What to do

Three Days in Prague

Prague is a great walking city and we recommend that you bring comfortable shoes and hit the cobblestones. Three days are a good minimum to enjoy Prague's sights and magical atmosphere. Additional time will allow you to head out of Prague and visit some of the other wonderful places in the Czech Republic.

The main sightseeing areas of Prague are separated by the Vltava River. On the left bank there is the Prague Castle area and Lesser Town. The right bank is home to the Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, and the New Town. Spanning the Vltava River and connecting the Old Town and Lesser Town is the beautiful Charles Bridge.

Day 1: Old Town, Jewish Quarter, Charles Bridge 

Day 2: Prague Castle Area, Lesser Town

Day 3: Museums, Off the Beaten Path, Shopping...

DAY 1

Old Town Square

The heart of Prague's historical center is the Old Town Square. It has been beautifully restored and it is a good place to start your Prague visit. You will find the Gothic spires of the Týn Church towering over the square and the statue of reformer Jan Hus, and theAstronomical Clock on the Old Town Hall on the opposite side of it. Personally, we don't think that the hourly display of the 12 apostles on the Astronomical Clock is worth a wait longer than five minutes, but some may disagree.

You will not regret a climb to the top of the Old Town Hall tower. The view of the square and beyond is spectacular.

You can buy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage that starts and ends on Old Town Square. The carriages are lined up near the white St. Nicholas Church and a 20-minute ride costs around 800 - 1,000 CZK per carriage (seats four people).

Around Old Town Square

Wander the streets leading off the square - the grand Pařížská, the charming Týnská that leads to Ungelt, the ever-busy Melantrichova that will take you to Wenceslas Square... Walk down Celetná to the Powder Tower, one of the historical entrances to the Old Town. Connected to the tower is the exquisite Municipal House, Prague's Art Nouveau gem.

Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) is not far from Old Town Square and it would make sense to visit it in connection with your tour of the Old Town. The Jewish Museum administers the following sites: the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Klaus Synagogue, and the Ceremonial Hall. The Old-New Synagogue is the oldest working synagogue in Central Europe.


Charles Bridge

Walk across the Charles Bridge on your first day because you may want to do it again. We recommend strolling across it at night to enjoy the magnificent view of the Prague Castle all lit up. Also, at night the crowds will be smaller. Keep in mind that during the day you can climb the towers on both sides of the bridge. We especially recommend the one on the Old Town side for wonderful views of the bridge and the spires of the Old Town. Read more on our Charles Bridge page.

DAY 2

You can start your day with a visit to the Prague Castle area (Hradčany) where you can spend up to four hours. From there you can continue to Lesser Town (Malá Strana). To get to the Prague Castle area, we suggest you take tram 22 or 23 to Pohořelec. This will put you above the castle and you will end up walking downhill to the Lesser Town area. If you're coming from the center of Prague (uphill by tram), get off the tram at Pohořelec, cross the street and walk to your left, which is the direction to Loreto, Strahov Monastery and the Prague Castle.

Strahov Monastery and the Prague Loreto

Start your tour at the Strahov Monastery with its beautiful Convent and Library . An enjoyable route to follow after visiting Strahov is to enter the castle area by walking down Loretánská to Hradčanské náměstí (Castle Square). You can stop at the Prague Loreto along the way.

Prague Castle

You will not find one single castle on the hill, but a series of buildings, a few churches and hundreds of years of history. Before walking through the castle entrance, walk to your right for a nice view overlooking Prague. For more details on the Prague Castle and the sights, see our Prague Castle page.

Lesser Town

After exploring the castle area, walk through the castle gardens or take the historic Nerudova Streetdown to Malostranské náměstí, the heart of Lesser Town. From Malostranské náměstí, it's only a short walk down Karmelitská Street to the Church of Our Lady of Victory (Karmelitská 9) where the world-famous Infant Jesus of Prague is kept.

Kampa Island

Spend some time on Kampa Island, which is just off of Charles Bridge. Walk through the park and enjoy the view of the bridge and across the river. Spend the rest of the day strolling through the picturesque streets of Malá Strana.

DAY 3

You can spend your third day in different ways, depending on your interests. Here are some ideas:

- Visit a museum or gallery

- Get off the tourist path and walk around the Vyšehrad Castle with its famous cemetery and
- a beautiful view of Prague and the Vltava River

- Take the funicular up to the top of Petřín Hill for some great views and a nice stroll through
- the rose garden

- Explore the Vinohrady district, known for its Art Nouveau and Neo-Renaissance architecture

- Escape the crowds and enjoy some of Prague's parks and gardens

- Revisit some of your favorite sites from Day 1 or Day 2

- Spend a part of the day souvenir shopping

- If you only have three days in the Czech Republic and don't plan to come back, consider taking
- a day trip from Prague