Top Tours

Sightseeing Tours

The most reliable operators—among them Cedok, Martin Tour, Prague Sightseeing Tours, and Premiant City Tour—are a competitive lot, with an extensive menu that covers everything from the standard "top sites" tours to pub crawls and folkloric evenings. Most of these options are offered year-round, with some including a walking component and occasionally a boat trip. Full-day excursions to outlying areas are typically available, too.

Contacts

Cedok. Prague, Bohemia. 221-447-242. www.cedok.com.

Martin Tour. Prague, Bohemia. 224-212-473. www.martintour.cz.

Prague Sightseeing Tours. Prague, Bohemia. 222-314-661. www.pstours.cz.

Premiant City Tour. Prague, Bohemia. 224-946-922. www.premiant.cz.

Boat Tours

Of the numerous companies running Valta River trips 12 months of the year, two stand out. The Prague Steamboat Company, established in 1865, scores points for being the biggest and oldest. Hour cuises on large-capacity vessels feature multilingual commentary. Longer meal-and-music junkets are regularly scheduled as well. For a more intimate experience, try a Prague-Venice cruise aboard a 19th century canal boat that holds fewer than three dozen passengers.

Contacts

Prague Steamboat Company. Prague, Bohemia. 224-931-013. www.paroplavba.cz.

Prague-Venice Cruises. Prague, Bohemia. 775-311-717. www.prague-venice.cz.

Specialized Walking Tours

Themed strolls are hugely popular, especially during the peak tourist season, and several providers (Guide-Prague, Prague Walks, and Prague Tours, Walks & Excursions being only three examples) lead tours focusing on, say, local authors, civic architecture, or different historical eras. For visitors specifically interested in Prague's Jewish heritage, Wittmann Tours is your best bet. It organizes informative walks through the Josefov plus day trips to related sites such as Terezín.

Contacts

Guide-Prague. Prague, Bohemia. 776-868-770. www.guide-prague.cz.

Prague Tours, Walks & Excursions. Prague, Bohemia. 777-816-849. www.praguer.com.

Prague Walks. Prague, Bohemia. 222-322-309. www.praguewalks.com.

Wittmann Tours. Prague, Bohemia. 222-252-472. www.wittmann-tours.com.

Fun Alternatives

If your boots aren't made for walking, don't despair. There are lots of cool conveyances that allow you to see Prague in style, at least in the warmer months. Consider a traditional horse-drawn carriage tour, or up the horsepower by riding an antique car (bookable on location in Old Town Square or in advance through Prague PG), a Jetsons-worthy Segway, or an eco-friendly electric train. For pedal pushers, Praha Bike offers cycling tours in and around the city along with straightforward bike rentals for independent types.

Contacts

Ekoexpres. Prague, Bohemia. 602-317-784. www.ekoexpres.cz.

Pony Travel. Prague, Bohemia. 224- 930-516. www.ponytravelsro.cz.

Prague on Segway. Prague, Bohemia. 775-588-588. www.pragueonsegway.com.

Prague PG. Prague, Bohemia. 222-518-259. www.guidingprague.com.

Praha Bike. Prague, Bohemia. no phone. www.prahabike.cz.

Private Guides

Eager to take a private tour with a tailor-made itinerary? Lots of locals advertise themselves as guides. So it's wise to choose one registered by Prague Information Service

PIS Guide Office. Prague, Bohemia. 236-002-569. www.pis.cz.