Best Prague Sunrise Spot

Prague is beautiful in every photo, but where to find the best viewpoints to see Prague sunrise? First of all, to see Prague sunrise you will want to stay on the left (west) side of the river Vltava, meaning the side where Prague Castle and Mala Strana are located. Assuming that you are looking for a view spot that overlooks the city center of Prague, we recommend going to Petrin Hill. That is the place where you can see Prague Castle, Mala Strana, and Old Town with Charles Bridge. So if you are looking for that perfect place to take photos of famous Prague red roofs, Petrin Hill is the place to go!

Petrin Hill

Petrin Hill is a great spot for anyone who wants to enjoy the spectacle of Prague sunrise! Petrin Hill stretches from Castle District to Smichov in Prague 5 district and "hugs" the Mala Strana area in a way that you can really see where its name, Lesser Town, came from. Petrin Hill and the surrounding area, however, have many places for observing sunrise. We've picked 5 Best Sunrise Spots in Prague for you!

Best Places to see Prague Sunrise from

  • Charles Bridge - That is the easiest and most accessible spot for all Prague sunrise hunters. I would almost call it a lazy option because most people who stay in the Prague city center end up living 15-20 walking minutes away from Charles Bridge. One important thing to know about this option is that you, most likely, won't be enjoying the sunrise alone. This is a go-to spot for photographers, runners, and fellow sunrise watchers. Even though it might happen that you will get lucky and have the Charles Bridge just to yourself!
  • Strahov Monastery vineyard terrace - This is one of my all-time-favorite viewpoints for sunrise in Prague. The problem is that, unless your accommodation is around the Hradcany district, you will have to take a tram to get to this spot. So save 30 minutes of your time for the trip there. The easiest way to get to Strahov Monastery is by taking tram #22 to the stop Pohorelec and then walking up to the monastery to the restaurant called Bellavista. You will find the viewpoint of Strahov gardens right below this restaurant. This is also where the title picture of this article was taken!
  • Middle of Petrin Hill - For someone who does not mind early morning physical exercise, I recommend going to the tram stop Ujezd and running up to the middle of Petrin Hill. There are many benches and lawns where you can enjoy the sunrise completely by yourself.
  • Nebozizek Prague funicular stop - Unfortunately you will not be able to take the Prague funicular up the Petrin Hill to see the sunrise as it only opens at 9 AM, but Nebozizek stop is a great place to go nevertheless.
  • Kinsky Garden - This is, perhaps, the most unusual sunrise viewpoint in Petrin since you won't see Prague Old Town and Castle from there, but rather New Town, Smichov, and Vysehrad. Despite that, the view is absolutely stunning and you will love walking through Kinsky Garden in the morning!

 

Things to know before heading out to see Prague Sunrise

  • What time is the sunrise in Prague? - This one might be obvious, but I cannot tell you how many times I've heard Prague travelers asking if 6 AM is a good time to see the sunrise in summer. No, it is too late! If you are traveling to Prague between May and August, you will have to get up way before 5 AM to catch the sun rising above the city. The earliest sunrise time, around 4:56 AM, is in June-July, while in May and late August you have extra 30 minutes before the sun rises at 5:30.
  • How far is the sunrise spot from your accommodation? - Waking up at sunrise and making it to see the sunrise in Prague are two different things. Make sure you have enough time to get ready and reach your viewpoint.
  • Is any hill in Prague good for watching the sunrise? - Even though Prague city center is surrounded by hills, not all of them are suitable for watching the sunrise. In fact, most of them are better places for sunset watching, but that is a topic of a different article ;)
  • Are Prague towers opened for sunrise? - Unfortunately, most Prague Towers open after 9 AM, so you won't be able to watch the sunrise from there, but they are great for sunset watching!

 

 Prague Sunrise Sunset Calendar

We recommend checking out Gaisma for the accurate time for sunset and sunrise. You can also visit Timeanddate if you are in Prague already and need to check on the dusk and dawn time.

 

Check out our Prague Weather article to find out how to dress appropriately for each season!

 

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Author: Valeriia Zahradnikova and Vaclav Zahradnik, Prague guides certified by Prague City Tourism agency. Valeriia and Vaclav have worked in tourism for over 6 years and have guided thousands of Prague visitors.

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