5 Days in Prague
Travel Blog
5 Days in Prague
Travel Blog

5 Days in Prague

My first visit to Prague was during the Christmas holiday period in December, back in 2013. The historical capital of Bohemia, Prague has a lot to offer. It definitely serves as a good break from beach holidays and would be adequate for those searching for history and culture. Needless to say, visiting the city during Christmas time had a number of other benefits, making it one of my favourite cities. Prague is divided into different neighbourhoods and each place contains something a little different for the traveller. Here is an itinerary which you may easily fit in around 4 – 5 days.

Day 1 – Old Town

Assuming that you arrive in Prague early in the morning, you should dedicate at least half a day walking round the neighbourhood you’re living in. Get familiar with your surroundings – restaurants, bars, clubs, local eateries and take note of any point of interests you see along the way.

The rest of the day can be spent exploring the Old Town Square neighbourhood. Again, assuming you’re visiting during Christmas time (or Easter), this part of Prague will probably be the core location where you will be passing through each time you want to go to another neighbourhood. You will love it, mainly because during the seasonal period a large market will be set up in the centre selling good food and anything which could potentially attract a tourist. Grab a bite to eat in the evening in one of the many restaurants around the centre.

A few sites worth checking out are the following:

  1. Church of Our Lady before Týn – 14th century church.
  2. Prague Orloj – Medieval astrological clock.
  3. Church of Saint Nicholas – Baroque church.
  4. Statue of Jan Hus – A statue dedicated to Jan Hus, a Czech philosopher and priest.
  5. Old Town Square – Central square in the middle of all the attractions in this area.
  6. Kinský Palace – An art museum which was a Rococo designed palace.
  7. Market stalls – Stall vendors selling food and souvenirs.
  8. Hard Rock Cafe & Starbucks – Always worth a visit.

Prague Market Prague View

Days 2 & 3 – North Districts

Northern Prague. There’s a lot to see in the north part of Prague and it could be a little difficult to fit everything in one day especially if you hate rushing through a place. Most of the places here involve visiting or going through large parks/gardens. Here’s a list of the places you should consider visiting:

  1. Vltava river – Considered to be the longest river in the Czech Republic.
  2. Letná – A hill overlooking the Vltava river and Prague’s historic center.
  3. Letná Park – A massive park located in District 7.
  4. Prague Metronome – Located on your way up to Letná’s hill, it now sits on what used to be a massive monument to Stalin.
  5. Skate Park – Located behind the Metronome, enjoy seeing some skating in the park.
  6. Prague Zoo – If you want to see polar bears, tigers and gorillas. Considered to be one of the best zoos in Europe.
  7. National Technical Museum – Contains artifacts and information related to the history of tech in the Czech Republic.
  8. Planetarium – Planetarium, exhibitions and an observatory.
  9. Sea World – Small scale sea aquarium, ideal for families.

  10. Královská obora – Another massive park, very close to the Planetarium.

Prague Metronome

 




Days 4 & 5 – District 1

You will most probably balance out a few sites from the previous days, maybe shift visiting one of the parks to another day. I would spend these days around the area of Charles Bridge and enjoying the surrounding sites. The map location falls under the Prague 1 district. The list of places you should consider visiting should include:

  1. Charles Bridge – Also known as Karlův most, this is one of the main attractions in Prague. Visit in the early morning or late evening to avoid the hordes.
  2. Lobkowicz Palace – Contains the oldest and largest privately owned art collection in the Czech Republic. Also the location to view the original scores and manuscripts by Beethoven and Mozart.
  3. Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral – A large castle complex which dates back to the 9th century. It is also the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic.
  4. Petřín – Lying in the centre of Prague, the hill is surrounded by parks.
  5. Petřín Lookout Tower – Located in the heart of Petřín, it resembles the Eiffel tower from afar. If you’re tired, opt for using the elevator instead of the tiring climb up the 300 steps.
  6. Saint Lawrence Cathedral – This cathedral can be seen from the Lookout Tower and it is also found within the grounds of Petřín, a few steps away from the tower.
  7. Strahov Monastery – It is found close to Petřín in the district Strahov, very close to one of the parks.
  8. Josefov – Explore the formerly Jewish ghetto town quarter.

Prague CathedralPrague Charles BridgePrague St. Vitus CathedralPrague stained glass

 

 

Other Activities

  • Sedlec Ossuary – Prague’s famous Gothic skeleton church which is located away from the centre of Prague is one of the top attractions.
  • Pub crawl – You will probably walk into a couple of souvenir shops. You probably won’t notice that behind a wall lies a staircase. That staircase leads to a bar which opens in the evening. Prague has quite a few of these bars which were cellars. Explore the central areas at night and locate the many bars littered around Prague. I recommend a bar called Double Trouble and a night club called M1 Lounge.
  • Josefov – Within this neighbourhood you can visit the Altneuschul (Old New Synagogue) and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
  • Dancing House – Located in the Prague 1 district, the building really stands out in the surrounding Gothic and Barogue buildings.
  • River cruise – Generally found next to the Charles Bridge area, you will find people offering tickets to cruise Prague’s river. There are two types of cruises., The first and more expensive cruise includes having lunch or dinner while enjoying the surrounding views of the river. The second, cheaper option is known as a ‘small boat trip’ which includes a drink, a cake, (beer or warm drink) and a guide. You can also visit a small museum when you disembark.

 

Helpful Travel Information

Recommended Hotel:

  • Design Hotel Elephant: Great accommodation options, very good breakfast, friendly staff and close to the Old Town Centre. Price: Medium to Expensive.

Entrance Fees:

  • Admission to Prague Castle Premises (St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, exhibition The Story of Prague Castle, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, Powder Tower, Rosenberg Palace): ~CZK700 / EUR26 / $29 (For opening times, rules and regulations refer to this document.)
  • Admission to Sedlec Ossuary: ~90CZK / EUR3 / $3.80
  • Admission to Lobkowicz Palace: ~275CZK / EUR10 / $11.40 (Open everyday from 10:00 to 18:00)
  • Admission to Petřín Lookout Tower: ~120CZK / EUR4.4 / $5 (Buffet and souvenir shop are located next to the entrance and a lift may also be used to get you to the top at an additional fee: ~60CZK for adults or ~30CZK for seniors/children.)
  • Admission to Prague Zoo: ~200CZK / EUR7.40 / $8.30. For more details refer to the following website.

Recommended Taxi Services: