Self-Guided Walking Tour For Prague: 2 Days Itinerary
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Prague definitely belongs to the top 10 most beautiful cities in Europe. I would even rank it in the top 5. When you come to a place, sometimes it attracts you with a very special energy. And Prague has this very unique energy. Its buildings and the entire setup will capture your attention in a few seconds after arriving.
The best way to explore it is by doing a walking tour at your own pace. So let’s explore the city with this self-guided walking tour of Prague. Get the most out of your visit and enjoy.
How To Use This Self-Guided Walking Tour In Prague
During the first day in Prague, you’ll do Prague’s Lesser Town walking tour, which is on the left bank of the Vltava River. We’ll start with Prague Castle and its surrounding buildings and palaces until we head down to the Charles Bridge and the Old Town.
On the second day of this self-guided walking tour in Prague, we’ll explore the rest of the interesting spots in the city. You can also be looking forward to fun activities such as beer spas and a cruise.
As you walk through Prague following all the sites mentioned in this self-guided walking tour, use Google Maps. Go from one place to another. Stop by to admire each building and monument, and read some information I give you throughout the walking tour in this article.
Self-Guided Walking Tour For Prague
1.Day Prague’s Lesser Town Walking Tour:
- Prague Castle
- Schwarzenberg Palace
- Archbishop’s Palace
- St. Vitus Cathedral
- Monolith
- St. George & Dragon
- Old Royal Palace
- Golden Lane
- Wallenstein Palace & Gardens
- Franz Kafka Museum & Peeing Man Statue
- Skinny Lane
- Lennon Wall
- Charles Bridge
- Prague Town Hall
- Astronomical Clock
- Our Lady Before Tyn Church
- Jan Hus Monument
2.Day Self-Guided Walking Tour In Prague
- Dancing House
- St. Cyril & Methodius Cathedral
- Franz Kafka Rotating Head
- St. Wencelas Square
- Museums in Prague
- Jewish Quarter
- Beer Spa
Get Prague Card & Save Up
Before you start our self-guided walking tour in Prague, I highly getting the Prague Card. You can have it for 2, 3, or 4 days in Prague. With this card, you’ll have all the mentioned monuments and admissions included, as well as a sightseeing bus in the city. In addition, you’ll get 50% off any other activity you choose to do in Prague. And the best part of it? Vltava River Cruise is also fully included in this Prague card.
Click below and get your Prague card to do it all and save up a lot. It’s way better and cheaper than paying for every admission and activity.
1. DAY: Self-Guided Walking Tour For Prague
Good morning to Prague. After some delicious breakfast at your hotel or in a nice local bakery, it’s time to start our self-guided walking tour. Take a tram to the stop ‘Malostranské Náměstí’.
Then use Google Maps to walk up to the castle. Open this self-guided walking tour, and start reading interesting facts about each place. Follow it until you reach Prague Old Town (the end of our walking tour). Have fun and enjoy!
Prague’s Lesser Town Walking Tour
Prague Castle
Prague Castle dates back to the 9th century when Prince Borivoj founded it around 870. Back then, it was an official residence of the Czech princes, later kings, and the seat of the bishop.
It’s considered to be the largest castle in the world in terms of area, occupying almost 70,000 square meters.
In the 10th century, the Basilica of St. George was constructed and it became the first Czech convent. In the 12th century, King Ottokar II of Bohemia built the Romanesque Royal Palace and made it a residence for royalty.
Once Charles IV. became the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Prague experienced one of the most flourishing times. His son Wenceslas IV. continued with the expansion, but then due to the Hussite Wars (1419 – 1437) was the Castle significantly destroyed and abandoned, together with the Royal Palace and the Cathedral of St. Vitus.
In 1618, the Second Prague Defenestration caused significant damage to the castle. It was then reconstructed by Maria Theresia in the 18th century. Once the Habsburg dynasty took over the throne and moved their residence to Vienna, Prague Castle remained abandoned and served mainly for recreational purposes.
Luckily, it didn’t take too long until Emperor Ferdinand I Habsburg came to the Czech throne in 1526. He made the castle his home and make several reconstructions again.
After the WWI. when the first Czechoslovak Republic was established, the castle became the seat of President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. Today, it’s a residence and an office of the Czech President – Milos Zeman.
The entire area encompasses 4 churches – St. Vitus Cathedral, St, George’s Basilica, All Saints Church, and Holly Cross Chapel. Besides, it has also 4 palaces – Old Royal Palace, New Palace, Belvedere, and Schwarzenberg Palace.
Guards At Prague Castle
Changing of Guards takes place every day at 12:00pm. These are the Czech Armed Forces, which serve and protect the head of state – the President. Together, the Guards consist of 653 personnel and are recruited from the entire Armed Forces of the country.
Their role is to provide defense of the Castle and external security. Besides, they also take part in various ceremonies, where they are accompanied by the special Castle Guard Band.
The guards have summer and winter uniforms, which have to be fit for any kind of situation and weather. The three most important elements of the uniform are the sword that every guard holds in his hand, the golden belt, and the hat on which you can spot the Czech coat of arms. So go closer and check out these elements on them.
Schwarzenberg Palace
Coming to Castle Square, you can see one of the most beautiful examples of a Renaissance building in Prague – Schwarzenberg Palace. It used to be named Lobkovicz Palace since it was built for John Count of Lobkowicz in the 16th century.
However, John was murdered by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. and the palace was confiscated. Since that time, it used to be the property of many noble families. Until the Schwarzenberg family gained it by marriage in 1719. The Palace, however, lost its importance when the emperor with his family moved to Vienna and only served as a military stable.
Before the First World War, it used to be an exhibition place for the National Technical Museum and Military Museum. Nowadays, it’s part of the National Gallery and remains empty.
Archbishop’s Palace
The Archbishop’s Palace has served as a seat of the Prague Archbishop and his administration bodies since 1562. The interior is designed in a Rococo style, where you can explore his portrait gallery.
Go inside and take a closer look at the altar in the archbishop’s chapel. Admire its beautiful painting of the Jesus Crucifixion. The, who was commissioned to paint it, made every effort to make the painting unique.
St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the most stunning cathedrals in Europe for me. It’s the largest one in Prague built in a Gothic style. The cathedral served for the coronations of Czech Kings and Queens. Besides, several saint patrons and bishops are buried here.
The construction was started by the King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor – Charles IV. in 1344. He wanted to build a place for the family crypt, coronation, treasury for the most precious relics, pilgrimage site, and a resting place for the significant Czech patron Saint Wenceslas.
Go inside the cathedral and explore the following:
- Chapel of St. Wenceslas – he was a martyr, assassinated by his brother Boleslav The Cruel – the tomb is located inside the chapel.
- Czech Crown Jewels Chamber (in the southwestern corner) – legend says if anyone, who isn’t supposed to be a Czech King takes the crown and puts it onto his head, he’ll die.
- Tomb of St. Vitus – St. Vitus brought Christianity to the city.
- Great South Tower (climb 287 steps) with amazing views over the whole Prague and Castle district. The bell tower possesses the biggest bell in Prague. It’s decorated with portraits of Ferdinand I.
Monolith
At the Third Courtyard of Prague Castle, you’ll see an obelisk, a granite monolith, and a memorial to the victims of the First World War. It was designed by Jože Plečník and donated in 1928 for the tenth anniversary of the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic by Thomas Garrigue Masaryk (the First President).
It’s 16 meters high but used to be twice as high as you can see. While it was being transported to Prague Castle, it broke into two halves and only half of it stands here nowadays. Before, it was in a small town 2 hours away from the city.
St. George & Dragon
In the same courtyard, you can see the statue of St. George. It’s, actually, one of the few bronze equestrian statues in Europe that have been preserved. It shows the fight between St. George and a dragon above the Baroque fountain. The dragon is being hit by St. George right inside its mouth, while the dragon has its tail rolled up on one of the horse’s legs.
The legend of St. George & The Dragon dates back to the 11th century. During the First Crusades, knights believed that Saint George with his fellow soldiers had been fighting against the dragon around Jerusalem.
Another place, where the dragon is pictured and mentioned a lot is Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. So if you want to pursue its legend, visit Slovenia, too.
Old Royal Palace
Old Royal Palace became a residence for the Bohemian princes and Czech monarchs in the 11th century, after Prague Castle was fortified. Its buildings were made during different architectonic periods, mainly Gothic and Renaissance. Premyslid Ottakar II (King of Bohemia), Charles IV., as well as Vladislav Jagellion contributed to the construction.
When the Emperor Charles IV. died in the Old Royal Palace in 1378, all the bells in Prague started to ring, including the biggest one at the St. Vitus Cathedral. The bell-ringer of the cathedral was shocked listening to it, as he had the keys form the bell in his pocket. This way, the city of Prague decided to say good-bye to the beloved Emperor.
In 1541 was the Palace severely damaged by the Prague fire. Vladislav Jagellion then started rebuilding it.
Pay your attention to the rooms of the Bohemian Chancellory. When the Thirty Years War started, it was here where the Czech Protestant nobles threw the two imperial governors out of the windows.
Golden Lane
Walk further until you reach Golden Lane, Prague’s smallest street. Its tiny houses were constructed in the 16th century for the castle Guards of King Rudolf II. (Holy Roman Emperor). Then in the 17th century, goldsmiths moved into the houses. As a result, the street became known as the golden lane.
It originally had 24 houses made from wood, stone, and mud. However, these were demolished in the late 19th century, and the remaining buildings were used to accommodate poor people and criminals.
Many legends and sources refer to alchymists living in those houses. They also mention the philosopher stone and the elixir of youth with the transformation of metal into gold.
After the Second World War, locals were banished by Communists, and the houses were nationalized. In 1955, the houses were colored in these lively colors.
Wallenstein Palace & Gardens
Wallenstein Palace is now home to the Czech Senate. In the 17th century, along with three families, the Wallenstein family supported Emperor Ferdinand II during the Thirty Years’ War. As a thanksgiving, he gave the Palace to Wallenstein.
Albrecht Wallenstein was one of the most significant and favored military commanders in chief of the Imperial Forces. He didn’t spend much time in the Palace as he was frequently traveling during wars. When he was assassinated in 1634, the Palace wasn’t confiscated. His wife sold it to the nephew, so it stayed in the family.
After WWII., it became a state property. Nowadays, many concerts, theatre performances, and cultural events are held in the gardens.
Franz Kafka Museum & Peeing Man Statue
Once you come down to the town, enjoy Franz Kafka Museum, its exhibits, the author’s personal artifacts, and his ideas. The museum is a mixture of facts and fiction, reality and fantasy. You’ll see how much Franz Kafka was inspired by Prague and how he shaped the city thanks to his writings.
The museum explains Franz Kafka’s life in 2 parts – ‘Existential Space’ and ‘Imaginary Topography’, exhibited through several letters, journal entries, photographs, or 3D illustrations in a funny, experimental, and sometimes even nightmarish way.
Different statues illustrate the writer’s strange, sometimes even absurd ideas. The Peeing Man Statue, located in the middle of the courtyard, is one of them. He is actually peeing on the map of the Czech Republic.
Skinny Lane
Entertained enough by Franz Kafka’s museums and its statues? Perfect! Now, the challenge comes for today: Do you dare pass through the narrowest street? If yes, walk further to Skinny Lane.
Skinny Lane is the narrowest street in Prague that even has its traffic lights. It has barely 50cm.
But come on… let’s face the reality. Research has revealed that it’s actually not a street, and the traffic lights were installed there only for fun.
Don’t forget to stop at the bottom of the passage. You’ll get a beautiful view of the Charles Bridge.
Lennon Wall
After, continue walking to the Lennon Wall.
It was mainly used for the protests that arose when the Communists took the city over in 1948. People gathered around it and started to paint and write many words expressing disagreement against the Communistic regime. Ever since it has also been known as ‘Crying Wall’.
On December 8th, 1980, when John Lennon was murdered, people started to protest against his death, painting his face on the wall. That’s the reason why this gravestone is renamed after him.
After 1990, the wall faced severe damage. The first one occurred in 2002 due to the heavy floods in the city, which caused parts of the wall to fall. The other one was in November 2014, when a group of art students painted the wall completely white. The only sentence they left on it was saying: ‘The Wall is Over’. They believed there was no political or artistic value to the wall.
Nowadays, it’s the only place in Prague where it’s allowed to do graffiti.
Charles Bridge
We’re now exiting Prague’s Lesser Town. Make your way up. We’ll cross the Vltava River and walk through the 621-long and 10 meters wide Charles Bridge. It’s the most famous pedestrian bridge in the city that takes us from the Lesser Town to the Old Town of Prague.
In the 12th century, King Vladislav II. started to lay the first stones of the bridge. His wife Judith urged him to build the bridge and name it after her. Unfortunately, in 1342 the huge floods destroyed 2/3 of the bridge. The construction started again after 15 years and was initiated by Charles IV. and finished in the 15th century. Only in 1870, it was renamed as Charles Bridge.
The bridge was built using Bohemian stone. Some people believe that egg yolks were also mixed into the mortar to strengthen the construction (just like when you make cake dough, you put egg yolks to make it better hold together). What else can better explain why the bridge has survived several floods and battles? I think the egg yolks really helped.
It’s decorated with 30 statues on its sides, most of them are Baroque style. They symbolize different saints and patron saints. Nowadays, we can only see replicas of them. The original statues are now in the National Museum.
Prague Town Hall
Welcome to the other side of Prague – Old Town. From Charles Bridge, walk through the main streets until you reach the center of it – Old Town Square.
If you feel hungry, you can taste some chimney cake (there is a shop before entering Charles Bridge or many shops after you pass through it). Then walk towards the Town Hall.
Prague Town Hall was built in the 14th century and became the center of Prague’s government until the 20th century. The continuous expansion made its façade colorful, in a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles. The beautiful Gothic door serves as the main entrance to the Tower.
It was severely damaged during WWII. Locals reconstructed it right after and incorporated the Astronomical Clock within. Nowadays, it’s 69,5 meters high.
Astronomical Clock
Perhaps one of the most stunning parts of our self-guided walking tour of Prague is right in front of you.
Take a moment to stare at the stunning Astronomical Clock. Pay attention every full hour when twelve apostles go out of the clock and march around. If you take a closer look, you can also see a skeleton on the right side representing Death and starts the show by pulling the string.
Below the apostles is the astronomical clock, where you’ll see earth depicted in the middle of the Universe. It shows the movement of the sun and the moon with zodiac signs. Underneath, you’ll see a calendar, which displays all days of the year together with symbolic pictures of each month of the year.
Throughout the WWII., German troops severely damaged it, while fighting against the rebels during the Prague Uprising. The last reconstruction was just finished in 2018.
Inside the tower chamber, you can create your own souvenir coin at the souvenir maker. So come and check it out.
Our Lady Before Tyn Church
If you ever have enough of staring at the Astronomical Clock, turn right and walk towards the majestic church in front of you. It’s the Church Of Our Lady Before Tyn. Our beloved Charles IV. started the construction in the 14th century.
In the late 17th century, it was hit by fire and was reconstructed in a Baroque style. However, some Gothic features have been preserved.
The church got its name from the enclosed court – in the Czech ‘Tyr Dvur’, also known as Ungelt. From the first half of the 13th century, this court served foreign merchants as a common lodging place and a customs house.
FUN FACT: If you take a closer look at the towers, you can see that they are not identical and equally high. One of them is a bit solid and is said to represent the stronger side of the family – a man.
Jan Hus Monument
Lastly, take your attention to the middle of the square. You’ll spot a monument. It’s dedicated to Jan Hus, one of the most relevant personalities in the history of the Czech Republic.
When Martin Luther started the protestant reformation, many people followed and helped him spread this belief. One of them was the Czech heretic Jan Hus.
Jan was the dean of Charles University and actively criticized many ideas introduced by the Catholic Church. One of them was the selling of indulgences. He used to preach in the Bethlehem Chapel. However, the pope excommunicated him for his ideas at the beginning of the 15th century.
Finally, authorities called him to the Council of Constance to renounce his ideas, but he didn’t. So guess what happened? They burnt him down in 1415.
As a result of Hus’s death, several people who sympathized with his ideas started a Protestant movement against the Catholic Church in Prague.
Now you can admire the monument of Jan Hus. The statue is looking at the Lady Before Tyn Church, as it used to be a protestant church from the beginning of the 15th century until the middle of the 17th century.
This is the end of the self-guided walking tour in Prague for today. You can get some lunch in the center. After, relax, have a good coffee, or visit some museums.
Evening On The Vltava River Cruise
Today in the evening, I recommend doing a Vltava River Cruise. You’ll get another perspective of the city from the River.
Have a good rest since tomorrow, we’ll continue exploring Prague and its beauty.
2. DAY: Self-Guided Walking Tour For Prague
I hope you rested well. Today, we’ll enjoy the other highlights in Prague, including some fun activities. And have a lot of beer. Are you ready for it? Let’s go!
Today, I provide you with several ideas on what you can still explore in Prague. You probably can’t do it all unless you stay an extra day. But choose whatever sounds the most interesting to you. I give you choices, and you decide what to do to make your stay in Prague the perfect one.
Dancing House
If your hotel doesn’t provide you with breakfast, I have an idea for a unique breakfast experience in Prague.
Today, we’ll start out self-guided walking tour in Prague, seeing one of the most interesting buildings in the city – Dancing House. You can have breakfast inside and enjoy the views of Vltava River.
If you’ve already had breakfast, head to the Dancing House only to see it from outside. To learn more about its purpose and history, go to my Czech Republic itinerary for 10 days (2. day).
After, continue walking to the St. Cyril & Methodius Cathedral.
St. Cyril & Methodius Cathedral
I’ve brought you to this cathedral as it holds stories from WWII. As you might know, the Czech Republic was occupied by Germany. Everywhere was the SS police, checking all corners of the cities.
Two brave agents, one Slovakian and one Czech got a mission to assassinate the police officer and the right-hand of Hitler, Reinhard Heydrich. It occured in Prague, and after, SS police chased them for several weeks. These two agents hid in this cathedral until the police found out. Once they came, it was a bloody battle between the agents, their bodies, and the SS police.
It all happened inside this cathedral. You can even see the shots on its walls. You can go inside and learn more about it. There is also a free exhibition below the cathedral, so don’t miss it.
This event is called Operation Anthropoid, and it has many interesting facts. Check out my Czech Republic itinerary for 10 days (day 2) to learn more about it. I also highly recommend you see the movie before going to the cathedral. It’s called Operation Anthropoid and it’ll make your experience inside the church even more interesting.
Franz Kafka Rotating Head
After, continue walking towards St. Wencelas Square. On the way, stop to see the famous Franz Kafka Rotating Head. It’s so cool, one of the most modern statues in Prague.
St. Wencelas Square
If you want to do some shopping, head to St. Wencelas Square. There are hundreds of shops, restaurants, and cafes. If you keep walking from the square towards ‘Náměstí Republiky’, the shops continue alongside the street.
Jewish Quarter
After lunch, you can explore Jewish Quarter. It was entirely destroyed during the bombing in WWII. Germany deported many Jews to concentration camps from this quarter, and you can learn about these events.
Check out Synagogue and the Jewish Museum if that interests you.
Which Museums In Prague Should You Visit?
If you fancy seeing some museums in Prague, you can check out the following:
- National Museum
- Beer Museum
- Jewish Museum
- Speculum Alchemiae (History Museum)
- Mucha Museum (famous painter)
- LEGO Museum
Beer Spa
Let’s be honest. Many people coming to Prague are here because of the cheap beer. And that’s true. According to research, Prague and the entire Czech Republic officially has the best and most affordable beer in the world.
Here in Prague, you can not only drink it, but also have a unique bath in it. So in the afternoon, go to a beer spa and experience, what you can only really do in this country.
Beer Time In The Evening
More beer is happening today in the evening. Saying goodbye to Prague won’t be easy. But what better way to celebrate your visit than drinking local beer.
Go to Beer Time Pub and taste various types of beer. They also have production from small brewers from around the country. And you can have a delicious dinner there, too.
Address: Nádražní 61/116, 150 00 Praha 5-Smíchov
Get My Czech Republic Itinerary For 10 Days
If you want to get some interesting facts about Prague, check out my Czech Republic itinerary for 10 days. I’ve made a shorter version of a 2-day Prague itinerary inside. It has more things that I haven’t mentioned here, so check it out.
Similarly, grab this Czech itinerary in case want to explore this beautiful Central European country.
Check out my article about the most beautiful towns in Czech Republic if you want to see more spots in the country.
More Activities In Prague
If you want to do even more activities in Prague, check out offers from Get Your Guide. They’re one of the best travel companies, organizing activities around the world. Vltava River Cruise and Beer Spa definitely belong to the best activities you can’t miss in Prague. But there are a few more you might be interested in. So click on the image below and see what other activities Prague offers.
For example, doing a Beer Bike Tour around Prague might be a great idea. Or be part of Beer Tasting and taste the best beer in the world.
More Tips For European Travel
If you want to see more countries in Central Europe, Slovakia might be a great pick. Get my Slovakia road trip itinerary for 8 days to explore its highlights. Or if you want to experience its beautiful mountains, get my hut-to-hut hiking Slovakia itinerary in High Tatras.
If you feel like staying in the Czech Republic, check out my article about the most beautiful towns in Czech Republic and keep exploring the country.
You can also head down to south Austria and see it with my Austria road trip itinerary in 10 days. Or visit Salzburg, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe with my Salzburg itinerary for 3 days.
Go to my travel itineraries page, if you are visiting any other European country. I hope you can find your perfect itinerary to explore it.
Or head to destinations, and learn more about European countries.
