Living in Nové Město: Charles IV's New Town, nearly 700 years on

Prague's New Town is not new. It was founded in 1348, nearly 700 years ago. What was new was the idea: Charles IV laid out a planned district around the Old Town with wide streets, three large market squares and a grid that still shapes the middle of the city.

The plan

Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, founded Nové Město in 1348 to expand the city. The streets were wider than in the Old Town, and three big market squares served it: the Horse Market (now Wenceslas Square), the Cattle Market (now Charles Square) and the Hay Market (now Senovážné náměstí). Charles Square, in particular, was an enormous space for its time. The New Town Hall on Charles Square is also where the First Defenestration of Prague took place in 1419.

Over the following centuries Nové Město was redeveloped. Much of what you see now is 19th- and early 20th-century: grand apartment houses, theatres, department stores and the National Museum at the top of Wenceslas Square. See our guides to the National Museum and the National Theatre.

What it feels like

Nové Město is not one place but several. Around Wenceslas Square and Na Příkopě it is the commercial heart, with hotels, shops, restaurants, souvenir stands and crowds. Around Národní třída and Můstek it is a theatre, cafe and nightlife area. On the river side, from the National Theatre to the Dancing House and on to Vyšehrad, it becomes quieter and residential, with an embankment promenade. Around Karlovo náměstí it is a mix of university buildings, hospitals, offices and flats.

The city district boundaries cross it: parts of Nové Město belong to Prague 1, others to Prague 2. See the Prague 2 guide and the Prague 1 guide.

A day in the New Town

Mornings belong to commuters. Metro platforms at Můstek and Muzeum fill by eight, delivery vans block the side streets and the cafes around Národní třída serve office workers and students. Lunchtime is a rush at the cheap daily menus. In the afternoon, the shopping streets fill with visitors, and the pace on Wenceslas Square is slow and crowded.

In the evening the district splits in two. The tourist strip carries on late, with bars, restaurants and street food. The residential pockets, such as the streets behind Karlovo náměstí and the blocks towards Vyšehrad, quieten down, and the sound is a tram, a late dog walker and the occasional taxi. You can live here without ever visiting the loud parts, but you have to choose the street with care.

Getting around

This is Prague's best-connected area. Metro A stops at Můstek and Muzeum; metro B at Můstek, Národní třída, Karlovo náměstí and Náměstí Republiky; metro C at Muzeum, I. P. Pavlova and Hlavní nádraží, which is also the main railway station. Trams cross the district in every direction. You can live here with no need to plan a journey. See how to use Prague's metro, trams and buses.

The same connectivity brings noise, and the same streets that connect you to everywhere connect everyone else to you.

Daily life

All the services you could want are within walking distance: supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, post offices, banks, theatres and cinemas. Many shops are aimed at visitors in the busiest streets, so locals shop on the side streets or in neighbouring Vinohrady and Žižkov.

Housing is mixed: historic apartment buildings with high ceilings, modernist blocks, converted offices and new apartments. Because the district was rebuilt, there are many buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sizes and quality vary; look at heating, windows and noise. The quiet courtyard flat is a Nové Město speciality.

What to watch

Pickpockets work Wenceslas Square and the metro stations; see pickpockets in Prague. Night noise is a real issue on the main streets and near bars. Traffic on the embankment and the main roads is heavy. Look for flats on side streets or with courtyard windows.

Parking in the centre is regulated by zones, and a car is more trouble than help.

Green space

Nové Město is not green, but there are pockets: Charles Square's park, Vyšehrad's hill at the southern end, and the embankment along the river. For bigger parks you go to Petřín, Letná or Riegrovy sady. See Prague's greenest neighbourhoods.

Choosing a flat in the New Town

Start with the floor and the aspect. A first-floor flat on a main street will hear every tram and every shouting group. A fourth-floor flat facing a courtyard may feel as quiet as a village. Lifts are not guaranteed in older blocks, so check the stairs before you fall for the ceiling height.

Look at the ground floor of the building too. A restaurant, a bar or a shop with deliveries changes how the flat feels at different times. Ask about the heating, windows and who pays for the hot water. Because the district has so many offices and short-term lets, ask the neighbours whether the building is mostly residents.

Finally, take a walk at night. You will find out if the street is as peaceful as the viewing suggested.

Who it suits

Nové Město suits people who want to be in the middle of everything and accept the noise: young professionals, couples without a car, and people who work in the centre. It suits students at the nearby faculties. It suits those who like a lively, urban environment.

It suits families and light sleepers less well, unless they choose carefully. Anyone who wants a village feel should look at Vyšehrad, Vinohrady or Vršovice instead.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Nové Město?

Charles IV founded it in 1348 as a planned expansion of the city.

Is Nové Město in Prague 1 or Prague 2?

Both. The district is divided between them.

Is it loud?

The main streets and squares are, particularly at night. Courtyard flats and side streets are much quieter.

Is it good for expats?

It is central, well connected and international, though busy. Many newcomers choose a nearby residential district instead.