Prague

Four-Day Itinerary for Exploring Prague, Czech Republic

Considering a trip to Prague? This alluring city known as “the City of a Hundred Spires,” has so much for offer the curious and adventurous traveler. There is diversity in architectural styles, art, and places of historical significance that span hundreds of years.

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Prague is the capital city of the Czcech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. It straddles the Vltava River, with areas to explore on both sides of its banks. If you aren’t sure which side to pick for your hotel stay, you can’t go wrong either way!

I visited Prague during the month of June with my two teenaged boys. We stayed at the Grandior Hotel near Old Town, which I booked through Orbitz.com. We found so much to entertain ourselves over the course of our four-day visit. In this post, I will break down our day-by-day itinerary and share ideas on how to make the most of your time immersed in the historical center of Central Europe.

Day 1: The Old Town

We arrived in Prague on a Friday morning. After briefly stopping at our hotel to drop our bags, we officially kicked off our exploration of Prague a little before noon. The nice thing about visiting European cities during the summer months, is there are long daylight hours to cram in a ton of sightseeing. Even with late starts and teenagers who like to lay-in, we were able to pack quite a bit in to each day.

Our very first historical site was Powder Tower (Prasná Brána). This beautiful late-Gothic city gate is the starting point for Coronations and Royal Routes to Prague Castle. While the foundation stone was laid in 1475, the structure has been through some turmoil, re-construction, multi-purpose usage, shootings, and more re-construction. But, I guess everything in Europe has at this point. It is a must-see when you visit Prague.

Above photos: The Powder Tower

Of course, we climbed the stairs to the Viewing Gallery and found out first-hand why Prague’s nickname, “the City of a Thousand Spires” is so accurate and fitting.  

Above photos: Views from the top of the Powder Tower

Just a short walk from the Tower is Church of Our Lady before Týn and the main market square. The Church is one of the most gobsmacking impressive Gothic buildings in Prague. Due to its size, it is impossible to miss. While the exterior is 14th-15th century, the interior is 17th century Baroque-style. It is richly ornate and a humbling space in which to pause and reflect.

Above photos: Church of Our Lady before Týn

Outside, the Old Town Square is full of people. People everywhere, along with food trucks and street performers! It is a super fun place to hang out for a while. You can walk the perimeter of the square to get a close-up view of the surrounding colorful buildings and architectural details. It is quite a candy store for the eyes.

Above photos: Prague Old Town Square

We stopped for lunch at Hotel Cerny Slon a little restaurant adjacent to the Church that serves traditional Czech dishes. We did our best to try the local delicacies, including pork knuckles, goulash, and dumplings. We really loved everything we tried over the duration of our visit!

Above photos: Lunch at Hotel Cerny Slon

Another church in the Old Town Center is St. Nicholas’ Church (Kostel sv. Mikuláše), not to be confused with St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town. St. Nicholas’ Church was built in the 12 century. It features a vaulted dome ceiling with chandeliers that are absolutely breathtaking. We just happened to arrive there as the church was filling up for a choral performance. So, we found a seat and stayed for the duration. It was just an amazing stroke of the luckiest timing.

Above photos: St. Nicholas’ Church of Old Town (exterior photo on the right from across Old Town Square)

Slightly off the side of the Old Town Square is the famous Astronomical Clock (Pražský orloj) on the facade of City Hall. It is a marvel! When the clock strikes, the Twelve Disciples appear to count the hours. Be warned that as the clock approaches the hour, a sizable crowd gathers around to witness the event. It you want to get a good look at the clock in action, be sure claim your standing spot in advance and be ready to rub shoulders with those tight in around you.

Above photos: Astronomical Clock, Old Town Prague

We dispersed with the crowd and walked over to the Jewish Quarter, which lies between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River. The history of this area is chilling and somber. For hundreds of years, the Jewish people were segregated and relegated, forced to live in a specific area and subject to the whims of rulers.

It is surprising that such a large number of historical monuments have survived, even through WWII. The most significant monuments in the Jewish Quarter comprise the Jewish Museum in Prague, which can be visited by purchasing a self-guided ticket or booking a Jewish Quarter Tour. The Old-New Synagogue is excluded, and requires a separate ticket.

Above photo: The Old-New Synagogue

The cemetery (Starý židovský hřbitov) dates to the 15th century and has multiple layers. Due to the limited area, the deceased were buried in up to ten layers above each other. There are over 12,000 tombstones but many more burials. The headstones are fascinating, mostly written in Hebrew and accompanied by animal and plant symbolism.

Above photo: Prague Jewish Museum

Above photos: Prague Jewish Cemetery

From the Jewish Quarter, if you walk towards the river, there is a really nice little park located near the Rudolfinum. We walked along the promenade here, called Alšovo nábř, to catch the views of Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge before turning towards New Town and Wenceslas Square.

Above photos: Vltava River and the Charles Bridge

The area known as New Town is just to the south of Old Town, and can easily be incorporated into your day in this area of the city. The main square here is Wenceslas Square, and it isn’t new at all. Many historical events have happened here, and it continues to be a central place for community gatherings and demonstrations. The long square ends at the National Museum (Národní muzeum). While we did not have time to visit the museum, word is it is an incredible museum complex with a wide range of natural history and science exhibits.

Above photo: Wenceslas Square and the National Museum

Our walk back to our hotel took us past Henry’s Bell Tower. This freestanding late Gothic belfry is part of the Church of St. Henry and St. Kunhuta. Inside the tower there is an exhibition and a restaurant. We skipped this only because my kiddos were worn out after our long day and lots of walking. We packed a ton of stuff into Day 1!

Above photos: Henry’s Bell Tower (left) and a set of ornate doors in Old Town (right)

Day 2: Prague Castle and Lesser Town

Our second day in Prague was focused on the area on the opposite side of the Vltava River and included Prague Castle and the Malá Strana district.

Prague Castle isn’t so much a castle as it is a complex of historical buildings that include the palace, ecclesiastical buildings, Golden Lane, and gardens. The castle is the largest castle complex in the world and dates back to 800 AD. For this reason, it is a wildly popular tourist attraction and the crowds are thick.

If you plan on visiting Prague Castle during the summer months, early arrival is key. The queues for entry into the buildings, especially St. Vitus Cathedral, can be really long.

Above photos: St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle

Above photos: Kohl’s Fountain in the second courtyard (left) and St. George’s Basilica (right)

Above photos: Golden Lane, Prague Castle

The views from Prague Castle were opposite the views we saw on our first day from the Powder Tower. This time, we were looking back at Old Town and to the south towards Petrin Hill.

Above photos: Views from Prague Castle

Just to south of Prague Castle is Waldstein Garden (Valdštejnská zahrada), a wonderful Baroque garden with perfect geometric plantings. Honestly, I loved this so much more that the castle grounds. Fewer people, peaceful garden paths, and a lovely fountain. There are peacocks wandering all over, too! We got caught in the rain while we were here and got to wait the whole thing out under the trees with these gorgeous creatures.

Above photos: Waiting out a rain shower in Waldstein Garden

When the rain let up, we walked over to the massive sala pavilion where a summer concert was in progress. We sat there for a while in some light drizzle and listened to a classical music program. Like the day before, I felt like it was just an amazing stroke of the luckiest timing.

Above photos: Waldstein Garden & Pavillion

Less than a 10-minute walk away, our next stop was St. Nicholas Church of Lesser Town. This church is astonishingly ornate and beautiful. It is a High Baroque-style cathedral with a 20-meter diameter dome. It’s massive and high. It is probably one of the most beautiful places of worship I have ever set foot in.

The main organ has over 4,000 pipes up to six metres in length and was played by Mozart during his stay in Prague. We were able to explore the cathedral on both levels freely. I’m sure this church draws many admirers, but while we were there, there were just a handful of other visitors.

Above photo: Exterior dome of St. Nicholas Church of Lesser Town

Above photos: St. Nicholas Church of Lesser Town

Above photos: The streets and buildings of Lesser Town

Our next stop was the Lennon Wall. This ever-changing wall is filled with art and expressions of John Lennon-inspired graffiti. When you go there, it will look completely different than it did when we visited because it is continuously being added onto and painted over. It is a really fun place to visit – and to perhaps add your own mark somewhere in the mix!

Above photos: Lennon Wall

The Lennon Wall is located just a few steps away from the Lesser Town Bridge Tower that bookends the Charles Bridge. So, naturally, we chose to walk over it on our way back towards our hotel. The Charles Bridge is one of the most memorable sights in Prague. The medieval stone arches span the Vltava River while the statues and decorative lamps adorn the top and embody their own stories. It is completely free to walk across any time of the day. It is also a treat to experience the bridge by boat, which we did on Day 3 (more about that farther below).

The first part of the pedestrian bridge crosses over Devil’s Canal (Čertovka), a narrow man-made waterway. There are several medieval mills along its course.

Above photos: Devil’s Canal

Crossing over the Charles Bridge was very crowded. This is a very popular tourist attraction with folks stopping along the way to admire the statues and take photos. If you want to get a perfect photo without any other people in it, you’ll have to get here early in the morning because it does stay quite busy throughout the day.

Above photos: Crossing over the Charles Bridge

Once on the other side of the bridge, we were greeted by the Old Town Bridge Tower, the Charles Bridge Museum, the
St. Francis Of Assisi Church, the Church of St. Salvator, and more busy crowds. There are some great photo spots here and views back over the Vltava River too!

Above photos: St. Francis Of Assisi Church (left) and Church of St. Salvator (right)

Above photo: Views of the Vltava River and Lesser Town from the base of the Old Town Bridge Tower

Each time we walked back to our hotel, we passed through a square where a Trdelník Stand was rolling dough and making dreams come true. We passed it once or twice just eyeing it in curiosity and watching folks step away with their hands full of some variation on a theme. Finally, we caved and decided it was our night.

Trdelník is not actually a traditional Czech food. It is something of a mish-mash of Slovanian and Hungarian melded with tourism demand. Whatever the historical beginnings and evolution of this chimney of deliciousness, we were there for it and Prague is now known for it.

Above photos: Trdelnik Stand

Everyone was pretty happy eating dessert for dinner. And, that was a wrap for Day 2!

Day 3: Strahov Monastery, Petrin Tower, Kampa

Our next day in Prague started out very much like the day before. We headed over the Manes Bridge towards the Malá Strana district in Lesser Town. But, that is where the similarities ended.

We headed down to the docks at Klárov for a sightseeing boat trip on the Vltava River. There are a few tour boat agencies to choose from. We went with Lesser Town Boats because of their adorable little covered pontoon-like boats.

Everyone loved the boat! Our tour took us around picturesque Kampa Island and through Devil’s Channel (also known as “Little Venice”). Of course, seeing the Charles Bridge from the water and sailing underneath it was the highlight. Although, my kids would tell you their favorite part was all the snacks and drinks on board.

The boat tours run every 30 minutes from Klárov and last around an hour in total. The captain calls out points of interest along the way that you probably would not see or know to look for otherwise. Great way to start off the day!

Above photos: Views from the Lesser Town Boats tour of the Vltava River

Our next stop was perhaps my favorite in Prague – the Strahov Monastery and Library. The abbey complex is about a 30 minute walk or an 18 minute tram ride from where we got off our boat. We took the tram because we really wanted to experience riding those cute red trolleys!

The Strahov Monestary dates from the 12th century and is actively undergoing restoration after years of being sacked and plundered by various rulers and political parties. We were able to catch a glimpse of the Bascillica through wrought-iron gates, but were not able to enter.

Above photos: Strahov Monastery & Library

Above photo: The Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady at Strahov Monastery

It’s true, I have a thing for beautiful, old world libraries. The Strahov Library is so over-the-top that it was chosen as a filming location and stand-in for the Palace of Versailles in Season 2 of Outlander. The library is comprised of two halls – The Theological Hall and the Philosophers Hall.

The Theological Hall was built in the 17th century and houses 18,000 volumes. The northern wall contains nothing besides various editions of the Bible or parts of the Bible in different languages. Of course, the most outstanding aspect of the hall visually is the ornate decoration and barrel-vaulted ceiling with hand-painted frescos.

Above photo: The Theological Hall at Strahov Library

Adjacent to the Theological Hall is the Philosophers Hall, housing more than 42,000 volumes. This 18th century library was the last great piece of building work in the abbey complex. It was built to accommodate the additions to the library and is also richly decorated with walnut shelving and ceiling frescos.

The library halls can be viewed from an open doorway. However, visitors were not permitted past the entrance points or free to wander the length of the halls. This is a difference experience from other old world libraries in that it can only be experienced from a single viewpoint.

Above photos: The Philosophers Hall at Strahov Library

Immediately following our visit to Strahov Library, we walked along Strahovská to the Petrin Funicular Railway. It was approximately 10 -15 minutes from the library to the base of the funicular. The funicular runs every 10 minutes or so. Tickets can be purchased when you arrive. At the top of the incline, there are a few things to explore, including Petrin Tower.

Above photos: The Petrin Funicular Railway

Above photos: Rose gardens at Petrin Hill

Petrin Tower is a mini version of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The main difference (besides the size) is that the Eiffel Tower has an elevator that can take you to the top viewing decks. The Petrin Tower does not. There are about 300 steps to climb if you wish to experience the magnificent views of Prauge from this vantage point. Yes, it is worth it!

Above photos: Views from Petrin Tower

Instead of taking the funicular back down, we opted to walk the pathways through the woods towards Újezd and Kampa. The walk is easy going downhill and will land you in a neighborhood full of cafes. And, that is exactly what we did!

Above photo: View of St. Vitus from Petrin Hill

We headed over to Café Savoy for a late sit-down lunch. This ultra elegant restaurant has an extraordinary interior and an impressive menu of traditional Czech foods and patisserie. We were starving and ended up ordering a ton of food – and dessert — and tea. It was all wonderful and afforded us time to linger longer in the haute Art Nouveau atmosphere.

Above photos: Cafe Savoy

The historic Legion Bridge was directly across from our lunch cafe. Although it is not nearly as well-known as the Charles Bridge, it still has some pretty features and great views of Střelecký Island and the paddle boats on the Vltava River. This section of the river is really calm and perfect for recreation due to a weir in the River Vltava that is used to help regulate the river’s flow.

Above photos: The Legion Bridge

Once we reached the other side of the bridge, we had about an 8-minute walk to the Franz Kafka Rotating Head. Before you gloss over your chance to see this modern sculpture, let me just say this was one of my boys’ favorite things in Prague. They have long forgotten about the clock, but will still talk about the rotating head.

This modern art installation was created by David Černý and is located at the Quadrio shopping plaza. The head was created using 42 floors of moving shiny metal. It reminds me of pin art (you know, those pin toys you can stick your hand on to create a sculpture?). Anyway, if you have time, this was a cool thing to see. My kids were in awe.

Above photo: Franz Kafka Rotating Head

Here is my one and only dinner recommendation for Prague: Mlejnice. Located on the tiny side street of Kožná Street in Old Town, this restaurant evokes cozy old world vibes and the food is outstanding! We were so lucky to get a table because it turns out it is one of the most sought-after restaurants in the area.

Above photos: Mlejnice

Day 4: Vysehrad, Basilica of St. Peter and Paul

For our last full day in Prague, our plans included visiting the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vysehrad. This area is outside of the main city center and requires a little more planning to reach, but it is incredibly easy! Vysehrad is a stop on the metro. We took line C (the red one) and it was really straight-forward from there.

Once you get off the metro, there are signs you can follow to the Taborska Gate, the ornate official entrance to Vysehrad. Once inside the gate, it is a beautiful park area with easy-to-follow paths and interesting things to see, such as sculptures and stone foundations of old fortifications and structures.

Above photo: Taborska Gate

Above photos: Vysehrad

The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul was erected between 1070–1080 by the Czech King Vratislav II. It has been through a couple re-builds due to conflicts and fire. It currently stands as a neo-Gothic church.

Above photos: Basilica of St. Peter and Paul

After we took a million photos of the exterior and colorful doors, we headed inside to view the amazing painted interiors. I don’t even have words to describe it. Every inch is covered in detailed decoration.

Above photos: Basilica of St. Peter and Paul

As we left the basilica, we turned to visit the Vysehrad Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place of some of the most famous and notable individuals in Prague’s history, including many composers, artists, sculptors, writers, intellectuals, and politicians. The massive Slavín tomb, where the nation’s most famous personages have been laid to rest, is also here.

Above photos: Vysehrad Cemetery

We spent most of our day in Vysehrad, walking throughout the park and chilling out. The views over the Vltava River are stunning! Our blue sky day afforded us clear views of the river and Podolí district to the left and of Prague Castle and Petrin Hill to the right.

Above photos: Views of Prague and the Vltava River from Vysehrad

Our final evening and hurrah in Prague included a live classical music performance in the Smetana Concert Hall at the Municipal House. Prague is one of the best places to experience classical music in Europe (Austria is also great for this, but staying focused on Prague right now). There are amazing concert venues throughout the city and depending on the program that interests you most, you can almost certainly find tickets. We couldn’t leave Prague without attending a concert, and it was really a perfect way to punctuate our visit. Event calendars and tickets can be found here.

Above photo: Smetana Hall at the Municipal House

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