One Day In Prague - Travel Guide and Itinerary

Known as Praha in the local language, the capital city of Czechia is popular as the party hub among young Europeans. The city streets that scream old school architecture in the day time, transform into modern glittery nights once the sun is down. River Vltava flows through the center dividing the city in between.

96% of the population speaks Czech - the country’s official language. English is not widely spoken and locals are not very friendly. Czech Crown (1 € = 27 CZK) is the official currency - Euros are not extensively accepted.Cash is the only mode of payment accepted in 90% of the places, so make sure you have enough CZK handy (even pubs and restaurants do not accept cards). Some local provisional stores do accept cards but sell everything for a higher price. But the best part is that Prague is not a very expensive city to visit. Transport, food, and stay costs are much lesser than its other counterpart European capitals.

⚠️ Word of caution - You could easily get cheated in Prague. Many stores (especially the ones in the main touristy spots of the city) sell everything at prices far more than what its actually worth (x5 times the price sometimes). Always remember that Prague is not that expensive so remember to:
⚠️ Ask for the price of anything and everything before purchasing. Stores try to avoid giving out the price upfront and produce a bill quickly so it gets awkward for the tourist to step back.
⚠️ If you feel the price is more, check in other stores for the same. High chances of you finding it for a fraction of the price you were told at the earlier store.

(Map included at the bottom of the article)

🥘 What should I eat?

🍧 Trdelnik - Coned dessert filled with cream, strawberries and chocolate
🍛 Goulash - spicy stew of meat and vegetables
🍛 Kulajda - mushroom & potato soup
🍛 Svíčková - beef in cream sauce with dumplings
🍛 Pečená kachna se zelím - duck mat with red cabbage and dumplings

Lokal is the most famous chain of restaurants for authentic Czech style cooking. I definitely recommend it, if you have time! They have multiple outlets spread throughout the city.

🥃 What should I drink?

Alcoholic :
🍸 Becherovka - National drink of Prague: high quality herbal and spice liquer with alcohol content of 38%
🍸 Slivovice - brandy made from plums
🍺 Beer - Pilsner Urquell and Staropramen

Non-alcoholic :
🥤 Kofola - healthier version of Cola with added herbs
🥤 Malinovka - Raspberry flavored soda drink

1) Prague Castle Complex

 💳 350 CZK (€18)  | 🕑 3 hrs

What is it?

Hailed as the largest ancient castle in the world, it is essentially a complex with four main buildings: St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica and the Golden Lane.

St. Vitus was a prominent Christian saint who died during the persecution of Christians (This was an act in the early days where Christians were killed for their faith by Jews and Romans). He is known as the patron Saint of numerous cities/towns in Croatia, Italy, Belgium and Netherlands. Germans celebrated the feast of Vitus by dancing before his statue which gained popularity as “Saint Vitus Dance” and led to Vitus being considered the patron saint of dancers and entertainers.

The Royal Palace in the Prague Castle was one of 19 residences owned by the royal family. They stayed here when they were present in Prague or in the Kingdom of Bohemia. The relics of Bohemian kings, precious Christian relics, art treasures and historical documents are present here. It serves as the official residence of the president of the Czech Republic.

Golden Lane is a tiny street in the Prague Castle complex lined with colorful houses each with an identity number. These houses were initially built in the 16th century for the shooters and defenders of Rudolf II (King of Czechia for ~30 years). It was later occupied by famous writers and poets including Franz Kafka.

What to expect?

The Czechia crown jewels are known to be stored in a secret chamber in St. Vitus Cathedral. The Royal Palace also exhibits copies of the original Czechia crown jewels for display.
In the Golden Lane, some of the houses have been transformed into souvenir shops and the rest are little museums in themselves showcasing restored interiors, armory and textiles depicting life of the working class of Prague back in the day.

⚠️ Try to attend the once a day mass that happens in St Vitus Cathedral (7:00 am from Monday to Saturday and 8:30 am on Sundays)

Timings
Open on all days except Christmas Eve. (Entry closes half an hour before closing times.)
- Winter Timings (Nov - Mar ) : 9 am - 4 pm
- Summer Timings (Apr - Oct) : 9 am - 5 pm
Entry to the complex itself is free, but entry to the monuments require ticket. Best to buy the all inclusive ticket of € 18.

Tickets
Online skip the tickets can be bought here - Tickets
Online walking tour tickets can be bought for € 38 - Tickets

How to get there?
- Hop on tram number 22 and get down in the station called Pražský hrad (Best option)
- Hop on the green metro-line A and get down in the station called Malostranská

2) Charles Bridge

 💳 Free  | 🕑 1 hr

What is it?

Known as one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe, this sandstone arch bridge connects Prague castle with the old town. It was built in the 15th century and was the first bridge to cross River Vltava. Today 8 bridges including Charles bridge cross the river.

What to expect?

The bridge is lined with 30 statues, each a beauty on its own. One statue in particular St. John of Nepomuk has a fascinating story. St. John was a priest and the queen had made some confessions to him. The king wanted to know what they were and had asked the priest to reveal them to him. But St. John knew his commitment to confidentiality and refused. The king was furious and had the priest thrown into the river from this very bridge. Touching the falling priest on the plaque of the statue is believed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague. This spot on the plaque is shiny gold unlike the rest of the statue (which is black) as they have been rubbed by numerous tourists through the years. This statue is easy to spot as its the most crowded among the 30 statues.

How to get there?
- 15 minutes walk from Prague Castle complex
- Hop on the any of these trams : 5,7,15,22,25 or 97 and get down at station Malostranské náměstí to get to the Prague castle side of the bridge. Trams : 2,13,14,17,18 and 93 would get you to station Karlovy lázně which is the closest station from the old town side of the bridge.

3) Old Town Square

 💳 Free  | 🕑 1.5 hrs

What is it?

Famous historic plaza located in the heart of Prague city. It is surrounded by numerous buildings of significance (old townhall, Kinský Palace) and is filled with gift shops, restaurants, and night clubs. The Astronomical Clock is located in the square too and is a wonder in itself. It is the oldest operating clock and the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and thus is a “must-see” while in Prague. The figurines come out every hour, and put on a show. Everybody in the plaza stops whatever it is they are doing and there is silence and wonder for those 30 seconds. The Square is a venue for numerous events like Christmas fairs, New year countdowns, viewing matches of the national ice hockey team in big screens among others.

What to expect?

You must try the famous Czech dessert here: Trdelnik. It’s a rolled pastry cooked over an open flame and coated with sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. The cone is filled a variety of things including chocolate, strawberries, whipped cream to name a few. This is truly heaven in your mouth. A must try!

How to get there?
- 8 minutes walk from Charles bridge.
- Hop on any of these trams : 2,13,14,17,18, 93 and get down at tram station Staroměstská.
- Hop on metro line A and get down at Staroměstská.

4) Powder Tower

 💳 100 CZK (€4)  | 🕑 45 minutes

What is it?

A tall dark Gothic tower gate that separates Prague’s New Town from the Old Town. It is one of Prague’s thirteen original city gates. It served as a gunpowder storage space during the 17th century and hence the name. This was also the place where the coronation processions of Bohemian kings would enter the town. The Powder Tower thus marked the start of the Coronation (Royal Path of coronation started from here and ended at the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle). The ticket is for the viewing gallery which is located at a height of 44 m.

What to expect?

Impressive and enormous sized gate, the details of its architecture are worth halting and observing for a while. We did not go up to the viewing gallery.

How to get there?
- A 5 minutes walk from old town square.

6) Prague Zoo

 💳 250 CZK (€10)  | 🕑 8-10 hrs

What is it?

A huge 140 acres zoo located on the banks of river Vltava, it is often considered in the top 5 best zoo’s in the world. It is home to 5000 different types of animals, birds, reptiles and insects! The layouts are very well designed giving all the animals a natural environment to wander around and be free. The zoo was built with the intention of advancing the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public in Prague.

What to expect?

The zoo is Giraffes huge - Hence there’s lots of space for both animals and people! It would easily take you at least 5-6 to visit the zoo and you would still be missing out on some of it. I would recommend taking a complete day out to spend in the zoo. Polar bears, Cheetahs, Tigers, Gorillas, Flamingos, Penguins, Komodo dragons, Giraffes and Hyenas are some of the precious species you would get to visit here! Lots of restaurants and snack bars throughout the zoo at affordable prices. There is also a funicular ride (chairlift) to take you uphill to see some of the animals and birds. Free Wi-Fi is available in the zoo!

Timings
Open all days 9 am - 7 pm

**Tickets
**Book Prague Zoo Admission Ticket including Round Trip Transfer : Tickets

Parking charge : 200 CZK

Funicular ride : 25 CZK one way

6) National Theater

 💳 150 CZK - 450 CZK  (€6 - €16)  | 🕑 2 hrs

What is it?

The National Theater built in the 19th century is a stunning building dedicated to the development of the Czech language, Czech music and the country’s dramatic arts. It is situated by the Vltava river, just one bridge away from Charles bridge. The rich, artistic tradition continues with a fine collection of opera, ballet, and Czech drama on a daily basis.

What to expect?

If you are in Prague, be sure to get to the theater! It’s a must-see. The interiors of the theater is mighty grand and elegant. Brace yourselves to witness an artistic performance and have a once in a lifetime experience. You will not regret this one!

Tickets
Tickets for ballet, drama and opera : Tickets
Be sure to select “The National Theatre” in the specify location dropdown in the ticket booking link.

How to get there?
- 10 minutes walk from Charles bridge.
- Hop on one of these trams : 2,9,17,18,22 and get down at station Narodni divadlo
- Hop on metro line B and get down at station Narodni trida

How to get around the city?

Prague has a good public transportation system which is easy, reliable, and very affordable. A ticket for the Prague public transport network permits travel on the Prague metro, trams and buses for a set period of time. All tickets and passes permit unlimited switching between the three modes of transport.
Once aboard, your ticket needs to be validated with the start date and time as soon as you start your journey by passing it through a machine hosted on the bus/tram. For metro the validation happens through the ticket barriers where you insert the ticket to enter and exit out of the station.

These are the choices among tickets –
🎫 30 minutes ticket = 24 CZK
🎫 90 hours ticket = 32 CZK
🎫 24 hours ticket = 110 CZK
🎫 72 hours ticket = 310 CZK and finally
🎫 1 Month Pass = 670 CZK

⚠️ Children below the age of 6 and seniors above the age of 70 can travel for free.
⚠️ Taxis could be another option for inter-city travel and works best if you are a group of 3-4. Use with caution though as taxis hailed on the street can overcharge. So be sure to negotiate your deal before starting your ride.

Prague has many parts with Prague 1 being the city center and is at a walkable distance to all the touristy places. Hence lodging here might be a little costlier as compared to other parts, but I would recommend staying here as public transport is pretty sparse after-party hours.

Map

📌 Use the below interactive map for directions:

✔ Clicking the top right button opens the map in a new tab showing the different sections. Click on view map legend if browsing on phone
✔ Save the map in your Google Maps for easy access later: Click the ⭐star button beside the name of the map. You can access the map later from Google Maps > Saved > Maps

Šťastné cestování! :)