A lot can be said about the Czech capital and it still won't be enough to describe it. Whether you go there for the beer, the architecture, the food or the enormous cultural heritage, Prague can definitely not disappoint. But what makes this beautiful city one of the most visited in the world and what would a realistic weekend explorational plan look like? Read below to find out more!
But first, for some more perspective, let me present to you the dimensions of the trip. It was an extended weekend trip, meaning we arrived in Prague on Friday at noon and reluctantly left the city on Sunday, early in the afternoon. The whole time we relied only on public transport and we did a lot of walking. We got a 72-hour city transport pass, which is valid for all the means of transportation within the city from the moment that you validate the ticket. It costs 310 CZK or around 12€. Keep in mind that although the Czech Republic is a part of the EU, it is one of the countries, which hasn't accepted the Euro as their national currency. And although in many places you can easily pay with a card, it would be good to exchange some cash for Czech Koruna, which is the official currency there. It would be best to do that before you arrive, so you don't waste precious time waiting in lines in front of the exchange offices. But if you had no such opportunity, you can of course always turn to one of the exchange places in the city centre. I personally exchanged here. We stayed for two nights in a cosy, beautifully decorated AirBNB, which was at a nice location and quite affordable.
Day 1
Lunch
We arrived in Prague at around 11am, 1h before the check-in time for our room, so it was a good idea to start our exploration tour by getting a taste of the local food. We went to U Brejšků- a budget friendly place, well known to the locals. The menu offered a list of traditional dishes, beers and even some local soft drinks. I personally tried the Kofola- a locally produced cola drink, and the Svíčková na smetaně (marinated sirloin dish, served with sauce and bread dumplings) and I was quite satisfied with my choice. My friends ordered Guláš with bread dumplings, so I tried it as well. It was also very delicious, although I definitely liked my dish a bit more and would recommend it to anyone!
The Clementinum (Klementinum)
The first stop of our exploration itinerary was the Clementinum. If you're wondering why it's worth a visit, let me put it that way: there you can see one of the most beautiful baroque libraries in the world. For me personally it shares the podium only with the State Hall of the Austrian National Library in Vienna. You don't believe me?! See it for yourself below.
You are about to enter one of the largest building complexes in Europe. Built between the 16th and 18th century, the Clementinum was originally a Jesuit monastery and gradually became an important center for the development of science.
The entrance fee is 300 CZK or around 11,80€. You can only enter with a group as there is a guided tour included. The tour is also available in English and provides detailed information about the history and the architecture of the building. No worries- the place is one of the most visited in the city, so you wouldn't need to wait for too long until a group forms and your tour starts. You'll have to climb up 172 stairs, but it's totally worth it. Not only is the baroque library truly magnificent, but your tour will end on the top of the astronomical tower, which allows you to enjoy scenic views of the city from above. Keep in mind that for preservation reasons you can't actually step inside the library, but you can only have a look of it through its open gates, which is quite enough. You are allowed to take pictures inside, but only with the flash off. Since the astronomical tower takes you outside, there are no restrictions for photographers. And trust me- you would want to take a ton of photos.
I personally loved the view from the Clementinum, because it is high enough, so you can really enjoy the breathtaking panorama, but it's not too high above everything, so that you can't distinguish what's below you and everything looks like unidentified squares of brick and stone. Plan at least 1h for your visit. The guided tour takes about 50min and you'd need another ten for your picture break.
A stroll through the Old Town
After the Clementinum, we were all in need of a snack, so we grabbed some chimney cakes or "trdelnik" as the locals call them. You have probably seen pictures of this pastry, but if you'd like to know a bit more about it, I'd recommend this article here.
After we made our gurgling bellies happy, we headed towards the city library to catch a glimpse of The Tunnel of Books. It's a unique sculpture, situated inside the reception hall of the municipal library, which unfortunately we couldn't get close to, because by the time we arrived, the library was closed. So if you want to take a closer look (and maybe some pictures), make sure to get there before 20h. It wouldn't cost you anything, won't take that much of your time, because it's literally in the city centre and you can take some mysterious photos, which everyone will be asking you about.
After this little detour we made our way to the old city hall, the astronomical clock, the city square, the Church of Our Lady before Týn and the Municipal House (a beautiful art nouveau building). At this point we were exhausted enough and already filled with rapture, so we thought it's a good time to stop with the sightseeing and dig into the local cuisine once more, a.k.a. dinner time. We went to a restaurant called Mincovna and I can't say enough good things about this place. The service was awesome, the atmosphere quite nice and the food was simply amazing. We had the homemade potato chips with sourcream, the beef soup, the bread dumpling with forest mushrooms and the Smažený Sýr, which was breaded deep-fried cheese. I loved the homemade chips so much that I ordered another round, but honestly everything else was just as delicious.
Day 2
The Dancing House
Since the famous Dancing house was kind of close to our AirBNB, we started the day there, with a few pictures of its facade. One of the architects of the building named the house Fred and Ginger, after the famous dancers Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the building actually represents exactly this- a dancing pair.
Breakfast at Café Letka
We then headed to Café Nona for breakfast, which was unfortunately closed, so very fast we decided for another location, which was on my list. We ended up having breakfast at Café Letka and I absolutely loved it. It had a bit of a shabby chic feel to it, quite cosy, but also pleasing to the eye. The food and drinks were beautifully served and the ingredients were all supplied by local farmers, which is why everything was really fresh. So if you have a chance, go check it out, it's worth it.
The Old Town Bridge Tower
After this delicious start of our Day 2, we headed back to the centre and climbed up the Old Town Bridge Tower right above the entrance to Charles bridge.Be prepared to climb up some steep stairs and to pay 150 CZK or around €5,90 entrance fee when you reach the top, but the view is really worth it. There is a museum inside the tower as well. The tower was commissioned by Charles IV to be built along with the bridge and it served as a triumphal arch, through which the Czech kings would pass during their coronation procession.
If you want to pick only one place, which you want to climb up so you can see the city from above, the bridge tower is probably the most budget friendly one. Moreover it offers a beautiful view of the bridge and the river from above, which you can't really see from the rooftop of the Clementinum. However, if I had to choose between the two, I'd still pick the Clementinum, because the library is included in the price and it's a must-see, plus it offers a 360° view not only in the direction of the river and the castle with the hill, but also of the city centre and the redbrick rooftops. Plan about 1h for the tower, it should be enough.
The Prague Castle, Hradčany
Next on our route was the Prague Castle. We walked down Mosteckà street towards the Malostranské náměstí square. I really recommend walking to the castle through this area, because it's absolutely breathtaking. Don't even bother to put your camera or smartphone down, because you'd be tempted to take pictures on every corner.
The combined ticket for the castle complex is 350 CZK or around €13,80 and you can get an audio guide at the information center upon entering, which I highly recommend if you want to have a full experience. The combo ticket is valid for two days, so you don't have to rush it.
The Prague Castle was built in the 9th century and is the largest ancient castle in the world, recognized by the Guinness Book of Records. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic and formerly it was the seat of the Bohemian kings, the Holy Roman emperors and the presidents of Czechoslovakia. In the complex you'd be able to see the St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, the treasury, the stalls and the Golden Lane among others. There's a lot to be explored, so plan a few hours if not the whole day. Also in this area is the Lobkowicz Palace, which unfortunately we didn't have time for, but it's definitely on the list for our next visit. It has a separate entrance fee of 295 CZK or €11,60.
Thunovskà street
Below the castle are also the gardens, which are worth a visit in the warm spring and summer months, but are naturally closed in colder weather. And if you go down the hill on the side of the gardens, it's worth stopping at Thunovskà street for a quick glimpse and a couple of pictures. It's a beautiful narrow old street with pavement and an arch connecting the buildings on both sides.The street has had many names throughout the centuries but since 1870 it has been officially named after Thunovský castle. About 350m long it is not so much full on car traffic as it is a famous passage for tourists to and from the Prague castle.
The Jubilee Synagogue
Since the day was still young, but due to the shorter working hours of the sights in the cold months (we were there in March), there was not so much left for us to see in this part of the city, as nothing was still open, we took a totally different direction and paid a visit to the Jerusalem (Jubilee) Synagogue. It has a really impressive architecture in Art Nouveau style, typical for Prague.
Dinner time and drinks
We also made a quick stop at the Robot bar, right next to Charles Bridge, where robotic hands prepare your drinks in front of you and then we decided it was time for dinner and drinks. We had another local place on our list- Havelska Koruna. Now, a disclaimer is in place- it is not a luxurious restaurant, it is a self served cafeteria type of eatery. However, if you want to eat at a budget- friendly place that's popular with the locals and offers a big variety of delicious traditional dishes, you won't be wrong here. The system is as follows: you get inside and receive a tray and a piece of paper. There are a couple of counters: a salad bar, warm meals, decerts. You pick what you want and the staff will fill your plate and write on your piece of paper what you had. At the exit you give your sheet to the cashier, they write the final bill for you and you pay. The place is huge, with lots of sitting areas, but at lunchtime it's so crowded, you might have to be prepared to wait for a while.
After the warm satisfying dinner, we headed to Hemingway bar for the city's best cocktails. The atmosphere is really cool, a bit mysterious and vampire-like. You can't tell what's expecting you until you enter, but the atmosphere is quite intimate with dim lights, cozy leather sofas and armchairs and a vintage look. The staff is suited up with vest suits and ties, which really adds up to the vamp salon vibes. The waiter would explain to you in detail anything you might want to know about the drinks, plus some recommendations. The presentation of the cocktails itself is a step aside from the ordinary and is elevated to art. Taking pictures inside, with the exception of some close-ups of your drinks, is not allowed- in that way everyone can enjoy their time, not being bothered by constant camera flash and the chance to appear on someone's vacation photos.
We ended the night by the river again- with some sweet trdelnik in hands. It was also a wonderful opportunity to take some night pictures of the Charles Bridge and the castle hill.
Day 3
We didn't have much planned for the last day, since we had to leave the city not long after lunchtime, but there were still a couple of highlights we could realistically still visit that day.
Havlicek gardens
We started at the Havlicek gardens, since they were a short walk from where we were staying. It is a really beautiful park with a vineyard and a winery on one side and a grotto in Italian Renaissance style on the other. The park mostly owes its beautiful landscape to Moritz Gröbe, a Prague landowner, who bought the land in the 19th century. He then commissioned the creation of the gardens with the grotto, the restoration of the vineyards, created by Charles IV and an entertainment centre with a casino, chess tables and even a bowling alley. He built his summer residence, Villa Gröbe, where the old vineyards used to be.
The area is a great place for enjoying a pleasant peaceful walk and taking some beautiful pictures. It's also really worth it spending half an hour exploring the tunnels and stairways within the grotto.
The Gulliver Airship
After an indulging breakfast with some yummy street food, we covered the last spot from our Prague itinerary- the Gulliver Airship. Located atop the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, the Airship is in fact a spacious reading area. It can be entered only through the museum and it looks like it's stuck between the two surrounding buildings. I'm actually glad we headed to that part of the city, because it was a more modern- looking Prague neighborhood, far from the city centre. So it was a great opportunity to take a glimpse at a less touristy part of one of the world's most touristy cities.
So there you have it- a realistic itinerary for a weekend in Prague. And whether or not you bring big expectations with you during your visit, the Czech capital won't disappoint. Just keep your curiosity bumping and your camera charged for the pictures of a lifetime!
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