A trip to Prague is incomplete without seeing Prague Castle, the largest castle in Europe.
This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most interesting one I have yet seen owing to a variety of buildings and structures that belong to different eras and yet stand together very cohesively together in this castle complex.
Prague Castle is an overload of culture and history.
You can see the relics of Bohemian kings, stunning artworks, historical manuscripts and above all, the crown jewels.
The 9th-century castle is an awe-inspiring complex of 6 main attractions -
- Old Royal Palace
- St. Vitus Cathedral
- St. George's Basilica
- Lobkowicz Palace
- Golden Lane
- Permanent Exhibitions of Prague Castle
Here are a few handy tips for your visit
We visited the Prague Castle Complex without much ready information. Upon reaching there, I realized that we should've researched it, the foremost reason being the sheer size of the complex.
So, I've jotted down some basic facts for you that could be very helpful in case you go visiting.
- The castle complex is massive covering an area of 70,000 square meters. You need to set aside at least 3 to 4 hours to see this complex.
- It takes only 15 minutes on foot from Charles Bridge to reach the castle.
- Once you enter the complex, stroll along to take a good look at the stunning buildings from the outside before buying entry tickets to the paid areas. The exterior facades are as compelling as the interiors. And they are free!!
- Entry into the castle complex is free. If you wish to see these attractions from the inside, then you need to buy a ticket. There are many ticket options available, so it's a good idea to do some research before you go depending on the amount of time you have and what you wish to see.
You can check the official website of Prague Castle for details - https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitor
- There are Basic Circuit tickets that cover the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane and St. Vitus Cathedral.
Apart from these 4 attractions, some permanent exhibitions can also be seen for a separate ticket. All tickets are valid for 2 days, so if you have time then you can go back again to see what is left but remember entry to one attraction is permitted only once.
- Over 2 million people visit the castle each year, so you can imagine the crowds thronging to enter the castle each day. Start early, especially if you want to buy tickets at the counter.
If you're sure about what you wish to see, buying tickets online beforehand is better, guaranteeing you a Priority Entrance. I'll try to give you an insight into the castle to help you decide what to see.
- As per the official website of the castle, photography inside the castle is not permitted. You need a valid license for it. But I saw so many people clicking pictures, and I am sure not all of them had licenses. I concluded that one just needs to do it without the use of flash.
- If possible, plan your trip on a weekday for smaller crowds. Weekends can be quite busy.
- The castle complex is wheelchair friendly and entry for wheelchair users and their attendants is free.
- The approach to the castle complex is quite uphill, there is a very broad Old Castle staircase leading to the castle that makes walking on the incline easier but be prepared to walk a lot.
Also, there is no shade anywhere, so if it's summer, then carry an umbrella. We were scorched by the summer sun while walking uphill.
After posting this blog on the Fb page of a Prague Travel group, a fellow member of the group, Vit Spisek, pointed out that a better way to enter the castle is from Nerudova Street. This street will lead you to the square with panoramic views and one can enter the castle from the Main Gate.
And if you want to avoid walking altogether, then take tram # 22 to Prazsky hrad (Prague Castle) and enter via North Gate.
Alternatively, take tram # 22 and get down at Pohorelec. From here, you will see the Strahov Monastery and more panoramic views and then a small walk will lead you to the Main Gate.
You can also walk to the North Gate through the castle gardens from Letna Park.
Such detailed information could come only from a local. I am grateful to Vit for letting me share this valuable information here and I hope everyone reading this post will find it useful.
- I'd read a lot of mixed reviews about the various tour options available in the paid attractions. We were not sure what to do upon reaching the palace. The audio guide is priced at a whopping 350 CZK for some reason. Eventually, we opted for the one-hour tour that cost 250 CZK. The guide was good and the tour was very informative.
- Cafes inside the castle complex are quite expensive. We paid 4 euros for a bottle of water. You can carry your food and drinks. There are a lot of places to sit around and eat.
And now a word about the attractions inside the Prague Castle -
Old Royal Palace
This beautiful Romanesque palace can be seen as part of the circuit ticket.
It is still a functional hall and many ceremonial gatherings of the Czech government are still held here.
My Tip -
The highlight of your trip to the Royal Palace is the Vladislav Hall.
St. Vitus Cathedral
This is the largest church in Prague. It has seen the coronations of many Czech kings and queens.
My Tip -
This is a not-to-miss attraction. The church is stunning both on the outside and the inside. Outside, if you crane your neck, you will see such intricate details carved in stone with gargoyles and spires jutting into the sky. As you enter inside, you will be mesmerized by its Gothic architecture and the tall stained glass windows. St. Wenceslas Chapel is magnificent.
St. George's Basilica
This is the oldest church building within the castle complex. Compared to St. Vitus Cathedral, this church is quite sombre.
My Tip -
This is included in the circuit ticket, so we watched it. Nothing spectacular about it. If you're running short on time or if you're very tired from all the walking, you can skip this one.
Lobkovicz Palace
The Palace is the only privately owned building in the Castle complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It holds a vast and enthralling collection of artworks belonging to the Lobkowicz family over generations.
The audio guide is fun to hear as the owner William Lobkowicz talks about how the Nazis took away their wealth and how they re-collected all of it.
My Tip -
There is a music concert every day at 1 pm. You must buy the combination ticket that will offer you entry to the museum along with an audio guide and a concert at 1 pm.
The only negative is that the palace is hugely crowded. We had to wait a good 30 minutes in the sun to get inside. There are also quite a few steps before you see the museum.
Golden Lane
This lane has dwellings of the caretakers or servers of the castle. At the end of the lane is a torture chamber and a dungeon.
My Tip -
The lane was so crowded when we got there. But it was nice and vibrant. Franz Kafka also lived here on this lane at some point.
Permanent Exhibitions of Prague Castle
There are 2 permanent exhibitions at the Prague Castle.
- The story of Prague castle
- Prague Castle Picture Gallery
Buying the Prague Castle - Permanent Exhibition Circuit includes entry to these exhibitions.
We did not see these exhibitions since we were travelling to Prague after spending a fortnight in Austria and we'd had our fill of visiting all kinds of museums.
But if you're interested in seeing these exhibitions, then please refer to the official website of Prague Castle to buy combo tickets accordingly.
My parting tip to to anyone visiting the castle is to refer to the official website mentioned above before your trip because this castle is massive with many attractions to see. We wasted a lot of time and energy trying to figure out what to do and what to omit.
This will give you an idea about what you're watching once you're inside the castle complex.
What you do here will depend entirely on the time available to you. Not-to-miss attractions are Old Royal Palace, Saint Vitus Cathedral and Lobkovicz Palace.
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