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Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, or Czechia as it is now known, is claimed by many as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It has an amazing vibe and we wished we had been there for at least a day more. Most of the attractions in Prague are located in the Old Town, New Town, or its surrounding districts.
How long should you spend in Prague?
We spent 3 nights and 2 days in Prague and while it was enough to get a feel of the city and cover all the main attractions, we wished we had planned an extra day here to explore regions beyond the Old Town. We spent our days covering the main attractions and our nights partying with the friends we made in the hostel we stayed in (See Our Accommodation Review). Our hostel was surely a highlight of our time in Prague and is a big reason for us wanting to go back.
Getting Around
Getting public transport tickets is convenient using the **PID Lítačka app. A single 30-minute ticket only costs 30Kc (€1.30) and a 24-hour ticket costs 120Kc (€5). We mainly walked around the city and seldom used public transport so the 30-minute tickets were more than enough for us. However, if you want to explore the areas beyond the Old Town, you would likely need to use public transport. Once you buy the ticket, you can activate it on the app once you get on the bus or tram, and the 30-minute timer will start from then.
Check out this link for more information on the public transport system in Prague.
Things to Do
This is how we would recommend spending 2 full days in Prague. As there is much more to Prague beyond the Old Town, we would recommend adding a third day if you'd like to explore these areas more. Of course, depending on the pace and duration of your trip, this itinerary can easily be modified or extended.
Find all our recommended locations here on Google Maps!
Day 1: Old Town
1. Old Town, Jewish Quarter and Charles Bridge Tour
Just like in Budapest, we did a free walking tour of the Prague Old Town on our first day. We strongly believe that free walking tours are the way to go because they give you a splendid introduction to the city while saving you time and money. We went with 100 Spires City Tours as they had amazing reviews online and were also recommended by our hostel. Our guide, David, was witty and kept us engaged for the entire 3 hours as he took us through all the main sights and attractions in Prague (except Prague Castle). Learning the story behind the famous astronomical clock and the iconic Charles Bridge made us appreciate them more and made sightseeing so much more interesting.
At the end of the tour, David gave us his all-important food recommendations. We hit one local food joint (See Lokal below) 5 minutes away and it did not disappoint! After the tour, the tour company also sends you an email with attached recommendations for the rest of your time in Prague, which is a very nice touch. Do remember to book your tour in advance online, as they try to limit each tour to around 30 people to keep the group size manageable for the tour guides. While this is a free tour, tipping is strongly encouraged as this could be a primary source of income for many guides.
2. Prague Astronomical Clock
This is covered in the tour above but if you don't have a chance to go on that tour, check out the famous astronomical clock located in Old Town Square. At the turn of every hour, hundreds of tourists will gather around the base of the clock to watch a “show”. This may be rather underwhelming, but keep in mind that the clock was made in the 1400s so all things considered, it is quite impressive for its time.
3. Klementinum Library
This is one place we really wished we had visited but unfortunately did not have the time to. Nestled in the heart of the city, this architectural gem is a haven for book lovers. Dating back to the 17th century, the Klementinum Library captivates visitors with its breathtaking Baroque design, intricate frescoes and lavish decorations. Often described by many as the “world’s most beautiful library”, the Klementinum Library is worth a stop.
4. Franz Kafka - Rotating Head
The mesmerizing Franz Kafka rotating head sculpture is an extraordinary artistic marvel nestled in the heart of Prague. This 39-foot-tall masterpiece rotates in 15-minute intervals and is a must-see wonder for literary enthusiasts and art lovers alike.
5. Dancing House
This extraordinary structure, also known as Ginger and Fred, seamlessly blends modernity and elegance and stands as a testament to the city's vibrant artistic spirit.
Day 2: Prague Castle
1. Prague Castle Tour
The Prague Castle is a large complex of several buildings, rather than a standalone Castle. We loved our walking tour on Day 1 so much that we booked another one by the same company to explore the Prague Castle. Another reason we loved free walking tours so much is that they do all the planning for you and it just makes it easier to have a fruitful sightseeing experience. Our guide, Daniel, was hilarious and took us around the Castle complex and its surroundings. There is a separate paid tour that takes you into the castle buildings if you want to explore the interiors. For us however, this tour was more than enough.
Do note that at the start of the tour, the entire tour group will need to take a public tram, so you will need to have the **PID Lítačka app downloaded on your phone to purchase a ticket (See Getting Around). This tour also happened to be fully booked the day we went so some of our friends from our hostel could not join at the last minute. So remember to book your tickets in advance to secure your spot!
2. St. Vitus Cathedral
The tour above will take you inside the cathedral but is also worth visiting if you are exploring the Prague Castle complex by yourself.
3. Church of Our Lady Victorious and The Infant Jesus of Prague
Nestled within the heart of Prague lies a revered symbol of faith and devotion — the Infant Jesus of Prague. This small, yet powerful, statue of the child Jesus has drawn pilgrims from all over the world for centuries. The Infant Jesus resides in the Church of Our Lady Victorious, a walking distance away from the Prague Castle complex.
4. Petrin Hill
Petrin Hill is one of the most picturesque areas in Prague. The summit of the hill is a pleasant area for a walk and offers panoramic views of the city. There are several cafes here if you want to grab a bite. You can either take a 30-minute walk up or choose the more relaxing funicular ride up from Újezd station at the bottom.
Our Food Recommendations
Estimated price (per pax):
€: 0-10; €€: 10-20; €€€: 20-30
1. Lokál U Bílé kuželky
Cuisine: Czech
Rating: 4.5/5
Price: €€
Address: Míšeňská 12, 110 00 Malá Strana, Czechia
What we got: Fried cheese with tartare sauce, Beef flank steak with grilled vegetables
Review: A great place to enjoy local Czech cuisine. The fried cheese was to die for, especially with the homemade tartar sauce that was served it. It was also the first time we tried a pint of the famous local beer, Pilsner Urquell. The prices were very affordable given the quality - a pint of beer was only €2.60!
2. Café Louvre
Cuisine: Czech
Rating: 4/5
Price: €€
Address: Národní 22, 110 00 Nové Město, Czechia
What we got: French savoury quiche, cappuccino
Review: One of the oldest and most famous cafes in Prague, Cafe Louvre serves some delicious traditional Czech food. Whether you want a light bite or a hearty meal, this cafe is worth visiting. We came here for an evening snack with some friends from our hostel and were pleasantly surprised by the food, ambience, and service. They even have a billiards room if you’re up for a game.
3. Mistral Cafe
Cuisine: Modern European
Rating: 4/5
Price: €€
Address: 56, Valentinská 11, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 1, Czechia
What we got: Traditional pancakes with blueberries, Three-eggs omelette
Review: The perfect place for a weekend brunch! The place had a lovely atmosphere and a chill vibe. Both the dishes we got were excellent and the perfect way to start the day.
4. Crème de la Crème
Cuisine: Gelato
Rating: 5/5
Price: €
Address: 12, Husova 231, Staré Město, 110 00, Czechia
What we got: Pistachio and Chocolate
Review: One of the best gelatos we’ve had outside Italy. There’s no better way to end a day of sightseeing than with a cold, creamy gelato!
5. Strahov Monastery Brewery
Cuisine: Beer
Rating: 4/5
Price: €
Address: Strahovské nádvoří 301, 118 00 Praha 1-Hradčany, Czechia
What we got: Amber Lager, IPA
Review: If you’re a fan of draught beer, this is the perfect stop after touring the Prague Castle. The beers were refreshing and the service was excellent.
Our Accommodation Review
Here is our review of our accommodation for the night:
The RoadHouse Prague (Address: Náprstkova 275/4, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia)
About: The RoadHouse Prague is a relatively new independently owned and operated hostel. It has a laid-back atmosphere and is perfect for the social backpacker. The hostel only accommodates up to 20 travellers at a time so you really get to know most of the people there during your stay. They do have a sister hostel, The Madhouse Prague, which is a party hostel and a better choice if you want to party your way through Prague.
Price: €40 per person per night (mid-May)
Location 5/5: RoadHouse is located just 150m away from Charles Bridge, the most famous bridge in Prague, and a 7-minute walk away from Old Town Square. The neighbourhood is full of cafes, bars and restaurants where you can get some good Czech food. It takes around 20 minutes by public transport to get from the Prague Main Railway Station to the hostel.
Comfort & Vibes 6/5:
Yes, you read that right. We cannot recommend this hostel enough. It was THAT good.
Rooms: Like the Budapest hostel, we got 2 beds in an 8-person mixed dorm. The rooms were really comfy and had everything we could have asked for. Each bed has a reading light, shelf, charging points, curtain and a huge storage area underneath. Beside each bunk bed are extra shelves for storage and hooks to hang your clothes.
Toilets: The hostel also provides towels free of charge! The bathrooms were probably fancier than some of the hotels we’ve been to. There are 3 bathrooms in total, each with a toilet, sink and shower. Since there’s only a maximum of 20 guests at a time, there is seldom a queue to enter.
Staff: The facilities are amazing, but the staff in this hostel really go out of their way to make your stay as comfortable as it can be. All of them were so warm and approachable and surprisingly great chefs! Upon checking in, Jazz, the lady at the reception at that time, gave us a tour of the whole hostel and made us feel at home at once. She also made some excellent pierogis (dumplings) for dinner which we still crave. We can honestly say that our experience here would not have been as special without the wonderful Roadhouse Family.
Activities:
One of the best things about this hostel is that they have home-cooked dinners every night! There is a sign-up sheet every day where you can add your name, and there is a 100Kc (€4) charge to cover the cost of the ingredients. We had dinner in the hostel all 3 of the nights we were there and we were so glad we did because every dinner was amazing and hit the spot. It felt great to have some home-cooked food after eating out for days.
After dinner, there is usually a night activity that the hostel staff organizes. There is no pressure to join but we had an amazing time every night. The first night they took us drunk bowling, followed by a club. The second night we visited some cool underground bars, and then hit another club with free-flowing Sangria! You get the idea. We made some really good friends whom we then went with on sightseeing tours within the subsequent days and remained in touch with even after leaving Prague!
Laundry: Yes, they have a laundry service! This was a godsend as we were around halfway through our trip and desperately needed a laundry run. The hostel offers a wash-dry-fold service for 250Kc (€10.50), for a bucket full of clothes. It’s the little things like this that really make this hostel stand out from the rest.
Kitchen: There is a kitchen that is fully equipped with spices and other basic cooking ingredients if you want to cook your own meals. There are 4 different types of cereal which you help yourself to, as well as a coffee and tea counter, all free of charge.
Living room: The lounge area is really cosy, and features a Wii, Netflix and board games for nights when you feel like staying in. One of the coffee table books is actually a booklet of Prague recommendations created by the people who run the hostel. Upon checking in, we read through the whole booklet and made a list of things that we wanted to see. It was really helpful and made planning our stay in Prague much easier.
Accessibility Note: While this wasn’t an issue for us, this hostel is located up a rather steep flight of stairs, which may be an accessibility issue for some.
Final Thoughts
We absolutely loved our time in Prague and enjoyed exploring the ancient Old Town. As there is much more to Prague beyond the Old Town, you could easily spend a few more days here. One of the biggest highlights of our entire Central Europe trip was definitely the RoadHouse hostel and is one of the main reasons we would love to return to this beautiful city. To find out more about getting around Central Europe, check out this other blog post!
beautiful entry!