What To Do In 24 Hours In Prague

As I wrote on a previous post, I take every chance I get to book flights with stopovers which allow me to have enough time to explore a new place. When I was going to travel from Stockholm to Lisbon to visit my family in Portugal and I found a flight with a 24 hour stopover in Prague, I knew I couldn't miss out on such a great opportunity.

Knowing that Prague is a city with so much to offer, it was quite a challenge to squeeze in the most important things to do in 24 hours. With the certainty that I would come back another time to explore more of the city and the rest of the country, I finally decided on the compiled selection of the most important places to see in a day in Prague.

Legion Bridge

A good way to get a first feeling of the city of Prague is to take a walk alongside the river and enjoy the beautiful views it offers. Follow the promenade along the water and you will eventually reach the beautiful Legion Bridge. It is by no means the most famous bridge in the city, but from there you will be able to admire the city's skyline and the views of the Castle standing on the top of the hill across the river.

Apart from the privileged views it has to offer to its visitors, it is also this bridge that gives access to the Střelecký Island, where visitors can enjoy a meal at a restaurant or a coffee shop with amazing views from the terrace overlooking the water.

I visited Legion Bridge as soon as I arrived in Prague and I was greeted by a wonderful end of the afternoon that allowed me to see the city in such a beautiful light. I couldn't have wished for a better welcome card than that.

View from Legion Bridge in Prague

Old Town Bridge Tower

After visiting the historical Legion Bridge, simply continue walking north alongside the river and enjoy the views. After a while, you will reach the extremely famous Old Town Bridge Tower that you surely saw on so many pictures from Prague.

Built in the 14th Century, this World-famous Bridge Tower welcomes visitors to the most famous bridge in the city and it used to be the place where kings passed during their coronation processions. Not only is it popular to see this Gothic-style Tower from the outside, many visitors head upstairs to the viewing gallery that is known for the amazing views it offers. If you are willing to climb the 138 steps to get there, check the practical details for visits here - spoilers alert: early birds get 50% off the ticket price, so make sure to be there during the first hour after it opens in the morning.

The Old Town Bridge Tower in Prague

Charles Bridge

The Old Town Bridge Tower gives entrance to the (also) World-famous Charles Bridge. This is one of the most visited places in the whole city, so be prepared to dodge your way through the crowds that will inevitably be there.

Apart from the Tower giving entrance to the bridge on the Old Town side, there is another Tower still standing on the other side of the bridge: the beautiful Malá Strana Bridge Tower. There, visitors can enter the bridge from the famous district known as the Lesser Quarter.

Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge in Prague. This medieval stone bridge which was built in the 14th and 15th centuries, crosses the Vltava River and connects the two shores of the city of Prague. Until the 19th century it was actually the only way to cross the river, making it an extremely important connection point for the city and even on a larger European scale, since it facilitated the existence of a trade route between Europe's Eastern and Western sides. Apart from that, the bridge was the stage of bloody events such as executions during the Middle Ages.

In the 1700s, the whole bridge was adorned on both sides with 30 statues. Nowadays, the statues that make the bridge so famous are actually just replicas of the original ones. They give it a great look nonetheless, making it one of the most beautiful places in the whole city.

Charles Bridge at sunset, overlooking the Castle

The Astronomical Clock

This is another place that is extremely emblematic of Prague and is included in all touristic routes of the city. This medieval astronomical clock known as Orloj was installed in 1410 is located at the Old Town Hall and it is considered the oldest clock of its kind that is still functioning.

The famous clock has shows that attract plenty of tourists excited to see the 12 apostles that appear every hour.

If you would like to have an even closer look of the 12 apostles, check your ticket options here to visit the interior of the Old Town Hall.

Old Town Square

Straight next to the Astronomical Clock of Prague, visitors can find the center of the Old Town: the Old Town Square.

Take a few moments to admire the surrounding buildings, like the Kinsky Palace and the Stone Bell House, as well as the statue standing right at the center of the square: the Jan Hus Memorial - which honors Jan Hus, an important reformer and religious thinker who opposed the Catholic Church's control by the Vatican and now stands as a symbol of opposition against oppressive regimes.

Notice as well the majestic Church standing tall behind the square's buildings: the Church of Our Lady before Týn.

View of the Church of Our Lady before Týn from the Old Town Square

Jerusalem Synagogue

Also known as the Jubilee Synagogue, this beautiful synagogue in Prague is located on Jerusalem Street. It is the largest synagogue in the city of Prague.

This fascinating building is worth a visit both inside and out, no matter what your religious beliefs are. From the outside you can admire its Moorish-revival architectural style and in its interior visitors can admire the beautiful decorations in Art Nouveau.

If you would like to visit its interior, buy your ticket online here or head to the Synagogue where you will be able to buy a ticket before entering.

The beautiful interior of Jerusalem's Synagogue

The Castle of Prague

Without much time left in Prague to explore, I took a tram which crossed the bridge to the other side of the river and took me to the beautiful castle of Prague. Built during the 9th Century, the Castle is a complex that includes several buildings worth seeing. Amazingly enough, it includes four palaces and four churches. In fact, at around 67.000 square meters, it holds the Guinness World Record as the biggest ancient castle in the World.

The most majestic building of the whole Castle complex is the St Vitus Cathedral, as it stands taller than all the other buildings and can even been seen from afar as a part of Prague's skyline.

St Vitus Cathedral at the Castle of Prague

Another lovely place to visit within the Castle is a picturesque street called Golden Lane. Surrounded by adorable small colorful houses, visitors of the Golden Lane can see where the Castle guards used to live when the houses were first built, while later they served as residences for poor people, as back then the street wasn't a part of the Castle. After World War II, the Golden Lane became a part of the Castle and, as the houses were fixed up to look as they do today, they became the small shops and exhibition rooms with artefacts that visitors can see today. With some houses being decorated to represent different eras and portrait how people lived, tourists can enjoy the Golden Lane practically like an open-air museum.

This unique monument complex which attracts millions of tourists every year has a very long and interesting History. At one point during the 14th century it was even the official seat of the Roman Emperor and later it became the residence of the Emperor of the Austrian Empire, Ferdinand V.

Read more about this outstanding landmark and book your tickets here if you are planning your visit to Prague.

Even though there are plenty of other things to see and do in Prague, I hope that this list can help you decide the main places to see in that amazing city if all you have is a single day.