Prague Weekend: The Castle, Old Town and Czech Beer

Begin Saturday at the castle and buy the main circuit ticket for St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St George’s Basilica and Golden Lane. The courtyards are free to walk through. Spend the morning on this hill before descending into Malá Strana.

Visit the cathedral as part of the castle circuit, with stained glass, royal tombs and the St Wenceslas Chapel. It is inside the same castle complex, so this is the next part of your morning. The cathedral tower uses a separate ticket.

Follow the castle route to this row of small houses, with displays of the people who lived and worked here. Entry is part of the main circuit ticket. Afterwards, leave the hill and walk down Nerudova towards Malostranské náměstí.

Cross Charles Bridge on foot for views along the Vltava and back towards the castle. The statue-lined crossing is busiest in the middle of the day; an evening return is worthwhile if you stay nearby. From the west end, turn down towards Kampa.

Walk through the park beside the river and along the Čertovka canal. This is the quieter outdoor end to Saturday’s castle day. Finish with a café or dinner in Malá Strana, within walking distance of the bridge.

Begin Sunday around the Old Town Hall and the churches on the square. The astronomical clock show runs on the hour, but the surrounding streets are worth a longer look. Walk north into Josefov for the Jewish Museum sites.

Visit on Sunday: the Jewish Museum’s sites close on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. One museum ticket covers several sites, including this cemetery and the Spanish Synagogue. The closely layered gravestones record centuries of Prague’s Jewish history.

Continue through Josefov to the Spanish Synagogue for its patterned interior and museum displays. It is included in the same Jewish Museum ticket as the cemetery. The combined museum route makes a substantial Sunday morning or early afternoon.