Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral above the roofs of Malá Strana
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Prague in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 6.7 km on foot
  • 17 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days let you see Prague in two halves: the castle and river side on the first day, the historic heart and the south of the city on the second. You have time to climb Petřín, linger over a goulash and reach Vyšehrad in the afternoon light. It's the best-balanced pace: you see plenty and still enjoy it.

Day 1The castle and the quarter of legends

Start at Hradčany Square with "From Castle to River": St Vitus, Golden Lane and Malá Strana down to Charles Bridge. After a svíčková at lunch, give the afternoon to two easy walks on the left bank, the Lennon Wall with Kampa Island and Petřín. At dusk, cross the bridge and follow "Golems, Alchemists and a Hanging Arm", from the Old Jewish Cemetery to the Astronomical Clock. You'll have earned the goulash at dinner.

  1. Morning

    From Castle to River: The Prague You Can't Miss

    Mixed · 2 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. Hradčany Square and the Castle GatesThe great forecourt of the Bohemian kings' castle, watched over by stone giants and guards in blue uniforms.
    2. St Vitus CathedralAlmost six centuries in the making: the cathedral where kings were crowned and the crown jewels are kept.
    3. Golden LaneDoll's-house cottages built into the castle wall, once home to guards, craftsmen, a fortune-teller and Franz Kafka.
    4. Malá Strana Square and St NicholasPrague's most spectacular Baroque church, where Mozart played and from whose belfry the secret police spied.
    5. Charles BridgeHalf a kilometre of Gothic stone, thirty Baroque saints and the finest view of the castle over the Vltava.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Svíčková na smetaně at U Pinkasů. Jungmannovo náměstí 15, Praga 1

  3. Afternoon

    Lennon Wall and Kampa Island

    A wall covered in graffiti and song lyrics since the 1980s, next to Kampa Island and the Čertovka stream. It's ten minutes from Malá Strana, and the best place to slow down after the castle.

    Directions

    Petřín Hill

    A hilltop park with a rose garden, orchards and a lookout tower from 1891 modelled on the Eiffel Tower. Take the funicular from Újezd or walk up; from the top you see all of Prague's rooftops and the castle.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Golems, Alchemists and a Hanging Arm

    Mysteries & legends · 2.2 km · 1 h 50 min

    1. Old Jewish CemeterySome twelve thousand gravestones crammed over layers of earth, and the tomb of the rabbi tradition credits with the Golem.
    2. Old-New SynagogueSeven centuries of prayer under one roof and, according to legend, a clay giant asleep in the attic.
    3. Basilica of St JamesA Baroque church where, beside the door, a mummified human arm has hung for centuries.
    4. Church of Our Lady before TýnTwo fairy-tale black spires, a chalice that vanished by night and the tomb of the astronomer whose death set tongues wagging for four centuries.
    5. Astronomical ClockMore than six hundred years of telling time, and a cruel legend about the clockmaker who was blinded.
    6. St John of Nepomuk on Charles BridgeThe oldest statue on the bridge, the saint thrown into the Vltava and a relief polished bright by countless hands.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Goulash with dumplings at U Fleků. Křemencova 11, Praga 1

Day 2Kings, squares and the riverbank

Spend the morning on "Prague in Six Dates That Shook Europe", from the Old Town Bridge Tower to Wenceslas Square via the Clementinum and the Estates Theatre. Finish near U Medvídků or another beer hall for a vepřo knedlo zelo. In the afternoon, head down to the New Town riverbank: first the Dancing House, then a long stroll along the embankment to Vyšehrad, where it pays to arrive with time to spare for the sunset over the Vltava.

  1. Morning

    Prague in Six Dates That Shook Europe

    History · 2.5 km · 2 h

    1. Old Town Bridge TowerThe Gothic gateway Charles IV raised as a triumphal arch, where the heads of executed rebels hung for ten years.
    2. The ClementinumThe Jesuits' fortress of learning, launchpad of Bohemia's re-Catholicisation, where the weather has been recorded since 1775.
    3. Old Town SquareThe stage where Prague has executed, celebrated and proclaimed for eight centuries; twenty-seven crosses in the ground remember it.
    4. Estates TheatreThe only surviving theatre where Mozart conducted the premiere of one of his operas: Don Giovanni, in 1787.
    5. Municipal House and Powder TowerA Gothic tower that once stored gunpowder and, next door, the Art Nouveau palace where Czechoslovak independence was proclaimed.
    6. Wenceslas SquareA former horse market that became the great stage of 20th-century Czech history, from 1918 to 1989.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Vepřo knedlo zelo at U Medvídků. Na Perštýně 7, Praga 1

  3. Afternoon

    Dancing House

    Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry's building, finished in 1996, looks like two dancers in an embrace. It stands on the New Town bank and is best seen from the embankment; the walk from there to Vyšehrad is a pleasant one.

    Directions

    Vyšehrad Fortress

    A fortified hill above the Vltava, with the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul, views of the castle and the cemetery where Dvořák and Smetana rest. Quieter than the centre, it is the legendary cradle of Prague.

    Directions

The map

Prague in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

Loading the map…

Before you go

Tips for Prague in 2 days

  • Save St Vitus and Golden Lane for the first hour of the day: queues are shorter and the light is better.
  • To reach Petřín, take the funicular from Újezd and walk back down through the park; it's easier than the other way round.
  • A 24- or 72-hour transport ticket pays off if you use the tram to the castle, the funicular and the metro to Vyšehrad.

Questions

Prague in 2 days: your questions

Are 2 days enough for Prague?

Yes, to see the main sights without rushing. Two days cover the castle, Malá Strana, the Jewish Quarter, the Old Town and two or three outings such as Petřín or Vyšehrad. If you want museums and less touristy districts, make it three.

How far do you walk in 2 days?

The routes in this plan add up to about 6.7 km: 4.2 on the first day and 2.5 on the second. With the extras, the hops between districts and the climb up Petřín, expect 10 to 11 km on day one and about 8 on day two.

Which day suits which route?

Day one, the castle side and Malá Strana, the busiest part, with the mystery route at dusk. Day two, the history route and the south of the centre, which you enjoy more at an unhurried pace.

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