Prague is easy to love and easy to plan, as long as you know a few things first. These Prague travel tips cover when to go, what’s on through the rest of 2026 and into 2027, the practical details that trip people up, and three day trips that are simple from the city. For the day-by-day route itself, use our 48-hour Prague weekend guide.
Prague
Don’t miss
The places that make the trip, and why each one deserves your time.
Ludek / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Petřín Hill
Spring brings blossom to the hill's orchards and comfortable walking weather, with views over the rooftops on the way down to Malá Strana.
Come in spring for the blossom.
Tilman2007 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Prague Castle
The castle grounds stay open late all year, which makes an evening walk among the courtyards and St Vitus Cathedral easy, with the city lights below.
St Vitus opens at noon on Sundays; go Saturday.
A_Peach / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Charles Bridge
The great stone bridge over the Vltava, lined with statues and leading to the castle. Busiest in summer, at its best when you start early.
Start early in summer, before the crowds.
Pazuzu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 Old Town Square
Home of the Astronomical Clock and, from late November into January, the city's Christmas market, when the square glows on cold evenings.
Watch the clock once, then return when it's quiet.
Uoaei1 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Josefov
The old Jewish Quarter, whose Jewish Museum sites tell centuries of Prague history through synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
Closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays.
al.trcka / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Kutná Hora
A silver-rich Bohemian town where the Gothic St Barbara's Cathedral rises over the valley and the Sedlec Ossuary is decorated with the bones of thousands.
Start at Sedlec, near the station.
DominikCK1999 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Český Krumlov
A fairy-tale town in a loop of the Vltava in South Bohemia, crowned by a huge castle and its painted tower.
About three hours away; best overnight.
Jürgen Regel, Marian… / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 Karlštejn
Charles IV built the castle in the fourteenth century to guard the crown jewels, and it still looks the part on its wooded hill above the village.
Check tour days; winter tours run Friday to Sunday.
When to go: Prague by season
Spring (March to May)
Spring brings blossom on Petřín Hill and comfortable walking weather. Prague Castle switches to its longer summer hours on 1 April, and the castle gardens reopen in stages from March. May is the month of the Prague Spring music festival, so concert-goers should plan early.
Summer (June to August)
Long, warm evenings suit the riverbanks and beer gardens, but this is peak season. Charles Bridge and the Old Town are at their busiest, so start early and save the main squares for evening. The castle’s Royal Garden stays open until 8pm in July and August.
Autumn (September to November)
Our pick for a first visit. The light is golden, the crowds thin out after September, and the cultural season gets going. From 1 November, Prague Castle’s historical buildings close at 4pm instead of 5pm, and the Royal Garden closes for the winter.
Winter (December to February)
Cold, often grey, but atmospheric, especially with snow on the rooftops. The Christmas market on Old Town Square runs from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. After New Year, the city is at its quietest, which makes it good for museums and cafés.
Prague in December: tips
- Time the squares: Old Town Square is busiest from late afternoon on weekends. Go mid-morning for the stalls, then come back after dark for the lit tree and the Týn Church spires.
- Walk Charles Bridge early: on December mornings you can have it almost to yourself before 8am, and the light comes up late, so there is no need to rise at dawn.
- Plan for short castle days: Prague Castle’s historical buildings close at 4pm in winter, so visit in the morning and leave the afternoon for the Lesser Town.
- Dress for the cold: temperatures often hover around freezing, and the cobbles can be icy. Shoes with grip matter more than style.
- Book New Year’s Eve early: hotels in the Old Town fill up for the celebrations, and the market runs on into the first week of January.
For the day-by-day route, see our Prague weekend guide; for other cities, our European Christmas markets 2026 calendar.
What’s on in 2026 and 2027
These dates come from the city’s official tourism listings and the organisers, checked in mid-October 2026.
- Signal Festival: Prague’s festival of light art takes over the streets for four nights each autumn. The 2026 edition ran from 15 to 18 October.
- Dyzajn Market Autumn: A design and makers’ market at the Prague Exhibition Grounds on 24–25 October 2026.
- Rudolf Firkušný Piano Festival: Run by the Prague Spring organisers, from 3 to 9 November 2026.
- Prague Sounds: A concert festival across several venues from 2 to 22 November 2026.
- Exhibitions into the new year: Terra Incognita at the Prague City Gallery’s House of Photography runs until 3 January 2027. Milan Kunc: Pop Renaissance is at Museum Kampa until 17 January 2027. Jaroslav Čermák: Myths of European Reality runs from 4 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 at the Municipal Library.
- Christmas market: Old Town Square, 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. See our best Christmas markets in Europe for more.
- Prague Spring 2027: The 82nd edition of the classical music festival takes place in spring 2027. It traditionally opens on 12 May, and tickets go on sale on 4 November 2026.
Tip: For Prague Spring, buy early. The opening concerts are the most sought-after, and they go first.
For weekly event picks across Europe, see this weekend.
Practical Prague travel tips
Money
The Czech Republic uses the koruna (CZK), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, including on public transport via the app. If you need cash, use a bank ATM rather than a street exchange booth, and decline any offer to convert the amount into your home currency.
Getting in from the airport
Václav Havel Airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 for flights from outside the Schengen area and Terminal 2 for Schengen flights. Bus 59 runs to Nádraží Veleslavín for metro line A, about 35 minutes to the centre. The Airport Express runs from Terminal 1 to the main railway station in about 45 minutes. Night buses run when the metro stops.
Tickets for trams, metro and buses
Buy tickets in the PID Lítačka app and activate them at least a minute before you board. Inspectors check, and an unactivated ticket counts as no ticket. The 24- and 72-hour passes are good value on a weekend, but they don’t cover the Airport Express.
Opening days to plan around
- St Vitus Cathedral opens at noon on Sundays, so visit the castle on a Saturday if you can.
- The Jewish Museum in Josefov is closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. From 18 October to 31 December 2026 its sites open from 9am to 4:30pm.
- Prague Castle’s grounds are open from 6am to 10pm all year, which makes a late-evening walk there easy.
Etiquette
Beer arrives fast and keeps coming: put a beer mat on top of your glass when you’ve had enough. Round up the bill or add about a tenth for good service, and say it as you pay rather than leaving coins on the table.
Tip: Avoid the Astronomical Clock crowd on the hour. Watch it once from the side of the square, then come back at a quiet time to look properly at the dials.
Three easy day trips from Prague
Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora was once one of Bohemia’s richest towns, thanks to its silver mines, and it shows. The Gothic St Barbara’s Cathedral rises over the valley, and the Sedlec Ossuary on the edge of town is decorated with the bones of thousands. Trains from Prague’s main station take roughly an hour, which makes it the easiest of the three. Start at Sedlec, near the station, then continue into the old town.
Best for: Gothic architecture and something unforgettable.
Český Krumlov
A fairy-tale town in a loop of the Vltava in South Bohemia, crowned by a huge castle and its painted tower. It’s further away, about three hours by bus or by train with a change in České Budějovice, so it suits a long day or an overnight stay. Castle tours are seasonal, so check the castle’s official site before you go, especially between November and March.
Best for: A long day trip or an overnight escape.
Karlštejn
Charles IV built Karlštejn in the fourteenth century to guard the crown jewels, and the castle still looks the part on its wooded hill. Trains run from Prague in well under an hour, and it’s a walk uphill through the village from the station. In October, the basic tour runs Tuesday to Sunday. From November until 20 December it runs only Friday to Sunday, it’s closed from 21 to 25 December, and the chapels tour is closed until spring.
Best for: A half-day castle trip with a country walk.
For more castles to plan a weekend around, see our best castles in Europe.
FAQ
What is the best month to visit Prague?
May, June and September offer the best mix of weather and manageable crowds. December is worth it for the Christmas market.
Do they use euros in Prague?
No. The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, so you need little cash.
What are the best day trips from Prague?
Kutná Hora and Karlštejn are both easy by train and work as half or full days. Český Krumlov is further away and better as a long day or overnight trip.
When is the Prague Christmas market in 2026?
The Old Town Square market runs from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027.
What should I know before visiting Prague in December?
It is cold, often around freezing, and the Old Town Square market runs from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. Go to the squares on weekday mornings, visit the castle early as its buildings close at 4pm, and wear shoes with grip.
How many days do you need in Prague?
Two days covers the main sights; our Prague weekend guide shows how. Add a third day for a day trip.
