3 storybook days of spires and cellars in Prague

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time

   Old Town Square

   The medieval heart of Prague, ringed by painted houses, the twin spires of the Týn Church and the Old Town Hall, with its Astronomical Clock from the early 1400s. Arrive a little before the hour to watch the figures move, then step back and look up. Beneath the Old Town, many houses sit on older cellars: check ahead for a guided underground visit.

   Go when A few minutes before the hour for the clock, then again late in the evening when the square is lit.

   Local tip The clock show is brief, so do not wait long for it. Look at the calendar dial and the figures, then wander the lanes off the square.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.6 km
2. 2
   MorningWorth the time

   Vyšehrad

   An old fortress on a rock above the Vltava, with ramparts, a twin-spired basilica, a quiet cemetery for Czech artists and composers and wide views up the river. It also has underground casemates, so check ahead if you want to go below ground.

   Go when Morning, when the ramparts are quiet and the light is clear up the river.

   Local tip Walk the ramparts for the view, then the cemetery for the names. Check ahead if you want to see the underground casemates.

   

   About 10 min by car or transit2.8 km
3. 3
   MiddayWorth the time, check ahead

   Josefov

   The old Jewish Quarter, a tight group of synagogues, a memorial and an old cemetery where the graves stand close together on many layers of earth. Quiet, moving and best taken slowly. Check ahead for visiting days and how tickets work.

   Go when Morning or early afternoon, in the quiet hours between groups.

   Local tip Leave an hour for the cemetery alone. Check ahead for the visiting days, and dress and behave quietly, since these are places of worship and memory.

   

   About 4 min walk0.4 km
4. 4
   AfternoonBook ahead, guided visit

   Clementinum

   A vast former Jesuit college in the heart of the Old Town, with a Baroque library hall, an astronomical tower and a meridian hall. Visits are guided, so book ahead and check the times.

   Go when A guided slot in the afternoon, when you want a calm indoor hour.

   Local tip The tour is the way in, so book ahead. Ask about the astronomical tower, whose view over the roofs is a reward for the climb.

   

5. Dinner

   Dinner in a vaulted cellar

   Many old Prague houses have vaulted cellars that are now dining rooms, with brick arches and candlelight. Order traditional dishes such as roast pork with sauerkraut and dumplings.

   Local tip Book ahead for a table, and ask for one under the arches.

   Places to try4 near Clementinum‹›

   • Czech, brewery

     Pivovarský dům

     A brewery restaurant on Lipová street in the New Town that brews on site and serves Czech dishes.

     1.4 km from Clementinum
   • Czech pub

     U Vejvodů

     A large Czech pub in an old Old Town building, serving pub dishes and Pilsner beer.

     0.8 km from Clementinum
   • Czech pub

     Pivovarský klub

     A pub and restaurant in Karlín, northeast of the Municipal House, serving Czech beer and traditional dishes.

     1.0 km from Clementinum
   • Czech beer hall

     Lokál Dlouhááá

     A Czech beer hall on Dlouhá street in the Old Town, serving traditional dishes and tank beer.

     0.4 km from Clementinum

   Hours change, so check before you go.

Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.

1. 1
   MorningWorth the time, book ahead

   Prague Castle

   A huge hilltop castle complex above the river, with courtyards, palaces and the soaring Gothic spires of St. Vitus Cathedral, begun in the 14th century and finished in the 20th. Go at the start of the day, book ahead for the parts you want to enter, and let the stained glass in the cathedral be the one thing you do not rush.

   Go when The start of the day, before the tour groups arrive, when the courtyards are quiet.

   Local tip Give the cathedral its own slow half hour. Check ahead which parts of the castle need a ticket, and wear shoes made for cobbles.

   

   About 12 min walk1.0 km
2. 2
   MiddayWorth a short stop, check ahead

   Strahov Monastery

   A hilltop monastery whose library halls are lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves and painted ceilings. The rooms are often seen from the doorway, so it is a short and memorable stop. Check ahead for how visits work.

   Go when Midday, once you have walked up from the castle.

   Local tip The library halls are mostly seen from the doorway, so the visit is short. Look up first, then at the globes and the old books.

   

3. Lunch

   A Czech lunch of svíčková or goulash

   Svíčková is sliced beef in a velvety cream sauce with bread dumplings and a spoon of cranberries. Goulash with dumplings is the other classic. Both are hearty, so a good lunch before a hill.

   Local tip Order one dish and share a second, since the portions are generous.

   Places to try4 near Strahov Monastery‹›

   • Czech pub

     U Černého vola

     A Czech pub on Loreto Square, between the castle and Strahov, serving traditional dishes and beer.

     0.3 km from Strahov Monastery
   • Czech, European

     Nebozízek

     A restaurant at the middle station of the Petřín funicular, with a terrace facing the city.

     0.9 km from Strahov Monastery
   • Czech, European

     Lví dvůr

     A restaurant in the Lion Court of Prague Castle, serving Czech dishes in the castle grounds.

     1.0 km from Strahov Monastery
   • Czech pub

     U Kocoura

     A Czech pub on Nerudova street in the Lesser Town, serving beer and traditional pub dishes.

     1.0 km from Strahov Monastery

   Hours change, so check before you go.

   About 7 min walk0.6 km
4. 3
   AfternoonWorth the time

   Petřín Lookout Tower

   A slender iron tower on a green hill, built in the 19th century and modeled on the Eiffel Tower. Climb it, or enjoy the view from the foot of the hill, for a wide look across the red roofs and the river. A funicular also climbs the hill, so check ahead if it is running.

   Go when Mid afternoon, when the light is soft on the red roofs.

   Local tip The stairs are many, so climb only if your legs are willing. The walk down through the orchards and gardens of the hill is lovely on its own.

   

   About 15 min walk1.2 km
5. 4
   EveningWorth the time

   Charles Bridge

   The old stone bridge across the Vltava, lined with dark baroque statues, linking the Lesser Town to the Old Town. Walk down through the Lesser Town and cross as the light fades, when the towers at each end glow and the crowds thin.

   Go when The first hour of the day, or after sunset (about 7:16 PM), when the crowds are thin.

   Local tip Cross it twice if you can, once in each direction. The statues each tell a story, and the views change from the middle.

   

6. Dinner

   Roast duck with red cabbage

   Roast duck with red cabbage and dumplings is a long-loved Czech supper, crisp and rich. A good way to end a day of climbing.

   Local tip Walk a few streets from the bridge for a calmer table, and book ahead on a weekend.

   

   Places to try4 near Charles Bridge‹›

   • Czech, game

     U Modré kachničky

     A restaurant on Nebovidská street in the Lesser Town, a short walk from the Charles Bridge, serving Czech and game dishes.

     0.5 km from Charles Bridge
   • European, seafood

     Kampa Park

     A riverside restaurant on Kampa island beside the Charles Bridge, with a terrace on the Vltava.

     0.2 km from Charles BridgePhoto: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
   • European, Czech

     Hergetova Cihelna

     A restaurant in a former brickworks on the Kampa riverfront, with a terrace by the Vltava near the bridge.

     0.2 km from Charles Bridge
   • Czech, brewery

     U Medvídků

     A brewery restaurant in the Old Town, a short walk east of the bridge, serving Czech dishes and its own beer.

     0.7 km from Charles BridgePhoto: ŠJů ( cs:ŠJů ), CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons

   Hours change, so check before you go.