Discover Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague & Budapest
Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 13th largest city in the European Union and the historical capital of Bohemia. Situated on the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate oceanic climate, with relatively warm summers and chilly winters. Prague is home to a number of well-known cultural attractions, many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe. Main attractions include Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, Petrín hill and Vyšehrad. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Spend at least 2 days in this picturesque city (click on the links for more details & to book tickets):
DAY 1
Start your first day in Prague at The Powder Tower, one of the original 13 city gates which separates the Old Town from the New Town. Construction began in 1475.
Next stop is the Municipal House, a civic building that houses Smetana Hall, a celebrated concert venue. It is located on Námestí Republiky next to the Powder Gate in the center of the city and was the location of the Czechoslovak declaration of independence.
3. THE HOUSE AT THE BLACK MADONNA
The House of the Black Madonna is a cubist building and was designed by Josef Gocár. It is currently in use as the Czech Museum of Cubism and includes the Grand Café Orient restaurant on the first floor.
4. OLD TOWN SQUARE & CHURCH OF OUR LADY BEFORE TYN
Discover this historic square in the Old Town. It is located between Wenceslas Square and Charles Bridge. The square features buildings belonging to various architectural styles, including the Gothic Church of Our Lady before Týn, which has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. Its characteristic towers are 80 m high. The Baroque St. Nicholas Church is another church located in the square. Prague Orloj is a medieval astronomical clock mounted on the Old Town Hall. The clock was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still in operation. The tower of the Old Town Hall is open to the public and offers panoramic views of the Old Town.
5. CHARLES BRIDGE
End your first day in Prague at Charles Bridge, the historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava until 1841, Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas. This connection made Prague important as a trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.
DAY 2
1. PRAGUE CASTLE & ST VITUS CATHEDRAL
Prague Castle was most likely founded in around 880 by Prince Borivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m2;. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it consists of a large-scale composition of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from the remains of Romanesque-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications of the 14th century.
St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important temple in Prague. Apart from religious services, coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place here. The cathedral is a place of burial of several patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops.
2. ST NICHOLAS CHURCH
Explore The Church of Saint Nicholas, a Baroque church built between 1704-1755 on the site where formerly a Gothic church from the 13th century stood, which was also dedicated to Saint Nicholas. It has been described as the greatest example of Prague Baroque.
3. LENNON WALL
Located in a small and secluded square across from the French Embassy, the wall had been decorated by love poems and short messages against the regime since 1960s. It received its first decoration connected to John Lennon, a symbol of freedom, western culture, and political struggle, following the 1980 assassination of John Lennon when an unknown artist painted a single image of the singer-songwriter and some lyrics.
4. RUDOLFINUM
Your next stop is an important architectural monument of Prague, Rudolfinum. The Neo-Renaissance building on the bank of the Vltava is associated with music and art since its opening in 1885. Today it is a seat of the Czech Philharmonic, as well as the Galerie Rudolfinum and the recently renovated Cafe Rudolfinum.
4. PINKAS, KLAUSEN & SPANISH SYNAGOGUES
The Pinkas Synagogue is the second oldest surviving synagogue in Prague. Its origins are connected with the Horowitz family, a renowned Jewish family in Prague. Today, the synagogue is administered by the Jewish Museum in Prague and commemorates about 78,000 Czech Jewish victims of the Shoah.
The Klausen Synagogue is the largest synagogue in the former Prague Jewish ghetto and the sole example of an early Baroque synagogue in the ghetto.
The Spanish Synagogue is the newest synagogue in the area of the so-called Jewish Town, yet paradoxically, it was built at the place of the presumably oldest synagogue, Old School. The synagogue is built in Moorish Revival Style.
5. THE JEWISH MUSEUM & OLD JEWISH CEMETERY
The Jewish Museum in Prague is a museum of Jewish heritage in the Czech Republic and one of the most visited museums in Prague. Its collection of Judaica is one of the largest in the world, about 40,000 objects, 100,000 books, and a copious archive of Czech and Moravian Jewish community histories. The Old Jewish Cemetery is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in Prague.
WHEN TO GO: The best time to visit Prague is in late spring or early fall, just before and after the peak summer tourist season. Plan to arrive in May or September for comfortable temperatures around 18 to 20°C, ideal for sightseeing without having to battle big crowds.
VISA: The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union (EU) and the Schengen Area.
CURRENCY: The Czech Republic's currency is the Czech koruna or Czech crown (K? / CZK). Despite being a member of the European Union, the Czech Republic has not adopted the euro yet. Notes come in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 CZK. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 CZK.
HOW TO GET AROUND: The best way to get around Prague is on foot or by public transportation.
SLEEP AT HOTEL CASA MARCELLO
The Hotel Casa Marcello is located in the historical heart of Prague on a street located just a few metres from the Old Town Square. Both of the Hotel buildings were constructed in Gothic style in the 13th Century and still retain their unique historical character. The Hotel Restaurant and the Summer Terrace were also built in the same style.
SLEEP AT HOTEL ROTT
Situated in the very centre of the Old Town of Prague, literally a few steps from the Old Town Square, Hotel Rott provides comfortable accommodation in rooms styled in the late 19th century elegance with all the modern amenities you can think of. With a view to the Little Square, streets of the Old Town or even over to the Prague Castle, you will feel and enjoy the legendary Prague atmosphere.
EAT AT ART & FOOD HAD
Come to ART&FOOD Had restaurant located on the attractive tourist route between the National Theatre and Prague Castle in a quiet street in Prague's Újezd neighbourhood. The restaurant is a place where food, wine, art and music meet which gave them the best inspiration for choosing its name. They are also an original art gallery with more than two hundred contemporary pieces by leading Czech artists. Enjoy your meal among the fine paintings.
EAT AT DANIELAS BY BAROCK
DANIELAS by Barock is a globally influenced restaurant set in a landmark building Rott in the heart of Prague. Carrying the legacy of his highly-successful restaurants such as Barock, Obecní Dum, Pravda, Kampa Park and projects in Marbella, Copenhagen and Miami, restaurateur Tommy Sjöö’ once again brings something new to the Prague culinary scene and provides something for everyone in seamless transitions from daytime dining to nightlife and events.
PLAY AT LUCY TOURS
Lucy Tours, an independent professional tour agency based in Prague has specialised in tourism since 1997. They aim to provide the best customer experience in the market combined with the warm approach of a family business. Their goal is to make your day truly unforgettable and offer a variety of flexible tours designed to meet all your requirements.
PLAY AT PRAGUE ACTIVE
Prague Active is a small tour company in Prague. They want to offer you biking and hiking tours in the central Bohemian region. With their tour company, you can discover the beauty of the Czech Republic. In small groups and just one hour drive from Prague.
PLAY AT PRAGUE OLD CAR
Prague old car offers sightseeing tours in replicas of famous vintage cars. All their tours include live commentary from their experienced drivers. They will show you the Prague landmarks from a closer view and in their own, entertaining, funny way.
TRAIN TO BUDAPEST (CLICK ON THE LINK FOR MORE DETAILS)
Prague was fantastic, but your last capital, Budapest, awaits! Comfortable air-conditioned EuroCity trains with an elegant restaurant car link Prague, Bratislava and Budapest every two hours, city centre to city centre with very cheap tickets - if you know the right website to use! These trains are run jointly by Czech Railways (CD), Slovakian Railways (ZSSK), and Hungarian Railways (MAV). If you want to save (daytime) time, there's a Prague-Budapest sleeper. From 31 July 2020, these are joined by two competing Regiojet trains per day, with 4 classes, free WiFi, cheap fares and excellent at-seat service.
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