Prague is a great city, one of my favorites, and if given the chance, I guarantee it will be one of your favorites as well. I am gonna skip all the touchy feely crap, except to say, Prague is on every “must see cities” list, so go see it, it’s beautiful.
I think the very best thing about Prague, is it’s size and how easy it is to get around. It’s small enough that I believe in three days, you could see most of the city and be satisfied. Prague is also big enough that you could stay for a week or more, or go back multiple times, like Day and I have, and never get bored. For this reason, I will write two posts, one for a short stay, and one for a week or more. I’m gonna start with a short stay, three days, and make a few assumptions:
- You have three full days.
- You like a little bit of everything, i.e. history, food, architecture, sightseeing parks and nature walks.
- And you like a casual vacation, time for an afternoon nap, and do not want to power walk the city for three days.
Where to stay and accommodations
If you’re only gonna be in Prague for a short while, when booking accommodations, try to stay in Praha 1 (district 1) or close to it. Day and I have found great hotels and Airbnb’s in Praha 1, and have always been happy. If you wanna be close to the Charles Bridge, stay in the Mala Strana area (castle side). The Hotel Bishop House is a great choice, and the location is spectacular. Day and I stayed there once, and loved it. We’ve always wanted to try Archibald at the Charles Bridge (another great location) but haven’t had the chance yet. We’ve stayed on the other side of the river as well, and have been equally as happy, however, accommodations are a little further away from the bridge, and I like 5 am walks over the Charles Bridge for pictures and a sunrise.
Speaking of 5 am walks, if you’re an early riser, or can’t sleep because of jet lag, get up. Prague, Old Towne Square and the Charles Bridge are quiet, spectacular and surreal in the early morning. I might even say magical, but you won’t believe me until you’ve seen it for yourself. Ok, so accommodations are all set, you found a great place in Praha 1, what’s next? Food!
Day #1: Walking Tours
A great way to start a trip is with a walking tour, and what could be better than a food tour. Day and I do them all the time, and love them. There are usually late morning tours that turn into lunch, or early evening tours that turn into dinner. We like to do these in the beginning of the trip because you get to sample local cuisine, and find out where the best places to eat are. With limited time in Prague, ya don’t wanna be picking crappy restaurants. I recommend Eating Europe for a food tour.
If food is not your thing, try a city tour, or a history tour. Walking tours, you don’t need to be driven around, Prague is easy walking. There are a lot of great options for these, but my two favorites are:
Toursbylocals, by far my favorite. It’s a great website, find a tour you think you’ll like, pick a guide, check to see how many tours they have done and read their reviews. Be sure to message them with any questions you have, and I am sure you will be satisfied. Stay away from TripAdvisor (just my opinion).
Umbrella Tours are another great option. There is no one website for umbrella tours, since there are multiple colored umbrellas, such as: red, white, yellow, blue and black, all representing different tours. There easy enough to find in almost every major city. What I like about these, or at least the ones we have gone on, is there is no pre booking. Tours begin at a designated place, begin at 10am and 2pm, and you pay at the end of the tour, usually twenty bucks. Day and I did a great WWII tour (black umbrella) in Prague.
I know what you’re thinking, “he didn’t mention the Charles Bridge or Old Towne Square.” No, you’re right. There’s no need to “go see” the Charles Bridge or Old Towne Square because you can’t go anywhere in Prague without running into them. Chances are pretty good any tour you do, is gonna go through Old Towne. After the tour, wander around on your own, and if you’re staying in Mala Strana ya gotta go over the bridge to get home. If you’re staying in Old Towne you have to go over the bridge tomorrow to get to the castle.
Ask your tour guide for a dinner recommendation in your neighborhood (always, always make reservations) and spend your first night exploring your neighborhood. All of Prague is beautiful and there are little hidden gems everywhere (I will share some ideas and links at the end). After dinner, go for a walk. If you’re in Praha 1, you can get most anywhere in 10 minutes.
Day #2: Prague Castle and Gardens
Your first trip to Prague wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and the surrounding gardens.
Best way to get there, walk. Walk up Nuradova St, an attraction in itself. Nuradova St. is beautiful, has plenty of shopping, tons of restaurants and plenty of beer options. Did I forget to mention, the beer is great, and cheap, cheaper than water, and everyone drinks it.
There are many, many options for a visit to the castle: guided tours, self guided, pay to go inside the church and other buildings, or free if you just wanna wander around the grounds and not go in the buildings. Self guided with the audio option and pay to go inside the buildings would be my choice. I think you need to see inside St. Vitus Cathedral. After the castle be sure to walk the gardens and surrounding palaces, and be sure to find the Old Castle Steps. There are plenty of options for lunch anywhere near the castle and gardens, take your time and enjoy the day.
If you’re not into the castle, visit the gardens and palaces, their pretty extensive and you could easily spend a half a day in the gardens alone. Other options might include: the Letna area and Letna Park, back to Old Towne Square, another tour, maybe a tour of the Jewish Quarters, or wander around Kampa Island or Wenceslas Square. A lot of these links I am posting have ads for tours. I am just including the links for you to read about the areas and attractions, remember; I like Toursbylocals, check there first if your interested in a guided tour.
So for your second evening in Prague, dinner and wandering around Wenceslas Square might be a perfect evening. There is plenty to see, lots of history surrounding Wenceslas Square, shopping and tons of great food options. And of course, a great walk home regardless of where your staying. More than likely you’ll have to go through Old Towne Square to get home. You might wanna stop at the Golden Tiger Pub for a beer on your way to Wenceslas Square, or on your way home.
Day #3: A Half Day Walk
Ok, I saved the best for last. Today begins with a walk through Kampa Island. You can get there from Mala Strana near the foot of the Charles Bridge. Make sure to go see the Lennon Wall along the way. Kampa Island is a great little park, plenty to see and very quiet. Remember, all the tourists are at Old Towne Square and the castle. Once you’re at the end of Kampa Island, get breakfast at the Cafe Savoy (reservations remember). After breakfast, cross the street and head up to Petrin Hill and the Hunger Wall. If you’re looking for exercise you can walk, if not, take the funicular (there may be a line, but it moves quickly). Once at the top, take your time and make your way to Strahov Monastery, this is a “must see” in my very humble opinion, and please, please visit the library. There is no shortage of spectacular views around here, and it’s a great place to stop for lunch and of course, a beer. After the monastery head towards Nuradova St. and make your way down to St. Nicholas Cathedral, be sure to go inside. St. Nicholas is in Mala Strana and the Charles Bridge is right infront of you. This may sound like a lot, but it’s not. I mapped this out before we did it with my mom, and it was about a 2.5 mile walk.
You’ll be back home in time for a nap, freshen up and head out again. Spend your last evening doing any one of the things I’ve mentioned, wander around on your own, or go back to your favorite spot. Hopefully you’ve got a great dinner recommendation (if you went on a food tour, they should have given you a handout, and on that should be a list of their favorite restaurants).
This would be a pretty good itinerary for anyone who’s in Prague for just a few days. You would have gotten to see most of the “must see” spots, maybe a tour or two, and hopefully some good food and beer. Prague is one of my favorite cities, and I think it will be one of yours as well. I will leave you with some things you might wanna check out, some links to places we have stayed, and restaurants we like. Also, if you’re planning a longer trip to Prague, please keep your eyes open for my next post on Prague.
Accommodations
Choices for accommodations in Prague are limitless, from grand hotels, to small quaint hotels, and amazing apartments on AirBnB. Day and I like AirBnB, but if you’re only there for a few days, a hotel may be a better option. Here are a few links:
AirBnB
Day and I have always had great luck with AirBnB, and is always our first choice. We’ve stayed in a couple of great places in Prague, so check it out.
The Hotel Bishop
We stayed here once, and it was great. The location is awesome.
The Archibol at the Charles Bridge
We’ve wanted to stay here, but haven’t had the chance yet. It looks great, and the location couldn’t be better, right at the foot of the bridge, on Kampa Island.
Food and Restaurants
For me and Day, food is a huge part of travel. Food is an important aspect to culture, history and the people. Most importantly, we love to eat!
There’s no better way to learn about the food, than with a food tour. Day and I love them, and one of the best is, Eating Europe.
Some restaurants we have enjoyed in Prague:
Cafe Savoy
Bistro Špejle
Gran Fierro
Restaurace Století
Terasa U Zlaté studně
Bohemia Bagel
Things to see and do in Prague
For main tourists attractions: this is a pretty good list.
Check out this YouTube channel: The Honest Guide, for some off the beaten path things to do and where to eat. He’s great, Day and I watch him all the time.
Lastly, a few things to avoid while in Prague:
- Never take a cab, they will rip you off. Take a car service to and from the airport, and public transportation once you’re in the city. If you absolutely have to take a cab, agree on a price before you get in the cab. Ask a local to help you if at all possible.
- Avoid any stand alone ATM’s, especially EuroNet ATM’s. Find ones that are part of bank. Honest Guide has a good video on this, make sure to check it out.
- Find a good money exchange place, a lot of them suck, and don’t exchange money with anyone on the street. Honest Guide has a few good videos about this as well.
If Prague is not on your “bucket list” it should be. Don’t take my word for it, this is a great article if you’re looking for reasons to visit Prague. I love it, I’ve been four times, and I am making plans to go back again next year. I love turning people onto Prague, and I hope my post has helped. Explore. Dream. Discover. Travel to Prague.
Luv ya,
Curly
