Prague in five days: an unhurried itinerary with one day out of town

Two days in Prague shows you the postcard. Five days shows you the city. With five days you can see the famous sights at the quiet hours, spend a day in the neighbourhoods where Praguers actually live, leave the city for a castle or a medieval silver town, and still have evenings with nothing planned but a table in a beer hall. This plan keeps the walking sensible and puts each day in one part of town. If you have less time, start with Prague in two days.

Before you start: tickets and a base

Transport. For five days, buy a 72-hour ticket for days one to three and a 24-hour ticket for the day you spend in the city after that — or single tickets if you mostly walk. When checked on the official PID price list in September 2026, a 72-hour ticket was 340 Kč in the PID Lítačka app and a 24-hour ticket 140 Kč. The getting around guide explains how they work, and the prices page keeps the current list.

Where to stay. For five days, the Old Town or Malá Strana put you inside the postcard, while Vinohrady and Karlín give you better value, good food and a neighbourhood life. Our where to stay guide compares them.

A city pass? With five days, the maths of the Prague Visitor Pass changes; read is the Prague Visitor Pass worth it? before deciding.

Day 1 — The Old Town and Josefov

Morning. Start on Charles Bridge before eight, when it belongs to photographers and early joggers. Walk back into the Old Town along Karlova street to Old Town Square and watch the Astronomical Clock strike the hour — then look up at the Týn Church.

Midday. Cross into Josefov, the former Jewish Town. The synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery take two to three hours; remember they close on Saturdays. See Jewish Quarter tickets.

Evening. Dinner in a traditional beer hall in the Old Town. Read Czech beer hall etiquette first, and let the waiter keep bringing beer until you put the coaster on the glass.

Day 2 — The Castle and Malá Strana

Morning. Take tram 22 up to the Pražský hrad stop and start with Strahov Library and the Loreto. Then walk into Prague Castle for the cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica and Golden Lane — the basic circuit explained in Prague Castle tickets.

Afternoon. Walk down the Old Castle Stairs or Nerudova street into Malá Strana. See the Baroque dome of St. Nicholas, the terraces of the Vrtba Garden, the Lennon Wall and Kampa Island by the water.

Evening. Ride the funicular or walk up Petřín for sunset over the roofs, then dinner in Malá Strana.

Day 3 — Vyšehrad, the New Town and Vinohrady

Morning. Take the metro to Vyšehrad and walk the ramparts of the old fortress at Vyšehrad, with the basilica, the cemetery of Czech greats and the best view up the river towards the Castle.

Midday. Walk down along the river to the Dancing House and continue through the New Town to Wenceslas Square and the National Museum at its top.

Afternoon and evening. Cross into Vinohrady for a slow afternoon of cafés, Art Nouveau streets and the square of Jiřího z Poděbrad. Watch the sunset from the beer garden at Riegrovy sady, then eat in one of the neighbourhood's restaurants.

Day 4 — A day out of town

Choose one:

• Kutná Hora — the medieval silver town with St. Barbara's Cathedral and the Sedlec Ossuary, the chapel decorated with human bones. Trains from the main station take around an hour, with a change or a local connection to the sights.
• Karlštejn — the Gothic castle Charles IV built to guard the crown jewels, in wooded hills a short train ride south-west of Prague. Lighter on time, so you are back for the evening.

Pack water and good shoes. If you prefer not to travel, swap this day with day 5 and add the zoo and Troja.

Day 5 — Letná, Holešovice and a last evening

Morning. From the Castle side, walk across Letná Park to the viewpoint over the bridges, where the giant metronome stands on the plinth of a vanished Stalin statue.

Midday. Go down into Holešovice for art: the National Gallery's Trade Fair Palace or DOX. With children, choose the National Technical Museum instead. The museums guide helps you pick.

Evening. Finish where the trip began, by the river: a drink on the Náplavka embankment, a dinner cruise on the Vltava, or a concert — see music in Prague.

Adjusting the plan

• Rain: swap the outdoor halves of days 3 and 5 with museums; check the weather page each morning.
• Winter: from late November, add the Christmas markets to the evenings of days 1 and 3.
• With children: see Prague with kids for the zoo, the Technical Museum and playgrounds.
• Nightlife: Žižkov and Vinohrady have the bars, and the nightlife section the clubs.

Want to rearrange it around your own interests? The itinerary builder builds a day-by-day plan from what you like.