If you go by the sheer number of sights to visit in Prague as listed out on various websites, you would think Prague needs a minimum of 2 weeks. Reality is different – most of the architecturally beautiful buildings require few minutes of admiration from outside.
Most of the places of tourist attraction are centrally located in Prague. A combination of trams and metro with a fair bit of walking will take you just about everywhere you may wish to go to.
Old Town Square and adjoining areas in Old Town
With limited renovations, the Old Town Square is said to be largely untouched since 10th century CE. There are some very old and very colourful houses and buildings and with horse carriages plying with occasional sights of vintage cars, it did seem briefly I had moved back in time.
On a self guided walking tour of Old Town, I saw the National Library, New City Hall, Little Square, Old Town Square, Old Town Hall with its Astronomical Clocks and Bell Tower, Church of St. Nicholas, Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, Powder Tower and the Municipal House. There are lot more stunning buildings, attractive streets and monuments.
The Church of our Lady before Tyn, Prague, Czech Republic 
The municipal House, Prague, Czech Republic 
Old Town square, Prague, Czech Republic 
National Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
The total distance is less than 5kms and it will take an hour or so for outside views only. And many of the buildings need to be admired from outside only, no need to go in. But you will need almost a full day if you get inside few of the buildings. Best to explore at leisure, like I did, over a period of 2 days. And this area has plethora of cafes, bars and restaurants serving a variety of food and beverages.
The streets in Old Town are quite lively with street performances. This particular show reminded me of India! I also bumped into an ISKCON devotee selling books that he was carrying on his cycle.
Old Town Hall
The Old Town Hall is famous for its mechanical astronomical clocks built in the 15th Century CE. Every hour, the procession by apostles at the top of the clock draws many visitors. A close comparison is the manual German made cuckoo clock wherein a cuckoo makes an appearance every hour. Nothing fancy though and there is really no need to hang round just to see this.
The view from the Old Town Hall Bell Tower is magnificent. It is amazing how the buildings look so different when viewed from the top.
Old Town Hall, Prague, Czech Republic 
The astronomical clocks, Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge
Built in the 14th Century CE, Charles bridge is synonymous with Prague and connects the Lesser Town(Prague Castle side) and Old Town. It is a beautiful old bridge with statues decorating the length of the bridge. A leisurely walk across the bridge is a very pleasant experience. There is a Tower on both the ends and one can go up. Several local artisans and vendors sell their wares/souvenirs on the bridge.
The area surrounding the Charles bridge has some beautiful buildings and churches. I spent over 2 hours in this area. There is an Ice bar and Medieval Torture museum on the Old Town side, both of which are worth visiting.
Prague Castle
As Prague’s no 1 attraction, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was traditionally the seat of Czech rulers, it is today the official residence of Czech President. Originally believed to have been built in 880 CE, it has undergone several constructions and reconstructions since then. The entire complex is spread over half a sq. km and is rated among the largest of such complexes in the world. Key places to see include the Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George’s Basilica, the Golden Lane and the Royal garden. There is change of guards at noon everyday in the first courtyard and this is good time to visit the Castle.
While the complex is open early morning to late night, most of the buildings open around 9am and close by 5Pm, actual timings varying between summer and winter.
St. Vitus Cathedral
Located within the walls of Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral is very impressive and a very photogenic. The kings of Bohemia were coronated in this cathedral, with several of them buried in tombs under the cathedral.
St. George’s Basilica
The second oldest church in Prague was built around 920CE and was subsequently reconstructed a few times.
The Royal Palace
Believed to have been built by 10th century CE, the original wooden residential building has undergone several reconstructions. The new one houses the Czech President.
Golden Lane
The Golden Lane is a row of colorful small houses that were inhabited until World War II. The name is derived from royal goldsmiths who once lived here.
After the war, the houses were painted in different colors, and converted to showrooms or mini museums. Many contain furniture, artifacts and items from different periods of time. In few of them, the living rooms, bedrooms and work areas with tools have been preserved. It is great fun exploring the houses on the Golden Lane.
New royal palace, Prague Castle, Czech Republic 
Inside St. George’s Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic 
St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic 
Inside St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic 
Golden Lane, Prague, Czech Republic 
Inside a house in Golden Lane, Prague Castle, Czech Republic
Entry fee
I paid an entrance fee of more than INR 1.5k for a family ticket(2 adults and up to 5 children) for Circuit B. It includes all the key attractions I have stated above. Circuit A includes access to Rosenbury Palace and an exhibition and costs more. There is extra fee for the South Tower of the Cathedral with view gallery. I did not opt for this as Prague has so many other view points.
Plan entry and exit
The Castle is accessible by both trams and metro and there are 2 or 3 entry options available. The tickets are sold near St. Vitus Cathedral. Better to plan entry and exit points if you want to avoid unnecessary walk.
I would have loved to see the Bohemian Crown Jewels but these are not displayed for public on a regular basis.
About 2-3 hours is required for the Castle. There are cafes inside walls of the Castle and plenty of restaurants nearby.
Click here for more details on the Castle.
Strahov monastery
Close to Prague Castle is the Strahov monastery with its exquisite library containing medieval manuscripts and a gallery with some rare paintings. I did not visit this but you can combine it with visit to Prague Castle or Petrin Hills.
Museums and Galleries
There are believed to be over 250 museums and galleries in Prague featuring arts, culture, history, and much more. Few unusual ones include the Beer Museum, Museum of Medieval Torture, Sex Machines Museum, Museum of Miniatures, KGB Museum, and Museum of Public Transport. Most of these museums require an hour or so. So take a pick based on your interest levels.
Check this link for list of 80 museums. Most websites only indicate ‘recommended museums’ so you will have to do a bit of homework to identify museums based on your interest.
Among the ‘usual’ museums, National Museum is rated as ‘must see’. That is, if you wish to learn more about Czech history, theatre and so on.
The Dancing House and Zizkov TV Tower
Many say that there are two structures that seem out of place in Prague, as compared to its historical architecture. One is the Zizkov Television Tower and the other is the Dancing house. I visited both. The Dancing House surely looks unique from outside but nothing very special. Maybe it was a challenge for the architect and the builder. There is a ‘glass bar’ inside, everything here is made from glass, including the tables and the chairs.
The TV Tower provides great views of the city from a viewing platform at a height of 93m. I visited in the evening, just when it was getting dark. Surprisingly, there were hardly any visitors at that time. This is the tallest building in Prague standing at 216m. The entry fee was ~INR 2k for a family card. There is a restaurant serving international cuisine at a height of 66m.
Dancing House, Prague, Czech Republic 
Zizkov TV Tower, Prague, Czech Republic
Petrin Tower
This mini Eiffel Tower, at 208 ft. provides a great views of Prague. There are 299 steps to the top and the climb is surprisingly not too difficult.
Located near Prague Castle, Petrin is accessible by a funicular. The garden is beautiful and well maintained, including the rose garden. There are other attractions such as mirror maze that kids will especially enjoy.
Botanical gardens and St. Clara Vineyard
The Botanical gardens is spread over 30 hectares in a hilly region and has a good collections of plants and trees from around the world. St. Clara Vineyard is also part of the garden. I was keen to visit the vineyard while my spouse was more keen on botanical gardens. One of those rare instances where both our needs were met!
The garden is huge and with up and down trails, fairly tiring. If you intend to visit, download the map of the garden as well as the neighbourhood so you can easily find your way from the bus stop. I did miss a few turns before finally getting it right. There were signs but I may have missed couple of them. But the extra walk meant I was already a bit tired by the time I reached the entrance!
There are 2-3 entrances and you must decide the entry point depending on your interest-for example, the greenhouse or vineyard. There is a wine shop which opens in the afternoon and wine tasting is also offered.
The vineyard entry costs about INR 350 per adult. Additional fee is payable for entry to Greenhouse. The garden entry is free.
I took the metro to Nadrazi Holesovice(also accessible by trams) and then a bus to Kovarna entrance.
Take Vltava river cruise
Like in most other European towns, a river cruise in Prague is a must do for the magnificent views it provides. Plenty of choices, ranging from basic under 1 hours cruise to 2-3 hours lunch and dinner cruises. Evening cruises offer live music also. I opted for 1 hour day cruise. Make sure to choose a boat with open deck.
Ride Tram 22 and Tram 41
Tram 22 passes through some of the most scenic spots in Prague, including Prague Castle. Tram 41 operates only on weekends during summer till early winter and passes by several historical sites. This tram is like a hop off-hop on bus, you can board the tram any number of times during the day.
Areas for leisurely stroll
Prague is a walking city. Some of the areas where I enjoyed a leisure stroll are as follows.
- Wenceslas Square in New Town
- Old Town
- Mala Strana
- Along the banks of Vltava river
- Vinohrady, the very beautiful residential area in Prague
Prague looks beautiful in the night so I made sure I stepped out after dark as well.
View points
Visit at least 2-3 view points, an illustrative list is below. I went to the first three view points. You don’t need to visit all-the views will not be dramatically different. Ideal combination is one within the city and not too high(e.g. Old Town Hall Tower or Charles Bridge Tower) and the other at a good height(e.g. Petrin or Zizkov Tower). Visit one in the evening as Prague looks equally beautiful when lit.
- Old Town Hall Tower
- Petrin Tower
- Zizkov Television Tower
- Charles Bridge Tower
- South Tower of the St. Vitus Cathedral
- Letna Park
Day trips from Prague
These places are accessible by bus and train. Taking a guided tour is also an option to be considered.
Karlstejn Castle is about 45minutes by train from Prague. This Gothic Castle was built in the 14th century CE. Just the castle will not require a full day but you can add on a visit to a glass factory.
Karlovy Vary is the spa town with several thermal springs. The Czech International Film Festival is held here annually. Many wellness packages are offered by the resorts/hotels here. Takes over 2 hours by bus and 3 hours by train. Click here for more information.
Cesky Krumlov, the charming medieval town is ~3 hours away from Prague.
Brno, the second largest city in Czech Republic is ~2.5 hours away from Prague by train. One good reason to visit Brno is Punkva caves. Read more on ‘A day trip to Brno’.
