Last Updated on 15/05/2024 by kami
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic is one of the most stunning cities in Europe that everyone should see at least once. It also happens to be one of my favorite places that I’m always more than happy to return to.
If you are planning your own trip to Prague but only have 2 days in Prague don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. A fellow blogger Tanya from myrightsock.com write this great Prague itinerary that will help you get an overview of what to see in Prague in two days. Read on and enjoy your trip!
Prague essentials
- Airport transfer: Pre-book the airport transfer from Prague airport to your accommodation in Prague here.
- Where to stay in Prague: Old Royal Post Hotel (9.4/10) / MOSAIC HOUSE Design Hotel (9.4/10)
- Best Prague tour: Discover Prague Private Tour – 3 hours
- Best day trip from Prague: Cesky Krumlov: Full day tour from Prague and back
- Get insured for your trip to Czech Republic with SafetyWing
Walking through the streets of Prague feels like taking a step back in time. Cobbled lanes, gilded church domes, stunning bridges, walled courtyards – the quaint city of Central Europe has a sort of an old-world charm that’s very distinctive.
If you have 2 days in Prague, you can easily cover all the main spots, whilst admiring the uniqueness of the city as you go along! Of course, you might need a lot more time to explore the offbeat side of this tourist magnet but if you are short on time this Prague itinerary will help you see all the best the city has to offer.
Where to Stay in Prague
Prague has a district system that divides the city into 10 different areas.
Broadly speaking, most of the attractions fall within Praha 1 (Prague 1), which has no shortage of accommodation but can get a tad pricier. While the downtown area might be expensive, a sound way to save money while traveling in Europe is to stay as close to the city center as possible.
A better location in Prague is Hlavní město, which is in Praha 2 albeit not a whole lot off of the city center. Other fine locations include Holesovice or Zizkov districts. All of these areas are well connected with the center by public transport.
You can find the best accommodation in Prague here.
How to Get Around in Prague
While Prague is an extremely walkable city, it also has a very well-developed and connected public transport network.
My advice is to buy the 24-hour travel ticket for 110 CZK (EUR 4.3) on both days, or the 30/90-minute tickets for 24 CZK(EUR 0.94)/32 CZK(EUR 1.25) as and when needed. The tickets enable you to travel by any of the three modes – bus, metro and tram.
Tickets can be purchased through PID Litacka – the official Prague Transport mobile app. They are also sold from machines at tram stops and metro stations, at newsstands, snack shops, and tourist information offices. Controls are frequent so be sure to always have a validated ticket with you.
Children below 10 and adults above 70 years can travel by public transport for free.
How to Spend Two Days in Prague
Prague Itinerary: Day 1
Start your first day in the city by visiting Prague Old Town (Staré Město).
Walk through the quintessentially European alleyways, explore the labyrinth streets, and make your way to the Old Town Square, where you can see various architectural styles coming together.
The square is lined with unique colorful buildings that are a visual delight. You can spend hours in the Old Town Square admiring the Gothic buildings, people-watching, and enjoying the myriad street artists putting on their acts. There are also a number of restaurants and cafes where you can stop and get a meal or drink.
In the Old Town square, you’ll find the magnificent Astronomical Clock. An entirely mechanical device, the 15th-century clock strikes every hour and you can watch all gears and wheels turn to facilitate the ring. The whole process is really interesting to watch, and easily one of the best free things to do in Prague.
Make sure you get there just in time for it (at the turn of the hour). Many people gather here every hour, with their cameras ready to capture the action!
While you’re in Old Town Square, don’t miss St. Nicholas Church. Take a peek inside to witness sprawling frescoes adorning the ceiling. The gold-rimmed steeples of the church are the stars of the Old Town Square and can be spotted from afar.
Next, stroll over to the other side of the river on Charles Bridge, a formidable stone arch bridge running over the Vltava river. Until just the 19th century, it was the only way to cross the river and the only connection between the main castle and the Old Town.
As you jostle through scores of people, you’ll notice beautiful Baroque statues lining the length of the bridge. There are 30 statues of venerated saints from the medieval period. Spend some time walking along the bridge and deciphering what every statue represents.
You can also spot caricature artists, street musicians, dancers, and vendors selling souvenirs on the bridge. Plenty of entertainment!
After you have explored the Charles Bridge and marveled at this unique rendition of medieval architecture, take a peek under the bridge to find one of Prague’s closely held secrets. On the left bank of the Vltava river, you will find Kampa Island.
Those typical red-roofed houses you see in Prague postcards? Those are here on this tiny island. Enjoy stunning views of the Old Town across the river from here. Walk around the island, maybe sit at a riverside cafe to give your feet a break and your eyes a treat.
That’s also where you will find the Lennon Wall. You’ve probably seen photos of tons of your friends posing in front of this wall. John Lennon was not only an artist and founder of “The Beatles”, but also a pacifist and proponent of the idea of peace and solidarity.
After his assassination in 1980, an unknown person drew up his picture on a wall, with some of his lyrics. The trend caught on and despite repeatedly being whitewashed by the authorities, the wall continued to spread Lennon’s words and his message. Of course, now The Lennon Wall is one of the most popular Prague attractions. You can carry a sharpie and leave a note of your own on there for posterity!
From here, you can walk over to the other side of Charles Bridge to arrive in Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter).
Complete with cobbled streets and pretty squares, Malá Strana is the archetype of dreamy, fairytale Prague. Literally meaning “The little side (of the river)”, it is one of the most historic neighborhoods of the city.
If you have time, visit the Wallenstein Palace and Gardens, St. Nicholas Church and Petrin Hill. You can also walk through the meandering lanes of Malá Strana, and even have lunch at one of the many restaurants.
Another mandatory stop in Prague and an important historical monument is the Church of Our Lady Victorious. The church was built in the early 1600s by German Lutherans, and it was dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
Housed inside the church is The Infant Jesus of Prague, a 16th-century wooden statue of baby Jesus holding a globus cruciger. Not only is the statue a must-see, but the church is also adorned with beautiful goldwork and grand architecture. Sit here a while to take in that brooding sense of calm.
After a whole day of being touristy, you can head over to a beer hall to have some of that well-earned Czech beer!
These beer halls offer freshly brewed Pilsner Urquell, a native brew and a local favorite, besides delicious Czech cuisine. What’s more: the beer in Prague, especially if you head to a beer hall off the touristy streets, can be as cheap as EUR 1.5!
U Vejvodu and Konvikt are two of the beer halls in Prague that we LOVED. Both are awesome so you can pick the one you like.
Prague Itinerary: Day 2
Begin your day by making a morning visit to Prague Castle.
The castle is pegged as the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. it is spread over a whopping 70,000 square meters! Your Prague itinerary is incomplete without a visit to Prague Castle.
Take a walk around the castle grounds and museums. Also, make sure to visit the St. Vitus Cathedral on the castle premises. The Change of Guard also happens at the castle entrance every day at 12 noon and is free to watch.
After this, continue to the part of town across the river. As you cross Charles Bridge, you’ll find a Trdelník shop on your left. This delicious pastry is made from rolled dough and wrapped around a stick.
Though originally Hungarian, it qualifies as Prague street food, if you will, and savoring it sits right at the top in the list of things to do in Prague. It’s divine!! And quite filling, too (it is sweet but it’s almost a meal!)
Next, head over to the Jewish Quarter or Josefov. This is located between the Vltava river and Old Town Square.
There are 6 synagogues, a town hall, and Europe’s oldest surviving Jewish cemetery. The entry ticket also includes a visit to the birthplace of Franz Kafka, one of the most notable figures of 20th-century literature.
Even if you don’t want to do the tour, simply a stroll through the streets of Josefov will give you a good enough peek into the rich Jewish cultural and religious life back in the day.
From here, we can move to the ‘newer’ part of Prague – the New Town (Nové Město). On the way, don’t forget to keep an eye out for a man above you hanging on to dear life.
Czech artist David Cerny is known for his knack for quirky and provocative art, which can be seen in various parts of Prague. “Man hanging out” was created in 1996 and is a 7-feet long sculpture of Sigmund Freud suspended from a ledge. While one hand of his holds on to the bar so as not to fall off, the other hand is comfortably tucked in his pocket.
Once you arrive in Prague New Town, visit another one of David Cerny’s pieces, and the most recent and curious addition to the list of Prague attractions – Head of Franz Kafka.
This outdoor sculpture marks a tribute to the city’s homegrown writer, Franz Kafka. What’s interesting is that the sculpture is made of rotating panels that are constantly moving to change the direction of the head. It is a mind-blowing rendition of art and engineering.
After this, make your way to the Nationale Nederlanden building, commonly known as the Dancing House of Prague, or sometimes, Fred and Ginger. The unconventional architecture in the city gets a whole nother upgrade with this unique building that resembles, well, a dancing house.
The building by itself is home to offices, conference centers, and restaurants. There is also an outdoor terrace at the top, from where you can catch panoramic views of Prague.
End your long day in Wenceslas Square, which has seen many important demonstrations in history – from protests against Nazis to gatherings and demonstrations during the Velvet Revolution. Presently it serves as the location for many festivals and celebrations in the city during the year.
Besides being a key feature of the Czech democratic movement, Wenceslas Square also has plenty of options for shopping and grabbing a bite. The square especially comes alive at night, with party-goers thronging the many bars and clubs in the area.
Further reading
I published many articles about the Czech Republic that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:
- Holesovice – a mini guide to Prague’s coolest district
- 17 Great Things to Do in Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
- 13 Amazing Things to Do in Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Karlovy Vary Itinerary. What to Do in Karlovy Vary in 3 Days
- 20 Great Things to Do in Brno, Czech Republic
- What to See in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Visit Kromeriz, Czech Republic – the UNESCO Castle and More
- Visit Marianske Lazne, Czech Republic – the UNESCO spa town
- and more!
If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.
About the author: Tanya Bindra runs a travel blog at myrightsock.com. She writes about smart travel in Europe, drinks coffee like an Italian, and makes animated gesticulations while talking. You can subscribe to her bad jokes and handy travel tips on Instagram.
Travel Resources
You can find the best accommodation options at Booking. They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Prague
Never travel without travel insurance, you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for the Czech Republic here.
I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here.
Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. I always use the free app Maps.Me.
For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:
- Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
- Join my Facebook group about Eastern Europe, the Balkans and former USSR and connect with fellow travellers and enthusiasts of these regions – just click here!
- I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Prague too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!
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2 Comments
Aine
18/07/2021 at 17:58Hey, Kami! As an expat living in Prague for almost 5 years I need to add a couple of points. When in Kampa, go towards Vltava – there are 2 contemporary art marvels: a line of neon yellow pinguins and crawling babies from David Cerny – the same babies which are stuck to the Zizkov tower.
Also, you mention Holesovice – for those who stay there, or pretty much anyone who fancies a 1 km walk from Staromiestke Namesti, go to Letna park and see 2 points. The metronom and the view point new Hanavsky Pavilon – amazing view on the old town, Vltava and several of its bridges.
My favourite is Petrin hill though, you can go there using Funicular – if you have a daily ticket, it allows you to use it for free. And while you are there, there is another lookout tower with fantastic views, a great park, where you can pick apples and cherries and you can walk from there to Strahovsky Klaster – fantastic viewpoint on the castle, cathedral, mala strana and old town. And they have own brewery with simply fantastic local beer.
And if you still have some time and room for beer, walk through Strahovsky Klaster to a tramstop. It goes from Pohozelec to Brevnovsky Klaster – the oldest one in Czech republic – it exists from 993 and also has great beer. And once you are around, we have here Stadion Strahov – second largest sports object in the world, it contains 8 full-sized football pitches!
kami
25/11/2021 at 17:03Thank you for this great info! All the best!