Tips for Visiting Prague Castle

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Updated on 06/18/19

A crowd in front of Prague Castle — TripSavvy / Alisha McDarris

Prague Castle is one of Prague's main attractions and may be one of your most memorable experiences of Prague. Use these tips to make the most of your visit.

01 of 08

Visit Early

Plan the night before to visit Prague Castle early in the morning. If you go early, you'll be able to beat the crowd. Prague Castle opens at 9 am. Plan to arrive a little before 9. You'll notice the crowds gradually thicken over the course of the next hour or two.

02 of 08

Allocate Plenty of Time to Visit

You should allow 2-3 hours at minimum for visiting Prague Castle. However, if you find that you want to follow the audio tour, seeing the Prague Castle Complex may take longer. Make sure you've eaten breakfast before you go. You can get lunch in the vicinity of Prague Castle after your visit and digest all you've seen over hot dumplings or cold beer.

03 of 08

Rent the Audio Tour

Don't let previous bad experiences with audio tours prevent you from renting the one for Prague Castle. The English language audio tour is easily understood, offers quality information, and is thorough. (If you aren't interested in history, it's almost too thorough, but you can fast forward through what doesn't interest you).

04 of 08

Purchase the Photo License

In addition to the tickets and the audio tour, you have the option of purchasing a license that will allow you to take photos on the interiors of the buildings that make up the Prague Castle complex. If you have a camera, purchase this license. St. Vitus Cathedral, in particular, is visually stunning, and you'll find yourself disappointed if you can't take photos while you're there.

Continue to 5 of 8 below.

05 of 08

Visit St. Vitus Cathedral First

St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the most interesting and beautiful buildings in the Prague Castle complex. Visit Vitus Cathedral before you see anything else. Traipsing around the complex can quickly wear you out, so you should see St. Vitus Cathedral while you've still got lots of energy and enthusiasm.

06 of 08

Dress for the Weather

Prague Castle is an enormous complex of buildings, most of which will only protect you from extreme weather conditions to some degree. If the weather is cold, you'll be cold throughout your tour of Prague Castle. If it's rainy, you'll get wet walking from building to building.

07 of 08

Wear Comfortable Walking Shoes

Comfortable walking shoes should be worn for your tour of Prague Castle. Like all walkways in Prague, the squares and alleys in Prague Castle are paved with bricks, some of which have settled into uneven angles and can become slick when wet.

08 of 08

Visit on a Weekday

Try to see Prague Castle on a weekday. Weekends at Prague Castle see the worst crowds.