Prague & The Bohemia Region
Czech Republic Travel Itinerary & Guide
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6 Days in Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is a beautiful and romantic city with castles and churches at nearly every corner. But the Czech Republic is more than just Prague, this Itinerary also explores the Bohemia Region, like hiking the Bohemian Paradise, the eerie skeleton church at Kutna Hora, and the medieval town Cesky Krumlov.
Day 1:
Head to Kutna Hora to visit the incredible “Bone Church” Sedlec ossuary, the St. Barbara’s cathedral, and the Cathedral of Assumption of our Lady and St. John the Baptist. Return to Prague for dinner ta Kozlovna Tylak. We set up our base in Prague the night before. There are many great value Airbnb options in Prague, we were very happy with our two-bedroom apartment in the Nove Mesto area (which literally means “New Town”). Our location is just close enough to many attractions, but not so close that you feel flooded by tourist. Situated on a residential street close to main subway lines and bus lines.
Visit Sedlec Ossuary at Kutna Hora
We woke up early to get our rental car, and headed to Kutna Hora, a small town about an hour away from Prague. We choose to drive, but Kutna Hora is also easily accessible by train and bus. Here is link with detail descriptions on getting to Kutna Hora by public transportation.
Our first stop in Kutna Hora is the Sedlec Ossuary, also known as the “Bone Church”. Sedlec Ossuary is just a modest chapel from the outside, but the inside is decorated with more than 40000 human skeletons, with a spectacular skeleton chandelier at the center. To my surprise, seeing human bones being artistically arranged didn’t feel scary or frightening, but very peaceful, like a quiet celebration of the lives that were lived.
Tickets to enter Sedlec Ossuary is only 90CZK, you also have the option to purchase tickets for multiple sites in the Kutna Hora area at a discounted rate. We purchased the ticket combo of Sedlec Ossuary, St. Barbara’s Cathedral, and the Cathedral of Assumption of our Lady and St. John the Baptist.
Visit Cathedral of Assumption of our Lady and St. John the Baptist
Our second stop was the Cathedral of Assumption of our Lady and St. John the Baptist, which is a short 4 min walk from Sedlec Ossuary. The interior of the church is in a unique pastel yellow, which I later find to be a color used a lot in buildings all around the Czech Republic.
Lunch at Dačický
Before heading to St. Barbara’s church, we walked around downtown Kutna Hora, and ate lunch at Restaurant Dačický. This is a medieval themed beer hall, serving many traditional Czech cuisines. I had my first Czech bread dumpling and enjoyed a pilsner lager, getting the full Czech experience. This restaurant might be a bit on the touristy side, but nonetheless a very fun experience.
Visit St. Barbara’s Cathedral
Our third stop was St. Brbara’s Cathedral. Leading to the church is a bridge lined with baroque style statues, and the cathedral itself is in the recognizable gothic style, very different that the last two churches we saw. You can also get a good view of the town from the cathedral’s courtyard.
Dinner at Kozlovna Tylak
We are back in Prague in the evening, and enjoyed dinner at a beer hall around our apartment called Kozlovna Tylak. We love this place and came back a couple of times during our visit. The restaurant felt pretty laid back, and the food is good and reasonably price. I also love the fact that we were dinning side by side with Prague locals.
Day 2:
Hiking Prachov Rocks of the Bohemia paradise, then walk around Wenceslas Square and have dinner when we return to Prague.
Hiking Prachovské skály in the Bohemian Paradise
We head to the mountainous region about 1.5 hours north-east of Prague, commonly called the Bohemian Paradise. The region is filled with uniquely shaped rocks that stand vertically into the sky, definitely one of the most fascinating nature scenes in the Czech Republic. There are many options for hiking in this area, we choose to go to the Prachov Rocks (Prachovské skály) and hike the green circle (Zeleny Okruh) trail for our day trip. The trail was short, approximately 3.5 km which took about 2.5 hours. Although the hike was short, it was were pretty steep at times, and the moss made the rocks very slippery. There are many incredible viewpoints along the trail, overlooking the sandstones and a nearby lake. Make sure to bring water and snacks for your hike especially if you plan to go during the winter, as all the shops and tourist centers are closed during the low seasons. After our hike, we had late lunch in the nearby town Jičín.
Return to Prague, walk around Wenceslas Square and by the river bank
In the early evening, we drove back to Prague and took a stroll around Wenceslas Square. This square is bigger than a typical city square, and many historical events and demonstrations had happened here. The square is lined with shops and department stores, and during the weekend there is often times street performers. We continue to walk south-west along the river and saw the famous Dancing Building before we head for dinner.
Dinner at U Balbínů
We really worked up an appetite after all the walking and hiking today, we took our appetite as an opportunity to try some Czech pigs knuckle. We ended up at U Balbínů near Wenceslas Square. Between two people, we shared the pork knuckle and a plate of grilled veggies, the pork knuckle was very tasty but definitely plenty for two!
Day 3:
On our third day, we visited the Museum of Communism, then walked around the old town area and the Jewish quarter.
Room
By the third day we were getting a little tired of Czech food, to switch things up we had dinner at Room, a Spanish tapas restaurant with modern décor. The prices are on the pricier side but the food was excellent.
Museum of Communism
The first stop today is the Museum of Communism. I really enjoy this museum, although it is pretty small, it gives you a very comprehensive overview of Czech Republic’s Communist history. I felt that this gave me good context to the culture and attitude of the Czech people. Particularly the interview videos where people talked about their firs hand experiences were very fascinating. This museum is open until 8pm, so this is an activity that you can easily fit into any day of your trip.
Walk around Old Town area
Later, we head to Old Town Square to people watch and snack on some street food and mulled wine. Many stands in Prague serve mulled wine, which has basically become my constant on-the-go drink during this trip!
One of the highlights of Old Town Square is the astronomical clock, which is an ornate medieval clock that displays a show of rotating statues hourly. In addition to time, the dials on the clock also show the position of the sun and moon as well as other astronomical details.
Botanicus and Manufaktura are two shops near old town square that sell unique cosmetics and spa product that are great as souvenirs. Manufaktura also has various accessories and teas, making it a better option for gifting. Botanicus on the other hand, is more cosmetically elegant, these are products you might want to use to pamper yourself on a later date.
Rest our feet at Francouzska Restaurant Art Nouveau
We then got coffee and cake at Francouzska Restaurant Art Nouveau. The prices here were a little pricy, but the décor is spectacular. Especially during the day, you can see the gold lamps and gold wall reliefs shimmer in the sun. Being here in the afternoon down time was a lovely way to escape the crowd and rest our feet.
Walk around Jewish Quarter
Later in the day, we started to walk north from Old town square to see the Jewish quarter of Prague. This use to be the Jewish ghetto back in the day, and is also where the writer Franz Kafka has once lived. Today the Jewish quarter is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Prague with many luxury stores and upscale restaurants. Key attractions in the Jewish quarter are the Spanish Synagogue, the Old-New Synagogue, and the Old Jewish Cemetery.
Day 4:
Spending the next two days in the small medieval town of Cesky Krumlov, about a three-hour drive from Prague.
Walk around Cesky Krumlov
It is quite hard to suggest an exact route to follow in Cesky Krumlov. The town is just like what you would imagine a medieval town to look like, narrow little streets filled with shops, with a beautiful castle towering over the town. The town is small and easy to navigate, just follow your intuitions and explore the streets, there is hardly a dull moment. The obvious attraction is the Cesky Krumlov State Castle, which is almost impossible to miss. Walking along the walls that surround the town is also nice, and gives you a good view of the town from above. The Saint Vitus Church is also worth popping in and taking a look. There will be a lot of walking but luckily there are many cafes in town for you to rest your feet. We particularly enjoy the café right below the castle entrance.
While walking town we discovered Cesky Pernik, an adorable shop that sell hand presses Czech gingerbread. These old bohemian gingerbreads are made with the original recipe from the 16th century. They make for cool decorations, but unfortunately you cannot eat them. The shop also sells other beautifully decorated gingerbreads that you CAN eat, as well as delicious honey cake that is a must try in the Bohemian region.
Dinner at Krcma V Satlavske and drinks at Zapa Bar
We had dinner at Krcma V Satlavske, a medieval BBQ cellar that is popular among visitors. The surroundings reflect the medieval characteristics of Cesky Krumlov, serving meat grilled right in front of you. At first, we had suspected this place to be a tourist trap, but it turns out the food was really good, and the experience felt very down to earth.
Before we head home we stopped by Zapa Bar for a couple of creamy absinthe cocktails to end our night on a sweet and tipsy note.
Check into another Airbnb
https://abnb.me/iBB8B7I34KIn Cesky Krumlov we stayed at another Airbnb that we really loved. It is located right outside of the town. The location was incredibly convenient, and the space was very clean and well organized.
Day 5:
Spending the morning exploring Cesky Krumlov, then stopping by Ceske Budejovice on our way back to Prague. Ending the day at the Holiday Market in Peace Square.
Stop by Ceske Budejovice
On our way back to Prague we stop by Ceske Budejovice, the capital of the south Bohemian region. This city doesn’t really have any major sites, the biggest attraction here is the Budweiser Budvar Brewery. That being said, it was still a beautiful place to walk around and stretch our legs before driving back to Prague.
Shopping and snack on street food at Peace Square
In late November, many Christmas markets are popping up all around the Czech Republic. This evening, we walked around the Christmas market in Peace Square as it was very close to our airbnb. There are a lot of cute souvenirs that you can find here, I bought some marinated Czech cheese, colorful beeswax candles, and some crystal ornaments. We basically settled our dinner here as well, I had beef Goulash (a stewed beef dish), Haluski (a potatos and cabbage dish), Trdelnik (a cone shaped pastry), and of course some mulled wine.
Cesky Krumlov and visit the Egon Schiele Art Center
We continue to explore the town the next day, admiring the architecture and art that’s present everywhere in town. Eventually, making our way to the Egon Schiele Art Center. This seems to be the largest and most enjoyable museum in Cesky Krumlov. At the time of our visit there was an exhibition on Czech artist Brazda that was very comprehensive and inspiring. We got to see a huge rage of his work, and gain an interesting perspective on the political background during his lifetime.
Day 6:
Walk over Charles Bridge and visit the Prague castle area.
St. Nicolas Church and the Lennon Wall
We grabbed breakfast on the Mala Strana side of the bridge, then visited the Lennon Wall, and the St. Nicolas Church. Although it is almost impossible to choose, I would say St. Nicholas’ Church was probably my favorite church that I visited in the Czech Republic. The interior of the church is in the over-the-top baroque style, mixing materials in the colors of pink, green and gold. Fresco paintings that represent the life of St. Nicholas covers the ceiling and walls of the church.
Visit Prague Castle
We then head up to Prague Castle and went to the visitor center to get tickets as well as a map. Sites within the Prague Castle includes the Castle (obviously), the Old Royal Palace, the Basilica of St. George, the St. Vitus Cathedral, golden lane, powder tower and many more. It is a lot to pack in one day, but your ticket is valid for two days, so you could always come back!
Late lunch at U Zavesenyho Kafe
After our intense visit to Prague Castle, we had late lunch at U Zavesenyho Kafe. This is lovely café further into the Hradcany neighborhood, with a view overlooking Prague. We ordered crepe and dumplings both of which were really tasty and reasonably price. Compare to some of other restaurants with a view in this area, this place was very affordable and adorable.
Visit Strahov Monastery, the Petrin Tower, and the Memorial of the Victims of Communism
In the late afternoon, we continue west and visited Strahov Monastery, a Premonstratensian Abbey that features two beautifully decorated libraries. Tickets are 120kc.
We then walk through the park and head to Petrin Tower. The walk to Petrin Tower is about 30 mins, and a little bit of a hike, but we were pleasantly surrounded by nature while the view of Prague slowly reveals in front of us. And of course, the best view is from the top of the Petrin tower. To get to the top you have to climb 299 steps of stairs and pay 150kc for tickets. There is an elevator as well for those who have trouble taking stairs. Luckily from the tower you can easily take the gondola and make it all the way down, letting you off nearby the Memorial of the Victims of Communism.
Get a trednik at Good Food Coffee & Backery
Right off Charles Bridge on the Old Town side of the river, there is Good Food Coffee & Bakery, which has the most beautifully made trednik in Prague. I got myself the Chimney Devil, which has adorable edible devil ears!
See an Opera at the Prague National Theater
We had dinner at our spot Kozlovna Tylak, then saw an opera at Prague National Theater (Narodni Divadlo). Seeing the opera is an outing that locals take seriously, you will see people dress up for the occasion. The Baroque style interior and the glamourous people making this quite the spectacular evening.
Charles Bridge
The Iconic Charles Bridge leads you across the Vltava Rive to the Mala Strana area and Prague Castle. This is a beautiful bridge lined with statues with a recognizable tower on the east side. While this is a must see in Prague, it can get incredible crowded with tourist. I highly suggest getting here early in the morning to really enjoy this historical site. We were here at 7am, and even then, it still wasn’t easy to get a photo without any strangers passing by…
Tips and Tricks:
1. Many people speak English in the Czech Republic, even in the country side people are often able to understand English and sometime respond in Czech.
2. Restaurant price greatly vary depending on where you go. Generally, if you pay more than 50 CZK for a small beer that restaurant is probably catered towards tourist. Sometimes there is a reason to go to a touristy location, after all, you ARE a tourist. But be an educated tourist, and only pay the steeper price if there is something special about the restaurant or if you get a spectacular view.
3. Tipping in the Czech republic typically is just 10% at restaurants, and rounding up to the next 10Kc at pubs.
4. Make reservations in advance to restaurants that you would like to visit, especially if you plan to go on the weekends.
5. There are many more sites than what I have mentioned above, but Prague is so packed with attractions, it is very easy to just walk around and follow your intuitions, especially in the Old Town area and the Prague Castle area.