Monday, August 28, 2017

Awesome 3 Days in Prague Itinerary


If you are planning to spend 3 days in Prague, you are lucky! You have a great chance to see all the famous highlights and even some hidden gems and great pubs! If you stay with Prague City Apartments you don't need to worry, all apartments are located in a very center of Prague and you can explore everything on foot! Prague really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and you are going to love it!



On a first day make sure to get up early. We mean really early. The best time to hit the road is just after 6 A.M. That's your only chance to see the most famous Prague sights without crowds of tourists. To see "the Big 3" (Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle) with no tourists we recommend to take the historical Royal Route. The route starts by the Powder Tower, very close to our Masna and Rybna residences. The Powder Tower, built in the 15th century, is one of the most important monuments of medieval Prague. Next to the tower you can admire probably the most famous Art Nouveau building in Prague - The Municipal House built in 1912. After you take a few unique "touristless" pictures, take a Celetná street which goes from the Republic Square to the Old Town Square. You will have the most popular Prague square just for yourself! The Old Town Square is the oldest and historically most significant square in Prague. Its origin dates back to the 10th century. Take a picture of the Týn Church and enjoy a view of the Old Town Hall with Astronomical Clock without annoying crowds.


Then take the Karlova street which leads to the Charles Bridge, the oldest bridge over the Vltava River and one of the most visited sights in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the shield of King Charles IV and was completed in 1402. The bridge is 1690 feet long, composed of 16 arches and also decorated with 30 stone sculptures. Three bridge towers are built at both ends of the bridge. From the bridge you can go to the Kampa Island and see the Lennon's Wall. The island is separated from the Lesser Town by a narrow channel called the Devil's Stream. Then continue to the Malostranské Square and admire the baroque Church of St Nicholas.


Now you can climb the castle stairs or take the Nerudova street to get to the Hradčany Square. The castle is open from 6 A.M. so you can enjoy it with no lines and crowds! If you want to see the castle and the St. Vitus Cathedral interiors it is open from 9 A.M. Prague Castle, the largest castle complex in the world, is the traditional seat of Czech monarchs and presidents. It is proudly overlooking Prague since the 9th century. The St. Vitus Cathedral with its more than 300 feet tall Bell Tower is a dominant visible from almost everywhere. If you are hungry we recommend to return to the Old Town and have a lunch in one of the great restaurants. If you stay with Prague City Apartments, use our superb online Prague guide to find the best places! If you want to taste the best Czech food, read our post 8 Places to Taste the Best Traditional Czech Cuisine in the Old Town of Prague. Most restaurants serve lunch from 11 A.M. The sooner you have a lunch the better because most places get quite crowded after noon. If you visit Prague from April to September it is a great idea to relax after sightseeing and lunch in one of the beautiful parks or gardens. Check our post The Most Beautiful Parks, Gardens and Nature in Prague.


After you have a rest, you can go exploring the Jewish Quarter (Josefov). Jewish Quarter dates back to the 13th century and today it is a well preserved complex of important Jewish buildings. Be sure to visit all the most important parts of the Jewish Museum - Old Jewish Cemetery, Synagogues (Maisel, Pinkas, Spanish, Old New) or Ceremonial Hall.
Before you hit the pubs you can admire Rudolfinum, built in 1876-1884. It is architecturally one of the most important buildings in Prague. For more than 130 years it serves as a concert hall and it is the main concert venue of the famous Czech Philharmonic. If you have more time you can even visit Rudolfinum Gallery.


Once you are in Prague you probably want to taste the most delicious beer in the world. And also super cheap! You can visit one of the renowned pubs with Pilsner Urquell or Budweiser Budvar but you should also try excellent microbreweries recommended by us! Just see our post 7 Prague Microbreweries You Must Visit. You can even choose one of the popular beer tours to taste very special beers with an experienced guide. Ask our staff to get the best tips!
If you travel with kids you read our Prague with Kids Complete Guide and make your own great itinerary.



OK, yesterday was a very busy day, especially if you stayed late enjoying beer. There is no need to wake up too early. Get a nice cup of coffee and breakfast in one of cafés (see our online guide) and start exploring! Day 2 will be the day of great views! You can choose only one of our tips or climb all the towers! Visit the top of the Powder Tower if you want a nice panoramic view of Prague, from the Old Town Hall you will have a wonderful view of the Old Town and the Old Town Bridge Tower offers a great view of the Charles Bridge from above and Prague Castle - perfect during sunset!


Then go to the Lesser Town and take a funicular (operating since 1891) up to the Petřín Hill. The funicular is a part of Prague Public Transit Company so you can use your metro/tram tickets or buy one in a vending machine next to the lower station. On the hill you can visit a mirror maze and you also shouldn't miss the Petřín lookout tower. Same as the funicular, this 65 meters tall structure was built in 1891 when the members of the Czech Tourist Club were impressed by the Eiffel Tower in Paris and decided to make a five-times smaller copy. You can use an elevator or 299 steps to climb up and get wonderful views of Prague and a large part of Bohemia.
From the Petřín lookout tower it is only a 10 minutes' walk to the Strahov Monastery,  the oldest Premonstratensian monastery in Bohemia. It was founded in 1143 by Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia, and now it is one of the most important architectural monuments in the Czech Republic. Just next to the monastery have a lunch and great beer in the Strahov Monastic Brewery.


From Strahov you can go to one of the most beautiful streets in Prague called Nový Svět. You will love this picturesque old street as it is located off the beaten path and not many tourists know about it!
From the Castle District take a nice 20 minutes' walk back to the river and don't forget to enjoy the views! Check Prague's narrowest street with traffic lights and visit Franz Kafka Museum located in the unique Herget Brickworks. Then have a nice dinner and go the National Theatre, the most important theatre of the Czech Republic. It was built from the national public collection and was open in 1881 for the first time. After a devastating fire, the theatre was open for the second time in 1883. You can visit drama, opera or ballet performance, just choose a play on the National Theatre website. If you want to discover Prague's vibrant nightlife, read our Ultimate List of the Best Bars in Prague and enjoy the best drinks!



Your last day in Prague. Start on the Wenceslas Square, 700 meters long square, the largest cultural and business center of Prague. It has witnessed many important historic events, huge celebrations and demonstrations. If you like modern art you should see the unique Statue of Kafka by Czech artist David Cerny. It was built in 2014 next to the Quadrio shopping center, between Spalena and Vladislavova streets. On your last day you should definitely visit Vyšehrad, originally a small fortification built in the 10th century. It was gradually rebuilt into the massive fortress and throughout its history it was even the seat of Czech kings. You can go by subway or tram but we recommend to take a beautiful walk along the river. On the way to Vyšehrad you will see famous Dancing House by Frank O. Gehry. Building gained its name from the towers that resemble famous dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. It was open in 1996 and won the prestigious Time magazine Design of the Year prize in the same year.


Once you get to Vyšehrad, enjoy nice views of Prague, see the St. Martin Rotunda, relax in the park and visit Vyšehrad Cemetery, the final resting place of the most important Czechs. After lunch you can visit one of the museums or galleries. Or in case of good weather you can rent a paddle boat! You can go with up to 3 friends and it is a great fun! Choose one of the rental places and discover Prague from the river! In the evening you can discover more pubs or go on a boat trip. You can choose from many day or evening trips, trips with dinner and more. Ask our staff to get the best tips!



Of course in Prague there are other very interesting places, sights or attractions and nobody is able to see them all in 3 days. We tried to mention the best and most important ones but feel free to adjust the itinerary according to what you like! If you want to visit Prague Zoo, we recommend a whole-day trip.