A weekend in Prague

Prague packs a castle, a medieval old town, a Jewish quarter and some of Europe's best beer halls into a centre you can cross on foot in an hour, so a weekend covers the big things with time left for gardens and pubs. The one planning fact that shapes the weekend: the Jewish Museum closes every Saturday, and St Vitus Cathedral opens to visitors only at noon on Sundays, so do the castle on Saturday and the Jewish Quarter on Sunday.

Prague in two or three days: a plan

Saturday is the castle side of the river (the cathedral opens at 9:00 on Saturdays but only at noon on Sundays); Sunday is the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, which is closed on Saturdays. Start each day early to beat the crowds, and use the third day for Kutná Hora.

1. Day 1 (Saturday): Charles Bridge at dawn, Prague Castle, Strahov and Petřín

   • Morning

     Cross Charles Bridge early, by about 7:30, before the crowds build, then walk up Nerudova to the castle and be at the ticket office or the cathedral door for 9:00. The Main circuit ticket (450 Kč) covers St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane; allow three hours.

     Full guide on Sightsale →

   • Afternoon

     Walk west through the quiet lanes of Nový Svět and past Loreta to Strahov Monastery for the library (220 Kč; tickets are sold by date online, some days sell out, and the desk stops selling at 16:15). From Strahov follow the Petřín ridge to the lookout tower (250 Kč) and ride the funicular down to Újezd (included in a 24- or 72-hour ticket). Until 31 October, finish in the Vrtba Garden (150 Kč) or the free Wallenstein Garden; both close for the winter after that.

   • Evening

     Take a tram or walk to Letná Park for the sunset view over the bridges, then dinner in the Old Town: svíčková and tank beer at U Medvídků or Lokál Dlouhá (book Lokál for a weekend evening).

2. Day 2 (Sunday): Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter and the New Town

   • Morning

     Climb the Old Town Hall tower at 9:00, when the first hour is half price, then watch the apostles of the Astronomical Clock on the hour from the square. By 10:00 walk into Josefov: one 600 Kč ticket covers the Pinkas, Maisel, Klausen and Spanish synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Old-New Synagogue; allow two to three hours (from 18 October the sites close at 16:30).

   • Afternoon

     Lunch at Lokál Dlouhá or Naše maso a few streets away, then a one-hour guided tour of the Municipal House (320 Kč, several English tours a day). Walk down Na Příkopě to Wenceslas Square, through the Lucerna passage, and up to the National Museum (360 Kč, open until 18:00) or round to the rotating Kafka head at Národní třída.

   • Evening

     Coffee and cake at Café Louvre or Kavárna Slavia (pianist from 17:00) on Národní, then either sunset from the free Vyšehrad ramparts (metro C to Vyšehrad) or dinner at a special-occasion table such as Field or La Degustation.

3. With a third day: Kutná Hora's bone church and cathedral

   • Morning

     Take a direct R9 train from Praha hlavní nádraží (about 51 minutes; buy in the PID Lítačka app, which picks the fare) and walk 10–15 minutes to the Sedlec Ossuary for a booked early slot (220 Kč, timed tickets on sedlec.info).

     Full guide on Sightsale →

   • Afternoon

     Local train or bus up to the old town for St Barbara's Cathedral (180 Kč, or 360 Kč combined with Sedlec) and lunch, then train back.

   • Evening

     Back in Prague, a last pilsner at U Zlatého tygra (opens 15:00; seats are scarce) or a walk across a floodlit Charles Bridge.

What to see in Prague

The big sights

• Palace

  Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral

  The seat of Czech rulers for over a thousand years: a walled town of courtyards, palaces and gardens around St Vitus Cathedral. Allow three to four hours for the Main circuit; the courtyards are free from 6:00 to 22:00, the gardens from March to October.

  Tip: Be there at 9:00 or mid-afternoon (the buildings close at 17:00, at 16:00 from 1 November). On Sundays the cathedral opens to visitors only at 12:00, so come on Saturday if you can.

  Price

  450 Kč Main circuit; 300 Kč reduced; 950 Kč family(€18 · €12 · €39)

  Book ahead

  Not needed; tickets do not sell out

  Full guide on Sightsale →Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Landmark

  Charles Bridge

  The 14th-century stone bridge begun under Charles IV in 1357, lined with 30 statues of saints including St John of Nepomuk. Free and open all the time; the point is the walk and the view of the castle above the Lesser Town.

  Tip: Go before about 8:00 or late at night: from mid-morning until evening it is a slow-moving crowd of tour groups, artists and pickpockets.

  Price

  Free

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Landmark

  Old Town Square, Old Town Hall and the Astronomical Clock

  The medieval square with the Týn church, St Nicholas and the Old Town Hall, whose medieval astronomical clock shows its twelve apostles every hour between 8:00 and 23:00. The town hall ticket covers the tower and the historic interiors; the tower now has a lift.

  Tip: The first hour after opening (9:00 from April to December) is half price; the lift is 100 Kč extra. The online skip-the-line ticket (450 Kč) covers the tower only.

  Price

  350 Kč adult; 280 Kč ages 16–26; 230 Kč reduced; 750 Kč family(€14 · €11 · €9 · €31)

  Book ahead

  No; skip-the-line ticket only on busy summer afternoons

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Museum

  Jewish Quarter (Jewish Museum in Prague)

  Five synagogues, the Old Jewish Cemetery with its stacked headstones and the Old-New Synagogue, the oldest working synagogue in Central Europe (late 13th century). The Pinkas Synagogue's walls carry the names of Czech Holocaust victims and the children's drawings from Terezín. Allow two to three hours.

  Tip: Closed every Saturday and on Jewish holidays; the Old-New Synagogue also closes about an hour before Shabbat on Fridays. Hours shorten to 9:00–16:30 from 18 October 2026.

  Price

  600 Kč adult; 400 Kč students under 26; 200 Kč children 7–15; valid 3 opening days(€25 · €16 · €8)

  Book ahead

  Not needed; buy online to skip the ticket queue

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Viewpoint

  Petřín Hill and Lookout Tower

  The wooded hill above the Lesser Town, with orchards, a mirror maze and a 1891 lookout tower modelled on the Eiffel Tower. The rebuilt funicular reopened on 22 September 2026 after two years, with new cars running every 10 minutes from 7:00 to 22:15.

  Tip: Funicular single fare is 100 Kč (90 Kč in the PID Lítačka app) but free with a 24- or 72-hour ticket. Going down, the middle stop Nebozízek is served only on the way up. The tower's first hour is half price.

  Price

  Tower 250 Kč; lift 150 Kč extra; tower and mirror maze 300 Kč(€10 · €6 · €12)

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Park

  Vyšehrad

  The fortress on a rock above the river south of the centre: ramparts with views up the Vltava to the castle, the Romanesque Rotunda of St Martin, the Church of Sts Peter and Paul and the Slavín national cemetery. Less crowded than the castle hill.

  Tip: The grounds are free all year; only the casemates (with original Charles Bridge statues in the Gorlice hall) and exhibitions need tickets. Metro C to Vyšehrad, then a 10-minute walk.

  Price

  Grounds free; casemate tours ticketed

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Landmark

  Municipal House (Obecní dům)

  Prague's Art Nouveau showpiece next to the Powder Tower: the Smetana Hall, the Mayor's Hall with work by Alfons Mucha, and a café, a beer hall and an American bar downstairs. You only see the upper halls on the one-hour guided tour.

  Tip: Tours run several times a day in English; buy at the historic box office (10:00–19:00) or online. A combined tour and exhibition ticket is 420 Kč.

  Price

  320 Kč adult; 270 Kč reduced; 660 Kč family(€13 · €11 · €27)

  Book ahead

  A day ahead in summer

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Museum

  National Museum

  The neo-Renaissance building of 1891 that closes the top of Wenceslas Square, reopened after renovation in 2018 and linked underground to the modern New Building. Go for the pantheon, the staircase and the dome view down the square as much as for the collections.

  Tip: Free on set days (in 2026: 1 November and 6 December); on those days no tickets are sold and entry is paused when full. Under-15s are always free.

  Price

  360 Kč adult; 260 Kč reduced; under 15 free(€15 · €11)

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

Hidden gems

• Museum

  Strahov Monastery Library

  Hidden gem

  Two painted library halls at the Premonstratensian monastery above the castle: the Baroque Theological Hall (1670s) and the two-storey Philosophical Hall with Maulbertsch's ceiling, plus a cabinet of curiosities. You look into the halls from the doorways; allow 40 minutes.

  Tip: Tickets are for a date, not a time, and some days sell out online (15 October 2026 already had); tickets are sold until 16:15. Combine with the 10-minute walk to Nový Svět, the quietest lane near the castle.

  Price

  220 Kč adult; 110 Kč reduced; library and gallery 340 Kč(€9 · €5 · €14)

  Book ahead

  A few days ahead online

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Museum

  Klementinum Baroque Library and Astronomical Tower

  Hidden gem

  The former Jesuit college by Charles Bridge: a guided tour shows the Baroque Library hall from its doorway, the Meridian Hall with old astronomical instruments, and climbs the Astronomical Tower, home to one of Europe's longest-running weather records (since 1775).

  Tip: Guided tours only, sold as e-tickets; new dates are released every Monday for the next two weeks. The first two tours of the day (9:00 English, 9:30 Czech) are half price.

  Price

  380 Kč adult; 300 Kč ages 16–26; 230 Kč reduced(€16 · €12 · €9)

  Book ahead

  Up to two weeks ahead

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Garden

  Wallenstein Garden and Vrtba Garden

  Hidden gem

  Two Baroque gardens in the Lesser Town. Wallenstein Garden (1620s) is a free walled garden with a giant sala terrena, a stalactite grotto and a bronze Venus fountain. Vrtba Garden is a small terraced garden of about 1720 climbing the Petřín slope, with statues by Braun and a view over the Lesser Town roofs.

  Tip: Both are seasonal: Wallenstein April–October (weekdays from 7:00, weekends from 9:00, until 19:00), Vrtba March–October 10:00–18:00. Both close after 31 October.

  Price

  Wallenstein free; Vrtba 150 Kč(€6)

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Viewpoint

  Letná Park

  Hidden gem

  A 25-hectare park on the bluff north of the Old Town, where locals picnic and drink at the summer beer garden. The terrace near the Hanavský Pavilion gives the classic view down the line of bridges.

  Tip: Come for sunset; it is a short walk up from the Old Town over Čech Bridge, and you can continue through the Chotek Park to the castle's Royal Garden.

  Price

  Free

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Experience

  Lucerna passage and the rotating Kafka head

  Hidden gem

  Two pieces of modern Prague a few minutes apart in the New Town: the Lucerna Palace (1907–1920), an arcade with a cinema, an Art Nouveau café and David Černý's sculpture Horse, a send-up of the St Wenceslas statue, and Černý's 11-metre steel head of Franz Kafka, whose 42 layers rotate beside the Quadrio centre at Národní třída metro.

  Tip: For the view from above, go to Quadrio's first-floor food court. Both are free.

  Price

  Free

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Viewpoint

  Žižkov TV Tower and Riegrovy sady

  Hidden gem

  The 216-metre 1980s TV tower in Žižkov, crawled over by Černý's giant babies, has a viewing floor at 93 metres open until midnight. Nearby Riegrovy sady in Vinohrady is the park where locals watch the sunset behind the castle.

  Tip: Go up after dark for the lights, then walk 15 minutes to Riegrovy sady or the cafés of Vinohrady, the residential side of Prague.

  Price

  350 Kč adult; 250 Kč reduced; 750 Kč family(€14 · €10 · €31)

  Book ahead

  No

  Official site (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

Day trips from Prague

• Kutná Hora (Sedlec Ossuary and St Barbara's)

  The medieval silver town with the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with the bones of tens of thousands, and St Barbara's, a Gothic cathedral with a tent-shaped roof. Allow a full day with the old town.

  Getting there

  Direct R9 train from Praha hlavní nádraží to Kutná Hora hl. n., about 51 minutes; then a 10–15 minute walk to the ossuary. The line is in the PID fare system: buy in the PID Lítačka app and let it pick the ticket for your zones. A simple alternative is the 24-hour whole-network ticket, 288 Kč in the app (2026), which covers the return trip.

  Eat

  Eat in the old town near St Barbara's; Sedlec itself has little.

  Tip

  Book the ossuary slot on sedlec.info before you go (220 Kč, or 360 Kč with St Barbara's, which costs 180 Kč on its own); there is no ticket desk at the church and photos are banned inside.

  Full guide on Sightsale →sedlec.info (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Karlštejn Castle

  Charles IV's Gothic castle above the Berounka, built in 1348 to guard the crown jewels. Interiors only by guided tour; half a day is enough.

  Getting there

  Train S7 from Praha hlavní nádraží or Smíchov to Karlštejn every 30 minutes, about 40 minutes, on a PID zone ticket (72 Kč in the app in 2026; the app picks the fare); then a 30–40 minute uphill walk through the village.

  Eat

  The lane up to the castle is lined with day-tripper restaurants; eat lunch in Prague or bring a picnic.

  Tip

  The Chapels tour (640 Kč, with the Chapel of the Holy Cross) runs only 1 May–31 October and must be booked; from November the castle opens mostly Friday to Sunday with the basic tour (300 Kč).

  Full guide on Sightsale →hrad-karlstejn.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Terezín Memorial

  The 18th-century fortress town the Nazis turned into a ghetto and transit camp, with the Small Fortress police prison, the Ghetto Museum and the Magdeburg Barracks. A sobering half day; not a trip for young children.

  Getting there

  Direct bus 413 from Praha-Letňany (metro C), platform L; get off at Terezín, U památníku for the Small Fortress or Terezín, Autobusové nádraží for the Ghetto Museum. By car it is about 45 minutes. The memorial's site links the current bus timetable; check times and the fare there before you go.

  Eat

  Bring snacks; options in Terezín are limited.

  Tip

  One 310 Kč ticket covers the Small Fortress and the ghetto sites for four days; guided tours are included but must be booked ahead.

  pamatnik-terezin.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

Where to eat in Prague

Czech food is meat, sauce and dumplings: svíčková (beef in a creamy root-vegetable sauce with cranberries), goulash, roast pork with sauerkraut, and duck. Lunch is the main meal, and many pubs post a daily lunch menu on weekdays that is cheaper than dinner. Pilsner is the default beer, best from a pub that serves it unpasteurised from tanks; trdelník, the sugared chimney cake sold all over the Old Town, is a tourist import of the 2000s, not a Czech tradition.

• Pub (Czech classics)

  €

  Lokál Dlouhááá

  Old Town (Dlouhá)

  A long, bright beer hall where pilsner comes from 12 tanks and the kitchen cooks Czech classics from named suppliers: svíčková, schnitzel, Přeštice pork sausage (255 Kč), pickled sausages and brawn as starters (129 Kč). Busy with locals and visitors alike.

  Booking: Book for evenings and weekends; open Mon–Sat 11:00–24:00, Sun 11:00–22:00.

  lokal-dlouha.ambi.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Brewery pub (classic)

  €€

  U Medvídků

  Old Town (Na Perštýně)

  A beer hall whose history goes back to 1466, with its own small brewery. Order svíčková with dumplings and cranberries (295 Kč) or goulash (280 Kč) and a Budvar, or try the house beers.

  Booking: Book by phone or online for dinner.

  umedvidku.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Beer hall

  €

  U Zlatého tygra

  Old Town (Husova)

  The traditional Pilsner beer hall famous as the writer Bohumil Hrabal's regular haunt. Go for the beer and the atmosphere, with simple snacks such as cheese and pork; not for dinner.

  Booking: Opens 15:00 daily; tables fill with regulars, so come at opening or reserve by phone.

  uzlatehotygra.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Butcher's shop and counter

  €

  Naše maso

  Old Town (Dlouhá)

  A butcher's shop with a few tables, cooking burgers, meatloaf in a bun and steak tartare from Czech farm meat. A quick, cheap lunch near the Jewish Quarter.

  Booking: No bookings; Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 10:00–22:00, closed Sunday.

  nasemaso.ambi.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Café (historic)

  €

  Café Louvre

  New Town (Národní 22)

  A historic first-floor café with a billiard room, serving breakfasts from 119 Kč, goulash with onion (159 Kč) and cakes all day.

  Booking: Walk in; reserve at weekend lunchtimes. Open 9:00–23:30.

  cafelouvre.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Café (historic)

  €€

  Kavárna Slavia

  Opposite the National Theatre

  The riverside café of 1881 opposite the National Theatre, with views to the castle and a pianist every evening from 17:00. Come for coffee and cake rather than a full meal.

  Booking: No booking needed; at weekends reservations only from 19:00.

  cafeslavia.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Café-restaurant (Viennese style)

  €€

  Café Savoy

  Malá Strana / Smíchov (Vítězná 5)

  A Viennese-style grand café: busy for breakfast (from 228 Kč) and pastries baked with the Myšák patisserie by day, a quiet restaurant by night.

  Booking: Book for weekend breakfast; Mon–Fri from 8:00, weekends from 9:00, to 22:00.

  cafesavoy.ambi.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Restaurant (Michelin star)

  €€€€

  Field

  Old Town (U Milosrdných)

  A restaurant listed with a star in the Michelin Guide, serving tasting menus only: a ten-course degustation menu at 4,900 Kč, six courses at 3,200 Kč, and a shorter lunch menu at 1,950 Kč until 15:00.

  Booking: Book weeks ahead for dinner; lunch is easier.

  fieldrestaurant.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Restaurant (tasting menu)

  €€€€

  La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise

  Old Town (Haštalská)

  A Czech tasting-menu restaurant where each course has its own origin story and almost all ingredients come from within 250 km; the menu is 3,500 Kč, wine pairings from 2,000 Kč.

  Booking: Book ahead; open daily 11:30–15:00 and 18:00–24:00.

  ladegustation.ambi.cz (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Market

  €

  Náplavka Farmers' Market

  Rašínovo nábřeží (riverside, New Town)

  A Saturday market on the embankment below Vyšehrad: sausages, cheese, pastries, fresh fish, coffee and local beer, eaten standing by the river with locals.

  Booking: Saturdays 8:00–14:00, February to December (in 2026 until 19 December).

  prague.eu (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

Where to stay in Prague for a weekend

Stay in the Old Town or the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) to walk everywhere; Nové Město and Vinohrady are cheaper and still 10–20 minutes on foot or by tram from the bridge.

The best areas

• Old Town (Staré Město) and Josefov

  For first-timers who want to walk out of the door into the sights; lively and noisy at night in the streets around the square, quieter towards the Jewish Quarter and the river.

• Lesser Town (Malá Strana)

  For couples and slower weekends: Baroque palaces and gardens under the castle, quiet after dark, with the bridge five minutes away. Hotels here cost more.

• New Town (Nové Město)

  For value and transport: around Wenceslas Square and Národní, with metro lines and night trams, 10–15 minutes' walk to Old Town Square.

• Vinohrady

  For a local feel: tree-lined residential streets with cafés, wine bars and Riegrovy sady, two metro stops or a tram ride from the centre.

Hotels with character

• Lesser Town (Letenská)

  €€€€

  Augustine Hotel

  A five-star hotel made from seven buildings including the 13th-century Augustinian St Thomas monastery, where friars still live in a separate wing; the cellar bar serves a dark lager brewed to the monks' recipe. For a special weekend near the bridge.

  from €410 a night (double, November, Booking.com)

  booking.com (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Lesser Town (Nebovidská)

  €€€€

  Mandarin Oriental, Prague

  A luxury hotel in a historic monastery on a quiet Lesser Town street; for travellers who want calm a few minutes from the bridge.

  from €362 a night (double, November, Booking.com)

  mandarinoriental.com (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Lesser Town (beside the Vrtba Garden)

  €€€

  Aria Hotel

  A music-themed boutique hotel: each floor is dedicated to a genre and each room to a musician, and some suites look over the Vrtba Garden. For music lovers and couples.

  junior suites from €281 a night (hotel's own site, seen October 2026; no stay dates given)

  ariahotel.net (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• Old Town (Rybná)

  €€€

  Hotel Josef

  A modern design hotel built around a glass spiral staircase, with a garden and bakery, on a quiet street five minutes from Old Town Square. For design fans who want to walk everywhere.

  from €247 a night (double, November, Booking.com; breakfast €30)

  hoteljosef.com (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

• New Town (near the Dancing House)

  €€

  Mosaic House

  A design hotel in a building known for its mosaics, with a café, a garden and a private spa, a short walk from the river and Národní. Standard rooms are small but well designed; good value for the location.

  from €140 a night (double, November, Booking.com)

  mosaichouse.com (opens in a new tab)as of October 2026

Prague passes, free days and deals

• Prague Visitor Pass

  The city's official card: 2,700 Kč for 48 hours, 3,300 Kč for 72 hours (students 2,050/2,500 Kč), with public transport including the airport and one entry to over 70 sights and experiences, among them the castle, the Jewish Quarter, the Old Town Hall, Vyšehrad and a river cruise. It only pays off if you add cruises, guided tours and several towers.

  prague.eu (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Early-bird half price

  Prague City Tourism sites (the Old Town Hall tower, Petřín tower and others) are 50% off during the first hour after opening every day; the Klementinum's first two tours are half price too.

  prague.eu (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• 24- and 72-hour transport tickets

  140 Kč (24 hours) and 340 Kč (72 hours) in the PID Lítačka app, 150 and 350 Kč on paper; unlimited metro, trams, buses, ferries and the Petřín funicular, but not the Airport Express. Valid from first validation.

  pid.cz (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Free days and free sights

  The National Museum is free on set days (1 November and 6 December 2026) and always for under-15s; the castle courtyards (and gardens from March to October), Vyšehrad grounds, Letná and the Wallenstein Garden (until 31 October) cost nothing.

  nm.cz (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Sedlec and St Barbara combination

  For a Kutná Hora day, the 360 Kč ticket for the ossuary, Sedlec Cathedral and St Barbara's saves 40 Kč against separate tickets.

  sedlec.info (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

Getting around Prague

• From the airport: bus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín (metro A), about 35 minutes to the centre, or bus 100 to Zličín (metro B), about 45 minutes, both on a 90-minute ticket (46 Kč in the app, 50 Kč paper). The Airport Express (AE) to the main station takes about 45 minutes and costs 200 Kč; it is not covered by day tickets. Since March 2025 buses board at the Terminal 2 stop while the Terminal 1 stop is closed for works.
• Tickets: 30 minutes 36 Kč and 90 minutes 46 Kč in the PID Lítačka app (39 and 50 Kč on paper). Buy in the app, at machines, or tap a contactless card on the terminals inside every tram and bus. Validate a paper ticket once on first boarding; inspectors are common.
• Metro and trams: three metro lines and dense trams; tram 22 runs from the New Town past the National Theatre and Malostranská up to the castle. Night trams run all night.
• Taxis: book through an app or dispatcher; street taxis may charge city maximums of 60 Kč to start, 36 Kč per km and 7 Kč per minute waiting, and those waiting at tourist spots are the most likely to overcharge.
• On foot: the centre is compact, but the castle and Strahov are uphill; take tram 22 or 23 up and walk down.

Tips and tricks

Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.

1. Do the bridge and the square early

   Charles Bridge, the castle and Old Town Square are crowded from mid-morning until evening in season; locals do them early in the morning or late at night and spend the middle of the day in gardens, cafés and other districts.

   From Taste of Prague blog

2. Use the first hour

   The Old Town Hall and Petřín towers are half price in the first hour after opening, and that is also when queues are shortest.

   From Prague City Tourism, 2026

3. Put the Jewish Quarter on a weekday or Sunday

   The Jewish Museum is closed every Saturday and on Jewish holidays, and the Old-New Synagogue shuts early on Friday afternoons; one ticket lasts three opening days, so you can split the visit.

   From Jewish Museum in Prague, 2026

4. Buy transport tickets in the app

   PID Lítačka app prices are lower than paper (36 vs 39 Kč for 30 minutes), and a 24- or 72-hour ticket includes the Petřín funicular, which otherwise costs 90–100 Kč one way.

   From PID, 2026

5. Ask for the total before you change money

   Forum travellers report 'no commission' exchange offices that quote one rate and pay another for small amounts. Ask how many koruna you will get for your exact amount, or simply use a bank ATM.

   From Routard Prague forum, 2025

6. Check for bread and extras on the bill

   Restaurants in the tourist centre may charge for bread, pretzels or nuts put on the table without saying so; it is legal if priced on the menu, so ask before eating.

   From Expats.cz

7. Get off the castle hill by tram, not taxi

   Taxis waiting at the castle and on Malostranské náměstí are the most likely to overcharge; tram 22 or 23 runs every few minutes.

   From Prague City Tourism, 2026

8. Book the Strahov library and Klementinum

   Strahov sells tickets by day and some days sell out online; Klementinum tours are released on Mondays for the next two weeks.

   From Strahov Monastery and Prague City Tourism, 2026

Scams and problems to watch for

• '0% commission' exchange offices

  Old Town exchange booths advertise no commission and a good rate, then apply a far worse rate in the small print, sometimes only above a large amount. The tell-tale sign is a rate board with 'sell' rates far from the market rate. Ask for the total in writing first, use a bank ATM, and remember a licensed office must let you cancel within three hours with the receipt.

• Street money changers

  People offering a better rate in the street are illegal and known to hand over counterfeit or out-of-date notes. Never change money with anyone outside a licensed office.

• Pay-in-your-currency at ATMs and card terminals

  Private ATMs in tourist streets and some card terminals offer to charge you in euros or your home currency at their own rate. Always choose Czech koruna (CZK) and use ATMs attached to banks.

• Taxi overcharging

  Hailed taxis at stations and tourist spots may run fast meters or quote fixed fares far above the city maximums (60 Kč plus 36 Kč per km). Book through an app or dispatcher and insist on a receipt.

• Restaurant bill extras

  Bread, nuts or 'service' added to the bill without being ordered, and menus without prices, are common in the streets around Old Town Square. Check the menu and the bill line by line.

• Fake police

  Someone claiming to be a plain-clothes police officer asks to check your wallet or passport for counterfeit money and keeps some of it. Real police do not do this; refuse and offer to go to a police station.

Questions people ask about a weekend in Prague