Visiting Czech Republic - Suggestions for holidays, trains, itineraries, day-trips, and sightseeing from someone who has lived and traveled extensively in Czech Republic
Trains from Prague to Krakow Trains from Prague to Krakow run regularly from Prague's Hlavni Nadrazi train station.... Trains from Prague to Vienna Trains from Prague to Vienna run five times a day from Prague's Hlavni Nadrazi train st...
Start your tour on the Mala Strana side of the the Charles Bridge. From the bridge, go straight up the street and into St. Nicholas Church on your right. It’s a beautiful rococo church (almost a bit over the top) complete with pink marble and more cherubs than you’ll find in heaven.
Once outside, take a right in the plaza and then a left on the street. This will take you up castle hill. On your left you will pass U Zeleneho Caje (Green Tea), a tea house where scenes from the move Amadeus were filmed. Try the gingerbread or apple strudel if you’re hungry.
Continue up the hill, and you’ll be at the castle when you get to the top. Walk around the castle (do an audio tour or walking tour if you’re ambitious). Don’t miss St. Vitus Cathedral, an amazing Gothic church. Note that half of it was built long before the other half, which you can see when you look at the pillars. Also note the stained glass window by Alfons Mucha on the left near the back.
Once you’re done exploring the castle, you have two options. One is to take tram #22 or 23 down to the metro stop at the bottom of the hill (to get to the tram, you’ll have to walk across the bridge by the castle exit). The other is to walk down the hill through the castle gardens. The entrance is located on the far side of the castle closest to the river. From there you can walk down through the gardens to get to the bottom of the hill.
From either the tram stop or the exit of the castle gardens, walk to Valdstejnske St. to get to the Wallenstein Gardens. Complete with manicured hedges, fountains and stalactites, the gardens are well worth a visit. When you have finished exploring, exit the gardens and explore the surrounding area on your own.
Start your tour on the Mala Strana side of the the Charles Bridge. Walk along the bridge and admire the statues and the views of Castle Hill. When you reach the end, hop on tram #17 going down the river towards Vysehrad. Stay on the tram for awhile…on your left you’ll pass the National Theater, the Emmaus Monastery, and Frank Gehry’s Dancing Building (aka. the Ginger and Fred Building).
Get off the tram at Vysehrad. You should be right across the street from some great Cubist houses. Check them out and then head up the hill to the church and cemetery (there will be signs/stairs). Visit the Gothic church and admire the art nouveau headstones in the cemetery. When you’re done there, hop back on the tram and take it back toward where you came from.
Get off the tram at the Emmaus Monastery and take the street to the left it. Walk down the street going away from the river. It should dead-end by an old church. Take a left and walk up to Charles Square. Spend some time walking through the square and then continue back to your hotel.
Start out at the Charles Bridge on the Old/New Town side of the river. If your back is to the river, take a right and walk along the river to the National Theater. Enjoy the classic views of the castle along the way, and then turn left on Narodni Trida at the National Theater in New Town.
Admire the theater and the famous Cafe Slavia across the street. From there, walk down Narodni Trida away from the river.
If you stay on the right-hand side of the street, you’ll eventually walk under a covered walkway. There’s a small monument to the 1989 revolution, which consists of a plaque and small sculpture of bronze hands on a wall.
Keep going down the street, and when you get to Tesco, veer slightly left onto Na Prikope, a pedestrian street.
Walk down Na Prikope until you get to Wenceslas Square. Take awhile to explore the square, and then continue down Na Prikope in the same direction you were going before. Stop by the Museum of Communism or the Mucha Museum if you have time, otherwise keep walking down the street.
Eventually you’ll come to the Obecni Dum, or Municipal house. It is a large yellow Art Nouveau building on your left when the pedestrian street ends. Go inside and walk around. Each room is decorated for a different social class and purpose; the rooms and restaurants upstairs are more formal, while those downstairs are more pub-like.
Go back out side, and walk a few steps back toward where you came from. On your right you’ll notice the Powder Tower. Walk through it and go down Celetna Ulice to Old Town Square. On your way, note the Cubist “House of the Black Madonna” on your left. Once in Old Town Square, spend some time visiting the Clock Tower (Orloj), statue of Jan Hus, Týn Church, and other sights.
