City Trip Prague – the Czech capital is a popular destination for a city trip. After the gray communist days, this city with its hundred towers sparkles like never before. Climb up to Prague Castle, stroll along Golden Lane and amble on Charles Bridge. Prague centre is compact, yet a number of must-see and must-do attractions are quite far apart. This is where a public transport card or tickets for the hop-on hop-off bus come in handy. Purchase the Prague Card or Prague Digital Pass and save time and money during your city trip!
Table of Contents
Compare City Passes – Flights – Hotels and B&B’s – Sights – Restaurants and Bars – Shopping
Prague City Passes
If you want to see and do a lot in Prague, it is advantageous to purchase a city pass. A city pass provides free entry to the most important sights and museums in Prague. You will save time and money because these passes are often cheaper than buying separate tickets. What’s more, you need not wait in the (often long) queue for hours, but you can go straight to the skip-the-line entrance to popular attractions. Many passes also include public transport or the hop-on hop-off bus. There are two passes to choose from: the Prague Card and the Prague Digital Pass. Purchase your City passes hassle-free online before you start your city trip so that you can enjoy the city the fullest right from the moment you arrive in Prague.
Prague City Passes at a glance:
- The Prague Card is the most comprehensive city pass for Prague. This card (valid for 2, 3 or 4 days) allows you free entry to 60 attractions and museums in Prague. During the validity of your card you are also entitled to free and unlimited use of public transport. A free river cruise and a 2-hour bus tour along the highlights of Prague are also included.
- The Prague Digital Pass is particularly suited for people who do need not see all museums and attractions during a city trip in Prague. This pass permits entry to the main attractions in Prague: Prague Castle (including the Old Royal Palace, St George’s Basilica, Golden Lane, Dalibor Tower and St Vitus Cathedral) and the Astronomical Clock Tower, a free boat trip on the Vltava River and discount on other attractions, museums and tours in Prague.
Compare Prague City Passes:
Prague City Pass
Included:
- Prague Castle
- Astronomical Clock Tower
- Skip-the-line access
- Cruise on the Vltava River
- App with audio guide
- Discount on attractions and museums
- Discount on tours and excursions
- 100% mobile
Prague Card
Included:
- 60 attractions and museums
- Discounts on 40 attractions
- Public transport
- Free sightseeing bus tour
- Free river cruise
- Discounts on tours, cruises and restaurants
- Valid for 2, 3 of 4 days
- Mobile app Prague Cool Pass
- City map
Advantages Prague Digital Pass
Purchase the Prague Digital Pass if you want to get the most out of your city trip to Prague! This tourist card allows you priority entrance to Prague Castle and the Astronomical Clock Tower. What’s more, entrance to these sights is free, as is a cruise on the Vltava River. In addition, you will get a 10% discount on other attractions, museums and tours in Prague. The Prague Digital Pass is easy to use and saves you the hassle of buying tickets (and queuing) for each attraction separately. This City Card has only advantages and also saves you a lot of money!
Advantages Prague Card
The Prague Card offers free admission to 50 attractions and museums in Prague (e.g. Prague Castle and the Jewish Museum), free public transport, a sightseeing bus tour and airport transfer by the Airport Express Bus. What’s more, tickets for a tour with the hop-on hop-off bus are included as well. You also get discounts at 30 other attractions and museums, restaurants and cruises on the Vltava River.
The Prague Card will opens up the whole city for you. It is a great way to explore Prague completely hassle-free. This City Pass allows you free access to 50 attractions and museums in Prague, free public transport, a sightseeing bus tour and airport transfer by the Airport Express bus. The Prague City Pass allows access to the most important highlights of the city: Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and the Jewish Museum: 4 synagogues and the old Jewish cemetery. Add to this, tickets for a hop-on hop-off bus tour and you will understand why this card is worth purchasing.
Flights to Prague
Prague Vaclav Havel Airport is located about 16 kilometers from the city centre. Prague is connected to many European airports by direct flights. Many budget and other companies fly to Prague: KLM, Transavia, Ryanair, Czech Airlines, Easyjet, Wizzair, Smartwings and more.
From the airport to the city centre
Getting from the airport to Prague city centre is a combination of bus and metro, taxi or the Airport Express. Bus 100 runs between the airport and metro station Zličín (metro B), the journey time is 15 to 20 minutes. Bus 119 runs from the airport to metro station Nádraží Veleslavín (metro A), the journey time is 13 to 17 minutes. Continue your journey by metro to reach your destination in the centre of the city. A public transport ticket costs 32 CZK. The Airport Express bus runs directly to the centre of Prague (Central Station). The journey takes about 45 minutes and costs 60 CZK (one way). A taxi from the airport to your hotel in the centre of Prague costs 700 CZK.
TIP: The Prague City Pass allows you a discount on the transfer from the airport to the city centre and with the Prague Card the transfer is even completely free of charge.
Hotel and B&B in Prague
The closer to the center of Prague the more expensive the hotels. The hotels in the districts of Stare Mesto and Mala Strana are the most expensive. hotels, guest houses or apartments in the Smichov or Zizkov districts are a lot cheaper. B & B Hotel Prague City (Prvniho pluku 29) is a budget hotel with the feel of a 3-star hotel, only two metro stations away from the city centre. A good mid-range hotel is Don Giovanni in the Vinohrady district (Vinohradska 157).
Accommodation outside the city centre is not a disadvantage because public transport in Prague, tram and metro, is fast and affordable. If you have a Prague Card, public transport is even completely free! If you prefer a hotel in the centre of Prague, Hotel Certovka is a must. This hotel is located right next to Charles Bridge on U Luzickeho seminare 2. The five-star Prague Marriott Hotel on V Celnici 8, offers luxurious accommodation within walking distance of the highlights in Prague.
Renting an apartment in Prague has become very popular over the last few years. As in other popular cities, websites such as Wimdu, Waytostay and some hotel booking sites such as Booking.com have responded to the demand for affordable accommodation and offer plenty of spaciouse and / or luxurious apartments. Especially when you travel to Prague with a family or group of friends, a stay in an apartment is often much cheaper than staying in a hotel.
Things to do in Prague
Things to do in Prague include Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and the astronomical clock. Wander through the winding streets in the Old Town, stroll along Wenceslas Square and go shopping in Na prikope Street or in Palladium shopping centre. Drink beer in one of the many beer gardens. Hop on tram 22 or 23 and see the most important sights of Prague without putting one foot in front of the other.
Tip: Start your Prague city trip on the Hop-on Hop-off bus. Lean back and enjoy the city’s highlights. You decide where to get off, which attractions or museums you will visit. Hop on again and see more highlights.
Prague Castle
How to get there
Location
Prague Castle is located in the Castle district and can be reached by tram or metro.
Tram
Take tram 22 to Prazsky Hrad stop (Prague Castle). Cross the tram tracks and walk straight ahead. A five-minute walk will take you to the second courtyard.
Metro
You can also reach the castle by metro. Take line A to Malostranska metro station. From here the walk to the castle is uphill. Take Stare zamecke schody (old castle stairs) to reach the main entrance to the castle.
Be sure to visit Prague Castle during your city trip. Strictly speaking, it is not a castle but a collection of palaces, churches, museums and gardens in the castle district of Prague situated on a hill overlooking the Vltava River. One of the highlights is a visit to St. Vitus Cathedral and the silver-encrusted tomb of St. John of Nepomuk, priest, martyr and patron saint of Prague. (free admission with the Prague Card)
Charles Bridge
How to get there
Location
Charles Bridge connects the Mala Strana district to the Old City.
Tram
Take tram 2 or 17 to the Karlovy Lazne stop. Keep the Vltava River on your left and walk to Charles Bridge in two minutes. You’ll pass the Smetana Museum. Bedrich Smetana was a Czech composer known for his opera ‘the Bartered Bride’
Stroll at least once up and down Charles Bridge otherwise your city trip Prague is not complete. This bridge that spans the Vltava River is 520 m long and connects the Mala Strana district (Lesser Quarter) with the Old Town district (Stare Mesto). Charles Bridge is always full of people. Tourists amble past sellers of handmade earrings and other jewelry while the Dixieland orchestra plays enthusiastically. The best view of Prague Castle is from Charles Bridge.
Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock
How to get there
Location
The Astronomical Clock is located on the Old Town Square.
Tram
To get to the astronomical clock on Old Town Square you take tram 2 or 17 to Staromestska tram stop. Turn left and follow Kaprova Street that leads to Old Town Square. It is a 5-minute walk. En route you will pass Franz Kafka’s birthplace (u Radnice 5) next to the St Nicolas Church.
The astronomical clock is easy to find because crowds of people gather at the hour in front of it. The clock was made in the middle of the 15th century and not only indicates the time, the days and months, but also the position of sun and moon and the zodiac signs. Two hatches open, the apostles pop out and walk around. The cock crows, and the spectacle is over in a minute. Old Town Square is a very good place to drink Czech beer. The Christmas market is held here in the days before Christmas.
Saint Nicolas Church in Mala Strana
How to get there
Location
The St. Nicolas Church is located in the Mala Strana district on Malostranske namesti, and should not be confused with the church at the Old Town Square.
Tram
Take tram 12, 20 or 23 and get off at Malostranske namesti (square) stop. Just opposite the tram stop is a stand where you can buy trdelník, street food that you must have tasted!
The Saint Nicholas Church in the Mala Strana district is a Baroque building with an imposing interior. Most evenings you can listen here to organ concerts, the same organ Mozart played when he visited Prague. Climb the clock tower for a sweeping view of the city (the Prague Card allows a 50% discount). Make sure you visit the right St Nicolas Church during your city trip because there are two. The other one is on Old Town Square. Its sumptuous white exterior is an eye catcher. This church full of statues representing saints is also worth a visit.
Jewish Museum
How to get there
Location
The Jewish Museum is located in the Josefov district.
Metro
Take metro line A to Staromestska metro station, from here a three-minute walk will take you to the Jewish Museum. Alternatively, walk from Old Town Square in about five minutes or from the Charles Bridge in ten minutes to the Jewish Museum.
Een bezoek aan het Joods Museum mag zeker niet ontbreken tijdens je citytrip naar Praag. Het museum bestaat uit vier synagogen, de Oude Joodse begraafplaats en de Ceremoniezaal. Vooral de begraafplaats is indrukwekkend met 12.000 grafzerken. Het ruimen van graven is verboden in de Joodse godsdienst daarom liggen de doden in lagen boven elkaar begraven. De Oudnieuw Synagoge is 700 jaar oud en de oudste synagoge in Europa die nog in gebruik is als gebedshuis. Je hebt hier gratis toegang met de Prague Card.
Clementinum
How to get there
Location
The Clemetinum is in Karlova street in the Old Town district.
Tram
Take tram 2 or 17 to the Karlovy Lazne tram stop. Keep the Vltava River on your left and walk up to the Charles Bridge. Turn right into Karlova street. The Clementinum is on the left.
The Clementinum is the former Jesuit College in Prague now the National Czech Library and Observatory. This institute has made an important contribution to the development of Czech astronomy. Clementinum can only be visited on a guided tour. Your visit includes the library with 22,000 books mainly on mathematics and physics and antique globes. Climb the 200 steps of the observatory tower for a magnificent view of the city. Kepler’s laws were published here. Later to be used by Newton in his law of universal gravitation. The Clementinum is a must-see during your city break in Prague. (free admission with the Prague Card).
Dangling Horse
How to get there
Location
The Lucerna passage runs from Wenceslas Square to Vodickova Street. Both shopping streets with national and international stores.
Metro
Metro station Mustek (lines A and B) is a two-minute walk from Lucerna.
Tram
Take tram 3, 5 or 6 to Vaclavske namesti tram stop right opposite the Lucerna Passage.
Make your city trip a quest for the works of David Cerny, a Czech contemporary artist whose works of art show the absurdity of life. His dangling horse in the Lucerna Passage on Wenceslas Square depicts the Holy Wenceslas sitting on an upside-down horse. This work of art strongly criticizes Vaclav Klaus, the former Czech president. You can see more of Cerny works in the Vinohrady district: several giant babies crawling up the Zizkov television tower, Mahlerovy sady 1.
Beer Garden in Riegrovy park
How to get there
Location
Riegrovy park is located in the Vinohrady district.
Tram
Take tram 6, 11 or 22 to Italska tram stop. Riegrovy park is less than a three-minute walk away. The beer garden is right in the middle of the park. The Mlikarna beer garden in the same park is also good place to enjoy a glass of Czech beer and eat a snack while admiring the sweeping view of the city.
When you are on a city trip to Prague you need only one Czech word: pivo – beer. There are countless beer gardens in the city. ‘Garden’ does not necessarily mean that you are sitting outside. It is merely an indication for a place where you can drink beer. During the summer one of the best beer gardens is in Riegrovy park. It is huge and seats 1400 people. Join the locals, drink Pilsner Urquell and pay ‘Czech prices’, not tourist prices as you do in the Old Town district.
Restaurants and bars in Prague
When you’re in Prague you must try the local and Czech specialties: goulash, pork knee or pork with sauerkraut and bread dumplings. Look for a restaurant that advertises: poledni menu and you are sure of a cheap lunch with typically Czech dishes. Hostinec U Kalicha is a restaurant where you can taste Czech and Bohemian cuisine. This restaurant at Na Bojiste 12 played an important role in the famous story of the good soldier Svejk. Visit restaurant U Krale Brabantskeho (Thunovska 198) for a medieval dinner show and Czech food. Bellevue restaurant, with a beautiful view of Prague Castle, on the Smetanovo nabrezi 329 and restaurant Svata Klara in an old wine cellar at U trojskeho zamku 35 are highly recommended.
Apart from restaurants with Czech cuisine, you can visit restaurants in the centre of Prague that serve international dishes. Eating out in Prague is very affordable as are the drinks. As in all cities in the world, the further away from the centre, the cheaper the meals. Note that there are hefty fines on drinking alcohol in public places!
Shopping in Prague
Shopping in Prague is a pleasure! The streets of the Old Town district brim with shops and boutiques. Many huge shopping malls are in the suburbs but in the centre of Praag you can also shop in several shopping centres: Palladium, Kotva (both at namesti Republiky) and Quadrio (Spalena 21) are three shopping centres in the New Town district. My department store and Tesco supermarket in the basement (Narodni 63) are well worth a visit. Na Prikope and Parizska are the main shopping streets in Prague centre. Parizska street is home to luxury boutiques of exclusive fashion houses, stylish cafes, bars and restaurants. Karlova street brims with souvenir shops, fashion boutiques and eateries. Generally speaking, prices in Prague are very affordable. Bohemian crystal, wooden toys and drinks such as becherovka and absinthe are the souvenirs of Prague many tourists like to take home.
Be sure to take a look at one of the open-air markets in Prague. Havelske Market in the centre of the city in Havelska street is a lively daily market with vegetables, fruit and souvenirs. On Saturday and Sunday there is a flea market on the quay along the Vltava from Palackeho namesti to the Cechuv bridge.
Palladium Shopping Centre
Palladium shopping centre is the largest shopping mall in Prague centre. Generous opening hours, from 9 am to 10 pm, 200 stores and 20 restaurants make shopping a pleasure and a day well spent during your Prague city trip. Here you will find many well-known chain stores from Esprit to Calvin Klein and from Lacoste to Puma and Tezenis. On the top floor is the food court with food to everyone’s taste.
How to get there
Palladium Shopping Centre is located on Namesti republiky. Right opposite Palladium is Kotva, another shopping centre. Take metro line B to metro station Namesti republiky or take tram 6, 8 or 26 to the Namesti republiky tram stop.