Prague Castle

Prague Castle is not a castle like you might expect. There are no fortified turrets and stone battlements here as this is actually a collection of administrative buildings and the Presidential Palace. St Vitus Cathedral is also part of this historic complex which dates back to 880. The whole area is also UNESCO world heritage site. Prague Castle is positioned up on the hill above the beautiful Mala Strana district and can be seen from most of old Prague. We enjoyed just waking around and soaking up the relaxed atmosphere at the castle. We’d also recommend trying to catch the changing of the guard at the front gates of the palace on the hour every hour.

There are several ways to get to the castle area and the simplest is to walk. You can walk up the steep hill along the tram line, or through a green area in Mala Strana. If you don’t want to walk up the steep hill, take the tram instead – it drops you at the gates of the administrative area in the castle. Notice the pavements in the castle area too, they are ornate with patterns in the stones. You’ll often find musicians performing in the castle area, as above, and the view back down to the Mala Strana, Old Town and Charles Bridge is really impressive.

To get the most out of your visit to the castle, you might be interested in the Prague Castle Walking Tour which brings the place to life. Guided tours of the castle complex are also offered by official castle guides. They cost 250 CZK (2024 prices) per person and last around an hour. You can book the tours via the castle website or at Tourist Information in the Old Town Square.

LOCATION & CONTACT

Address: Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), Castle District, Prague 1, Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 37 3368
Email: tourist.info@hrad.cz

There are several tram stops nearby (Královský letohrádek, Pražský hrad, Pohořelec) and also two metro stations (Malostranská, Hradčanská). Visitors use mostly tram No. 22 (stop called Pražský hrad).