Prague Towers - Prague TV Tower

Prague Towers – The Prague TV Tower

The Prague TV Tower is pretty much the only reason why tourists would come to this area of the city apart from people on beer tours which are also popular around here. There are two parts to your visit i.e. the TV Tower and the adjacent Tower Park Recreation Area.

Prague TV Tower

The tower began construction in 1985 when it was still the communist era and was hugely controversial in the Jewish community at the time because it desecrated an Old Jewish Cemetery (cobble stones made from granite Jewish headstones are often found during street renovations). It wasn’t finished until 1992 after the communist era had finished and during the period when discussions were ongoing about the Velvet Divorce. You are coming here for the view so at any time of the year you can just turn up, buy the necessary tickets and go up to the observation deck which is 93 metres above the ground and that was already on a hill so you’ll be at the highest publicly accessible point in the city (I’ve been higher up on the Prague TV Tower microwave deck when I worked here in 1996).

At the time of writing an adult ticket was CZK250 with discounts for senior/family etc. The lifts are fast so if you are coming here with kids then it’s the same as a plane take-off i.e. give them a sweet to make them swallow otherwise they might get an uncomfortable ear pop. If you are planning on going up a lot of towers for scenic views then check my City Card Comparison post because, at the time of writing, the TV Tower is included in the Prague Visitor Pass.

If you use GetYourGuide then this is a skip-the-line ticket option for the Observation Deck

Opening Times

Prague TV Tower opens at 9am and doors close at midnight but it’s clear that lunch and dinner times are peak hours as people are combining the views with a meal break.

How to Get to the Prague TV Tower

You could drive here as Tower Park has a car park. You could walk here from the Old Town Square in about 35 minutes. But it’s best to use public transport. What I normally do is tell people to use the green metro line and get off at Jiriho z Podebrad (the metro station has a sign of the TV tower). Then when you exit the station walk into the park with the big church. Look anywhere over to your left and you’ll see the Prague TV Tower. It’s a 5 minute walk and when you get there you enter the tower from the basement area (it’s all signposted). The Babies crawling up and down the tower? I tell you that story on the Prague City Walking Tour. In 2023 the metro station will be closed at least until October so the best way to get here is to walk to the back of the National Museum and catch either Tram 11 or Tram 13 up the hill. Get off at “Vinohradska trznice” and walk three more blocks up the road.

Best time to visit?

I’ve been here for coffee/lunch before it became swanky (if I tell the story of getting Fanta poured in my beer then it was here). I’ve been here for office parties and small social gatherings. You’ve got to come on a clear day. Twice I’ve been at the Prague TV Tower either side of sunset and it was great. I would point out that being so high and on the hill means the city looks very flat and you’ve really got to know the place to pick out individual buildings and even the Castle is difficult to pick out during the day so you kind of have to take the whole city into view. You can see planes on final approach to the airport more than 20km in the distance. Then you get this strange time when below you the city is already experiencing dusk but you are still in the sunshine. Still, it’s a unique view which you can soak in if you are coming to the restaurant.

Do you want to Eat Here?

At first glance it looks like there are 3 restaurants. Only the ones called Oblaca and Bistro 66 are in the tower. Now here’s the shock….it’s the same place. They are both on the 66th floor and it’s one of those marketing things in that Bistro 66 offers the breakfast menu from 9am to 11am whilst the same place becomes called Oblaca Restaurant from then on until it closes at midnight. Note that if you are coming here with a reservation at the Oblaca/Bistro66 restaurant then you don’t pay for the tower entry (it’s all one business etc).

prague tv tower viewed from tower park with 4 visible baby sculptures and a lightly cloudy blue sky in background — Prague TV Tower viewed from Tower Park

Do you want to Stay Here?

In 2013 they added a very small hotel at the Prague TV Tower. Calling it a hotel is a bit of a stretch as it only has one room and the name “One Room Hotel” must have taken ages to think about. It’s expensive but an absolutely unique and memorable place to stay so Check Prices and Availability at the One Room Hotel.

Other Tips

Personally I think it’s nice to take public transport here and then walk back into town as you’ll be passing through less touristy areas. If you are with kids then Tower Park offers a chance to relax, have some nice food and give the kids a safe area to play in.

Website: https://www.towerpark.cz/en/