One day 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

      Arrive at opening or late afternoon; the courtyards are free to walk, and the noon changing of the guard in the first courtyard draws big crowds. Allow 3–4 hours.

   2. Late morning

      St Vitus Cathedral

      The entrance area just inside the door is free to view; buy a circuit ticket to walk the full nave and see the chapels up close. Allow 1 hour.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Svíčková

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

   4. Afternoon

      Strahov Monastery and Library

      Combine it with Petřín Hill, which is almost level with the monastery, and walk down through the orchards. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Charles Bridge

      Cross at sunrise for an almost empty bridge, then return after dark to see the castle lit up. Allow 30 minutes–1 hour.

   6. Evening

      Old Town Square

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

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.

If it rains

• Swap in Jewish Quarter (Josefov) (Josefov): The sites shut on Saturdays and Jewish holidays; buy the combined ticket and allow time for the Pinkas Synagogue.
• 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 Municipal House (Old Town): If you skip the tour, have coffee in the ground-floor café to see the interior, then walk under the Powder Tower next door.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–9 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in Prague
• 3 days in Prague
• 4 days in Prague
• 5 days in Prague
• 7 days in Prague

Questions travellers ask