Prague Travel Guide
Three Days in Prague
The first-timer itinerary that puts the castle and Malá Strana on day one, the Old Town, the clock and the Jewish Quarter on day two, and Kutná Hora or Vyšehrad and Letná on day three, with river views and pilsner in between.
Prague is one of the most walkable capitals in Europe. The historic centre is compact, the river divides it neatly into two halves, and the trams fill in the gaps. Three days is enough to see the essentials without rushing, if you group the sights by area and get to the busiest ones early. Here is the plan that works for most first-timers: the castle side of the river on day one, the Old Town on day two, and a choice on day three between a day trip to Kutná Hora and a slower local day at Vyšehrad and Letná.
Before you go: the short booking list. Prague needs less advance booking than Rome or Barcelona, but a few things are worth arranging. Buy the Prague Castle main circuit ticket online, or plan to buy it at the castle at opening time; it is valid for two days. Book the Old Town Hall tower if you are travelling in a busy season. Check the calendar for the Jewish Quarter, whose sites are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, and put it on a weekday. If you want a sunset river cruise or a concert, book a day or two ahead, especially at weekends. For the Kutná Hora day trip, book a tour, or simply check the train times from the main station.
Getting around. Walk as much as you can, and use trams for the hills. Public transport tickets are valid across trams, metro, buses and the Petřín funicular, which reopened in September 2026; a 24-hour or 72-hour ticket is the simplest choice for visitors and can be bought in the PID Lítačka app or from machines. Validate paper tickets when you first use them; inspectors are common and fines are steep. For money, use bank ATMs and pay by card, which is accepted almost everywhere; avoid the exchange booths that advertise zero commission, and always choose to be charged in Czech crowns, CZK, rather than your home currency.
Day one: the castle and Malá Strana. Take tram 22 or 23 up to the castle and arrive for opening time at St. Vitus Cathedral, before the tour groups (if day one is a Sunday, swap days, as the cathedral is closed to visitors on Sunday mornings). Walk the main circuit: the cathedral, the Old Royal Palace with Vladislav Hall, St. George's Basilica and Golden Lane. Climb the South Tower if you have the energy. Watch the changing of the guard on the hour, then walk down the Old Castle Steps or through the terraced palace gardens, in season, to Malá Strana for lunch. In the afternoon, explore the Lesser Town: St. Nicholas Church, Nerudova street, the Wallenstein Garden, Kampa Island, the Čertovka and the Lennon Wall. Late in the afternoon, ride the Petřín funicular from Újezd and climb the lookout tower for the sunset view over the castle and the city. Dinner in Malá Strana, then a walk across Charles Bridge after dark.
Day two: the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. Be on Charles Bridge at dawn for the empty-bridge experience, then climb the Old Town Bridge Tower for the classic view. Walk down Karlova to Old Town Square while it is still quiet, have breakfast in a side street, then visit the Jewish Quarter at opening time: the Pinkas Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Old-New Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue. After lunch, return to Old Town Square to watch the Astronomical Clock strike the hour from the middle of the square, then climb the Old Town Hall tower. In the afternoon, walk along Celetná to the Powder Tower and the Municipal House, and down Na Příkopě to Wenceslas Square, the stage of the Velvet Revolution, and the National Museum at the top. In the evening, take a river cruise at sunset or after dark, and finish with dinner and a beer in a traditional Czech pub.
Day three, option A: Kutná Hora. Take a morning train from the main station, about an hour, or join a guided tour. See the Sedlec Ossuary, the chapel decorated with bones, the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Gothic Cathedral of St. Barbara and the old silver town. Return to Prague in the late afternoon and walk up to Letná Park for the sunset over the bridges, with a beer in the beer garden in season.
Day three, option B: Vyšehrad, the New Town and Letná. If you would rather stay in the city, take the metro to Vyšehrad and spend the morning on the ramparts, in the basilica and at the cemetery where Dvořák and Smetana lie. Walk down to the river past the cubist houses and along the embankment to the Dancing House and the National Theatre, stopping for coffee at a historic café. After lunch, visit a museum of your choice, such as the Mucha Museum or the National Gallery's modern art in Holešovice, then end the day at Letná Park for the sunset view of the bridges.
If you have a fourth day. Take the long day trip to Český Krumlov, the storybook town in South Bohemia, or explore more of Prague: the Strahov Monastery library, the Loreta, the Vinohrady and Žižkov neighbourhoods, or the zoo with children.
Where to base yourself for this plan. The Old Town puts you in walking distance of most sights and the metro; Malá Strana is quieter and more romantic but hillier; the New Town around Charles Square and Wenceslas Square offers better value and good transport. Whatever you choose, check the distance to the nearest tram or metro stop.
The honest adjustments. With children, swap the tower climbs for the Petřín mirror maze and a short river cruise, and keep the Jewish Quarter brief. In winter, daylight is short, so start early, put outdoor sights first and save museums and concerts for the dark afternoons. In Advent, the Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, and the evenings are crowded but magical. And whatever the season, leave time for an unhurried hour in a beer garden or a café: that is when Prague reveals itself.