Things to do in Prague
Old Town towers, Malá Strana cellars, and one great-value worth the walk.
This is Prague for people who want to actually feel the city: morning coffee in a Cubist interior, afternoon synagogues, long lunches at the butcher bar, and dinners that earn their price. Three days covers the historic core without turning into a march between landmarks, and the evenings are genuinely good rather than tourist-strip filler.
Day 1: Old Town, top to bottom
Start with Cubist coffee and a tower climb, graze lunch at Naše maso, spend the afternoon in the Jewish Quarter, then close out with a proper dinner and cocktails in Nové Město.
- 9:30 AM
Grand Café Orient
Cubist café inside the House of the Black Madonna, great coffee in a one-of-a-kind interior.
Map - 10:30 AM
Staroměstská radnice
Staroměstská radnice (Old Town Hall), climb the tower for the best rooftop view over the square and watch the Astronomical Clock strike.
Map - 12:30 PM
Naše maso
Naše maso, standing-room butcher-bar beloved by locals; grab a burger or open sandwich and eat like a Praguer.
Map - 2:00 PM
Španělská synagoga
Španělská synagoga, stunning Moorish interior; one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe and rarely crowded mid-afternoon.
Map - 7:30 PM
Masaryčka
Modern Czech pub-restaurant by Masaryk station; order the svíčková and a tank Pilsner.
Map - 9:30 PM
Irony vs. Satyr Bar
Small cocktail bar with a playful menu, a short walk from dinner; ask for the house signature.
Map
Day 2: Malá Strana at its own pace
A baroque garden, Charles Bridge in quiet afternoon light, a cellar dinner worth splurging on, and a neighbourhood wine bar that locals actually use.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:30 AM
Valdštejnská zahrada
Baroque garden behind the Senate with peacocks, a grotto wall and a sala terrena; free, open April to October.
Map - 12:30 PM
- 2:15 PM
Karlův most
Walk the full length of Charles Bridge in the quieter afternoon light, iconic and free.
Map - 7:30 PM
U Modré Kachničky Restaurant
Classic Czech cooking in a cosy Malá Strana cellar, the one splurge-worthy dinner in the neighbourhood.
Map - 9:30 PM
Vinograf Wine Bar
Neighbourhood wine bar a short walk away, proper drinks without the tourist mark-up.
Map
Day 3: Nové Město and the grand avenues
Viennese-style breakfast, a freshly restored national museum, a casual Czech lunch, an afternoon browse, and a great-value dinner to finish the trip on a high.
- 9:30 AM
Café Louvre
Classic Viennese-style café, great breakfast spread and proper coffee to start the day.
Map - 10:30 AM
Národní muzeum
Národní muzeum's grand neo-Renaissance halls are a Prague must, newly restored and free to wander the main staircase area.
Map - 12:30 PM
Café Platýz
Czech lunch in the Platýz Palace courtyard on Národní, with Moravian wine and Svijany beer.
Map - 2:15 PM
Quadrio
Quadrio is a local shopping hub right on Národní, good for a browse and picking up anything you need without tourist-trap prices.
Map - 7:30 PM
Restaurant Alma Prague
Great-value contemporary restaurant, memorable cooking at value-for-money prices, the one splurge of the day.
Map - 9:30 PM
Sad Man's Tongue Bar & Bistro
Sad Man's Tongue is a laid-back local bar with good craft beer and cocktails, neighbourhood feel, close by, easy wrap to the evening.
Map
Where to stay
The Julius Prague
Mid-range pricing, sits right between Old Town and Nové Město, and close to almost every stop across all three days.
Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague
Same central position as The Julius but with a bit more style for only slightly more money, still well clear of the flash-hotel tier.
Make Prague your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Prague Castle: a few days ahead
- St. Vitus Cathedral: a few days ahead
- Jewish Museum in Prague: a few days ahead
- Veletržní palác (National Gallery Prague): a few days ahead
- Strahov Library: a few days ahead
- Taste of Prague Foodie Tour: weeks ahead
Skip these
- Money exchange booths in Old Town give rates far below market, use a bank ATM and never change on the street.
- Trdelnik is not a traditional Czech pastry, try vetrnik or kolace at Mysak instead.
- Restaurants on Old Town Square, Karlova and Melantrichova have picture menus and inflated prices.
- Strip club touts on lower Wenceslas lead to four figure bills, never enter.
The full Prague travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around