Every major guidebook publishing company makes at least one Prague guidebook. This article will help you decide which one is best for your trip.
Most guidebook companies also make a book on the Czech Republic as a whole, and sometimes one on both the Czech and Slovak Republics.
If you’re only planning on visiting Prague, getting a specific guidebook for the city will be sufficient. For example, Lonely Planet’s book on Prague gives good in-depth coverage of all areas of the city and the surrounding region.
If you’ll be visiting lots of places in the Czech Republic, getting a larger guidebook like The Rough Guide to the Czech & Slovak Republics is a good idea. If you’re handy with scissors, you can cut out the chapters you need and leave the rest of the guidebook at home to save room as you pack your bags. Alternatively, you can get the eBook.
Once you know what size book you need, you should shop around for one that fits your travel style. If you’re backpacking, Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, and the Rough Guide are some of the best Prague guidebooks.
If you’re going upscale, look into guides like the Hg2 Prague (A Hedonist’s Guide to Prague). It offers high-end suggestions for luxury hotels, fine dining restaurants, and boutique shopping.
If you love sightseeing and will be doing a lot of it on your trip, consider picking up the Eyewitness Travel Guide to Prague. With photos and illustrations on every page, the Eyewitness guidebook is great for explaining the details of Prague’s many historic buildings and landmarks.
And one last tip on finding the best Prague guidebooks: check the date the guidebook was published before you buy it. If it is more than a year old, don’t bother purchasing it. Everything changes so quickly in Prague that an out-of-date guidebook won’t be of any use to you.