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The Golden City of Prague is oftentimes compared with the Austro-Hungarian City of Vienna. Both cities are rich in history, culture, amazing sights, excellent meals, and beautiful hospitality. Deciding which city between Prague and Vienna is often difficult. But when you consider certain factors such as accessibility, hospitality, leisure, tourist’s safety, food and drinks, you’ll discover that Prague takes the win by a slight margin.
If you’re in Europe for the holidays, there’s a high chance that you’ll want to check out either Prague or Vienna. But, before we compare both cities, let’s quickly look at what either city is known for.
What is Prague Celebrated For?
Besides being called the Golden City, Prague is famously called the “City of a Hundred Spires”. This is in reference to the scores of cathedrals and old-time architecture that sports spires at the top of every roof.
Thanks to its rich history, Prague is well known for its ancient structures and architectural marvels such as the Astronomical Clock. In all, Prague is often considered to be a fairytale city that strikes a beautiful balance between its medieval history and modern life.
What is Vienna Celebrated For?
Vienna is famously known as the “City of Music” thanks to its rich musical history. Renowned classical musicians such as Mozart and Beethoven came from Vienna. As far as Europe is concerned, Vienna is often considered the renaissance point of music.Just like Prague, Vienna is home to architectural wonders and longstanding medieval structures. But, beyond the musical legacy and Baroque palaces and gardens, Vienna is famous for being consistently one of the top most livable cities of the world.
Prague vs Vienna: Things to Consider
Prague and Vienna are two of the best cities to visit in Europe, be it for business or vacation. But to decide which is better between the two cities, there are four factors to consider:
Travel Budget and Accessibility
Both Prague and Vienna have major airports that are close to the city center. Thanks to their road networks of rail, buses and taxis, you can easily get from one place to the other without stress.
On one hand, Prague is widely celebrated for being a pedestrian-friendly city. The cobblestone streets are well connected such that you can easily move around on foot. If you’re too tired to move on foot, you can also take a one ticket tram journey through multiple destinations. The best part is that for a 24 CZK ($1) ticket, you can move around by tram.
Vienna has a strong road network – the U-Bahn, that allows you to travel by rail or trams on a single ticket. But, ticket prices start from €2.40 ($2.35) per trip. While it’s possible to walk around, the city is best designed for moving around via trams or rail.
Going by the ticket prices and road network, Prague is a better option for tourists. Visitors can save cash by walking, and there are plenty of sights to see to keep you occupied while walking.
Sights to See
Prague and Vienna are two cities that are rich in historical and cultural sites. While Prague stands with more medieval structures, Vienna prides more in its opulent palaces and gardens.
Visiting Prague means you can spend all day checking out fantastic structures such as Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, the Jewish Quarter and Charles Bridge. There are lots of places to go with unique sights to see in Prague.
For Vienna on the other hand, most of the sights to see are concentrated in an area known as the Inner Ring. Visitors can check out the amazing palaces such as Hofburg, Schönbrun and Belvedere and their beautiful gardens.
In terms of sights to see, both Prague and Vienna stand shoulder to shoulder. Prague is a better option if you’re keen on walking around. But if you’d prefer going to a single area and immersing yourself in the sights, then Vienna is your best option.
Feeding and Accommodation
Prague wins in terms of feeding and accommodation and it’s thanks to Prague’s wider range of options. Vienna has been known for its flair for luxury, and that cuts across feeding and accommodation. Prague on the other hand has both budget and luxury options for both feeding and accommodation. There are awesome street foods to enjoy cheaply, and also world class restaurants in Prague.
Food, Drinks and Nightlife
Prague has a wider variety of food and drinks that visitors can enjoy. It’s easier to be food adventurous in Prague compared to Vienna. Prague’s trdelnik is a street delicacy that’s particularly favored by tourists.
For drinks and nightlife, Prague takes the lead due to its vast network of bars and pubs. Vienna is better known for its historic cafes, but those are rarely active late into the night. In all, the wider range of food, drinks and prices is what makes Prague better for visitors.
Amazing Things To Do In Prague or Vienna
While you’ve had a glimpse of certain aspects of Prague and Vienna, let’s go into a little more detail about the fun things you can do in Prague and Vienna:
5 Amazing Things To Do In Prague
- Enjoy A Traditional Czech Meal At Zakladna Restaurant
Zakladna Restaurant is a traditional Czech restaurant at the heart of Prague. Although the restaurant boasts of Italian and Lebanese cuisines, they take pride in making some of the tastiest traditional Czech meals in Prague. Their special Czech treat is the tafelspitz which is a beef-based delicacy that originates from Austro-Hungary. Tafelspitz is basically a rump cap that’s served in a rich broth with apple horseradish and potato rosti. Of course, there’s abundant beer and wine to drink.
- Go Vintage Shopping In Prague
One of the best ways to get a souvenir of your vacation in Prague is to go vintage shopping. There are lots of antiques to buy for keeps or even give out as gifts. Some of the best spots to go vintage shopping in Prague include: Terminal Zizkov, Antique Ahasver, Bazaar P&J, Lula Vintage and lots more. The best part about vintage shopping in Prague is that it’s really affordable and helps you discover more about Prague.
- Enjoy A Tasty Vegan Meal At Shromaždište
Don’t deny yourself of a tasty treat in Prague. At Shromaždište you can enjoy hearty vegan meals that rival international vegan menus. Shromaždište is known for its fish-less spread, cabbage or soy meat dumplings, zucchini fries, and beer-battered hotdogs. You can even get a gluten-free beer of choice if you’re not keen on strong Czech beer.
- Tour The Architectural Marvel – Prague Castle
Prague Castle (Pražský Hrad) is one of the most amazing and domineering architectural wonders in Prague. The massive Czech structure is a national treasure that spans across 70,000 meters. Prague Castle holds a vast array of palaces and unique sights to see. You can visit the Old Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, and St. Wenceslas Chapel that are all within Prague Castle.
- Enter The Renowned Mirror Maze of Prague
The Petrin Hill Mirror Maze is a tourist fun spot in Prague that you can’t afford to miss. The family-friendly maze is a great place that’s perfect for a lighthearted labyrinth adventure. Once you scale through the maze, there’ll be a jaw-dropping painting of the Thirty Year War congratulating you for a successful adventure. It’s definitely an adventure masterpiece that gives you much fun and history lessons about Prague.
5 Amazing Things To Do In Vienna
- Visit The Vienna Prater
The Vienna Prater is one of Vienna’s major amusement parks. It’s the largest park in Vienna and serves as a go-to place for exciting adventures, family-fun, and daylight dreams. Right in the middle of the Vienna Prater stands the Giant Ferris Wheel which is a famous symbol in Vienna.
- Check Out The Dominating Stephansdom
Stephansdom or St. Stephen’s Cathedral is a major landmark in Vienna. Although it draws in millions of tourists yearly, Stephansdom is still an active place of prayer and religious concerts. Besides taking a tour of Stephansdom, you can also visit the plaza (Stephansplatz) and do some essential tourist shopping.
MUMOK (Museum für Moderne Kunst in German – Museum of Modern Art) is the largest Austrian museum in Vienna. Besides its unique architecture, MUMOK hosts an amazing cube designed by famous architects Ortner & Ortner. The museum is home to over 9,000 artworks such as paintings, drawings, films and sculptures.
- Go Shopping In Graben
What’s a vacation without shopping for souvenirs? In Vienna, you can pay a visit to one of the famous shopping streets at the heart of Vienna. From its name Der Graben which literally means “the trench” in German, there’s no doubt that you’ll enjoy a long walk across the street as you go around shopping. There are lots of antique shops and fountains to check out.
- Enjoy A Delicious Traditional Meal At Drei Husaren
Drei Husaren is one of the best places in Vienna to enjoy a traditional Austrian meal. Besides having a luxury menu with arrays of Austrian and international meals, Drei Husaren also boasts of some of the finest desserts you’ll find in Vienna. It’s the perfect definition of fine dining.
Prague vs Vienna: Which Is Better?
Although preference plays a crucial role in deciding which among the two cities you should visit. But if you’re looking for more adventure, things to do, better prices and a wider range of options for food, drinks, nightlife and sights to see, Prague is better – especially if you’re traveling with friends and family.
