Prague

The capital of Czechia (also called the Czech Republic), and where the flights from India land, with one stop on the way. Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral stand above the Vltava; below are Charles Bridge and its statues, the Old Town Square with its astronomical clock, the synagogues and old cemetery of the Jewish Quarter, and the baroque lanes of Malá Strana, all walkable, with trams and a metro for the rest. Indian restaurants are plentiful, Govinda's serves Hare Krishna vegetarian food in the centre, and ISKCON's temple is at Lužce near Karlštejn. Trains reach Kutná Hora in under an hour and Brno in about 2 h 40.

Highlights

• Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral
• Charles Bridge at dawn
• Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock
• Synagogues and Old Jewish Cemetery of Josefov
• Malá Strana's baroque lanes
• Petřín Hill lookout tower
• Vyšehrad fortress over the Vltava
• Christmas markets on the Old Town Square

Things to do

• Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral and Golden LaneMorning · 3h
• Charles Bridge at dawn and the lanes of Malá StranaMorning · 2h
• Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and the Jewish QuarterAfternoon · 3h
• Petřín Hill by funicular and the lookout towerAfternoon · 2h
• Vltava riverside and an evening boat under Charles BridgeEvening · 1h 30m
• Day out to Karlštejn Castle by trainMorning · 5h
• Strahov Monastery and its baroque libraryMorning · 1h 30m
• Vyšehrad fortress, its basilica and the Slavín cemeteryAfternoon · 2h
• Kampa Island and the Lennon WallAfternoon · 1h
• Letná Park beer garden and the view over the bridges at sunsetEvening · 1h 30m
• Classical concert in the Municipal House (Obecní dům)Evening · 2h

Tours & tickets

When to go

Best time: April – June, September – October; late November – December for the Christmas markets

• Easter markets — Stalls of painted eggs, braided willow whips (pomlázka), crafts and food on the Old Town and Wenceslas Squares for a few weeks around Easter (28 March in 2027). Easter Monday is a public holiday.
• Witches' Night (Pálení čarodějnic) — On the evening of 30 April towns and villages burn straw witches on bonfires to see out the winter; in Prague the biggest fires are on Petřín and in the parks. Family-friendly, with sausages and beer.
• Prague Spring International Music Festival — Classical music's big Czech festival opens on 12 May with Smetana's Má vlast at the Municipal House and runs into early June, in the Rudolfinum and churches across the city. Popular concerts sell out early.
• Signal Festival — Light installations and projections on Prague's buildings over four evenings in October; free in the streets, with crowds in the Old Town after dark.
• Christmas markets · 28 Nov – 6 Jan — Prague's markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, with a tall tree lit on the opening evening, mulled wine and trdelník; Brno's on the Freedom and Cabbage squares, Olomouc's and Český Krumlov's smaller and calmer. Weekend evenings are packed, and December rooms in Prague cost the most of the year.

Part of a longer route

Prague is a stop on a curated circuit through Czechia.