Prague is one of Europe's most beautiful cities — and one of its most rewarding for shopping. Beyond the mass-produced tourist trinkets that fill the Old Town souvenir shops, Prague has a rich tradition of craft, design, and making that produces genuinely unique, genuinely local things to buy. Whether you're looking for a gift to bring home, a souvenir that actually means something, or something made specifically for you, this is your guide to the best and most unique things to buy in Prague. For more inspiration, see our Prague City of Experiences guide.
Table of Contents
- What to Avoid (and Why)
- Czech Crystal & Bohemian Glass
- Czech Ceramics & Pottery
- Bohemian Garnet Jewellery
- Czech Marionettes & Wooden Toys
- Czech Food & Drink to Take Home
- Czech Design & Independent Brands
- Art, Prints & Photography
- Where to Shop in Prague
- The Most Unique Thing You Can Buy in Prague: 5.MINS
What to Avoid (and Why)
A word of warning before we begin: the souvenir shops clustered around Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and the Castle District are almost entirely stocked with mass-produced goods that have nothing to do with Prague or the Czech Republic. Miniature Astronomical Clocks, "Praha" keyrings, and fridge magnets are manufactured in bulk — most of them not in Europe at all — and sold at tourist prices.
These are not Prague souvenirs. They are generic tourist products with a city name printed on them. If you want something that genuinely comes from Prague, made by Prague people, using Czech materials and traditions, you need to look a little harder. This guide will help you find it. You might also enjoy reading about what makes a real Prague souvenir.
Czech Crystal & Bohemian Glass
Bohemian glass is one of the great craft traditions of Central Europe — and one of the few souvenir categories where Prague genuinely delivers. Czech glassmakers have been producing crystal, cut glass, and decorative glassware of world-class quality for centuries. The tradition is real, the craftsmanship is genuine, and the products are beautiful.
What to look for: Hand-cut crystal vases, glasses, and decorative pieces from established Czech manufacturers like Moser (the most prestigious), Bohemia Crystal, and Crystalex. Avoid cheap glass sold in tourist shops — genuine Czech crystal will be clearly labelled and priced accordingly.
Where to buy: Moser has a flagship store on Na Příkopě. Crystalex and other quality brands are available at Palladium shopping centre and specialist glass shops in the city centre.
Czech Ceramics & Pottery
Czech ceramics have a long and distinctive tradition, particularly from the Moravia region. Hand-painted folk ceramics — with their characteristic blue, white, and red floral patterns — are genuinely Czech and genuinely beautiful. Contemporary Czech ceramicists are also producing outstanding work that combines traditional techniques with modern design.
What to look for: Hand-painted Moravian folk ceramics (look for pieces from Modráná or similar traditional producers), and contemporary Czech studio ceramics from independent makers.
Where to buy: The farmers' markets at Náplavka and Jiřák often feature local ceramicists. The Holešovice and Vinohrady neighbourhoods have independent design shops with excellent Czech ceramics.
Bohemian Garnet Jewellery
Bohemian garnets — deep red pyrope garnets mined in the Czech Republic — have been used in Czech jewellery for centuries. Genuine Bohemian garnet jewellery is a distinctive and beautiful souvenir that is genuinely local and genuinely valuable.
What to look for: The characteristic deep red colour and the traditional cluster settings that are unique to Bohemian garnet jewellery. Look for the official Bohemian Garnet certificate of authenticity. Beware of imitations — many shops sell red glass or synthetic stones as "garnets."
Where to buy: Turnov (the garnet capital of Bohemia) is the best source, but Prague has several reputable garnet jewellers. Granat Turnov has a shop in Prague's city centre.
If you're looking for a modern alternative to traditional jewellery, our personalised keychains make equally meaningful keepsakes — made right here in Prague:
Czech Marionettes & Wooden Toys
Czech puppet theatre has a centuries-old tradition, and Czech marionettes are among the finest in the world. A hand-crafted Czech marionette — a wizard, a jester, a devil, a princess — is a genuinely unique and genuinely Czech souvenir. Quality varies enormously: the best are hand-carved and hand-painted works of art; the worst are mass-produced plastic.
What to look for: Hand-carved wooden marionettes with articulated joints and hand-painted faces. These are significantly more expensive than the mass-produced versions — but they're the real thing.
Where to buy: Manufaktura (multiple locations in Prague) sells quality Czech crafts including marionettes. Specialist puppet shops in the Old Town area — look for ones that display the maker's name and provenance.
Czech Food & Drink to Take Home
Czech food and drink make excellent souvenirs — genuinely local, genuinely delicious, and impossible to find elsewhere.
- Czech beer — Pilsner Urquell, Budvar, Kozel, and Bernard are all available in bottles and cans. Budvar in particular is not widely exported and makes an excellent gift for beer lovers.
- Becherovka — the Czech herbal liqueur from Karlovy Vary. A distinctive, genuinely Czech spirit with a complex flavour. Available everywhere; the miniature bottles make good gifts.
- Slivovitz — Czech plum brandy. Strong, distinctive, and genuinely local. Look for quality producers rather than supermarket brands.
- Czech honey — available at farmers' markets. Czech beekeeping has a strong tradition and the honey is excellent.
- Wafer cakes (oplatky) — thin, crisp wafers filled with cream, a traditional Czech treat. Available in beautiful tins that make good gifts.
Pair your food finds with a personalised gift and you have a truly memorable Prague gift set. See our guide to choosing a personalised gift they'll never forget.
Czech Design & Independent Brands
Prague has a growing community of independent designers and brands producing genuinely original work — clothing, accessories, homeware, and gifts that reflect contemporary Czech design sensibility.
Where to find it: The Holešovice and Vinohrady neighbourhoods are the best areas for independent Czech design. The Prague Market at Výstaviště and the Manifesto Market feature independent Czech makers. The Designblok design festival (October) is the best annual showcase of Czech design talent. Read more about how Prague's creative startups are redefining the city.
Art, Prints & Photography
Prague has a vibrant art scene, and original prints, photographs, and artwork make genuinely unique souvenirs. The city's visual richness — its architecture, its light, its streets — has inspired generations of artists and photographers.
Where to find it: The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art in Holešovice has an excellent shop. The Kampa Museum shop has quality art prints. Independent galleries in Vinohrady and Malá Strana often sell affordable prints and original works.
For a truly personal piece of art, a photo-engraved framed print from 5.MINS is something no gallery can offer:
Where to Shop in Prague
- Manufaktura — a chain of shops selling quality Czech crafts, cosmetics, and gifts. Not cheap, but genuinely Czech and genuinely good.
- Náplavka Farmers' Market — Saturday mornings on the Vltava riverbank. Local producers, independent makers, and genuine Czech products.
- Holešovice — Prague's creative district, with independent shops, studios, and the Manifesto Market.
- Vinohrady — residential neighbourhood with excellent independent shops and a strong local design scene.
- Palladium — central shopping centre with a good mix of Czech and international brands.
The Most Unique Thing You Can Buy in Prague: 5.MINS
Everything on this list is genuinely Czech and genuinely worth buying. But there is one category of souvenir that none of them can match: something made specifically for you, in front of you, in minutes, in Prague.
At 5.MINS, we create personalised laser-engraved gifts — lamps, keepsakes, and custom pieces — while you watch. You choose what goes on it: your name, a photograph, a message, a date. We engrave it in front of you. You leave with something that exists nowhere else in the world — made in Prague, made by our team, made for you.
It's not a souvenir from a shelf. It's not manufactured in bulk. It's not available online or in any other city. It's the most unique thing you can buy in Prague — because it could only have been made here, now, for you. Read more about what makes a real Prague souvenir.
Discover 5.MINS — Create your unique Prague souvenir, made live in front of you →
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