So you heard about the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge and the famous Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Square. All this is well worth a visit and I’m quite sure you will have a wonderful day wandering the cobble stone streets, crossing “Karlův most”, enjoying the beautiful view over the Vltava river to the National Theater and, finally, heading up to the castle. The panorama to be enjoyed from up here, the view on the numerous towers, churches and golden roofs is equally beautiful during sunny and cloudy days – in fact, one special part of Prague’s magic only reveals itself during foggy fall and winter days when the narrow streets are almost empty and only dimly lit by old gas lamps. On days like this the whole rush of the world disappears in the fog and you feel like you are travelling not only to another country but to another century, where a horse carriage could curve around a corner anytime.

Anyway! After you have been through all this and you fell in love with this city like I did, you might want to know more. More about the history, the people – and maybe you even feel like discovering some places off the beaten track and learn about stories you would not find in any travel guide.

There are plenty of guided tours through Prague. Which one suits you best is of course a subjective matter and depends on your interests. However, in the past years I came across some offers I found especially interesting – from city walks with homeless people to informative tours about sights of corruption in the Czech capital. Just continue reading if you would like to find out more!

1. GOOD PRAGUE TOURS 

Which opera did Mozart premiere in Prague? What happened to the guy who designed the astronomical clock? Why is Prague’s Jewish Quarter so well preserved? Good Prague Tour’s free walking tour is a 3 hour speed race through history, from the kings, queens and castles to the fall of communism.

When: Every day at 10:30 am & 2 pm
Where: Meeting point is at the corner of Panská and the main shopping street Na Přikopě (Metro: Mustek, Line A)
time and/or you only have one day in Prague.
Costs: None! But well, if you are happy with the tour, the enthusiastic guides will be equally happy about a tip.

2. PRAGUE CORRUPT TOURS 

According to a survey for Transparency International’s global corruption barometer, 73% of the Czech population believe, that their politicians are corrupt. But what does corruption look like in everyday life? Book this tour to find out!

When: Check http://www.corrupttour.com/tours-price-list-bookings/ for more information
Where: Depending on the tour booked, different "sites of corruption" will be covered
This tour is for you: if you like black humor and/or are interested in politics
Costs: 20 – 60 EUR per person

3. PRAGUE FROM A STREET PERSPECTIVE: PRAGULIC 

I can’t recommend this tour enough. Pragulic is a social business employing homeless people as guides and thereby making it possible to see Prague through their eyes. I went to one of the tours guided by charismatic Karim in March 2014. Actually we did not move a lot – the tour started at the main train station, passed by the State Opera building and finally lead us down Wencelslas Square – but it was highly informative and more about the interaction & conversation with the guides. They give you an impression about what it can sometimes look like behind the shiny facades and how the everyday struggle of a homeless person looks like.

When: Check http://pragulic.cz/prehled-prohlidek/?lang=en for more information about the guides and their tours. Obviously, not all of them are in English. Klick on the pictures of the guides to find out about the languages offered. Or maybe you will find a helpful Czech person to translate for you? Pragulic can also arrange translations to German / English if you let them know beforehand.
Where: Depends on the booked tour.
This tour is for you: if you want to support a good cause, if you like meeting people you would not usually meet in your everyday life, if you are interested in what’s behind the shiny facades
Costs: 180 CZK (students) / 250 CZK (adults) / 700 CZK (family tickets)

4. RICHARD'S TOUR 

Of course there is nobody as knowledgeable of the city, its hidden treasures, gems and backyards as the Sir Toby’s staff. Who would doubt it? Richard has been guiding tours since 20 years - he wants our guests to see and hear about the history of Czech Republic and inspire them to become city explorers, here, and maybe also continue exploring once they are back home. He studied history & art history and those will be the lenses you'll see the city through on your walk with Richard. You will mainly discover the castle district, but not on the main touristic lines. What does Richard, who is discovering the city also as a photographer, find especially fascinating about Prague? "Through the changing eras, the city was sometimes full of glory and on top of culture and many times it was suppressed and almost destroyed - but always somehow making it through. There is a special genius loci, a protective spirit of the place!"

When: Every Tuesday & Friday, 11.00
Where: Richard will pick you up at Sir Toby’s reception, be surprised about where you’ll go next
This tour is for you: if you want to discover Prague with a local
Costs: 200 CZK

Pictures by Good Prague Tours, Prague Corrupt Tours/ Jan Hrdy, Pragulic/Michal Cetkovský, Richard Hodonicky.