2 days in Prague

Day by day

1. Day 1: Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral

   Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, Strahov Monastery and Library and Charles Bridge, then Old Town Square in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Prague Castle

      A circuit ticket covers St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace with its vaulted Vladislav Hall, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane, a row of tiny houses where Franz Kafka once wrote.

   2. Late morning

      St Vitus Cathedral

      The Great South Tower can be climbed for views over the castle and city.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Svíčková

      Traditional pubs and restaurants across the city; often on weekday lunch menus.

   4. Afternoon

      Strahov Monastery and Library

      The monastery brewery serves its own beers.

   5. Late afternoon

      Charles Bridge

      Touching the bronze relief below the statue of St John of Nepomuk is said to bring good luck. Gothic towers stand at both ends, and the Old Town Bridge Tower can be climbed.

   6. Evening

      Old Town Square

      Step into the side streets for coffee; the terraces on the square charge a premium.

2. Day 2: Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock and Municipal House

   Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock, Municipal House, Klementinum and Jewish Quarter (Josefov), then Žižkov in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock

      Each hour during the day the twelve Apostles parade past its windows while a skeleton rings a bell. Inside the hall, a lift and ramp climb the tower for one of the best views over the Old Town's roofs.

   2. Late morning

      Municipal House

      Guided tours visit the ceremonial halls, the Smetana Hall hosts concerts, and its café and restaurants keep their original interiors.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Roast pork, dumplings and sauerkraut

      Old-style pubs in Žižkov, Vinohrady and the New Town, where it is cheaper than in the Old Town.

   4. Afternoon

      Klementinum

      The top of the tower has a view over the Old Town and the castle.

   5. Late afternoon

      Jewish Quarter (Josefov)

      The Pinkas Synagogue's walls list the names of Czech and Moravian Jews murdered in the Holocaust, alongside drawings by children from Terezín, and the Moorish-style Spanish Synagogue is richly decorated. The Old-New Synagogue, from the 13th century, is still in use.

   6. Evening

      Žižkov

      A dense mix of cheap, smoky old pubs and craft-beer bars favoured by students and locals.

Before you go

• Prague Castle: Buying the circuit ticket online saves queuing at the ticket offices; security checks at the gates can still be slow in summer.
• Klementinum: Guided tours have limited places and fill up in high season.

If it rains

• Swap in Wenceslas Square and the National Museum (New Town): Look for the small memorial to Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc in front of the museum.
• Swap in St Nicholas Church, Malá Strana (Malá Strana): Evening classical concerts here are a good way to hear the acoustics; buy tickets at the church rather than from street sellers.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–15 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.1 hours in December to 16.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Tram. Trams are the most useful way to get around, running frequently and through the night on dedicated night routes.

More or fewer days

• One day in Prague
• 3 days in Prague
• 4 days in Prague
• 5 days in Prague
• 7 days in Prague

Questions travellers ask