The best Prague itinerary in 2 or 3 days or even longer
This is one of the most beautiful city I have ever visited, a real open-air museum, with buildings dating back up to the 10th century, or over 1,000 years old
The great news is that the Czech capital is quite compact and organising a Prague itinerary is not a complicated task as in other European cities.
In saying that,there are so many experiences to have and things to do in Prague that it is easy to get lost in the many possibilities.
In this post you will find more information on how many days in Prague are ideal for a visit, and what you could do.
I visited this city for the first time 20 years ago as a single and I keep visiting it on a regular basis, now with my little one and my wife.
This guide is based on my long experience there, and it works literally for any type of trip (family, couples or just a trip with friends)
But, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
How many days in Prague?
This is one of the most common questions that I usually receive.
The typical answer can be “the more, the better”, but not everyone has a spare week or even longer, isn’t it?
So, let me give you all the options.
In one day you can walk around the old city and visit part of the castle complex.
I would personally not suggest such a short stay, you would scratch just the surface.
With 48 hours, you can think to allocate the first day to the Old City and visit one or two epic attractions.
On the second day, have a stroll over Charles Bridge and make your way to Malá Strana, or the Lesser City on the other side of the river, to visit the castle complex and the nearby area.
You can also think of including a visit to a museum in the area.
However, a 3-day Prague itinerary is the ideal option to explore and enjoy the capital of the Czech Republic.
With 72 hours, you will be able to have a much greater view and understanding of the city.
This is the ideal time to spend in Prague because you will be able to cover the best things in the city, including a few hidden gems.
With 4 or 5 days, you can think of exploring other neighborhoods outside the central Prague 1, like my beloved Vinohrady, and have a day trip outside the city.
With 6 or more days, you can take things easily, enjoy the local bakeries, spend some time at the museums, experience the best restaurants, organise some day trips and be lazy with your time allocation.
Keep in mind that the public transportation in the city is excellent, so easy and inexpensive to get around by either Metro, tram or bus
In this guide, I will start with a 2-day trip, and the core activities.
Then I will expand the Prague itinerary to include one or more days, up to 5 or more days.
Day 1 – Exploring the Old City
Spend the first day of your Prague itinerary by exploring the Historical Centre including certainly the Old Town and possibly a few places of the New Town.
The central district of Prague, called Prague 1, is divided in 3 neighborhoods:
- the Old Town, dating back to the 900AC, the Historical Centre of the city
- the New Town, funded “only” 700 years ago
- the Lesser Town, or the Castle area.
Start your exploration from the Old Town Square, the perfect place to start your Prague itinerary and one of the most beautiful squares I have ever seen in my life.
I have been to Prague a few times, but I can’t stop myself from always having a walk around this part of the city.
The Church of Our Lady before Týn is another lovely spot hiding behind the middle ages building.
The Czech capital has been very lucky to escape most of the bombing of World War 2.
This explains how most of the old buildings, although fully renovated, are still in their original condition.
The only bombing happened in Prague was actually from the allies, because of a wrong judgment of location.
In saying that, most of the buildings that you see in the streets date back to the late Medieval and Renaissance era.
That is when the city was raised, following the continuous flooding of the Vltava River.
Over 500 years ago, the king decided to move the Old Town about 5 meters above the original level.
This should have avoided the flooding (not quite so, as experienced with the massive 2002 flooding, but the global warming was not an issue back in the medieval time).
Most of the buildings were rebuilt on the foundation of the previous constructions.
In my last trip, I visited the undergrounds of a few buildings that were the original ground level, before the city was raised..
These undergrounds are possibly over 1,000 years old, with plenty of fascinating history, including their use during WW2 and the cold war, even as a playground for the kids.
This underground tour is a little gem that you should join, 2 hours of interesting and unusual stories, besides visiting a part of the city which is completely hidden, of course.
You should add to your bucket list a visit to the Old Town Hall, with its extensive underground area used during WW2 to hide the Jewish population during the German occupation.
Built in 1338, the Old Town Hall is based on 5 buildings, and a Gothic Tower where you can see the Astronomical Clock and its intricate mechanisms.
Part of the fun is, of course, walking up to the top of the tower for the fabulous view over the city center.
This is a great place that you can visit on your own with an entry ticket or you can join a tour for more history and anecdotes of the site.
Old Town Hall & Astronomical Clock
My tip here, when visiting the Old Town, is to get lost in the maze of lanes and hidden square. Do not follow a pre-defined walk. It’s such a great way to explore Prague and find new little gems.
I would personally suggest, though, to add these 2 free hidden gems below and another iconic place to the day.
The first gem is the Book Tower, built in the Municipal Library of Prague.
I love how the mirrors on the top and bottom end give an infinity feeling
The second hidden stop is the Paternoster Lift in the New City Hall.
This is one of the few remaining lifts in the world of this type.
There are no doors, you have to jump in at the right time and once it reaches the bottom, or top, it goes through a noisy u-turn to come down, or up, again. It never stops.
To check it out, enter the City Hall main gate, turn right and follow the long corridor till you reach the rear of the building.
A unique experience.
Both the Library and the City Hall are located in the same square, Mariánské nám.
For a more iconic experience, check out the Jewish Quarter starting from the Synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
The best way to experience the area and understand its background is by joining a tour, however, you can also decide to visit all on your own.
Make sure to visit the Maidel and the Spanish Synagogue.
In the area you will find also some lovely bakeries which are great for lunch.
It has been already an intensive day, and the best way to finish it is by attending a medieval dinner.
I have recently had it at the U Pavouka Restaurant and I had such a great fun. You should check out my full Medieval dinner review, with photos too.
Awesome food, unlimited drinks included and a never ending show between the tables in an underground restaurant set as in an adventure of the Pirates of the Caribbean.
This is one of, if not the most popular experience in Prague and I highly suggest booking your dinner in advance.
Where to stay for one night in Prague
I highly suggest staying in the Old Town with just one night in Prague. Here are 3 options that work great for a quiet night.
You can check out more accommodation options in my guide to where to stay in Prague
Day 2 – Charles Bridge, the Castle and a cruise
After breakfast, head straight away to Charles Bridge.
This is one of the most iconic attractions in Prague, truly unmissable.
Unfortunately, it is also very popular, so the earlier you can make it there, the better.
The busiest time is between 11am and 5pm. That is when, especially between spring and autumn, the bridge becomes so busy that walking on it is more of a slalom experience.
The construction of the bridge started with King Charles IV in 1357 and lasted over 40 years. It has been the only bridge connecting the two sides of the city over the Vltava River until 1841.
Due to the regular flooding, unfortunately, the bridge has gone through reconstruction and rebuilding over the last 600 years.
The last work was performed in 2002, following one of the worst flooding experienced by Prague.
Charles Bridge has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, together with most of Prague 1, in 1992. So beautiful, really unmissable.
Once you cross the bridge, you will be in Lesser Town, or Malá Strana.
The main attraction of this area is, of course, the Castle that includes also a visit to the beautiful St. Vitus Cathedral.
The basic ticket will give you the possibility to visit the Old Royal Palace, the Cathedral, the St. George’s Basilica and the boutique Golden Lane.
The visit takes around 2 hours. Book the tickets in advance to skip the line, which can be really long, especially on weekends.
You don’t need a ticket to visit only the central yards.
The Golden Lane can be freely accessed in the last hour of the opening time, usually after 5pm (based on the season), but all the small shops and exhibits in the lane are closed, which is a pity because you are going to miss the best part.
You can also add more attractions to the ticket, like the hike to the Great South Tower top.
For lunch, I suggest walking back, direction to Charles Bridge, and go to U Glaubicu, a restaurant organised over 3 underground levels. Beautiful interior and gorgeous food, well priced too.
In the afternoon, have a stroll in Malá Strana starting with a visit to the Karel Zeman Museum.
Czech born Karel Zeman was one of the first special effects engineer in the film industry.
I had such an interesting time understanding and experiencing the old way of making movies (so complicated and laborious, I may add)
This is an interactive museum which is beloved by adults and kids alike
Keep going to the next stop, the John Lennon Wall.
This is a wall dedicated to the freedom of speech and not exclusively to John Lennon, which actually never visited Prague.
You will find plenty of street art and poems too.
Follow the street that takes you down to the river for a unique viewpoint of Charles Bridge.
From there, turn right and enter the Kampa Park, where you will eventually cross the Kampa Contemporary Museum.
Continue your walk and you will eventually see the funicular that will take you up to Petrin Hill and the Petrin Tower, with a design inspired by the Eiffel Tower.
The view from the top is truly breathtaking, totally worth the climb. There is an elevator too, if you do not fancy the 378 metres walk up to the peak.
From the Petrin Hill, you can make your way back to the Charles Bridge through the beautiful Seminary Garden.
If you are travelling with kids, you may want to take the funicular back to the city (kids enter free of charge).
From the bottom station of the funicular you will be walking distance to the Children Island, a must visit with playgrounds and other kids attractions, besides the beautiful view over the Vltava River.
For the dinner on the second night I suggest a tiny local gem, Hostinec U Sadlu. Awesome local food and fantastic service provided by Peter, a real gem. The duck with roasted potatoes is to die for.
Where to stay for two nights in Prague
You should book your stay in Prague 1, the central district of the Czech capital.
Here are a few options based on the neighborhood:
- Old Town (Staré Město): Residence 7 Angels ($$), Old Town Boutique Apartments ($$), Pytloun Boutique Hotel ($$$)
- New Town (Nové Město):Ragtime ($), Hostel One Home ($), Hotel Golden Crown ($$)
- Lesser Town (Malá Strana, the Castle area): Charles Bridge Apartments 2BR ($$), OREA Place Charles Bridge ($$), Malostranská Residence 2BR ($$$)
You can check out more accommodation options in my guide to where to stay in Prague
Are you still unsure if you should visit Prague or Budapest?
Check out my comparison guide of the two cities, with advantages and drawbacks of both
Day 3 – The National Technical Museum, an amazing viewpoint and more
Start day 3 with a visit to one of the most underrated museum in Prague, the National Technical Museum (NTM).
Located on the edge of the Letna Park, on the other side of the Vltava River, it can be easily reached by tram or with a 20 minutes short walk from the Old City.
The museum is organised over seven floors, with the Transport Main Hall being the icing on the cake.
So, why do I highly suggest visiting it?
Simply, because you want to better understand how technology has been developing around the world, with a particular focus on the Czech Republic’s innovation and discoveries.
I have been to other museums with a similar scope, such as the Deutsches Museum in Munich, but the National Technical Museum in Prague offers something more.
Exhibits show the history of the country through the changes in local technology over the last 150 years.
I found out, for example, that the flexible contact lenses were invented by a Czech chemist, Otto Wichterle.
I got to know more about the evolution of the Czech car and motorbike industry in the early 20th century, and its involution in the 60s and 70s.
The Paris Dakar trucks race was won 6 times by a Tatra vehicle produced in the Czech Republic.
I discovered so much that I decided to write a full review of the National Technical Museum (buy the tickets in advance here)
The NTM is a good attraction to spend half a day or more. It works so well for both adults into technology and design, and kids too, with the many hands-on experiences.
I had my lunch at the Museum restaurant and it was tasty and at a great value too.
In the afternoon, have a walk in the Letna Park to reach probably the best viewpoint of the city, the Prague Metronome.
This is the site where you can experience the multilayered view of the Vltava River bridges, starting from Charles Bridge.
Walk down the park and make your way to the Čech Bridge, built in 1905, to return to the Old City, in the Jewish Area.
You can decide to seat and relax for a coffee at the lovely Pekárna Nostress Bakery (I spent my last stay metres from it and I became a local, always there 🙂 ).
Do you still have some spare time to spend on an attraction?
If you are travelling with family and kids, then make your way to the Powder Tower and the Gallery Of Steel Figures, with unique work of arts made of recycled steel.
Your children will love it, also because they can touch and even seat over the exhibits for a photo.
If you have previously visited Budapest, you may recognised it from a similar experience in District 7.
For a more adult experience, you should check out The World of Banksy – An Immersive Experience.
We all know Banksy for his unusual works, and in this exhibition you will get in contact with his ideas, his design and his art pieces.
Another experience so loved by both adults and children is the sightseeing cruise along the Vltava River.
It departs from Charles Bridge. I highly suggest buying the tickets in advance, because it can be more often than not booked out, especially on weekends.
Where to stay for three nights in Prague
Besides the accommodation I have already listed, with 3 days or more you can think to base yourself also in Vinohrady or Žižkov.
These two areas don’t have much of a touristic influx and you will feel more like a local.
Accommodations tend to have a better value too, but keep in mind the travelling time to the major attractions.
You can read more of the pros and cons of each area in my guide to where to stay in Prague
Here are a few options based on the neighborhood:
- Old Town (Staré Město): Residence 7 Angels ($$), Old Town Boutique Apartments ($$), Pytloun Boutique Hotel ($$$)
- New Town (Nové Město):Ragtime ($), Hostel One Home ($), Hotel Golden Crown ($$)
- Lesser Town (Malá Strana, the Castle area): Charles Bridge Apartments 2BR ($$), OREA Place Charles Bridge ($$), Malostranská Residence 2BR ($$$)
- Vinohrady: Alfons Boutique Hotel ($$), Eight Secrets Boutique Residence ($$), HU ($)
- Žižkov: SKLEP accommodation ($), Residence Tabor ($), Pension 15 Homér
Day 4 – Beyond Prague 1 – Vinohrady & Žižkov
It is time to explore beyond Prague 1 (the Lesser, the Old and the New Town).
Have a walk or take the metro to Vinohrady, in Prague 2.
This area was used by the royalty for the own wineries. In fact, the name Vinohrady means Royal wineries.
Today, you will not find anymore wineries but beautiful neoclassical buildings and many parks to enjoy the sunny days.
Do not expect in this district iconic attractions, or big museums or popular sites.
It’s all about experiencing the local life in Prague.
Vinohrady is one of the top destinations for expats, so do not be surprised to hear some English spoken around.
In saying that, there is still a good mix of Czech and foreign life, with plenty of lovely cafes, cool restaurants and beautiful walks.
Overall, you will find a nice chilled out vibe, which reaches its best on Saturday morning with the local market next to the Jiřího z Poděbrad Metro Station.
This is a square right in front of the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord
It is a genuine market where you will find fruit and veggies, besides meat, bread and other locally made products.
You can organise to have lunch there with a few choices of street food, seat and relax with plenty of live music from the small stage.
In the square you will find also cafes and restaurants where you can seat and enjoy your time.
On my last trip, I had my lunch at the French inspired Le Caveau Cukrárna, a boutique bar/cafe making delicious omelette and baguette sandwiches.
Most of the buildings in the area are 150-200 years old, so you will still find plenty of history and design there, but without the touristic places of Prague 1
You should not miss a visit to the Riegrovy sady Park, where you will find one of the best beer garden of Prague.
From Vinohrady, you will certainly see the Žižkov Television Tower that extends well over the building’s height.
This is a tower that you can visit for its beautiful view from the top. It is still under refurbishment (it has been for a long time), so do not expect much from the inside.
Finally, make your way for a few drinks in the neighborhood of Žižkov, now so famous for its bars and restaurants.
It is said that this area has the highest concentration of bars and pubs in the world.
I am not sure if it is true, but certainly, you will not be disappointed by the wide choice.
You will not fall in love with the building design of Žižkov though, mostly in typical squared Russian style, but surely you will enjoy the night long there.
If you start the exploration from the City Centre and walk towards Vinohrady make a point to stop and see these attractions:
- National Museum: funded in 1818, one of the best places for natural science and history lovers
- Wenceslas Square: a beautiful long green square heading into the National Museum, the heart of the New Town
- Franz Kafka Rotating Head: a great piece of art that you can find within a short walk of the Wenceslas Square
- The Velvet Revolution Memorial: a sculpture that commemorates the 1989 Velvet Revolution that took the former Czechoslovakia to today’s democracy status.
- Prague Train Station: usually a popular place for travellers, of course, but worth a visit anyway if you are around, for its beautiful dome in the old area
Day 5 and beyond – Unusual Prague and day trips
In the previous four days, you have visited the core of the city, including experiences in iconic places, like the castle, and unknown gems, like the local market of Vinohrady.
From day 5 on, you can think of organising day trips outside the city or plan a few unusual activities.
Here below is a list of possibilities:
- Bohemia and Saxon Switzerland Guided Tour: it is going to be a very long day, however, so rewarding. You will be astonished by the beauty of the National Park and the amazing views all around (see photos here)
- Kutná Hora & Bone Church Excursion: this is a 5-hour trip, with a 3-course local lunch at no extra cost, to the beautiful landscapes of Kutná Hora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The guided tour includes also a visit to the unique Ossuary of the St. Barbara Cathedral.
- Terezin Concentration Camp: Terezin is a town founded in 1780, with a big fortress that goes all around the town. You will find mostly 2 storey houses organised in a grid layout. Beautiful ones, but nothing to call home about. This town, however, was used by the Germans in WW2 as a concentration camp. In this tour, a professional guide will introduce you to one of the worst chapters of our history, partially made also in Terezin.
- Classical Concert in the Spanish Synagogue: a trip to Prague would not be the same without a classical music concert, and the one in the Spanish Synagogue, designed in a Moorish Revival Style, is of course a unique one you should not miss. The music program changes during the week, hosting other genres as Bolero and Gershwin.
- 3-Hour Dinner Cruise: this is the best way to see both sides of Prague with the night lights. You have time to have your food and drinks and enjoy the city from the deck, all with live music.
- Mozart Dinner in Neo-Baroque Boccaccio Ballroom: another great and unique way to have dinner in Prague, including musical performances
- Czech Beer Tasting Experience: we all know how awesome and cheap is the Czech beer. I still can’t believe it costs less than the water. In this tour, you will taste up to 7 locally brewed beers with a guide that will explain all about the different variations. Besides a fun night, you will learn so much too.
- Join a free walking tour of the Old City. There are a few available around Prague. You are, of course, always welcomed, but not required, to offer a tip at the end of the tour. Like most of the free things expect a big number of tourists joining the walk. I generally love the free walking tour, but it must be said that Prague groups are a bit too big.
Best time to visit Prague
- December to March (except the Xmas holiday and NYE that are peak time): this is the coldest part of the season when you will be very likely to experience some snow. Temperature can go down to -10C or even -15C. Expect to be around 0C degrees on an average day. I still remember my first visit in late December, my feet were absolutely freezing in the streets covered by the snow. This is the time of the year with fewer visitors around and prices of the accommodation are much lower.
- April to May (except Eastern week, that is peak time): usually nice and warm, especially in May. If you can avoid the Eastern week (German school holiday too), this is the best time to visit Prague. Not as busy and you can spend plenty of time visiting the streets of the city without many people around.
- June to September: the best weather of the year, although expect some hot days in July and August (over 30C) with occasional heavy rainfall. The super-peak season is July and August, when accommodation will be hard to find, and more expensive too.
- October to November: similar to the April-May time, however, with a more unreliable weather, usually changing towards the cooler side, with the night low going into the 0C
