Cheap things to do in Prague
Free courtyards, cheap beer, street food and long walks across the city
This is Prague without spending much: baroque gardens that cost nothing to enter, pubs where a pint is still under two euros, and markets and bridges that beat any paid attraction in the city. It works for solo travellers and couples who want to actually move around rather than sit in a hotel lobby, and who would rather spend the money on a second beer than a tablecloth.
Day 1: Old Town on foot
Start with a Cubist coffee at Grand Café Orient, orbit the Astronomical Clock and the Klementinum courtyards for free, then end the night at a neighbourhood bar that feels nothing like the tourist strip.
- 9:30 AM
Grand Café Orient
Cubist café right in the heart of Old Town, a unique and cheap morning coffee stop.
Map - 10:15 AM
Staroměstská radnice
Staroměstská radnice (Old Town Hall) landmark, free to walk around the square and watch the Astronomical Clock.
Map - 12:30 PM
Pasta Fresca
Fresh-pasta place in a Celetná cellar a minute from the square; a plate of pasta here is a fair-priced lunch.
Map - 2:00 PM
Klementinum
Klementinum, stunning baroque complex to explore; exterior and courtyard are free to wander.
Map - 7:30 PM
- 9:00 PM
Lokál Dlouhááá
Long, loud Ambiente beer hall on Dlouhá; tank Pilsner straight from the cellar tanks at pub prices.
Map
Day 2: Malá Strana and the bridge
Cross Charles Bridge in the morning before it fills up, drift into the free Wallenstein Garden after lunch, and finish with cold Kozel at U Černého vola.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:15 AM
- 12:30 PM
- 2:00 PM
Valdštejnská zahrada
Free Baroque garden behind the Senate with peacocks and a grotto wall; open April to October.
Map - 7:30 PM
- 9:00 PM
U Černého vola
Old wood-panelled pub by the Loreta; cold Kozel on tap and pickled sausage at prices that ignore the castle next door.
Map
Day 3: Nové Město up to Vyšehrad
A slow literary coffee, the grand Národní muzeum, cheap Palestinian plates for lunch, then a long walk up to the free hilltop fortress at Vyšehrad before Korean street food and a local pub in Vinohrady close out the trip.
- 9:30 AM
Literární kavárna Řetězová
Literary café tucked on a quiet street, good spot for a slow morning coffee before the day kicks off.
Map - 10:30 AM
Národní muzeum
The neo-Renaissance palace atop Wenceslas Square; the ticket is worth it for the domed Pantheon and the staircase.
Map - 12:30 PM
Palestinian Restaurant
Small Palestinian kitchen in Nové Město; get the falafel plate or musakhan with fresh bread for very little.
Map - 2:30 PM
Vyšehrad
Vyšehrad, free hilltop fortress with sweeping city views, historic cemetery and a good long walk.
Map - 7:30 PM
POCHA Original Korean Restaurant
Korean pocha-style spot below Vyšehrad; share tteokbokki, fried chicken and a bottle of soju.
Map - 9:15 PM
Where to stay
Mosaic House
Mosaic House sits right between Nové Město and Vyšehrad at a budget price, putting all three days within easy walking or tram distance.
The Manes Boutique Hotel
The Manes Boutique Hotel is similarly priced and placed, a short walk from the river and well-positioned for both the Malá Strana and Vinohrady days.
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