What to see in Prague on your own if you are in the city for only 1 day? We tried to make an optimal route around the city, covering all the most important for those who are going to the Czech capital for the first time. There are many attractions in the city, and therefore, in order to be in time, it is better to get up early. We propose to start the busy day program from the Újezd stop, which is easy to reach from any part of the city.
From Petřín Hill to Prague Castle
The first point on our route is Petrin hill with the tower of the same name on top. Against the background of the medieval Prague landscape, the Tower looks unusual. It was built in 1891 thanks to the Czech public figure Wilem Kurtz.
Having visited the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris, he was so inspired by what he saw that he considered it absolutely necessary to build an observation tower in Prague by analogy with the Eiffel.
And did not lose - the view from the highest point of the hill opens truly bewitching. You can climb the observation deck by stairs, breaking 299 steps, or by elevator.
Paris Eiffel inspired the construction of the Petrin Tower of the Czechs
By taking a series of panoramic shots with Petrin Tower, we go further down the road to the Strahov Monastery - one of the oldest in the city.
The monastery dates back to the 12th century. and belonged to the order of premonstrants. In its heyday, it was the center of culture and science, but by the XVIII century. fell into decay and was in danger of destruction.
Today on the territory of the Strahov Monastery there is a library, an art gallery and a couple of museums. By the way, Saint Norbert Brewery and a restaurant are located here, where lovers of a foamy drink can try the local beer of the same name.
Old Town Square - the center of the historical part of the city
The next stop on our route is Prague Loreta. This is a baroque monastery complex, built by order of a local lady from a noble family.
Loreta is a repetition of the Basilica of the Holy House in the Italian city of Loreto - hence the name.
The main shrine of the Loreto church is the hut of the Virgin Mary, in which she grew up. The concept of Prague Loreta is completely similar to Italian: in the center of the complex is a chapel dedicated to the Holy Shack.
Loretian chapel personifies the Holy Shack of the Virgin Mary in Nazareth
The most interesting part of Loreta is the treasury, which stores in its walls a rich collection of precious items of church utensils. Shining golden bowls strewn with stones of a donor-bearer, books in magnificent covers - all this is definitely worth seeing firsthand.
We’ll continue along the Loretánská street and after a couple of minutes we’ll go to Hradcanska Square - the main square of the Hradcany district, which used to be a fortress town on the border with Prague Castle. Bypassing it, we come to the very Prague Castle - the heart of the Czech capital.
Walk around the Prague Castle and its surroundings
Prague Castle - This is what you need to see in Prague, even if you are here for only 1 day. Since ancient times serving as a royal residence, the castle to this day performs the same function.
The only difference is that today kings were replaced by presidents. By the way, not a single presidential residence in the world can be compared with the Prague Castle - the Czech leader got the largest.
Prague Castle - a majestic castle on the left bank of the Vltava river
Walking around the Prague Castle, it is impossible to pass by the majestic and slightly gloomy Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral.
The construction of this grandiose temple was periodically interrupted and was completed only at the beginning of the 20th century. - almost 600 years after the bookmark. You should definitely go inside to admire the interior and wonderful stained glass windows.
On the bell tower of the cathedral, at an altitude of almost 100 meters, there is an observation deck with a view of the whole of Prague. To get to it, you have to sweat pretty and climb the steep stone stairs.
At the same time, you can get acquainted with Sigmund - this is a huge bell about 2 m high and weighing 13.5 tons, decorated with reliefs based on sketches of Albrecht Durer.
St. Vitus Cathedral - the main church of the Czech Republic and the residence of the Prague Archbishop
Meanwhile, we are moving on. Walking forward a bit from St. Vitus Cathedral, we turn to one of the most famous streets of Prague - Zlatou Lane with her tiny colorful houses.
The size of the buildings on Ulochka is due to the fact that the houses were built inside the arches of the fortress wall, and therefore their area was strictly limited. The story goes that once upon a time the street was inhabited by archers guarding the Prague Castle, and the then king ordered that the recesses in the wall be given to them for building.
Later, Zlata Street was inhabited by jewelry masters, which is why it got its modern name. I must say, this place has overgrown with dozens of legends. Rumor has it that earlier alchemists lived here, who were able to create a philosopher's stone and an elixir of eternal youth.
Imbued with the mystical atmosphere of Golden Street, we again set off to admire the beauties of the city. We pass the Black Tower and leave the Prague Castle through the gates of the Lobkowicz Palace.
St. Nicholas Church Building - the tallest in Prague (49 m)
Having descended the Old Castle Stairs, turn right and go along Letenská Street until we see another beautiful temple in front of us - Church of St. Nicholas.
The temple was built in the Baroque style, and inside it is equipped with all its pomp and luxury: magnificent frescoes, gilded sculptures, marble carved columns and many intricate bas-reliefs that adorn the walls. By the way, the ceiling of the church reaches 49 m; not a single building in Prague has yet broken this record.
Charles Bridge and the historical center of Prague
From the church, we will walk along Mostetskaya Street to the next attraction, which you must see in Prague. Of course, The Charles Bridge. It has been on this site since the 12th century, but under the reign of Charles IV it was rebuilt anew and got its name in honor of the king.
Since the former bridge did not last so long and by the middle of the XIV century. there was almost nothing left of him, Karl and his architects decided to hedge themselves by contacting the local astronomer, so that he would calculate on what day the first stone should be laid.
In the foggy haze, the bridge looks especially mystical
The prediction was as follows: July 9, 1357 at 5:31 a.m. An attentive reader will see that this date and time form a palindrome of odd numbers: 135797531. That's such magic.
The bridge is decorated with towers and numerous sculptures that give it a special touch. The bridge looks especially atmospheric at dawn, when everything is immersed in foggy haze, and only the dark silhouettes of sharp spiers can be seen in the distance.
You can enjoy the views of medieval Prague not only from Charles Bridge, but also from Old town towerthat meets us on the left bank.
Old Town Tower (1357 g) - one of the symbols of the medieval city
At its top there is an excellent observation deck. And the tower itself also deserves special attention. Pay attention to the eastern facade - it is decorated with several sculptures: the figures of the patron saints of the city, Charles IV and his heir.
From the tower we are led deep into the old town of Charles Street. On the way, the Beer Museum will meet - one of dozens of unusual Prague exhibits. We will stop at the main square of the Old Town - Old Town.
The square is one of the main business cards of Prague, and even if you are in the city for only 1 day, you need to see it without fail.
Tyn Church or Cathedral of Our Lady before Tyn was built from 1350 to 1510
The entire perimeter of the square is built up with buildings of different eras, but the first thing that most travelers pay attention to is Tyn Church with its pointed towers, rising as much as 80 m. Inside it you can see the oldest city organ.
Another attraction Old Town Square - the building of the town hall, or rather, unusual chimes on its tower. Every hour a whole crowd gathers here to watch the real performance, which is accompanied by the next battle of the chimes.
From the Old Town Square, we’ll go further along the Celetna street to Gunpowder tower. This is one of 13 towers that used to guard the entrance to the city. By the way, it also has an observation deck, if you wish, you can climb there.
Every hour, under the chiming clock, a real performance unfolds on the Town Hall
Near the tower, turn onto Na Příkopě and then onto Wenceslas Squarewhich looks more like a wide boulevard. From a distance, a monument to the horseman is visible - this is the patron saint of the republic, whose name bears the square - St. Wenceslas.
Our walk in Prague is drawing to a close and is best completed in National Museum, which is located directly behind Wenceslas Square. The museum’s collection includes archaeological finds and various testimonies of Czech history, as well as a collection of old books and manuscripts, which is stored in the library.
Powder - one of 13 towers that once guarded the entrance to the city
Ready route in Prague for 1 day
Of course, Prague is much more than the format of the article can be described. A true treasury of legends and mysteries in the open air, Prague is considered one of the richest cities in Europe by the number of iconic sights.
Moreover, many interesting places here are located so that even the locals do not know about them. It is not surprising that during a short visit to the city, most tourists simply miss them.
But at the very end of 2017, for those who want to catch on in Prague as much as possible and plan one of the most exciting trips, we released the most detailed Prague Route for the whole day.
There are a lot of iconic sights in Prague
This is not just a city guide. This is a ready-made plan for the whole day - from early morning until late evening, which will allow you to take the most from an independent visit to Prague.
The route will save a lot of time on preparing a trip and will allow you to see much more in one day than 95% of travelers have time to do.
Here is what you will find inside:
- Ready day trip for 1 day, covering 26 major sights of Prague
- An online route map in Google Maps, as well as labels for Maps.me, so that you can use the route map with all the places on your smartphone even without internet
- Full PDF version of the route: print and take with you or read directly from the screen of your tablet or smartphone
- Little-known places and “chips”, which most tourists pass by unknowingly
- Where to eat atmosphericly along the route so as not to go to the other end of the city, and what to try from local dishes tips from the guide for Prague
- 5 remarkable observation platforms along the route so that you have cool photos
- Information about the main attractions of the route, as well as their detailed mode of operation
- How to get on free and economical excursions in Prague, as well as contacts of a verified individual guide
- Specially selected application with free audio tours of Prague
There is no such ready-made solution on any site.
In addition to Prague, we have developed detailed routes to other notable cities that are easily accessible from the Czech capital - Vienna, Budapest and Berlin.
By the way, with the still valid promo code hochuvpragu You can save almost half of the initial cost of the routes. To use the discount, just enter the promo code hochuvpragu on the payment page, and the price will change automatically.
You can see the full description of the routes and order any of them on this page.
