What to see and do with One Day in Prague

Czech airlines is one of the cheapest European carriers but on one of their flights you may find yourself with a day long stop over in the Czech capital of Prague. Prague is a beautiful city, and like most capitals you could spend weeks exploring it and still not see it all. However if you do have only a day in Prague then here is a schedule to make sure that you see and experience the essential sites of Prague.

My first choice would be to take the free 4 hour walking tour that you can get if you use the AirportShuttle, alternatively here is a rough guide to the route that the walking tour takes. It is better to take the tour as you won't get lost, and will get lots of interesting information along the way. However the tour goes past places that you can go into if following the route by yourself.

If you haven't taken the tour, arm yourself with a good map and start in the Old Town Square (metro: Staromestska) by the Astronomical Clock. Be there on the hour to see the clock moving. Then head down Parizska Street, which leads off of the square, it has the most expensive shops in Prague. Here you will see Gucci, Hermes, Prada and more.

This will lead you to the Jewish Quarter – Yosefov – here you can visit 2 synagogues, the religious council house and the Jewish Cemetery. They don't take too long to see but are worth while. Especially the synagogue where the names of victims of WWII are written on all the walls, and the pictures drawn by children during the war. The cemetery is also unique. There is one entrance ticket to all of these sites.

After meandering around this ancient area head towards the river and the Manes Bridge, which is one bridge up from the Charles Bridge. On your right before you cross the bridge you can see the Rudolfinum Concert Hall.

By crossing the bridge you go from Staromestska to malostranska. Now you follow the crowds climbing up towards the castle. It is a steep climb of about 15 minutes, but if you get tired there are cafes along the way, and you won't regret the walk as the view is breath taking. Once at the top you are greeted by the castle entrance and the two guards which stand sentry at the entrance. Changing of the guard is on the hour with a bigger show at noon.

Now within the castle you have several sites to see, so first buy your tickets from the tourist office opposite the entrance to the large church. This will give you entrance to the Old Royal Palace, St. Georges Basilica and the Golden Lane. You may be able to see other areas of the castle but it depends on the season. After you have sated yourself on the castle hill, start making your way down towards Charles Bridge, this is not the same exit as the one you entered the castle at. You descend past various shops and cafes, eventually arriving at the bridge. Before you cross over spoil yourself with a foot massage. On the right hand side as you face the bridge there are steps leading down to a court yard, and there you will find a very pleasant foot massage parlor. Just around the corner from this courtyard is the Lennon Wall, so if you are interested in seeing that then take a look before crossing over the Charles Bridge and back to the Old Town.

Follow Karlova Street straight ahead and this will lead you back to the Old Town Square. From there take Celetna towards the Powder Gate, there you can also see the Municipal Building. Later in the evening if you still have time you could catch a concert here. The concerts are only an hour long, for tourists and are performed several times a day.

From there double back down the pedestrian street towards the Estates Theatre and on to Na Prikope, which you can cross to reach Wesleslas Square. All of the area from the Old Square past the Powder Gate, Estates Theatre and on to Na Prikope can be covered on pedestrian streets. You will see stalls and interesting shops along the way.

Wesleslas is in the new part of Prague, and this is where you can do some shopping. Prague is a great city to shop in and this is the area to do it in.

If you are not wiped out yet you can also head out to the Prague market either at the Florenc metro stop or see this article for details of a bigger market. Shop till you drop and enjoy a great Prague meal near Wesleslas Square. You will have seen all of the essential Prague sites in a day, but of course there are plenty more for when you have more time.