As luck would have it, I landed up in Prague in the midst of an intense heatwave. I felt a ton of FOMO at first, because it was simply unbearable to be out and about in this gorgeous city in hot, humid 35+ degrees Celcius weather, especially under the blazing sun. It was also unbearable to miss out on all the alternative things the city has to offer.
But then I recalibrated and started walking Prague’s stunning streets at night.
Under the glow of late sunsets, catching the reflection of the half moon on Vltava River, walking on the dimly lit 13th century bridges, looking up at the surreal glow of its ancient architecture, chilling in cooler spaces during the day, I fell in love with the city in a rather unexpected way.
Is summer the best time to visit Prague? Given the heat and overtourism, maybe not…
Europe in the summer is something else, with its balmy weather, long days and post 9 pm sunsets – and Prague is no exception. But as climate change accelerates, European cities are facing unprecedented heatwaves.
In June, I experienced 38 degrees weather in Prague and 40 degrees in Berlin! Remember that unlike tropical cities, European cities like Prague are designed for cold weather. Most homes, hotels, public transport, cafes, restaurants and public places are not air-conditioned. Instead, they are designed to trap heat. There’s a lot of resistance to add ACs everywhere, since they contribute to the urban heat island effect and make cities hotter. There are many innovative ways Europe can adapt to heatwaves though!
As for the question, when is the best time to visit Prague, I’d say, not the summer! Not only can get it unbearably hot, but also very crowded. Prague has been dealing with overtourism, mostly concentrated in the summer, and recently even banned organized pub crawls.
But having said that, a lot of the overcrowding can be avoided if you stay away from the city centre in one of Prague’s many upcoming neighborhoods, skip its ‘unmissable’ attractions like the astronomical clock show (seriously overrated), and choose conscious travel experiences that also lighten the tourism burden on the city.
