Unusual & Unique Things to Do in Prague (Beyond the Usual Sightseeing)
TL;DR: Prague’s postcard sights are worth doing once, but the experiences visitors bring up afterward tend to be the odder ones. Near the top: shooting real firearms, from an AK47 to a sniper rifle, at a private range in Old Town. Below that, a handful of other Prague experiences that skip most standard itineraries but shouldn’t.
Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock, Charles Bridge: every Prague trip includes them, and they’re worth seeing once. But “unusual” rules most of that out by definition. Here’s a shorter list, in the order we’d recommend it.
1. Shoot real firearms at a private Prague shooting range
Firing a Kalashnikov, a Desert-Eagle-style .44 Magnum, or a sniper rifle isn’t legal or accessible in most visitors’ home countries. In the Czech Republic it’s a straightforward, fully legal tourist experience with a certified instructor. Outback Prague runs private sessions, so no sharing the range with strangers, with hotel pickup included and packages that scale from a beginner-friendly 30-shot Triple X pack up to the WW2 Pack, which puts a Thompson M1A1, an MP40, and an MG42 in your hands. It’s the kind of thing that turns into a “wait, you did what in Prague?” story once you’re home, which is exactly what an unusual-things-to-do list should deliver.
2. Cross the Charles Bridge at 6am, not at noon
Same bridge everyone photographs, a completely different experience without 10,000 other people on it. It’s unusual only because almost nobody bothers to do it.
3. Visit the Speculum Alchemiae
A real 16th-century alchemist’s laboratory hidden beneath Old Town, rediscovered after a 1930s flood. Small and strange, and nothing like the museums that usually make it onto a Prague itinerary.
4. Climb inside the Žižkov TV Tower’s crawling babies
David Černý’s giant faceless baby sculptures climb the outside of a working TV tower, one of the odder pieces of public art in any European capital, and there’s a viewing deck at the top with a view most visitors never bother getting.
5. Soak in a Prague beer spa
A literal bathtub filled with a beer-based mineral bath, unlimited draft beer on tap next to it, in a country that takes beer more seriously than almost anywhere else.
6. Climb the Vítkov National Memorial
A massive Soviet-era monument on a hill above Žižkov, complete with one of the largest equestrian statues in the world. It briefly held the embalmed body of Communist president Klement Gottwald after his death in 1953, until the embalming failed a few years in and his remains were cremated. The terrace gives one of the better skyline views in the city, largely without a crowd.
7. Have a drink inside a real nuclear bunker
Žižkov’s Bunkr Parukářka is a Cold War-era fallout shelter turned bar and club, decorated with retro Eastern Bloc memorabilia. Very few cities let you finish an evening underground in a decommissioned bunker.
8. Wander Vyšehrad instead of the castle everyone visits
Prague Castle gets the crowds. Vyšehrad, an older fortress on a bluff above the Vltava, gets a fraction of the visitors and arguably the better skyline view.
Why the shooting range tops the list
Most entries on a list like this are a “if you have time” addition. The shooting range holds up better than that: it’s a real skill, a genuine adrenaline spike, and something people photograph and talk about long after the trip ends. If only one unusual thing is going on an otherwise standard Prague itinerary, it’s the one worth prioritizing, and with a private range built for exactly this kind of first-time visitor, it’s an easy one to book on short notice.
FAQ
Is it actually legal for tourists to shoot guns in Prague?
Yes. See our full breakdown in Is It Legal to Shoot Guns in Prague as a Tourist? (/is-it-legal-to-shoot-guns-in-prague-as-a-tourist/)
Are these unusual activities suitable for a half-day itinerary?
Most of them, yes. The shooting range session typically runs 1 to 1.5 hours including the safety briefing, so it combines easily with Old Town sightseeing the same day.
What’s the most unique gun you can shoot in Prague?
The WW2 Pack is the standout: a genuine Thompson M1A1, MP40, and MG42, guns most visitors have only seen in films.
Which of these are good for a rainy day?
The shooting range, Speculum Alchemiae, and Bunkr Parukářka are all indoors and work regardless of weather. See our Rainy Day Activities in Prague (/rainy-day-activities-in-prague-what-to-do-when-the-weather-turns-bad/) guide for more.