Prague Walking Tour: 50 Free Video Stops

This Prague walking tour links 10 sights and 50 short video stops narrated by Clarissa, from Prague Castle and Charles Bridge to Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, Vyšehrad and the National Theatre. The notes below group the stops into walkable routes and add the timing, transport, etiquette and free-entry details that make the city of a hundred spires easier to enjoy. For official events and visitor information, also check Prague City Tourism, the official tourist information service of Prague.

Route 1, the castle and the bridge (stops 1, 4 and 2). Start early at Prague Castle on the Hradčany hill, where the videos cover Castle Square and the Matthias Gate, Vladislav Hall in the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of Saint George, Golden Lane and the Royal Garden. Step into Saint Vitus Cathedral for the west front, the Golden Gate, the Mucha window, the Chapel of Saint Wenceslas and the silver tomb of Saint John of Nepomuk. Then walk down through the Lesser Town to Charles Bridge and its Baroque statues, with the steps down to Kampa Island.

Route 2, the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter (stops 3 and 6). Cross Charles Bridge and follow Karlova Street to Old Town Square for the Astronomical Clock, the Old Town Hall tower, the Church of Our Lady before Týn, the Jan Hus Memorial and the Church of Saint Nicholas. Walk a few minutes north into Josefov, the old Jewish Town, for the Old-New Synagogue, the Old Jewish Cemetery and the Pinkas, Spanish and Maisel synagogues. Allow at least two hours for this part of the Prague walking tour.

Route 3, the New Town (stops 5 and 10). Walk south to Wenceslas Square for the National Museum, the statue of Saint Wenceslas, the Jan Palach Memorial, the Lucerna Passage with David Černý’s upside-down horse, and the Art Nouveau Hotel Evropa. Then walk west to the river and the National Theatre, with its golden roof, its auditorium and the New Stage, and finish with coffee at Café Slavia, looking across the Legion Bridge to the castle.

Route 4, the river and the hills (stops 7, 8 and 9). Follow the embankment south to the Dancing House, Fred and Ginger, and continue to Vyšehrad, the fortress on the rock, for the gates, the Rotunda of Saint Martin, the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and the cemetery where Dvořák and Mucha lie. Ride a tram back to Újezd and take the funicular up Petřín Hill for the Hunger Wall, the lookout tower, the Mirror Maze and the Rose Garden. If you only have one day, Routes 1 and 2 make the best free walking tour Prague offers on foot.

For photos, the best free viewpoints on this Prague walking tour are Charles Bridge at sunrise, the castle ramparts above the Lesser Town, the ramparts of Vyšehrad looking along the Vltava and the Legion Bridge looking up at the castle. For a view over the rooftops, climb the Old Town Hall tower or the Petřín Lookout Tower, both of which charge.

A three-day Prague walking tour works well as Route 1 on day one, Routes 2 and 3 on day two, and Route 4 on day three. Remember that the Jewish Quarter’s synagogues close on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so plan Route 2 for another day. If it rains, move the cathedral, the castle interiors and the synagogues forward and save the bridge and the hills for a dry spell.

Spring and early autumn are often the best seasons for a Prague walking tour, with mild weather, blossom or autumn colour on Petřín, and fewer crowds than in high summer. Summer days are long and warm but busy, especially on Charles Bridge and around the Astronomical Clock. Winter is cold, with short days, but the Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square make December special.

Start very early at Charles Bridge, when it is almost empty, and reach Prague Castle soon after it opens, before the tour groups. The Astronomical Clock’s procession of Apostles runs on the hour through the day, so arrive a few minutes before to find a spot. Opening times change between summer and winter, so check each official website before you plan each day of your Prague walking tour.

Prague has an excellent network of trams, metro and buses run by PID, and one ticket covers them all, including the Petřín funicular. Buy tickets in the official PID Lítačka app or from machines, and validate paper tickets when you first board; inspectors check often. Tram 22 is the classic way up to the castle. The historic centre is compact, so most of this Prague walking tour is easiest on foot, with a tram for the hills.

From Václav Havel Airport, bus 119 runs to the Nádraží Veleslavín metro station and the Airport Express bus runs to the main railway station. Use a taxi app or the official airport taxis, and avoid unofficial drivers. Every stop on this Prague walking tour has its own map link, so you can start wherever your hotel is.

Czechs can seem reserved at first but are friendly and helpful, and a simple “dobrý den” (good day) or “děkuji” (thank you) is appreciated. Inside churches and synagogues, speak quietly and dress respectfully; men may be asked to cover their heads in the synagogues and the Jewish Cemetery. Many people in the Old Town live above the shops, so keep noise down late at night. Leave around ten percent as a tip in restaurants for good service.

Food is a highlight of any Prague walking tour. Try svíčková, beef in a creamy vegetable sauce with dumplings, goulash, and fried cheese, and drink Czech beer in a traditional pub, where it is often cheaper than water. Restaurants just off Old Town Square and away from Charles Bridge usually offer better value. Check the menu prices before you order, and look out for bread or extras that are added to the bill.

Prague is generally a safe city for a walking tour, but pickpockets work the crowds on Charles Bridge, around the Astronomical Clock and on busy trams, especially tram 22. Keep your bag zipped and in front. Use the Czech koruna rather than euros, avoid street money changers, and choose to pay in koruna when a card machine or ATM offers a conversion. In an emergency, dial 112, or 158 for the police.

Prague is a good city for a budget walk, because many stops on this Prague walking tour are free. Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, the Lesser Town and the outside of the Dancing House and the National Theatre cost nothing to see. The courtyards and gardens of Prague Castle are free to walk, the front of the cathedral nave is free to enter, and the grounds of Vyšehrad and the park on Petřín Hill are free too.

Several stops charge. The castle circuit ticket covers the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of Saint George, Golden Lane and the rest of the cathedral. The Old Town Hall tower, the Jewish Museum’s synagogues and cemetery, the Old-New Synagogue, the Petřín Lookout Tower and Mirror Maze, and the Dancing House rooftop all need tickets. The Petřín funicular has had long closures for repairs, so check that it is running. Check each official website for current prices and opening times.

For accessibility, the historic centre is beautiful but challenging, with cobbles, steep lanes and steps, especially around the castle and the Lesser Town. Many trams are low-floor, and a growing number of metro stations have lifts; PID shows step-free options in its journey planner. Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are flat, though cobbled. Prague Castle offers an accessible route. Check each venue’s access information before your Prague walking tour.

After this Prague walking tour, carry on with more free walks in Central Europe: the Vienna walking tour, about four hours away by train, the Berlin walking tour, the Munich walking tour and the Krakow walking tour. You can browse every city on the Free City Tours home page.