Is Smíchov a good place to stay in Prague?

Smíchov is a good base if you want modern hotels, good transport and lower prices. Anděl is a transport hub, with Metro B and trams across the river and up to Malá Strana, and the riverbank and Petřín Hill are close by. It suits business travellers, budget travellers and anyone who wants a practical base.

The area is busy around Anděl and calmer elsewhere. The Nový Smíchov shopping centre and the streets around it have shops, cafés and restaurants, the riverside promenade leads north towards Malá Strana, and Dětský ostrov, a small island in the Vltava, has playgrounds and lawns. The Dancing House and the New Town are across the bridge.

The downside is that Smíchov has few sights or historic streets of its own. The area around Anděl is modern, busy and full of traffic, and some side streets feel plain. To reach the Old Town you need the metro or a tram, and evenings are quieter than in the centre.

What makes Smíchov worth considering is how much it gives you for the price. You can walk along the river to Malá Strana, climb Petřín for views of the castle, catch a tram to the Old Town in minutes and come back to a modern hotel that costs less than one in the historic centre.