A beautiful city with a mix of historical buildings dating back to the medieval times and modern landmarks that bring the city to life at night. It was never on my list as a must-go destination but to be honest, I am so happy I got to visit the Bohemian gem. I found a great deal that had a 3-day layover from Toronto to Hong Kong back in 2014 and took advantage to see the Czech capital. After I booked my ticket, I started researching online on the must-sees and must-eats. After hours, I came up with my own itinerary for 3 days in Prague, which is hopefully helpful for you as well. If you’re looking for an itinerary that is not too packed but still enough to see the different things the city has to offer, look no further – just read on!
Day 1 – Go on a free walking tour at Old Town Square
Tours are great. Free tours are even better! There are a few groups that host these tours, most of them are locals and some of them are just students who give tours as a part-time gig. You will find them in the Old Town Square at various times during the day either wearing funky colours or holding giant umbrellas. They usually gather right under the Astronomical Clock.
I toured with Discover Prague Tours (TripAdvisor Review) and it was a great experience. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and had some humour which made it even better.
With free tours, they ask for tips at the end, which is totally up to you if you felt the tour guide did a good job or not.
You can then spend the evening at the Old Town Square. It is the heart of Prague’s Old Town – very popular among tourists surrounded by gothic architecture. At night time, the buildings are lit up and it is absolutely stunning.
A recommended place to end the night is Mistral Café, located in the Old Town. A quaint and cozy restaurant that serves traditional Czech dishes with great coffee for a fair price.
Day 2 – Visit the Prague Castle…on a Segway!
After the first day and getting a taste of the city, you can sign up for another tour but this time, you won’t be walking! Segway tours are very popular in Prague and they give you a very different experience than the walking tours. It was about 33 Euros per person if you pay cash for a 90-minute tour. You meet at their tour office, and they spend about 15 minutes teaching you how to ride the Segway (this time is not part of the 90-minute tour). Once you get comfortable with the vehicle, along with everyone else, you’ll trek and zip in and out of the city streets.
Prague Segway Tours (TripAdvisor Review) was a great company that was reputable and reliable. They offer various tours at various times so we decided to do the tour at sunset time. Other than the city, you get to ride to the west side of the Charles Bridge of Prague, up the mountain and into parks where there’s more space. He then takes you to the top of the mountain where you can get a great view of the whole city at night time, which is absolutely gorgeous.
You will also stop by the Prague Castle and get to see one of the greatest and most historic sights in the city. It is actually the largest ancient castle in the world and definitely worth visiting.
For food, I would recommend Grand Cru Restaurant and Bar – a European-style restaurant with very neat décor and a classy vibe. It’s still fairly priced – a 3-course meal will cost around 400 CZK ($22 CAD). The duck breast was fabulous and the Grand Marnier Soufflé was just amazing.
Day 3 – See the Prague New Town
You saw the Old Town and the Prague Castle. There’s another part of the city that brings a different vibe – Wenceslas Square, the core of the Prague New Town. It’s a wide and lengthy road with stores on both sides and will take an hour or two to finish. A great walk though – lots to see and great for souvenirs. A great landmark is the Saint Wenceslas Statue, an 18-foot tall bronze horse-riding king, in the middle of the square. You can’t miss it! Stop to take a few pictures and enjoy the atmosphere – it’s lively!
Closer to the evening, you can join one of the several beer & brewery tours offered by various companies. It’s a chance to experience the night life that so many locals and tourists alike, all enjoy. You’ll get to sample a handful of beers in the pubs as well as get a tour of a brewery in the golden city. Be sure to try the cheese and sausages at the pubs – it’s the perfect side to a nice cold pint.
Other Tips
- Avoid currency exchange booths in the tourist areas as they will charge a higher commission rate. Instead, exchange it at the airport or at banks. If you forget, just withdraw from an ATM.
- Prague is relatively safe. Just keep hold on your belongings and be smart about it. Don’t carry around your passport if you can leave it in the safe at the hotel. There are quite a few pickpockets in the city.
- Prague is a very walkable city but if you need go across town, the Metro is easily accessible and will most likely be your main form of transportation. It’s affordable and quite convenient. There isn’t really a need to take taxis unless the Metro can’t get there.
- Unspoken rule is that people tip around 10% at restaurants and bars
- “Pivo, prosim!” it means “Beer, please!” 😉
