makes the place more crowded.
If you can beat the crowds, then go up the Bridge Tower, it takes 138 steps to reach the top but the views of the river from here are amazing, especially at sundown.
b. St. Nicholas Church
St. Nicholas Church is one of the most beautiful specimens of Baroque Architecture in all of Prague.
The church is located just over from the Charles Bridge.
We have seen many beautiful churches in Italy, Spain, Austria and some more cities in Europe but this ornate church is worth all the time and money you spend. The stunning interiors are so colourful and vibrant that they take you by surprise at first look. You can easily spend about an hour inside.
My Tip -
Remember, there are two St. Nicholas Churches in Prague, the one in Old Town Square is free to visit.
This one in Lesser Town is paid, 100 CZK for adults.
You can climb the top of the Bell Tower which has about 200 steps to the top. We did not do this because we were too tired from an entire day of walking around the Lesser Town. But I am sure the views from the top would be surreal.
This is a sure not-to-miss attraction in Prague.
c. Lesser Town Square
The Lesser Town Square lies in the centre of the Lesser Town. You can walk through the upper end of the square towards Prague Castle and at the lower end, you will reach Charles Bridge.
In the centre of the square is the Holy Trinity Column, a high baroque structure made in the 18th century.
Wallenstein Palace in the Lesser Town is the seat of the Czech Senate. There are beautiful French gardens that adorn the palace exteriors. Access is free.
d. Old Town and Lesser Town Bridge Tower
This is undoubtedly the most happening place in Prague.
The Old Town Bridge will take you from the Old Town and Lesser Town Bridge Tower will take you from Mala Strana to Charles Bridge.
These beautiful bridge towers on both ends of the bridge are a sight to behold. You can ascend the towers for a small fee.
My Tip -
I am always quite keen on talking to fellow tourists, we were told by some tourists standing around the tower that the wooden staircase leading to the top was a tough climb. So, we gave the climb a miss.
But the tower itself is a beautiful Gothic structure that looks stunning when lit up at night. If possible, just hang around till sundown to see the tower lit up.
e. Petrin Hill
This is a beautiful hillside park which can easily be accessed by a funicular. You can take the funicular from the Ujzed Tram Stop in Mala Strana.
If you want to hike up the hill, then it takes about 30 minutes. The walk is very pleasant as the path goes through beautiful gardens and woods.
This place is a small green oasis amid a bustling city. The area of Petrin Hill has seven different gardens, Seminary Garden and Rose Garden to name a few.
We took the funicular on our way up and then walked back down. There are many benches all along the route where you can sit and relax.
There is an observatory on the top and some nice cafes for visitors to sit and relax.
f. Memorial to the victims of Communism
At the base of Petrin Hill, as you climb the broad staircase from the side of the road, you will see this thought-provoking monument.
Throughout Prague, one can see such artworks that very poignantly depict the harsh times under the communist regime that lasted for almost 40 years.
g. Petrin Tower
Many people believe that Petrin Tower is Prague's answer to the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The tower is located on the Petrin Hill. If you have the Prague Visitor Pass, then entry to the tower is included in it.
You get beautiful views of the city of Prague from the top.
My Tip -
The approach to the hill was the best part of the trip for me. Entry to the tower was closed due to some maintenance work going on.
I would not want to compare it to the Eiffel Tower but the entire area is beautiful in its own right. We stayed till dusk and the views were terrific.
h. Lennon Wall
The wall in Lesser Town will entice you with its colourful graffiti and images of the Beatles. If you're a Beatles fan, then you would perhaps know that John Lennon's and the Beatles' music was forbidden in the communist regime of Czechoslovakia.
This wall became a symbol of the suppression of freedom of speech during the communist era.
The Czech youth used it to express their disgruntlement with the regime.
i. Devil's Channel and Water Mill
Very close to the Lennon Wall, is a small romantic bridge called Lover's Bridge that separates Lesser Town from Kampa Island over Certovka or Devil's Channel.
The channel is quite long as it was used to supply water to the mills and this entire part gives the feel of a little Venice in Prague.
The Watermill can be spotted from the Lover's Bridge.
There is a green demon face on the side of the mill called Vodnik. As per legend, he is one of the water demons of the River Vltava and should be revered.
The mill is not functional now but the area around it is very romantic.
j. Kampa Island
This small island was not on our list of sights, we just walked over Charles Bridge and came across this beautiful island with stunning views of the Vltava River, Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral.
Interestingly, we saw a life-size Harmony Statue of Sri Chinmoy on the banks of River Vltava with the caption "If you can create harmony in your own life, this harmony will enter into the vast world."
This was created by Kaivalya Torpy, a British sculptor in 2009.
There are some other interesting artworks along the waterfront too. You can easily spend a lazy afternoon at the waterfront if you have time.
k. Kampa Museum
Right next to the waterfront is the Kampa Museum.
The museum is dedicated to Modern European Art. Truth be told, this for me is like Latin, so we gave the museum a miss and instead spent time walking around the beautiful island.
l. Giant Crawling babies
Just walk a few meters away from the Kampa Museum towards the park and you will come across these giant crawling babies.
The monument has been made by David Cerny.
My Tip -
We couldn't make out the logic behind making such giant babies that crawl.
But then such strange artworks by David Cerny are commonplace in Prague.
m. Kinsky Garden
On the side of Petrin Hill, adjoining the Kinsky Summer Residence, lies this beautifully landscaped garden called Kinsky Garden.
The garden has beautiful pools, small waterfalls and a church.
My Tip -
It's nothing spectacular, but if you have time, then you can spend it in this landscaped paradise. We just walked through it and exited the garden at Kinsky Square.
n. Narrowest street in Prague
Just about 20 minutes away from Kinsky Square is the narrowest street in Prague.
The street is just 70 m wide and leads you to a restaurant facing the Vltava River. Since the street is so narrow, there is a traffic light on both ends to navigate pedestrians. People have to wait for the light to turn green before they walk inside since only one person can walk through at one time.
My Tip -
Finding the street took over an hour. We crossed it thrice and missed it each time.
Remember to look for Na Kampe Road from Charles Bridge coming towards Mala Strana. Turn right into U Lužického Semináře.
I feel the effort that went into looking for the street was far more than the actual sight. It's just a small alley leading to a restaurant.
If you're travelling with kids, then it surely can be a fun thing for them to do with the mini street light and all.
o. Franz Kafka Museum
This museum is only meant for Franz Kafka fans. If you've read about his works and his books, only then go to see this museum. It lies on the banks of the Vltava River.
The entire museum is so small, not worth the money. The only highlight of the museum is the two peeing-men. This weird artwork instantly catches your attention. Otherwise, I found the museum very dark, dull and uninspiring. Sorry, Kafka fans!!
So, this was Mala Strana or Lesser Town in a nutshell for you. You can cover all of this easily in one day at leisure.
Remember to see Charles Bridge by daytime and definitely during sundown. My last memory of Prague is the beautiful Charles Bridge all lit up at night and throwing its glorious reflection in the calm waters of the Vltava River flowing below.
And if you're interested in getting some practical and useful travel tips, click here
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