Rick Steves Prague & The Czech Republic

by Rick Steves

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in Prague and the Czech Republic.

With this book, you'll create your own unforgettable tour of the "Golden City of a Hundred Spires." Walk across Charles Bridge at twilight, stroll the grounds of Prague Castle, and wander through the city's stunning Old Town Square. Venture beyond Prague with day trips to the medieval villages of Bohemia. Visit local vintners in Moravia, where you can enjoy a wine-cellar serenade. Take a dip in the peat-bog spas of Trebon—a great way to relax after a busy day of sightseeing.

Rick's candid, humorous advice guides you to good-value hotels and restaurants in charming neighborhoods and villages. He gives you no-nonsense information on where to go and which sights are worth your time and money. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference, Czech Literature

364 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 7, 2005

About the author

Rick Steves is an American travel writer, television personality, and activist known for encouraging meaningful travel that emphasizes cultural immersion and thoughtful global citizenship. Born in California and raised in Edmonds, Washington, he began traveling in his teens, inspired by a family trip to Europe. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in European history and business, Steves started teaching travel classes, which led to his first guidebook, Europe Through the Back Door, self-published in 1980.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Travel is intensified living - maximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom... If you don't enjoy a place, maybe you don't know enough about it. Seek the truth. Recognize tourist traps. Give a culture the benefit of your open mind. See things as different, but not better or worse. ...travel, like the world, is a series of hills and valleys. Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something is not to your liking, change your liking." (pg. 13)

If you're not familiar with Rick Steves, his NPR and PBS broadcasts, you don't know what you're missing. He not only introduces Amercans to other cultures, he entices and encourages our ethnocentric selves to graciously and respectfully explore them on our own. He finds those paths less trodden and emphasizes the history and culture of a place. He is an ambassador of intellect and goodwill and I wish he were the rule rather than the exception of Americans abroad.

In my prep for my upcoming trip to Prague (and Dresden) I could have found no better tour guide than Rick Steves. I feel enlightened and prepared. Onward and upward!

"Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity, helping us to understand and appreciate other cultures. Rather than fear the diversity on this planet, celebrate it. Among your most prized souvenirs will be the strands of different cultures you choose to knit into your own character." -RS

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Steves always has good advice and we use his books whenever we visit Europe. this book was great and well worth the price we paid.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful for trip planning!

[Snooty1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful not to mention informative.
Love learning and getting inspired for future trips!

[James Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rick Steves' philosophy of travel is to experience new people in new places, not just to "see the sights". His guides provide plenty of excellent advice on what to see and do, where to stay, and what to eat. Rick and I are similar in that we prefer intimate lodging with local people, and we like to eat and drink like a local. We differ in that I love museums and spend about four times more time in them than he recommends. But his walking tours and descriptions of local eateries and sites are always clear and helpful. I never travel without first reading his guide books. Prague was a particularly wonderful place to visit. This guide was in my back pocket for the entire trip.

[Garlan ✌ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and readable. Lots of insights into Prague and the surrounding area.

[Zoee D'Costa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly hate that I’m turning into my mother by absolutely DEVOURING Rick Steve’s (lol) but mans hits, actually super helpful (and funny!!)

Thought I’d read a few pages and read the whole book - using this for all my travel henceforth

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was kind of wrong about currency exchange fees though, but that might just be that since I live in Brno not Prague, they do things differently. I would strongly suggest exchanging your currency at the exchange booths--if you are Turkish, Arab, Middle Eastern, or Italian-looking they generally do not charge you a fee to change. For me, it was cheaper to exchange currency at the booths. I got both a better exchange rate and I was not charged a fee. However, I first attempted to do what Rick Steves suggests in his book: change my money at the bank. The bank wanted a $5 fee and their exchange rate was lower than the exchange booth's so I felt like I would have been ripped off. Moral of the story: if you are in Brno, don't exchange your currency at the banks.

And the survival Czech in the back of this edition were soooooo helpful! I strongly suggest paying attention to these. I saw a few Americans with copies of this book in their hands when I was in Prague, but the funny thing was one particular couple were attempting desperately to ask the bus driver for directions in English. They didn't seem to understand that many Czechs don't speak English, especially older public service workers. I didn't understand why these people are holding a copy of a book with survival Czech phrases in it and not making use of this. So please please please make use of the Czech survival phrases chapter, people! It would make your lives a thousand times easier.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived in Prague for about 14 months, and this book became like a friend to me. I'd visited there before living there, and I had the book then, too. I notice that one other reviewer finds Steves patronizing. I couldn't disagree more. I find him quirky, nerdy and passionate. I find his writing style engaging, and he knows how to personalize a place, and make it accessible to anybody.

There are lots of great places Steves shines a spotlight on. Not just in Prague (pretty much all of his listings and advice are winners), but then in the smaller towns in the country. Krumlov is a must, and so there it is. If you can go two places in the Czech Rep., Krumlov and Prague should be it. But then there's his listings in Moravia and farther east -- he whittles it down to the gems, if you're short on time.

I guess my ultimate point is that this is a guide to be trusted and relied upon when you're a stranger in a strange land. I've never gone to Europe without a guide of his in my carry-on, and I never will.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you plan on going to the CR this book is a must! Steves introduces you to a little tea house by the name of Dobra Cajovna. It's in a back alley and unless you know where to go, you're not going to find it. It has GREAT tea. It really is worth the trip. The staff is pretty good with English and you won't have too much of a language problem. The place was hoppin' when I was there, so be patient if you have to wait for a table. It's a great place to relax and reflect on what a great trip you're having in a beautiful country!

[Denis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The biggest issue that I have with Rick Steves as a travel writer is his patronizing tone. I find it very grating to be treated like a dumb American who needs to be taught how to travel by Steves' mysterious sixth-sense for what tourists like. His books have some value because he actually does have pretty good taste, but he's not infallible. The fact that he will simply dismiss the sites that he considers uninteresting is where I find myself getting fed up with his method of telling me what I should like.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read only the Prague centric parts which is the majority of the book (bypassed most day trips). Very detailed with tips as to what to do and what to pass on. Also, I enjoy the inclusion of historical details and basic travel tips. However, it was repetitive in stating the same attractions in Prague and didn’t include any of the more unusual or off the beaten path items. The public transport section also seemed lacking more detail. The audio guides you can download from the app were a nice addition.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

IS there such a thing as a bad Rick Steves book? I don't think so. This book was used to help my husband and son plan their visit to Prague in the Czech Republic. It is a good sized volume and I wouldn't take it with my on vacation but they did! Lots of helpful details and maps. Great section on Kutna Hora, which was a big help in managing transportation. The only downside is the size of the book for me. But it didn't stop my husband from carrying it over there and bringing it back. Now I was able to read about all the places he visited and plan my own trip!

[Althea Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the first 'Rick Steve's' guidebook I'd used - and it will
probably be the last. It was not completely lacking useful
information, but every time I looked something up in it, I found
myself aggravated by Mr. Steve's arrogantly stated personal opinions.
I think a guidebook should portray the facts, and leave it to the
traveler to decide what they find "boring" or "worthwhile."

[Chris Linehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving this book three stars at the moment. As it is a travel book, I reserve the right to amend my decision up or down when I make the trip. It’s a good book, written well and informative. Steves makes it accessible and enjoyable to read. How do you rank a travel book without the travel though?

[Ann]

Rick Steves always does a great job of explaining places to the reader, good and bad. I love his shows, too. He has great tips for his readers. I love going to Europe and seeing other people walking around with his books.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Locals will scoff, but this book really pares the complexity of this large international city into approachable, non-scary bites. It touches on every part of town. Includes a good mini-history of the Czech Republic for the historically-challenged tourist who thinks Europe ends at Germany.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rivals the Lonely Planet series for my absolute favorite-- he just doesn't have the breadth of information that some have, nor the photos, but his anecdotes make up for it and he clearly loves the city, as do I, so enjoyed taking him along

[AndrewVC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from the library to prep for a trip in the Fall.
Lots of great tips and websites to venture and learn more - he also has lots of youtube vlogs and tours to watch.

A good resource to start with.

[Adam Van meter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful and informative book. If you're going to (or if you're already in) Prague, this is the guide for you. Great maps (also great accompanying audio tours that can be downloaded) and great insight. Highly recommend.

[Sarah Zwickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never tour Europe without his help. This book wasn't as thorough as Rome or London but still an essential book for anyone traveling through Prague.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in preparation for an upcoming trip to Prague and Budapest. Rick Steves guidebooks are simply the best! Not a lot of glitzy pictures, but chock-full of useful advice.

[Rosemary Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great help in deciding what was important to see on my brief trip to Prague. Rick Steve's guidebooks are my favorites!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually read Steve's travel books from cover to cover because they are so thorough and chocked full of useful information. This one was no exception.

[Debby Baumgartner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good section on Prague

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Rick Steves guidebook. Helpful hints and explicit instructions for city walks.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love Rick's insights into great European cities! T-minus 3 weeks until my next Euro trip :)

[Janie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated on our cruise of the Danube in October. Now lent to friends.

[Juliettereiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very comprehensive and engaging with excellent flow and details. Feel much more attached to the history and focused on how to approach our upcoming trip to Prague.

[Jason Galloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview by Steves

We have enjoyed following Rick as we travel throughout Europe. We plan on using his audio tours in Prague as well.