Prague, check! A 2-3 day itinerary

Overview

There’s an old world charm about this city.

Bridges, monuments, a river, a hill with it’s own Eiffel Tower replica and funicular access, music, history and mulled wine streetside. It’s all a bit romantic really.

I’d done my research prior to arrival and managed to fit much into the 2 days, albeit this also required a fair amount of walking. The third day was more of an R&R day for me, prior to moving on elsewhere, so one could easily spread these activities over the 3 days for a more comfortable experience of this fairytale city. This especially applies to Prague Castle, where you may wish to allocate an entire day.

This post aims to describe the highlights available in a 2-3 day timeframe, with a brief discussion on accommodation and; of course, a word on food!

Essentials

Day 1

Lennon Wall
Walk across Charles Bridge
Climb Charles Bridge Pylon
Klementinum tour
  > Baroque Library
  > Meridian Hall
  > Astronomical Tower
Old Town Hall
  > Apostles Procession
  > Old Town Tower
Climb Powder Bridge
Wenceslas Square
Petrin Tower – climb or take the funicular

Day 2

Boat cruise along the Vltava River
Prague Castle
Classical music concert at Klementinum

Arrival Evening

After flying in at dusk, I was collected from the Václav Havel International Airport by Ivan in the private car that came with the Airbnb I had booked. He was a delightful font of knowledge about his city. I came away with some great recommendations from him, his first being: a pint of Pilsener Urquell! According to Ivan, the Czechs drink the most beer per capita in the world and Urquell is the ‘only beer that won’t ever give you a hangover’ due to it’s refined and extensive purification techniques. It sounded somewhat of a challenge…
Along with this, he provided some wonderful dining suggestions which I have outlined here. And so it was that I found myself on evening number one at Pork’s, a convivial Prague institution along a row of many other restaurants, where I filled up on a pork knuckle and my first Urquell, before sauntering down the cobblestone lane to see the magic of Charles Bridge at night, and then onwards to my Airbnb to dream the night away.

Day 1

My suggestions for the first day worked really well in this order for me given that my Airbnb was situated in the Old Town in Malá Strana, only a hop, step and jump from Charles Bridge (on the Castle side). However you could change the route based on your accommodation location.

It’s worthwhile staying in the Old Town or Malá Strana if you only have a couple of days in Prague, which is outlined further on page 5 under accommodation.

Lennon Wall

This ever-changing wall has a history dating back to the 1960s whereby, in a small square across from the French embassy, people would paint symbols of freedom and love, in an expression of grievance against the communist regime. When John Lennon was assassinated in 1980, an image of him and some lyrics were painted on the wall; Lennon being a man who represented freedom and western culture during this tumultuous time. The mural is ever changing, with new paintings frequently replacing old ones.

The Lennon Wall is located on Kampa Island, which is connected to the mainland of Malá Strana by a street. It’s a beautiful part of the city where one gains a taste of old life in Prague: take a picnic and sit in the square, visit the nearby museum or treat yourself in one of the romantic fine dining restaurants.

Charles Bridge (Karlův most)

Walk across Charles Bridge

The second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic (commencing construction in 1357), Charles Bridge is 516 metres long and approximately 10 metres wide, crossing the Vltava River to connect the Lesser Quarter and Old Town. There are 3 bridge towers which served to protect the bridge, as well as 30 remarkably intricate baroque-style statues adorning it as one walks from one side to the other (replicas of the originals). It is a footbridge only, allowing no vehicle access and is open 24 hours a day. Many artists and buskers take up temporary residence here during the day and this will almost certainly involve being asked for money as one crosses.

Climb the Old Town Bridge Tower

A wonderful (and quick) activity is to climb the Charles Bridge Pylon on the Old City end. Sweeping views of the Vltava river and of the Old Town are available at the top of this gothic tower and I was surprised not to see more people up at the top, given the amount of foot traffic below. The entrance is perhaps slightly too obscure. The steps are steep and made of stone however, with little space at the top, so care would need to be taken if children are climbing. Cost is approximately £4.

Klementinum tour

To be very honest I had never heard of the Klementinum before but I was 100% thrilled to have come across it. At the time of writing, a ticket for a guided tour that includes all three items below is approximately £8 for adults and £5 for students. Tours are 50 minutes long and leave virtually every hour, on the hour. It’s important to arrive about 15 minutes early because there is no option to join a tour once it has left if you are running late! Opening hours change depending on the time of year, so be sure to check the official website to avoid disappointment, as well as to check for updates on the entry fee. There is also an option to prebook online.

Baroque Library

Listed as the ‘Most Beautiful Library in the World’, the Baroque Library of Prague is a glimpse of a lifetime but don’t expect to go in and don’t expect a photographic keepsake. Strict measures are taken to enforce that visitors can view the library from one of the doors at the end of the room but not enter. All photography is banned to protect the books, also the reason there is no natural lighting in the room. The library was opened in in 1722 and houses mostly foreign theological volumes. It is only possible to view on a formal paid tour with a guide (price above). I was truly astounded by its beauty however if I was to give a vote to ‘most beautiful’, it would have to go to the Austrian National Library in Vienna, a huge library which you can actually enter and spend as long as you like soaking it all in…

Meridian Hall

This room on the second floor was previously a ‘camera obscura’, used to determine noon by a ray of sunshine that passed through a small hole in the wall. From 1842, midday was signalled by a flag waving from the tower and from 1891 it was signalled by a canon firing. The original astronomical instruments are on display in the room.

Astronomical Tower

Astronomical tower was built in 1722 and is 68 metres high. At the top is a lead statue of Atlas carrying the celestial sphere by Matthias Bernard Braun. Visitors today can climb to a height of 52 metres where there is a viewing platform displaying another wonderful view of the city of Prague.

Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall was established in 1338 as the seat of the Old Town administration. The oldest part of the building consists of a beautiful gothic tower with a bay chapel and some ornately decorated rooms showcasing old art and furniture. On the outside of the tower is an astronomical clock, installed in 1410, which is the third oldest clock in the world and the oldest functioning one. This is visible from the Old Town Square. Each hour as the clock strikes, there is a procession of figures depicting 12 Apostles which appear at windows above the clock. If you are inside the Tower at this time, head to the room holding the bay chapel where you can watch the procession of the Apostles up close from inside. Head to the top of the tower for magnificent views of Prague.

Don’t miss:

Astronomical Clock (Prague Orloj)

Apostles Procession

Old Town Tower

Climb Powder Gate

Powder Gate, or Powder Tower, is one of the original 13 city gates of Prague, with construction commencing in 1475. It was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century and was intended to be an attractive entrance to the city. It’s not as popular as Old Town (Hall) Tower or Charles Bridge Tower but it has remarkable views. I must admit I circled the pylons below for some time before I landed upon the entrance: a menacing steel bolted door covered in the Bohemian crest.

Wenceslas Square

The centre of current day business and culture in Prague, Wenceslas Square is home to the greatest pedestrian traffic in this city and has been the site of many historical events, celebrations and public gatherings. It is lined by hotels and offices, retail stores, currency exchange booths and many restaurants and fast food outlets. As a friend tells me, it’s a common location for stag parties due to the prominent nightlife and surrounding strip clubs, with prostitutes also offering services here. Most importantly, the surrounding streets hold popup roadside stores selling hot mulled wine in foam cups for the traveller on the go! Bliss!

There are also many shopping streets around this area, with roadside vendors at your ready with a warm cup of mulled wine!

Petřín Lookout Tower

The Petřín Tower, a 63.5 metre high construction that resembles a ‘mini Eiffel tower’ (size ratio is approximately 1:5) was constructed in 1891 as part of the Jubilee Exhibition and was used as an observation and transmission tower. There are 299 steps leading to its peak.

Options for arrival to the tower entrance include:

> A picturesque walk up to the top through the beautifully curated Seminářská Gardens on Petrin Hill
This walk is approximately 30-40 minutes in duration. Word for the wise, if you plan on staying at the tower for sunset, the walk down the hill at dusk is a bit more arduous and I got lost on about 2 occasions, with paths not clearly sign posted and often quite isolated in the evening. Not an ideal descent by any means.

> Ascending via the old funicular
Ensure one checks before arrival if this is functioning as it was closed for maintenance (apparently a reasonably frequent occurrence) whilst I was there. If you find yourself at the funicular base, you will have little option but to climb the hill.

> Taxi to the top
NB: It is a gamble to drive oneself as parking is often limited.

> Tram
Tram to Pohorelec tram stop and walk 10 minutes to the entrance.

Options at the Tower entrance:

Once at the Tower, you can choose to climb the steps, or pay a fee to access the lift to the top. There are some stunning views across the river to Prague city, albeit it mostly through glass windows (which does unfortunately impede prime photography conditions!).

After a huge day, you’ll be quite peckish, so check out my suggestions for food in Prague!

Day 2

I probably didn’t quite factor the length of time one could devote to Prague Castle in my time planning for today but fortunately I still managed to see what I wanted to, albeit a little rushed. If you have the time, it’s worth taking a day to walk up to the castle, pack a (light) picnic lunch and enjoy the views overlooking the city.

If you’re on limited time in Prague, it would make sense to see the Petrin Tower and Prague Castle on the same day, due to their close proximity, and to do the boat cruise on the day of visiting Old Town sites instead.

After getting lost in the maze of narrow Old Town lanes, purchasing a kitch maroon ‘Prague’ hooded jumper and enjoying a morning coffee, it was time to head down to the river to cruise.

Boat cruise along the Vltava River

I went with the Prague Boats company, who provided a lovely 50 minute cruise with audioguide (difficult to hear if seated outside) for 14 €.

The boat cruise was a visually informative way to view the length of the city by water and, even more welcome after almost an entire previous day of walking, a chance to put my feet up! I sat next to a lovely British couple who were very accommodating in sharing their table with an Aussie. In actual fact I was at the table first but I was glad they didn’t look elsewhere upon hearing of my nationality. Aussie travellers: we have a reputation for being obnoxious (if you were unaware!). We got chatting about their frequent overseas holidays together now they are hitting retirement and since they’d been in Prague a few days, they also landed me with some helpful tips about my upcoming visit to the castle. After exchanging family photos on our phones and holding the table for each other to go to the bathroom, we were well acquainted. On board was a selection of snacks and drinks for purchase…. mulled wine for me again of course! There are various options of boat trip lengths and available packages: it is possible to do a lunch or champagne tour but I was keen to see what I could in an hour before heading to the castle. An hour was definitely enough and paved the way for a well rounded impression of the city size and some great photos.

The boat leaves from the dock at Čech Bridge, Pier no. 5, and follows the below route.

Prague Castle

Prague Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest castle complex in the world, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic and was previously a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia.

The walk to Prague Castle from the town below is a little steep in parts and will be rewarded if one has a little stamina, a little curiosity (there are many brilliant little shops and bars on the way up!) and a lot of anticipation for some stellar views at the top!

I would highly recommend downloading the ‘Prague Castle Visitor Guide’ app for an easy to use directory with helpful information on each historical site within the castle complex. The brochure on arrival at the castle was not overly informative and if you are not on a guided tour, there is little information provided along the way.

Highlights for me included:

> The interior of the St Vitus Cathedral

> Climbing the Great South Tower of the St Vitus Cathedral for stellar views of Prague

> Golden Lane

This small alleyway is lined with brightly painted houses, some of which display old relics whilst others function as boutique shops. This street was home to the castle guards in the 16th century and to goldsmiths in the 17th century

The Bohemian Crown Jewels are also on display in the castle.

Classical music concert at St Salvator Church, Klementinum

This was an ad hoc booking from the day before when I was spruiked prior to my entrance to the Klementinum! A mesmerizing affair, the acoustics were crisp and all encompassing in this hour long ‘Classic Spectacular’ concert with the following programme:

• J.F. Wade Adeste Fideles (from 19.12.2019)
• A. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Spring&Winter)
• G.F. Händel: Largo from Xerxes
• J.S.Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor (on the big organ)
• L. v. Beethoven: Symphony No.5 (Allegro)
• W.A. Mozart: Requiem – Lacrimosa
• M.A. Charpentier: Te Deum
• B. Smetana: The Moldau (Vltava)
• J. S. Bach: Air on the G – String
• F. Schubert: Ave Maria

Highly recommend! The St Salvator Church is also located adjacent the Charles Bridge and the night walk back to my accommodation along the glowing bridge was surreal.

Day 3 (and associated drama)

Final Day in Prague

Today was more about spending some time recharging, pottering around Prague and treating myself to a bit of a ‘foodie tour’, the highlights of which I have included in my food review here.

Other ideas for your final day in Prague:

• Visit one of the many quirky museums – google them, you’ll be surprised!
• Take a walk in the Jewish Quarter and visit the Old Jewish Cemetery in Old Town, one of the largest in Europe
• Visit Vyšehrad Castle, 3km from Prague Castle
• Visit the Hanavský Pavilion, Letenské sady, for a divine view over Vltava River and Prague City (see picture below)

If you have an extra day:

• Take a day trip to Cesky Krumlov and visit this visually stunning medieval town and castle

Little did I know what was to come my way that evening!

The Story of all the Drama!

Fun fact about me: I have never missed a plane flight in my entire life. Except for this day.

My driver took me to the airport for my 7pm flight from Prague to Ljubljana, Slovenia, where I was meeting a friend for some ongoing adventures there. I was due to arrive in Ljubljana at around 10pm and she was arriving at a similar time from Heathrow, London. We had a reasonably robust schedule to stick to (you might be sensing a theme by now).

We first stopped off at his ‘special lookout’ in an extensive public park called Letenské sady which I hadn’t heard of before and was glad he mentioned. From Hanavský Pavilion, a unique cast-iron building with a restaurant, was one of the most spectacular views of the city I’d seen. You’d need a car or public transport to get here but it was mesmerising.

The drive from Prague Old Town to the airport was approximately an hour and on the way, the driver asked me for my flight details so he could confirm the departure terminal. Oddly to him, he couldn’t seem to find my flight number on his smartphone app. He looked at me and asked if I had the right day: had I accidentally booked the flight for another day? I knew I had already checked this earlier on my booking confirmation email however that little panic in the back of the throat did momentarily seep in… but no, after checking, my confirmation email definitely had the right date.

We arrived at the airport and after assisting me with my luggage, he said, “I would prefer to come in to the airport so I know everything will be ok and so I can sleep tonight knowing you are not stranded”. Well! My heartfelt thanks to this man. We arrived at the counter and very quickly I could see behind the airport administrative staff that plane carrier was not listed amongst all the other airline logos. There was a flurry of intense discussion being had in Czech (of which I know zilch) during which time I had logged on to the driver’s wifi as he had kindly opened a hotspot for me. I used Google to look up the airline, Adria Airways, the national (and only) carrier for Slovenia. Wikipedia replied: they had declared bankruptcy a mere 10 days earlier.

Interesting.

My driver was suddenly indicating for me to follow him to another desk: the solutions people. There were no flights to Ljubljana that evening. The best I could do would be:
1. A flight that would land in Moscow, Russia, at 10pm and then a flight getting me in to Ljubljana at 9.30am the next morning, with a nifty sleep at the airport in Moscow for a grand total of AUD $800, or
2. An overnight Flixbus from Prague to Ljubljana, departing from Florenc Central Bus Station, back near my original hotel, in 3 hours time, for AUD $50. This bus would take 13 hours however I would have the possibility of attempting sleep on the bus and arrive earlier in the morning.

My very helpful driver had also offered to drive me to Ljubljana. Whilst a nice offer, I did not feel particularly comfortable with this.

I chose the bus.

Moral of the story:

Take care in booking unknown overseas airlines! Particularly small carriers.

Second moral of the story:

Coach travel between European cities is comfortable, quick and cheap. Check out these coachlines which all have apps you can buy and download your tickets on prior:
> Flixbus
> Intercity
> Arriva
> Eurolines
> Blaguss
> GetByBus

Third moral of the story:

Beer goes warm if left too long on an overnight bus.

Accommodation

I usually do a reasonable amount of research before staying in a city but I found Prague incredibly difficult to make sense of. The reason being: it is sectioned into 22 numbered districts. At first glance, they appear to be haphazardly arranged however there is a little structure to the madness. Prague 1 is the Old Town and Lesser Quarter (Malá Strana), where most of the major tourist sites are located. I was told that Prague 2 through 10 then roughly spirals out from Prague 1 in a circular fashion but even this is a bit of a stretch (see image below). Some districts are considerably bigger than others.

From my research pre-arrival and from my own experience, Prague 1 is definitely the place to be for a 2-3 day trip. If you are after a fast paced, more clustered group of buildings and pubs, then choose the Old Town side. If you still want to be in the action, amongst more relaxed pubs and bars, yet not too far from the major sites, choose Malá Strana (the Lesser Quarter). Lesser is more in my opinion. I stayed in Malá Strana and would stay there again in a heartbeat.

Keep in mind that whilst Wenceslas Square is busy and safe during the day, it can be a little more dubious during the night, with ‘gentlemen only’ clubs, casinos and prostitution. I’d much prefer to walk around alone at night in Prague 1 and felt completely comfortable doing so. There are many people out in the streets and walking along Charles Bridge.

I compared Booking.com with Airbnb for a place to stay in Prague and due to the great number of apartment buildings, I found there to be cheaper accommodation options on Airbnb. I was able to stay in a modern unit with a window that spanned the entire wall width and opened up on to views of the Castle and Petrin Tower, with a washing machine (essential after having travelled for a few weeks), bathroom, fridge and kitchen with cooking facilities (largely left unused thanks to the nearby culinary options!), for much less than a hotel room in the same area. This also involved pick up and drop off from the airport for a small additional fee which provided great peace of mind as a single traveler with evening flights.

Food

For my thoughts on the divine cuisine in the Czech capital city, please click here!