Czechia packs a lot into a short trip: a castle district above the river, Gothic and Baroque churches, a medieval astronomical clock, centuries-old beer halls, and a Gothic town built on silver. Most of it starts in Prague, where you can walk from the Old Town over Charles Bridge to the castle. Trains reach Kutná Hora in about an hour and Karlštejn in about 40 minutes, and buses reach Český Krumlov in about 3 hours.
This page starts with our ranked picks for a first trip, best first, each with a practical tip on timing or booking. Below them you will find every sight we cover, city by city, with opening notes and checked entry fees where we have them, and then answers to common questions.
The 18 best things to do in Czechia
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- 1Prague
Explore Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral
Prague Castle, founded in the 9th century, has been the seat of Bohemian kings and then Czech presidents, and Prague City Tourism calls it the largest castle complex in the world. The main ticket covers the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, St. Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane. The Gothic cathedral was begun in 1344 and only finished in 1929; inside are the St. Wenceslas Chapel, the royal crypt and the chamber that holds the Crown Jewels. In Golden Lane, small houses built into the walls in the late 16th century include No. 22, where Franz Kafka worked from 1916 to 1917. Tickets are valid for two days, and tram 22 stops at Pražský hrad.
Tip: Time your arrival for noon to see the ceremonial changing of the guard with fanfare in the First Courtyard, and visit the cathedral on a weekday morning, since on Sundays it opens to visitors only from midday.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official)Main circuit: CZK 450 (about $21) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 2Prague
Cross Charles Bridge before the crowds arrive
Charles Bridge is Prague's oldest bridge. Work began in 1357 under Charles IV, after a flood wrecked the earlier Judith Bridge, and it was finished in 1402; it only took the name Charles Bridge around 1870. The sandstone span runs about 516 m across the Vltava between fortified towers, the Old Town Bridge Tower on one bank and the two Lesser Town towers on the other. Thirty statues and groups of saints were added between 1683 and 1928, the oldest and best known being St. John of Nepomuk. A staircase leads down from the bridge to Kampa Island, so the walk links the Old Town with Malá Strana and the climb to the castle.
Tip: Walk it at sunrise or late in the evening, when the gas lamps are lit and the bridge is far quieter than at midday.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Free to visit - 3Prague
Watch the apostles at the Astronomical Clock
The Old Town Hall was set up in 1338 as the seat of Prague's Old Town, and its Gothic tower carries the medieval astronomical clock, the orloj. Every hour from 8 AM to 11 PM, the twelve apostles appear in its windows while the crowd watches from Old Town Square below. The square itself dates from the 12th century: around it stand the Church of Our Lady before Týn, the Baroque Church of St. Nicholas, Kinský Palace and the Jan Hus monument, and memorial stones in the paving mark the 27 Czech lords executed here in 1621. Inside the town hall, the tour takes in the tower, the chapel, the state rooms and the Romanesque and Gothic cellars.
Tip: Buy town hall tickets only from Prague City Tourism, the sole official seller, and ride the elevator or climb the tower for the view straight down onto the square.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Tower and historical interiors: CZK 350 (about $16) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 4Prague
Walk through the history of Prague's Jewish Town
The Jewish Museum in Prague is not one building but a circuit of synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery in the old Jewish Town, all on one ticket. The cemetery was in use from 1439 to 1787, and its roughly 12,000 tombstones lean over graves stacked in layers; visitors leave notes at the tomb of Rabbi Loew, linked to the legend of the Golem. The Pinkas Synagogue, from 1535, is a Shoah memorial whose walls carry the names of about 80,000 Jewish victims from Bohemia and Moravia, with children's drawings from the Terezín ghetto upstairs. Allow two to three hours for the whole circuit, and expect quiet, reflective spaces.
Tip: Plan around Saturdays and Jewish holidays, when the museum is closed, and note that a ticket stays valid for three opening days, so you can split the circuit.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Jewish Museum in Prague; Jewish Museum in Prague (official); Jewish Museum in Prague (official); Jewish Museum in PragueEntry: CZK 600 (about $28) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 5Kutná HoraBook ahead
Visit the bone chapel at Sedlec Ossuary
In Sedlec, part of Kutná Hora, the Church of All Saints is a Gothic two-storey church from the first half of the 14th century that stood in the cemetery of a Cistercian monastery. Its lower chapel holds the bones of thousands of people, arranged into four great pyramids, a chandelier said to use every bone of the human body, skull-and-crossbone angels and the Schwarzenberg coat of arms, made before 1870. The upper chapel is bright and still used for Mass. A restoration that began in 2014 continues while the church stays open. Pair it with the nearby Cathedral of the Assumption, a UNESCO-listed church built from 1290 to 1320 and rebuilt in Baroque Gothic style.
Tip: Book a timed ticket in advance on the parish's official website, arrive a few minutes early, and keep your camera away, since photos are not allowed and the lower chapel visit is limited to 30 minutes.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Roman Catholic Parish of Kutná Hora-Sedlec; Roman Catholic Parish of Kutná Hora-Sedlec; CzechTourism (VisitCzechia)Entry: CZK 180 (about $8) · Book a time slotLast verified
- 6Kutná Hora
Look up at the vaults of St. Barbara's
Kutná Hora grew rich on silver, and St. Barbara's, dedicated to the patron saint of miners, shows what that money built. Work began in the second half of the 14th century with Parler's workshop, and Benedikt Ried later added the gallery, the tent-shaped roofs and the vaulting over the main space. Building stopped in the mid 16th century when the mines ran dry, and the church took its current look in a restoration around 1900, when stained glass by František Urban filled many windows. With the Sedlec cathedral and the historic center, it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Trains from Praha hlavní nádraží take about an hour, with a change to a local train into town.
Tip: Take the audio guide and stay as long as you like on a basic ticket, and book the guided roof gallery tour at least two weeks ahead if you want the view from outside.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: St. Barbara's Cathedral (official); St. Barbara's Cathedral (official); Roman Catholic Parish Kutná Hora; CzechTourism (VisitCzechia)Entry: CZK 180 (about $8) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 7Prague
Climb Petřín Tower for a view over Prague
Petřín Tower was built for the Jubilee Exhibition of 1891 as a loose copy of the Eiffel Tower at a ratio of 1:5. It stands 58.70 m tall, and its 299 steps lead to a top on Petřín Hill at the same altitude as the real Eiffel Tower. On a clear day you can see over the whole city and much of Bohemia; an elevator also runs to the upper platform. The easiest way up the hill is the Petřín funicular from Újezd, back in service since September 2026 with new glass-roofed cars, or a gentle walk up from the Pohořelec tram stop.
Tip: Combine it with a walk down through the Petřín gardens toward Malá Strana, and check the tower's seasonal hours before you go, since it opens later from November to March.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Entry: CZK 250 (about $11) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 8PragueBook ahead
Peek into the Clementinum's Baroque Library
The Clementinum, founded by the Jesuits in 1556, is Prague's second largest building complex after the castle. A guided tour leads to the Baroque Library, which you see from the entrance but do not walk into, then to the Meridian Hall with old astronomical instruments, and up the Astronomical Tower, crowned by a statue of Atlas. Regular weather measurements began here in 1775, making this the oldest continuous weather record in Europe, and the tour ends on the gallery of the meteorological station at the top. Mozart played here, and among the old prints are writings by Johannes Kepler with his handwritten dedication.
Tip: Buy tickets online for a set time, because tours are limited to 25 people and the box office cannot promise space on the day.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Guided tour: CZK 380 (about $17) · Book a time slotLast verified
- 9Prague
Step inside St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana
St. Nicholas in Malá Strana is the best-known Baroque church in Prague and one of the most valuable Baroque buildings north of the Alps. It took about a century to build, under three generations of architects: Kryštof Dientzenhofer, his son Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer and Anselmo Lurago. The dome is 20 m across, and the interior rises almost 57 m to the top of the lantern, the tallest church interior in Prague; the copper dome and the slender belfry beside it both reach 79 m. Inside, look up at the undulating vault of the nave, built from 1704 to 1711. The church stands in the middle of Malostranské náměstí, the main square of the Lesser Town.
Tip: Check the church's concert calendar, since sacred music concerts run on Fridays and Saturdays for most of the season, and dress modestly for a working church.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana (official); St. Nicholas Church, Malá StranaEntry: CZK 150 (about $7) · Buy a ticketLast verified
- 10Prague
Tour the Art Nouveau rooms of the Municipal House
The Municipal House was built from 1905 to 1911 beside the Powder Gate, on the site of a medieval royal court, as a showcase for Czech civic life. Its café, restaurants, salons and the Smetana Hall are complete Art Nouveau interiors decorated by artists such as Alfons Mucha, Jan Preisler and Ladislav Šaloun. History happened here too: the independent Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed from its balcony on 28 October 1918. A guided tour of about one hour, in English or Czech, passes through the Smetana Hall, the Mayor's Hall and a run of themed parlors. The Smetana Hall also hosts concerts, including the Prague Symphony Orchestra FOK.
Tip: Book the guided tour through the Municipal House box office, open daily from 10 AM to 7 PM, or see the Smetana Hall at an evening concert.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Guided tour: CZK 320 (about $15) · Guided tours onlyLast verified
- 11Prague
Walk the ramparts of Vyšehrad above the Vltava
Legend makes Vyšehrad the oldest seat of the Czech princes; in fact the settlement on this rocky bluff above the Vltava dates from the mid 10th century. Today its park and ramparts give wide views over the city. Inside the walls you will find the Romanesque Rotunda of St. Martin, the neo-Gothic Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the Slavín, the national cemetery, while the underground casemates hold several of the original Baroque statues from Charles Bridge. The grounds are open all year, and it is a short walk from Vyšehrad metro station.
Tip: Come in the late afternoon for the light over the river, and head down the stairs toward the Výtoň tram stop to finish by the water.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official)Grounds free - 12Prague
Stand where history happened on Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas Square was laid out in 1348 for Charles IV's New Town as a horse market, and it runs about 750 m up to the National Museum, finished in 1891, with Josef Václav Myslbek's statue of St. Wenceslas from 1912 in front. Many of the country's turning points played out here: independence was declared by the statue on 28 October 1918, the students Jan Palach and Jan Zajíc burned themselves in protest in 1969, and the crowds of November 1989 began the Velvet Revolution. The museum's Historical Building reopened in 2018 and connects underground to its New Building, all on one ticket.
Tip: Visit the National Museum on a weekday, since it sometimes pauses entry when it fills up at weekends around noon.
Sources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); National MuseumFree to visit - 13Prague
Slow down on Kampa Island and the Lennon Wall
Kampa is a park island in Malá Strana, cut off from the bank by the Čertovka, a narrow millstream in a corner known as Prague Venice, where the wheel of an old mill still turns. Its lawns are a favorite spot for picnics, right below Charles Bridge, which drops down to the island by a staircase. A short walk away on Velkopřevorské náměstí, the John Lennon Wall became an informal memorial after the singer's death, filling with song lyrics and slogans against the communist regime. It was renovated in 2019, and visitors may still add messages in pencil or chalk, though spray paint is banned.
Tip: Bring a picnic for the lawns on a warm evening, and leave the spray can at home, since only pencil or chalk is allowed on the wall.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Free to visit - 14Prague
Pair the Strahov Library with a monastery beer
Strahov Monastery, founded in 1142, stands a few steps from Prague Castle. Its library has two great halls that you look into from the doorway: the Theological Hall from the early 1670s and the Philosophical Hall, built from 1782 to 1797, with a ceiling painted by Franz Anton Maulbertsch. The route also passes a cabinet of curiosities and a collection of globes. In the monastery courtyard, the Strahov Monastery Brewery revived brewing on the site in 2000 and serves unfiltered, unpasteurized beer, with the brewhouse in view of the tables. From here, park paths lead on to Petřín and back to the castle.
Tip: Visit the library before 4:30 PM, its last entry, then head across to the brewery, which is open daily from 10 AM.
Sources: Strahov Monastery (official); Strahov Monastery Brewery (official); Klášterní pivovar Strahov; Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Pay as you go - 15Prague
Raise a glass in a historic Prague beer hall
Beer halls are part of everyday Prague, and two of the oldest are in the center. U Fleků, first recorded in 1499, has been brewing continuously for more than 500 years and seats about 1,100 guests across eight halls and a garden, serving Old Bohemian dishes alongside its own beer. U Medvídků, in the historic center, dates its founding to 1466; it was once a brewery and the home of Prague's first cabaret, and it pours Budweiser Budvar with Czech classics, plus beer from its small house brewery. Both make an easy evening after a day of sightseeing.
Tip: Reserve a table for a group, and arrive before 10 PM if you want a full meal, since many kitchens close before the bar does.
Sources: Pivovar U Fleků; U Medvídků; CzechTourism (VisitCzechia, official)Pay as you go - 16Prague
Watch the sunset over the bridges from Letná Park
Letná Park spreads over 25 ha on the hill above the Vltava embankment, with wide views of the city, especially from the cast-iron Hanavský Pavilion. It became a public park after the city began buying up the land in the 1860s, and a long avenue of plane trees runs along the top. In its eastern part, the Letná Chateau has a summer garden restaurant, and nearby stands a historic carousel with wooden horses. Green paths link Letná to the Royal Garden and on to Prague Castle, so it makes a good start or end to a castle day.
Tip: Bring something to sit on and come about an hour before sunset, when the light falls across the Vltava and its bridges.
Search tours on TiqetsSources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu)Free to visit - 17Karlštejn
See the crown jewels' castle at Karlštejn
Karlštejn Castle was founded in the 14th century as a great vault for the crown jewels, and it stands among hills and valleys a short trip from Prague. Visits are by guided tour only. The basic tour, about 55 minutes, covers the Imperial Palace, the Knights Hall and the Emperor's Bedchamber. The Castle Chapels tour, about 100 minutes for small groups, climbs into the Marian Tower and the Great Tower with original medieval wall paintings. Trains from Praha hlavní nádraží reach Karlštejn in about 40 minutes, then you walk up through the village, which is closed to cars.
Tip: Book the chapels tour well ahead, since every visitor needs a reserved ticket, and avoid Mondays outside July and August, when the castle is closed.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Karlštejn Castle (National Heritage Institute, official); Karlštejn Castle (National Heritage Institute, official); CzechTourism (VisitCzechia) - 18Český Krumlov
Spend a day in medieval Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov, a small town in a bend of the Vltava in South Bohemia, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1992 for its intact historic center. Its castle is the second largest in the country: a 13th-century Gothic castle remodelled by the Rosenberg family in the Renaissance, with 40 buildings around five courtyards and 7 ha of gardens. Highlights include one of the best-preserved Baroque theatres in the world and the castle tower, 162 steps up, with a view over the whole town. The town is about 180 km from Prague; buses take about 3 hours, while trains take 4 to 5 hours with a change in České Budějovice.
Tip: Go between April and October for the guided castle interiors, which close on Mondays, or stay the night to see the lanes after the day visitors leave.
Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Český Krumlov Region (official tourism); Český Krumlov Region (official tourism); DMO Český Krumlov Region
Every sight, city by city
Café Louvre
A grand café on Národní třída since 1902, once frequented by Franz Kafka and Max Brod.Entry: Pay as you goCathedral of the Assumption, Sedlec
A UNESCO-listed cathedral in Sedlec, a short walk from the ossuary.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsCharles Bridge
Prague's oldest bridge, built from 1357 under Charles IV and lined with 30 statues of saints.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsClementinum
A former Jesuit college whose guided tour shows the Baroque Library and climbs the Astronomical Tower.Entry: Book a time slotSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsJesuit College, Kutná Hora
The former Jesuit College beside St. Barbara's, now home to the Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region.Entry: Free outside; gallery ticketedJewish Museum in Prague
Five synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery in Josefov, all on one ticket.Entry: Buy a ticket. Closed SaturdaysSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsKampa Island
An island park beside Charles Bridge, between the Vltava and the Čertovka channel.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsLetná Park
Hillside parks above the Vltava with views over the bridges and the Old Town.Entry: Free to visitSearch tours on TiqetsMunicipal House
A concert and civic building on náměstí Republiky, with Smetana Hall and decorated salons on the tour.Entry: Guided tours onlySearch tickets and tours on TiqetsMunicipal House Café
The café on the ground floor of the Municipal House, open daily from morning to evening.Entry: Pay as you goNational Museum
The domed 19th-century museum at the top of Wenceslas Square, linked to its newer building.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsOld Town Hall and Astronomical Clock
The 14th-century town hall on Old Town Square, with its astronomical clock and a tower above the square.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPalackého náměstí, Kutná Hora
The main square of Kutná Hora's UNESCO-listed old town, a central place to stop for lunch.Entry: Pay as you goPetřín Tower
A lookout tower on Petřín Hill built in 1891, with 299 steps to views over Prague.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsPrague Castle
The castle complex above Malá Strana, with St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace and Golden Lane.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSedlec Ossuary, Kutná Hora
The Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, whose ossuary is decorated with human bones.Entry: Book a time slotSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSt. Barbara's Church, Kutná Hora
A large church on the edge of Kutná Hora's old town, one of the town's UNESCO-listed sights.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsSt. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana
A Baroque church on Malostranské náměstí, built over about a century by the Dientzenhofers and Lurago.Entry: Buy a ticketSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsStrahov Monastery Brewery
A brewery restaurant in the courtyard of Strahov Monastery, brewing again on site since 2000.Entry: Pay as you goU Fleků
A New Town brewery and beer hall recorded since 1499, known for its dark lager.Entry: Pay as you goU Medvídků
A beer hall in the Old Town whose history dates to 1466, serving Czech dishes and Budvar.Entry: Pay as you goU Pinkasů
A pub near Wenceslas Square that first served Pilsner Urquell in Prague in 1843.Entry: Pay as you goVyšehrad
A fortified hill above the Vltava with ramparts, a basilica and the cemetery of famous Czechs.Entry: Grounds freeSearch tickets and tours on TiqetsWenceslas Square
The long boulevard-square of the New Town, laid out in 1348, with the statue of St. Wenceslas.Entry: Free to visitQuestions travelers ask
What are the best things to do in Czechia for a first trip?
Start in Prague: Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, the Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square and the Jewish Museum's synagogues and cemetery. Add a view from Petřín Tower or Letná Park and an evening in a historic beer hall. Then take a day trip to Kutná Hora for the Sedlec Ossuary and St. Barbara's, or to Karlštejn Castle. With more time, spend a night in Český Krumlov, a UNESCO-listed town in South Bohemia.
Sources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Jewish Museum in Prague; CzechTourism (VisitCzechia); Český Krumlov Region (official tourism)How many days do you need in Czechia?
Most first trips center on Prague. Allow about three days there: one for the castle area, whose ticket is valid for two days, one for the Old Town and Jewish Town, whose museum circuit takes two to three hours, and one for Malá Strana, Petřín and Vyšehrad. Add a day for Kutná Hora or Karlštejn, each about an hour or less by train. Český Krumlov is about 3 hours away by bus, so give it an overnight stay.
Sources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); Jewish Museum in Prague; CzechTourism (VisitCzechia); DMO Český Krumlov RegionWhen is the best time to visit Czechia for sightseeing?
CzechTourism names March to May and September to November as the best months, with the main tourist season from June to August. Spring averages around 10°C, September is often mild, and towns can reach 35°C in summer. Winter, roughly December to February, is cold but quieter, and Prague's Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from late November into early January. Some castle tours outside Prague, such as Český Krumlov's guided interiors, run only from April to October.
Sources: CzechTourism (VisitCzechia, official); CzechTourism (VisitCzechia, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Český Krumlov Region (official tourism)Which Czech attractions should you book ahead?
Book the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutná Hora on the parish's official site, since entry is by timed ticket and capacity is limited. The Clementinum's library tours hold 25 people, so buy online. At Karlštejn, every visitor on the Castle Chapels tour needs a reserved ticket. In Prague, buy Old Town Hall tickets only from Prague City Tourism, and Prague Castle tickets can be bought ahead online. Beware of unofficial resellers, which the ossuary warns against.
Sources: Roman Catholic Parish of Kutná Hora-Sedlec; Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Karlštejn Castle (National Heritage Institute, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official)How do you get around Prague and Czechia?
Prague's metro, trams and buses share one ticket system. Buy a time-based ticket, from 30 minutes up to 72 hours, before you board, and stamp it when you board, or buy one at the contactless terminal in the middle of each tram, which needs no stamping. The PID Lítačka app also sells tickets. Night trams run after midnight, and the vintage tram 42 loops past the sights. For day trips, trains leave from Praha hlavní nádraží, and buses serve Český Krumlov.
Sources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); Prague City Tourism (prague.eu, official); CzechTourism (VisitCzechia); DMO Český Krumlov RegionIs Prague safe, and what should you know about money?
Pickpockets work busy trams, the airport routes and crowded sights in Prague, so keep valuables close. Never change money on the street, and ignore anyone posing as a plainclothes police officer who asks to see your cash. The currency is the Czech crown (CZK); some shops take euros but give change in crowns. Exchange offices may not charge fees, and you can cancel an exchange within three hours at the same office. Carry your passport, since you are legally required to carry ID.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (GOV.UK); CzechTourism (VisitCzechia, official)