Czech Republic 4 Day Itinerary

June 28, 2026

Czech Republic 4-Day Itinerary

Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe and its Old Town is correspondingly crowded; Charles Bridge at midday in summer is a slow shuffle between tour groups. The antidote is an early morning start (the bridge is near-empty before 8 AM), two day trips that most visitors skip, and a realistic understanding that the beer here costs less than bottled water elsewhere in Western Europe, which is genuinely true.

Entry Requirements

The Czech Republic is a Schengen zone country. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens enter freely. Most other nationalities (US, UK, Australian, Canadian, Japanese etc.) can visit for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without a visa. Longer stays or work requires a Schengen visa arranged in advance. Check current rules for your passport.

Getting In

Vaclav Havel Airport (PRG) is 17 km from central Prague. The Airport Express bus (line AE) to the main train station (Hlavni nadrazi) costs CZK 100 (around EUR 4) and takes 35 to 40 minutes; it runs every 30 minutes and accepts contactless card payment. A 90-minute public transport ticket (CZK 40) also covers the airport bus and any connections. Taxis from the airport are regulated; Prague’s municipal authority has banned most unlicensed drivers and Uber operates officially at the airport. Expect around EUR 20 to 25 for a taxi to the centre. Avoid touts offering fixed fares in arrivals; they consistently overcharge.

Prague’s tram, metro and bus network is excellent. A 24-hour pass costs CZK 120 (EUR 5) and covers all three. The Prague Visitor Pass adds unlimited transport plus free entry to over 60 attractions.

Currency

The Czech Republic uses the Czech Koruna (CZK), not the Euro. Many tourist-area restaurants and shops accept EUR but at unfavourable rates. Exchange only at banks or certified CADECA-equivalent exchange offices, not at the booths clustered around Wenceslas Square which are notorious for hidden fees.

Day 1: Prague Old Town and Mala Strana

Walk Charles Bridge (Karluv most) before 8 AM. The statues are worth examining without the crowd pressure; the bridge dates from 1357 and the original medieval tower gatehouse at the Old Town end is still intact. After 9 AM the numbers build rapidly.

From the bridge, cross into Mala Strana (Lesser Town) and walk uphill to Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad). The castle complex is the largest ancient castle in the world by area; it contains St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace and the Golden Lane. A combined ticket for the main circuit is around CZK 250 to 350 per adult and the views over the Vltava River and Old Town from the castle terrace are the best in the city. Go here rather than to any paid viewpoint tower.

Back across the river, Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) in the afternoon is manageable; the Astronomical Clock (Orloj) performs hourly from 9 AM to 11 PM, and the mechanical show lasts approximately one minute. It is enjoyable but do not build the day around it. St. Tyn Church and the Old Town Hall tower (CZK 250 to climb) complete the square.

For dinner, go to Vinohrady or Zizkov rather than the Old Town for genuine price-to-quality. Mincovna on Staromestske namesti is fine but tourist-priced. Restaurace Mlejnice near the Old Town is a reliable mid-range Czech restaurant (goulash, roast duck, svickova) at PLN equivalent prices.

Scam Note: The petition scam (someone with a clipboard asks you to sign, then demands money) operates near Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge. Simply ignore anyone who approaches you with a clipboard or a petition.

Day 2: Kutna Hora

Trains from Prague’s main station (Hlavni nadrazi) to Kutna Hora run regularly and take about one hour (CZK 120 to 160 each way). Buy tickets at the station or online via the Czech Railways website.

The Sedlec Ossuary (the Bone Church) is 15 minutes walk from Kutna Hora train station. The interior is decorated with the bones of an estimated 40,000 people, arranged by an 19th-century woodcarver into garlands, a coat of arms and chandeliers of bone. The effect is somewhere between macabre and extraordinary. Admission is CZK 220 for adults (CZK 150 for students); tickets must be purchased in advance online or at the Sedlec Information Centre, since it is one of the most visited sites in the Czech Republic and timed-entry operates. Book at least a few days ahead in summer.

From the ossuary, walk 20 minutes into Kutna Hora’s historic centre to St. Barbara’s Church (Chram sv. Barbory), a flamboyant Gothic cathedral that took 500 years to complete and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Italian Court (Vlassky dvur), where Bohemian silver coins were minted, is nearby and worth a brief visit. The whole town is more peaceful than Prague and the cafe options are cheaper.

Day 3: Cesky Krumlov

Buses from Prague’s Florenc terminal to Cesky Krumlov (run by Flixbus, RegioJet and others) take about 2.5 hours and cost CZK 150 to 250. Trains require a change in Ceske Budejovice and take longer; the bus is the right choice.

Cesky Krumlov Castle sits on a meander of the Vltava River and its second-largest castle complex in the Czech Republic, the medieval tower dominating a town of 13,000 people. A tour of the Renaissance and Baroque interior apartments (Route 1) costs CZK 300 per adult in 2026; book tickets online in advance for specific tour times, especially in summer when English-language slots fill weeks ahead. The Baroque Theatre tour is CZK 400 and gives access to one of the best-preserved Baroque stage mechanisms in Europe, complete with original machinery, painted backdrops and costumes; that is the tour to pay for if you choose between the two.

The castle grounds and gardens are free to walk. Renting a boat on the Vltava below the castle costs around CZK 200 to 400 for an hour; the current is gentle and the castle from the water is the best angle for photographs.

Egon Schiele Art Centrum in the Old Town holds a permanent collection focused on the early 20th-century expressionist painter, who worked here in 1911. If you have interest in that period of Austrian modernism, it is unexpectedly strong for a small-town museum.

Return to Prague by evening bus. The town gets very quiet and atmospheric at dusk once the day-trippers leave; if you can stay overnight, do.

Day 4: Prague Neighbourhoods and Departure

Skip a second day in the Old Town and spend Day 4 in Vinohrady and Zizkov, the residential districts east of Wenceslas Square. Naměsti Miru is the local centre of Vinohrady: a park square with a neo-Gothic church, independent cafes and no tourist menus. Mahler Park and the terraces behind the National Museum give a different view of Prague’s topography.

The Zizkov Television Tower (Televizni vez) at 216 metres has a viewing gallery and a restaurant; more striking are the crawling baby sculptures attached to the exterior by artist David Cerny, which appear on postcards but are worth seeing in person since the scale is not obvious from photographs. Entry to the observation deck is CZK 250.

The Jewish Quarter (Josefov) is worth visiting even on the last day: the Pinkas Synagogue with 77,297 names of Czech Holocaust victims written on its interior walls, and the Old Jewish Cemetery with its layers of burials stacked under the surface, are both deeply important sites. Combined museum ticket for the Jewish Museum complex costs around CZK 500 to 600.

Allow two hours from the city centre to the airport including the Airport Express bus; international departure security at PRG is generally quick but can back up at peak times.

Practical Tips for the Whole Trip:

Drink the tap water; it is safe and the Czech Republic has excellent municipal water supply.
Beer in a local pub (hospoda) costs CZK 30 to 60 per half-litre. If a bar charges more than CZK 80 for a draught, you are in a tourist-trap venue.
Tipping 10% is expected in restaurants; round up for taxis.
English is widely spoken under 40 in Prague. A few words of Czech (prosim, dekuji, dobry den) are appreciated.
The Dresden day trip on Day 4 listed in older itineraries is a reasonable option if you have already seen Prague, but given the German rail situation requires checking schedules; RegioJet also runs direct to Dresden.