Prague landmarks drew more visitors this summer than last year

Prague saw an increase in the number of visitors this summer compared to last year, according to data provided by Prague City Tourism, which manages many of the city's top landmarks, and other stats gathered by Czech News Agency. Still, this summer's weather patterns may have impacted attendance at local attractions.

About 358,000 visited the Czech capital's attractions operated by Prague City Tourism during the months of July and August, which represents an increase of about 22,000 people compared to last year.

Notably, the Petřín Lookout maintained its status as the most frequented site among Prague City Tourism monuments. During July and August, it welcomed approximately 136,000 tourists, a rise from the 128,000 visitors over the same period in 2022.

Old Town Hall attracted about 71,500 visitors this summer, while the Petřín Maze saw around 91,000 guests. The Old Town Bridge Tower received 23,000 visits, and the Powder Tower was explored by around 16,500 people.

Factors such as weather conditions may have influenced visitor patterns. Prague City Tourism spokesperson Klára Janderová emphasized that climatic conditions, including hot days, played a role in motivating people to climb the steps up to the towers.

"Visiting the towers is also affected by the weather, hot days and the like," she noted.

Similarly, Prague Zoo observed fluctuations in attendance due to weather conditions. Filip Mašek, the zoo's spokesperson, highlighted the correlation between weather and visitors' decisions to explore the zoo. Prague Zoo welcomed 106,608 visitors in July, with August's attendance numbers yet to be confirmed.

"This year's alternation of very hot days, when people [...] head primarily to the swimming pool, and rainy days, when people, despite the possibility of visiting the 15 indoor pavilions, postpone their visit to the zoo until a day with better weather, had had a slight effect on attendance," said Mašek.

Bohumil Černý, the director of the Prague Botanical Garden, noted that around 36,400 visitors explored the nearby Troja Botanical Garden in July and August, marking an increase of about 3,000 visitors from the previous summer.

While last year saw a considerable increase in the number of tourists staying in Prague accommodations, the figures have not yet reached pre-Covid levels. In 2021, Prague hosted approximately 5.98 million tourists across its accommodation facilities, reflecting a significant growth from the preceding year.

However, this number was around two million fewer tourists than the record-setting figures recorded before the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic in 2019.