We visited over the Easter school holidays staying for three nights in Prague as part of our interailing trip. At the time, the boys were 11 and 7, although there is plenty to do in Prague with kids. Our 3-day Prague itinerary focuses on a mix of activities suitable for couples and families in the capital of the Czech Republic.
When travelling with kids in a new city for the first time I have learnt that it is not possible to squeeze everything in. There is so much more we would have liked to do and see. We picked up some of the important landmarks but the only way to see it all is to spend longer exploring. I am certain this will not be our last Prague trip
3 Days in Prague Itinerary – Perfect for Kids & First Timers
Day One – Morning Arrival
We arrived in Prague around 11 am having caught the European Sleeper out of Amsterdam. After dropping our bags at our accommodation we headed to the Old Town Square which was only a few minutes walk. When we visited the Easter Markets in Prague were taking place with the largest one in Prague’s Old Town. However, even without the markets, there are plenty of places to sit to get a drink, perhaps a Czech beer or a bite to eat. You will be paying more here, but it’s a great place to soak up the atmosphere, plan the rest of your trip, and relax after travelling. There is also the imposing Church of our Lady and The Jan Hus Memorial.
It is also home to the famous Astronomical clock, located on the front of the Old Town Hall Tower, which performs on the hour between 9 am and 8 pm each day. There are nine towers to climb in Prague of which The Old Town Hall is one of them. As well as seeing the city centre from the viewing platform there are several other things to see. Including underground chambers, halls full of paintings, as well as the gothic chapel. Entrance costs CZK 650 for a family. But you may be able to save money by buying a combination ticket. See my Tips for Visiting Prague post for more information.
We spent a couple of hours strolling and enjoying nosing in the wooden huts and trying out treats such as chimney cakes and gingerbread.
Day One Evening – 3 Day Itinerary in Prague with kids
We booked the Medieval Banquet with U Pavouka in advance. Having the children we opted for the late afternoon session at 4 pm. If we had been travelling without the children then we would have gone for the later sitting at 8.30 pm. This is because the afternoon show is slightly shorter at 2 hours and for this reason, you do not get the five courses. Instead, we got three traditional dishes, potato soup to start, a choice of chicken or pork and then apple cake to end. Both sessions have an all-you-can-drink policy including soft drinks, beer and wine. I think the afternoon was probably a little less merry than the evening. The boys thought it was one of the best things we did. With sword fights, acrobatics and fire breathing.
It is a popular spot and so I would suggest booking in advance, especially during the high season.
Day Two – Morning – 3 Days in Prague
We had an early breakfast in the bistro below our apartment. Before heading out through the Old Town Square and its cobblestone streets. Being early meant we were able to take photos of the beautiful buildings without too many tourists. Wandering around the city you can not help but feel as though you are in a fairy tale. The boys found a silver sculpture to climb all over before we started to walk to the castle. It will take around 25 minutes to walk from the city center to the castle which is up a hill.
Trying to save little legs since we arrived in an unexpected heat wave, we picked up the 22 tram from across Manes Bridge (Mánesův most). This took us right outside the castle, the trams are the best way to travel around the city. We arrived around 9.30 and bought tickets from the ticket office without queuing. You can also buy tickets in advance online via the official website. We found that arriving early in the morning was the best time as by the time we left there were a lot more people. It is possible to opt for a guided tour of the castle and its various buildings. There is an extra cost to this but according to Guinness World Records, it’s the world’s largest ancient castle complex.
Depending on what you decide to see while there depends on the ticket price and how long. You will need. We opted for a Main Circuit Ticket which gave us entry to four areas. Including the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane, St. George Basilica and the Cathedral. The St. Vitus Cathedral did not open until midday on the day we visited so we left around 1.30 pm after seeing this. There are also gardens which are free to enter which we only explored briefly were very pretty with Spring flowers. The gardens are free to enter.
You can read more about our visit – Prague Castle.
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Day Two – Afternoon – 3 Days in Prague Itinerary
From the castle, we walked down towards The Charles Bridge and stopped for refreshments on the waterfront. Walking across the iconic bridge and making sure to stop to make a wish. At the end, you can climb the Old Town Bridge Tower which was completed in the 15th Century. A family ticket costs 460 CZK for a family. This will give you views across Charles Bridge, the Vltava River, the Old Town, the Lesser Town and Prague Castle.
After wander through the streets directly opposite back into old town Prague to pick up a Chimney Cake from various outlets. These are sweet cylinder pastries normally filled with ice cream and various toppings. Although they are sold all over Prague they are not traditionally from the Czech Republic instead they originated from Hungary.
After filling up on sweet treats we headed back towards the Vltava River to pick up our boat trip with Prague Boats. From what I can tell they are the main boat operator in the city. We booked our boat trip in advance. Although if you are travelling out of peak season I would suggest you could probably pick one up on the day. There are various lengths of trips available and some offer dining. However, since we were travelling with the kids we opted for a fifty-minute tour that took us down the Devil’s Canal which is a short canal that runs by Charles Bridge. Our Captain was very knowledgeable and kept us all entertained while giving a brief history of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day Two – Early Evening – Prague itinerary with kids
As we did our boat trip in the late afternoon we walked along the river and up towards the Charles Bridge. Aim for Hastalsky Obovd. Here there is a small green area which allows the children to run around and play. As well as a cafe overlooking the Vltava River and castle district. It is the perfect place to watch the sun go down. You can also spend some time wandering the Jewish Quarter which is located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River.
If you are looking for a sweet treat where you can sit then head to the Grand Cafe Orient. If you would prefer to sit inside on the 1st floor then it is probably worth booking in advance. However, we were interested in the wide selection of cakes on offer on the ground floor, many are works of art in their own right. Even the outside seating can be busy so it is a good idea to arrive early if you can since it is such a popular place.
Day Three – Morning – 3 Day Prague Itinerary
Again we were up early catching the tram to Ujezd Street in the Lesser Town (Malá Strana), which is where the Ujezd tram stop is located. Here you can walk to pick up the funicular railway that takes you up Petrin Hill and to the Petrin Tower. If you purchase a 24-hour public transport ticket then this will allow you to also travel on the funicular. Alternatively, you can buy tickets just for the funicular but it costs 120 CZK up and down which is the same as a travel card.
Also known as the mini Eiffel Tower due to its similarities in structure the Petrin Tower is 58.70 metres tall. You can either walk up the 299 steps or you can catch a lift. Although there is a lift charge which makes it much more expensive at 150 CZK each. Tickets can be combined with other attractions such as the mirror maze, which we also did. There are plenty of places to walk and several play areas for children to enjoy. We did not spend much time exploring the Hill as we had a lot to squeeze into our last day. At the bottom of the Funicular, there is a good play park which has toilets and an attendant onsite.
You can read more about our visit – Petrin Tower
Day Three – Afternoon – 3 Days in Prague
We took the short walk back toward the historic bridge to go up the Lesser Town Bridge Tower. Less popular than the one at the other, since it is smaller and dates from the 12th Century end it gave views out across St. Nicholas Church and its bell tower. Our plan was then to head towards the Klementinum and the old library. However, we missed the fact that you could only do this with a guided tour. So when we arrived there were no tours available until late into the evening since it is a most popular place. As we had dinner plans we decided this would be something we would need to wait to do on our next trip. Much to my eldest disappointment who loves books.
Instead, we headed to the Municipal Library of Prague which is home to the insta famous Infinitity Book Tower. Expect to have to queue to get a picture. We left it until the end of the day in the hope it may have shortened and although it had slightly we still had to wait for around 15 minutes.
Day Three – Evening – Prague itinerary with kids
After our photos, we headed to the metro lines to pick up a train out to Wenceslas Square. It is in the new town and flanked by shops on both sides and so much busier than where we had spent the majority of our stay. After wandering the pretty narrow street and seeing the historic sites I must admit I was not a fan. But if you have more time then at the top of the square is the National Museum, which is a national history museum and a good option if it is raining.
However, this was not the reason for our visit. Instead, we travelled for dinner. To visit The Railway Restuarant called Výtopna. Having read this was the best thing to do with kids in Prague we had to give it a go. It is very popular so book this one in advance. Food and drinks are delivered by trains.
Considering the fact that is a gimmick the food and drinks were reasonably well-priced. They offered a kid’s meal for 290 CZK. The kids loved it, and it was a great way to end our trip.
The next morning we were up early to travel from Prague to Munich. This was our first visit to central Europe and we had a brilliant time, striking a good balance between exploring and relaxing. Have you visited Prague? What did we miss that we should include in our next visit?
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