Prague is one of the prettiest cities we have visited so far. With its medieval buildings and cobblestone streets, we felt as if we had time-travelled into 17th-century Europe. Prague is a historic city with much of its architecture dating back to the Medieval period.
Staying in Prague for two days is more than enough for first-time visitors as there is not much to do. Prague is best enjoyed wandering the old town and admiring the city’s medieval architecture.
To help you plan your travel, here is our ultimate Prague travel guide.
Table of Contents
Currency
The currency in Prague (Czech Republic) is the Czech Koruna (CZK) where 1 Euro = ~25 CZK and 1 CZK = ~3.5 INR.
Credit Card Acceptance?
Credit Cards are readily accepted in Prague be it for shopping, eating out, or buying attraction tickets. We stayed in Prague for two days and we never had to use cash even once. It was the most card-friendly city on our Central Europe trip.
But it is always a good idea to keep a little bit of cash for emergencies. You don’t want to be running around to withdraw cash or exchange currency in case a card is not accepted.
ATM Cash Withdrawal
There are abundant ATMs in Prague. You will find an ATM after every few metres. All the ATMs that we tried were charging some fee for cash withdrawal.
You will see many Euronet ATMs in Prague and Europe in general. Avoid Euronet ATMs at all costs as they charge very high fees. Always try multiple ATMs and choose the one levying minimum or no fee.
Another thing that you need to keep in mind while using ATMs is that always choose to get charged in local currency to withdraw cash. That is choose CZK if you are in Prague or Czech Republic, Euro if you are in Austria, Germany or any Eurozone country. This is very common in Europe ATMs that they will show you the amount in the card issuing country’s currency by default which in our case was INR. This is called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) and you must always decline DCC. When you choose DCC, you permit the ATM operator to convert the amount to your home country’s currency. You may think it is convenient as you will get to know the exact amount that will get deducted from your bank account but you may not realize that ATM has put markup of 6-10% for currency conversion. When you decline DCC, your card issuing bank would do currency conversion and generally have a markup in the range of 0 – 3.5%.
Currency Exchange
Since most people stay in Prague for a couple of days and given the fact that card is accepted almost everywhere in Prague, it does not make sense to lose money in ATM fees and currency conversion for a few CZKs.
Do not exchange currency at the airport or railway station as you will get a very unfavourable exchange rate. It is prudent to carry Euro or USD in Prague and exchange currency at one of the many Currency Exchange Offices in Old Town.
Always check the current exchange rate online and compare it with the currency exchange rate offered by multiple operators and choose the one offering the most favourable rate.
We had tried many exchange offices and finally exchanged 5 Euros for 120 CZK (1 Euro = 24 CZK). Many exchange offices have ridiculously low rates. One we encountered was giving just 17 CZK for 1 Euro. That is a complete rip-off, right?
So always, always check the exchange rate before exchanging currency.
Visa
The Czech Republic is a Schengen country, so you need a Schengen Visa to enter Prague. If you have a Schengen Visa, you can enter Prague from another Schengen country as if you are travelling domestically.
Language
Czech is the official language of the Czech Republic.
We had no language problem in Prague as almost everyone understood English. But it is recommended to keep the translator app on your phone as it will be a lifesaver if you encounter somebody who does not understand English. You may not face any problems in Prague as it is very touristy and thousands of tourists visit Prague every day but it will be handy if you travel outside of Prague in the Czech Republic.
Best Time To Travel
The best time to travel to Prague is June – September when the weather is warm and sunny. But it is also a peak season so be prepared to get surrounded by tourists everywhere. April – May and October is a shoulder season and also a good time to visit Prague.
How To Reach Prague
Prague can be easily reached via flight, train, or bus depending on where you are travelling from. If you are travelling from a nearby city in Europe, a train or bus may be more convenient than a flight. A bus may be cheaper but the train would be more comfortable. A flight would be convenient if there is no direct train or bus connection.
Flight
If you are flying from India and Prague is your first destination, you will land at Václav Havel Airport which is about 15 kilometres away from the old town. One-way airfare from Delhi to Prague may vary between INR 25k to 40k depending upon the number of layovers and flying time.
You may also choose to fly to Prague for domestic travel, that is, from any other European city. But travelling by bus or train is more convenient for short journeys.
Train
Europe has an amazing train network and multiple direct trains run on a particular route in a day. So, you can decide to travel at the time of your choosing. Unlike India where you can only buy direct train tickets, you can choose to buy a train ticket with multiple connections in Europe very much like a flight with layovers. The train ticket follows dynamic pricing, which means, the earliest you buy the cheapest it will be. And it would be most expensive on the day of travel.
A train is more comfortable and cheaper for a shorter distance like the one from Vienna. Trainline and Omio are the two most user-friendly English-language websites for train booking in Europe.
Travel Tip: Book a train ticket to/from the Czech Republic through the Czech Railways website (www.cd.cz). Czech Railways is the only operator that can offer first-minute tickets that are significantly cheaper than the price on other platforms for the same train. The only catch is you have to book early to get this first-minute ticket. We had saved about 100 Euro (~ INR 9000) by booking 4 train tickets through Czech Railways.
Bus
Flixbus is the most popular bus operator for inter-city travel in Europe. A bus is less comfortable than a train but can be significantly cheaper if booked close to the travel day.
How To Get Around in Prague
Most of the attractions in Prague are in the old town and can be easily covered on foot. The only time you may need to use public transport is when you need to visit Prague Castle, Petrin Tower or Prague Zoo.
Prague’s public transport comprises of tram, subway and bus. A short-term ticket of 30 minutes costs CZK 30 (~INR 105) and 90 minutes costs CZK 40 (~INR 140). A short-term ticket is valid for a given duration from the time a ticket is validated. You can make as many transfers as you like between any mode of transportation. There is also a 24-hour and 72-hour ticket that allows unlimited travel for 24 and 72 hours respectively. A 24-hour ticket costs CZK 120 (~INR 420) whereas a 72-hour ticket costs CZK 330 (~INR 1150).
A major advantage of a 24-hour and 72-hour ticket is that funicular to Petrin Tower is also covered which costs CZK 60 (~INR 210) one-way. 30-minute and 90-minute tickets are not valid for travelling in the funicular.
We bought a 72-hour ticket because of the convenience it provides. We could hop off and hop on trams without worrying about buying a ticket or overshooting the ticket validity.
Travel Tip: Having a ticket does not make a ticket valid unless it is validated using a ticket validation machine. Travelling without a validated ticket is like travelling without a ticket and is subject to penalty if caught.
Stay In Prague
Prague is cheaper than other European cities. You can get a room in a 3-star hotel at a central location within INR 10,000. You can get a decent room at Airbnb for less than INR 5000. We had booked a room in Prague 7 district from Airbnb for 3 nights for ~INR 13000 (~INR 4300/night).
Top Things To Do In Prague
Charles Bridge
No Prague trip is complete unless you cross the historic Charles Bridge. Crossing Charles Bridge is the most popular thing to do in Prague. Built in the 14th century, it is one of the oldest bridges in the world. Charles Bridge connects Prague’s old town with the districts of Malá Strana and Hradčany. Along the bridge, you will see 30 beautiful baroque statues of various saints and patron saints.
Old Town Square
Visiting Old Town Square is one of the most popular things to do in Prague. This historic square is always bustling with people. The Old Town Square is surrounded by historical churches, an astronomical clock, cafes, and shops.
Every hour, on the hour, tourists gather in large numbers in front of the astronomical clock to see a very short show where figures of the twelve apostles appear. We don’t understand the hype around it as the show hardly lasts for a few minutes. Unless you are in the area around the show time, you can skip it.
Prague Castle
Prague Castle was built in the 9th century and was once the seat of Czech kings. The attractions in the castle complex include St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, and St. George’s Basilica.
You can enter the castle gardens and courtyard for free. You need a ticket to see all these historic buildings from inside.
Note: You can visit Prague Castle post official times till 10 PM. You can explore the gardens and castle grounds without any crowd and you can also enter Golden Lane for free which requires a ticket during day time.
Address – Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1, Czechia
Phone – +420 224 372 423, +420 224 372 419
Official website – https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors
Opening Hours – 9 AM to 6 PM (closed on Tuesday)
Suggested Duration – 2 hours
Ticket Cost – Castle Complex – Free. Historic Buildings – CZK 250 or ~INR 930 (Adult), CZK 125 or ~INR 470 (Child)
Petrin Tower
Petrin Tower is an observation deck and is located on top of Petrin Hill. The tower has a strong resemblance to the Eiffel Tower and is often referred to as the Mini Eiffel Tower.
The observation deck has windows on all sides from which you can get an amazing view of the city from all angles. The observation deck is very small and it does feel crowded even with a handful of people.
You need to climb 299 stairs to reach the observation deck. Alternatively, you can use the elevator for CZK 150 (~INR 525).
There is also an observatory and mirror maze at Petrin Hill which you can also visit. It turns out to be quite cheap if you buy a combo ticket.
One may need about a half-hour of an easy hike to reach the top of Petrin Hill. But if you are not interested in walking, you can catch a funicular to reach the top. A one-way ride costs CZK 60 (~INR 210) and is included in 24-hour and 72-hour transport tickets.
Address – Petřínské sady 633, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana, Czechia
Phone – +420 221 714 714
Opening Hours – 10 AM to 6 PM (January-March, November), 9 AM to 8 PM (April-May), 9 AM to 9 PM (June-September), 10 AM to 8 PM (October), 10 AM to 7:30 PM (December)
Suggested Duration – 30 minutes
Ticket Cost – Petrin Tower – CZK 220 or ~INR 770 (Adult), CZK 150 or ~INR 525 (Child). Petrin Tower + Mirror Maze – CZK 260 or ~INR 910 (Adult), CZK 170 or ~INR 600 (Child). Petrin Tower + Mirror Maze + Stefanic Observatory – CZK 300 or ~INR 1050 (Adult), CZK 200 or ~INR 700 (Child)
Prague Zoo
Visiting a zoo may not be on everyone’s mind when planning a trip to Prague. But it is worth a visit if you love animals or have not visited any major zoo before. During our visit, we got to see many animals like the Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Seal, and Elephant but the highlight for us was seeing Penguin and Gorilla. It was also good to see one huge open enclosure for Giraffes, Zebras, and other animals where they are living together. It was as close as you can expect for natural habitat in a zoo.
There were also many enclosures which did not have any animals. If you are visiting Prague and Vienna on the same trip and want to visit only one zoo, you can give it a skip and instead visit Vienna Zoo as it is not only small but also has more animals.
Address – U Trojského zámku 120/3, 171 00 Praha 7, Czechia
Phone – +420 296 112 230
Official website – https://www.zoopraha.cz/en
Opening Hours – 9 AM to 4 PM (January-February, November-December), 9 AM to 5 PM (March), 9 AM to 6 PM (April-May, September-October), 9 AM to 9 PM (June-August)
Suggested Duration – 5 to 6 hours
Ticket Cost – https://www.zoopraha.cz/en/before-visit/admission-prices
Thrill Park
Thrill Park is the most interesting thing to do in Prague. It calls itself a Horror Theme Park but in reality, it is more of an Escape Room game. You can do two adventures – Scary Dungeon of Horror and Real-Life Experiment.
We did Scary Dungeon of Horror and it was an amazing and one-of-a-kind experience. The main difference between general Escape Room games and this one is that here instead of solving puzzles you need to pass through different rooms (sometimes so narrow that you have to crawl) in complete darkness to reach the finish point.
As you are moving from one room to another, now and then you will be welcomed with sound and horror figures as you can expect in a horror movie. But don’t worry they cannot hurt you. Just stay calm and keep moving. You have the option to quit midway if you want.
Do not try this if you are afraid of dark, claustrophobic or having a heart condition. Because I will not lie, it will play on your fear but the assuring thing is you won’t be alone and will be doing it in a group of a maximum of 5 people.
It is a bit pricey but we highly recommend experiencing it as you may not get to experience anything like this anywhere else. You can also keep photos and videos for CZK 190 (~INR 700) per group.
Address – Provaznická 399/11, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
Phone – +420 774 413 313
Official website – https://www.thrillparkprague.com/
Opening Hours – 4 PM to 10 PM
Suggested Duration – 30 minutes
Ticket Cost – CZK 675 (~INR 2500)
Head of Franz Kafka
Head of Franz Kafka is a head sculpture of 20th century famous writer Franz Kafka. The interesting thing about this sculpture is that the head rotates for 15 minutes every 30 minutes between 8 AM to 7 PM.
Address – Charvátova, 110 00 Nové Město, Czechia
Opening Hours – 8 AM to 7 PM
Suggested Duration – 15 minutes
Ticket Cost – Free
Photo Stop at Dancing House
Taking one’s photo outside Dancing House is also becoming a popular thing to do in Prague among tourists. The building was built in 1996 and has unique architecture which gives the impression of a dancing building.
Address – Jiráskovo nám. 1981/6, 120 00 Nové Město, Czechia
Souvenir Shopping At Havelske Market
Do your souvenir shopping at Havelske Market. There are many souvenir shops from where you can buy souvenirs like key chains, coffee mugs, snow globes etc. You can also buy chocolates at cheap prices for families and friends back home.
Address – Havelská 13, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
Opening Hours – 7 AM to 7 PM
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