How to See Prague in a Day (9 Things Not to Miss)

9/30/2023

Prague, the capitol of Czechia. Only a 5 hour bus ride from Munich, and only a 7 hour bus ride from Budapest - this centrally located city has a lot to offer. However, most people visit multiple European countries and cities in a single trip - and you might be wondering just "how to see Prague in a day." Although we spent more than a day in Prague ourselves, we definitely think you can see a lot if not most of what the city has to offer in a single, full day.

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

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Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

Why is Prague so Popular?

With 6 - 8 million visitors each year, Prague is so popular for a number of reasons. Not only is the city easy to get to from just about anywhere, but it helps that they are notoriously known as one of the safest cities in Europe. Prague has incredible architecture, the people are kind, the food is great, and the city is easy to get around and very walkable. Before you visit Prague however, there are some things you might like to know :

TOURS TOURS TOURS - Everywhere you go you will see walking or biking tours, most in very large groups. We've never seen a city with so many tours at each place we visited. Even though we think the city is 100% doable on your own, here's a great walking tour we found in case you're not comfortable exploring by yourself, it even includes a river cruise and traditional lunch!
Currency - Even though Czechia is part of the European Union & Schengen Zone, they don't use the Euro. Instead, exchange your Euros for the Czech Koruna (or Czech Crown) to use around the city - there seemed to be plenty of places in the city to exchange money.
Walk the City - Around every corner you'll find incredible architecture, and our honest opinion is that the best way to explore Prague is to explore on foot. This means, bring comfy shoes!
Safety - Even though Prague is considered to be one of the safest cities in Europe, you should still be aware and use your common sense. (Then again, we could just be paranoid since we were mugged in Barcelona.) Keep your valuables zipped away, and don't set things down and then walk away, stay extra aware in crowded places like plazas, trains, and trams.
Schengen Zone - If you're already in the Schengen Zone then you shouldn't need an extra visa to visit Prague or the rest of Czechia, just make sure to stay under your 90 day limit (for visa free US citizens).

Looking for a place to stay in Prague? We stayed at Ibis Praha Mala Strana and loved it's proximity to downtown!

9 Ways to Spend a Day in Prague

1. The Original Beer Spa

Expected Time : 1 hour
If you haven't heard of beer spas yet, then you definitely will soon. Beer Spas are popping up all over Europe (and even some in the US) and chances are you're definitely going to want to try it while you're here. When you book you'll get a whole room to yourself and your group (the largest room accommodates up to 10 people) - and comes with the beer tubs, a sauna, cooling buckets, and a hay bed. The entire experience lasts just over an hour, so you can easily fit this into your one day to explore Prague - plus this is a much more unique experience than doing something every single other tour does. The beer spa even has benefits that are actually good for you - like smoothing skin and wrinkles, hydrating & providing essential vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins, healing liver inflammation, aiding in digestion & metabolism, and even helping your immune system - really the list goes on. Oh, and did we mention you get unlimited beer during the experience? I'll bet it's at the top of your list now. ;)

Book your own Beer Spa Experience at The Original Beer Spa!

2. Charles Bridge

Expected Time : 30 minutes
An iconic sight in Prague, the Charles Bridge was started in 1357 to connect the Prague Castle to Old Town. Even though it's really busy, we recommend walking over it just to enjoy the views of the city! Fun Fact - the Charles Bridge is also considered the oldest stone bridge in all of Europe! Lined with 30 different statues - if you find the one of John of Nepomuk (the only bronze statue) and rub the plaque, it's said to bring good luck!

3. Astronomical Clock Tower

Expected Time : 30 minutes
Located in the main plaza of Old Town, the Astonomical Clock Tower was built in 1410 and is another popular spot to visit. Even though we've listed some other sights in Old Town to explore at #9 below, this spot is pretty special and we recommend stopping here even if you don't explore the rest of Old Town. Seeing the Astronomical Clock itself is free, and it strikes at the top of the hour every hour from 9:00am - 11:00pm with the "12 Apostles" going by in the 2 blue windows above. If you're looking to see even more of the tower, or just some great views of Old Town, you can actually head up into the tower itself. This will cost you 300 CZK (about $13 USD) per person or 650 CZK (about $28 USD) per family.

4. Jewish Quarter & Museum

Expected Time : 1 - 3 hours
Located next to Old Town Prague, this is definitely a sight to see when in Prague. You have a few options when exploring this area - you can either walk around and take in the sights on your own or you can purchase a pass to the museum which includes access to 6 of the top sights in the area for 400 CZK (about $17 USD). (It does not however include access to the Orthodox Old/New Synagogue, you'll need separate tickets if you want to explore this.) It's also worth noting that visitors to the museum and Old Jewish Cemetery are expected to wear appropriate clothing (covering their shoulders), and men are expected to cover their heads at the cemetery as well. If you don't have anything to use it's no worry, as they have kippahs available for rent or purchase. If you choose to explore on your own, or just decide to make your way towards the Vltava River along Paris Street, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for fancy cars (that I don't even know the names of). We were absolutely stunned and definitely felt out of place seeing these on nearly every corner - along with the super fancy stores lining Paris Street.

5. Prague Castle

Expected Time : 2-3 hours
The Prague Castle is an incredible sight, and although it is free for visitors, some of the exhibitions require a paid ticket. If you really want to explore the grounds we would recommend carving out a couple of hours - some of the top things we would recommend to see are the Gardens, the changing of the Castle Guard (every hour from 7:00am to 6:00pm), heading up into the South Tower, the St. George Basillica, and the main sight - the St. Vitus Cathedral. You can head into the front part St. Vitus Cathedral for free (don't worry the line moves quick), but if you want to head into the rest of the church you'll need a ticket. A fun fact about Prague Castle is that it houses the Crown Jewels, the relics of Bohemian Kings, Christian Relics and even various art treasures and historical documents.

6. Dancing House

Expected Time : 15-30 minutes
The Dancing House, also called Ginger and Fred, was built in 1994 and houses offices, an event center, gallery and restaurant/bar with 360 degree views that you can visit. Other than a unique exterior and the GLASS Bar terrace offering incredible city views, there isn't much else to do here then take in the views and have a drink.

7. Goulash & Gelato

Expected Time : 1-2 hours
One of our favorite experiences in a city is the food, and goulash is one thing you need to try in Prague. Although there are plenty of restaurants throughout the city that serve this dish, we found one near the Prague Castle and it was absolutely delicious. We ordered the goulash and goat cheese salad and would 1000% recommend a stop here at Pilsner Urquell Original Restaurant - it's important to note though that if it's full, which it was when we visited, then the staff won't really help you wait for or find a table, so it'll be up to you to grab one yourself! Plus, there's an excellent macaron & gelato spot called Murano Gelato just down the block for dessert!

8. Czech Chimney & Potato Pancakes

Expected Time : 1 hour
Located just off the main square in Old Town, this little group of food and souvenir stands are right on the edge of Park u Staromestskeho Namesti behind the Astronomical Clock Tower, and even though they're filled with tourists it's for good reason. Not only can you find the famous Czech Chimney's here (fried pastries with ice cream in the middle) but they also have a Potato Pancake that is worth standing in line for - we recommend trying it the traditional way with sauerkraut, ketchup and mustard on top! We also tried the Czech Chimney from Old Czech Chimney Cake just a few blocks from here and it was delicious as well!

9. Old Town

Expected Time : 2-3 hours
Even though we've mentioned a few sights already that are located in Old Town (like the Astronomical Clock Tower and Park u Staromestskeho food stalls) there are still many other sights to see in Old Town and we recommend carving out a few hours just to explore this area on foot! Some places to keep an eye out for are the Main Square Man in Old Town Square, Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, Prasna Brana, and many more!

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