Prague is an extremely romantic city! Try to book a romantic hotel or even a luxury hotel if you’re coming to Prague for Valentine’s Day—it could impress your significant other!
In this article, I give you 8 tips to dazzle your partner in Prague on Valentine’s Day (there is actually a relic, a shoulder blade, of Saint Valentine in Prague. It was discovered in 2002 in the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Vyšehrad (see my 8th and final tip below!)
1. Take a romantic cruise on the Vltava River!
The cruise is not an absolute must in Prague, but it is very romantic! I recommend taking a cruise in the evening to save time for sightseeing during the day and to avoid the dining options (which are not always fantastic). Tickets here. And if you don’t have sea legs, you can also take a ride in a vintage car through the streets of Prague (info here). In any case, don’t seal your love by attaching a padlock to the Charles Bridge at the spot where Saint John of Nepomuk was thrown into the water (see tip #7). The locals don’t like it and it won’t last!
2. Fall in love with art!
Take a romantic trip to discover two iconic artists in Prague. Alfons Mucha is becoming well known in France, where he worked for many years in advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (tickets for the Mucha Museum here). More iconoclastic, David Černý is a contemporary artist who is very active in Prague and is gaining international renown. In homage to Václav Havel, the first president after communism who always signed his letters with a red heart, there is also a huge red heart on the small square that bears his name at the foot of the National Theater. The perfect spot to immortalize your love! In the U Nováků passage, a retro photo booth has also been installed and will provide you with superb photos with the technical rendering and grain of photos from the 1950s or 1960s.
Good tip: for a marriage proposal, there are two great spots! The northern tip of Archer’s Island with a view of Charles Bridge or the terrace on Letná Hill near Letenský zámeček!
3. Take a dip in a beer bath together!
Locals go there as much as visitors, and it has to be said that it’s very relaxing! Beer is everywhere in Prague (the Czechs are by far the world’s leading consumers)! And for a good fifteen years now, people have been slipping into a nice hot beer bath alone (or better still, with a partner!). Long live the beer spa! Healing properties, unlimited beer consumption (and not just bath water, there’s a tap built into the tub!), massages available… A very romantic experience not to be missed and one of the most original activities to do in Prague! Just as relaxing, Czechs also love going to the sauna, so you should know! One of the little things that might surprise you in Prague… And if beer isn’t your thing, there are some lovely spas in Prague, such as those at The Emblem or Carlo IV hotels.
4. Dine by candlelight!
In recent years, Prague’s gastronomic scene has exploded! There are more and more different restaurants (28% of Prague’s residents are foreigners and, unlike 20 years ago, you can now find cuisines from all over the world!), Czech cuisine has become more upscale, and there are restaurants with simple, elegant designs that the Czechs are very fond of… In short, you’ll have many options other than the classic inns and breweries that dominated in the past. You can even book a hotel in Prague with a very good restaurant, such as:
- Andaz
- Hotel Paris
- Art Deco Imperial Hotel
- Augustine
- Almanac X (Alcron)
- Carlo IV (1890 Restaurant & Bar)
- Mandarin Oriental
- Four Seasons (CottoCrudo)
- Fairmont Golden
They all offer a special Valentine’s Day menu. Less luxurious but just as good and romantic are the restaurants at the Mama Shelter, Falkensteiner (Monkey Bar) and Mozart Prague hotels, which are also great places to stay. And for a romantic dinner, why not head up high to restaurants such as Zvonice in the Henri Tower, Ginger & Fred on the 7th floor of the famous Dancing House, or Oblaca in the iconic TV tower. SmetanaQ, Červený Jelen, and Hard Rock Café also offer special menus. To round off the evening, the lovely Moonclub is hosting a special event.
5. Put your love on stage!
How to end a romantic day? With a beautiful show! An opera in a beautiful hall (at the National Theater, the State Opera, or one of the oldest theaters in Europe, the Estates Theater) or a small classical concert in a beautiful church will end the day on a high note. Special mention goes to the golden, colorful Moorish decor of the Spanish Synagogue (tickets here). The black theater, a local specialty, is also very original and will surprise you (tickets here) !
6. Give her a small gift with local color!
You can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day without a gift! For her, what could be better than a piece of jewelry with passionate red Czech garnet. You can’t buy it anywhere else but in the Czech Republic! For him, a Tonak hat, a Pilsner Urquell product, the national beer (that you can discover with The Pilsner Urquell Experience), or even beer shampoo, the flagship product of the Manufaktura chain…
7. Stroll through the most romantic neighborhoods!
Prague is an open-air museum that will enchant lovers. I can recommend walks near Prague Castle, the former seat of Czech kings and the largest castle complex in the world. The view is magnificent (especially from the Richter Villa, where you can enjoy a meal; info here) and, in the evening, once the tourists have left, it is very romantic to stroll through the small, illuminated streets. The New World (Nový Svět) district, lined with colorful little houses, is incredibly romantic. The best part? Staying at the charming and aptly named Romantik Hotel U Raka with its evening fires… Not far away, Strahov is also a great place for a stroll hand in hand…
From Strahov Monastery, it’s just a short walk to the top of Petřín, one of the highest points in Prague. In Nebozízek Park, which leads from Petřín to Malá Strana below, there is a statue of Karel Hynek Mácha, a famous Czech romantic poet. It is in front of this statue or under a cherry tree in bloom on the same hill that lovers usually kiss on May 1 ( but there’s nothing to stop you from doing the same in February!).
Once in Malá Strana (romantic restaurants include U Malířů 1, U Modré kachničky, Terasa U Zlaté studně, and Café Savoy, which I really like!), it’s just a short walk to the famous Charles Bridge, which I recommend crossing at dusk, between sunset and nightfall. You’ll be able to admire the superb Baroque statues, which have been enhanced by new lighting since 2024. Coming from Malá Strana, the eighth statue on the left is that of St. John of Nepomuk. Touching it brings good luck. And if you want to make your secret wishes come true, a little further on and on the same side, you’ll find a five-star iron gate. Touch each star with your right hand and then place your left hand on the cross on the parapet. All your wishes will come true! Prague is magical! Four statues further down, on the left, stands the statue of Saint Anne, the patron saint of pregnant women and intercessor for a happy marriage!
Finally, even in February, enjoy the parks and gardens. Prague is perhaps the greenest city in the world and there are more than two hundred of them, some of which date back to the Middle Ages. Among the best known are Stromovka Park, Riegrovy sady Park and Letná Park, with its spectacular views of the city from the Hanavský Pavilion (another very romantic spot for a marriage proposal). The neo-Renaissance Havliček gardens (Havlíčkovy Sady or Grébovka) feature a vineyard and a pretty gazebo (Viniční altán).
8. Visit St. Valentine’s Day in Vyšehrad (or what’s left of it!)
Vyšehrad is a historic fortress on a cliff. It was the seat of kings in the 11th century and is a place steeped in history and legend. The hill on which the fortress stands is a favorite spot for Praguers to take a romantic stroll in the fall. Visitors are drawn to the beautiful panoramic views, the brick walls surrounding the complex, and the quiet corners of the park. In the middle of the complex stands the neo-Gothic Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul with its beautiful mosaic facade and two 58-meter-high towers, which are an integral part of the Prague skyline (they can be clearly seen from the Charles Bridge). Here you will find the remains of St. Valentine (his shoulder blade placed in a baroque reliquary made of gold and glass), which Charles IV himself is said to have brought to Prague from Italy in the 1300s when the Holy Roman Emperor lived in Vyšehrad (he is also said to have brought back to Bohemia a piece of wood and a nail, believed to be from the Crucifixion, as well as various other relics of saints kept in St. Vitus Cathedral, Karlštejn Castle, and other churches in Bohemia. For the record, Charles IV saw Prague as the new Jerusalem and sought relics wherever he went. He believed that the end of the world was near and that if Prague had enough relics and churches, the city and its inhabitants would receive special treatment on Judgment Day…
The relic of Saint Valentine disappeared for a century and was only found in 2002 during an inventory! This relic had never been considered a major asset or an important attraction of the church, which contained more precious items such as the famous Vyšehrad Codex. Around February 14, the church becomes a place of pilgrimage for Valentine’s Day to see the precious reliquary, which is now on display all year round.
