Prague Castle

It’s a shard where you can see everything such a Protestant church, Catholic cathedral, shops and restaurants and the castle. It’s a brilliant place, tourists are flooded going up to this place, even in winter visitors are nonstop. The view is spectacular. Highly recommended to all tourists to not missed this place in their bucket lists.

A visit to Prague Castle is an unforgettable journey through more than a thousand years of European history. Perched high above the Vltava River, the castle complex dominates the city skyline and offers some of the most breathtaking views of Prague. What makes Prague Castle truly special is its sheer scale and variety. Rather than a single building, it is a vast ensemble of palaces, courtyards, churches, and gardens. The awe-inspiring St. Vitus Cathedral stands at its heart, with its soaring Gothic spires, stunning stained glass windows, and richly decorated chapels. Nearby, the Old Royal Palace and its Vladislav Hall showcase the political power and ceremonial life of Bohemia across the centuries. Walking through the castle grounds feels like moving through different historical eras. The charming Golden Lane, with its tiny, colorful houses, offers a more intimate glimpse into medieval life, while the open courtyards create a sense of grandeur and calm despite the number of visitors. Although it can be busy, especially during peak tourist seasons, the site is well organized and rewarding to explore at a relaxed pace. Arriving early in the morning or later in the afternoon helps avoid the largest crowds and allows time to fully appreciate the atmosphere. Overall, Prague Castle is not just a landmark but a living symbol of Czech history and culture. Whether you are interested in architecture, history, photography, or simply stunning views, it is an essential stop that more than lives up to its reputation.

Prague’s History, Religion and Beauty “Let yourself be amazed by God and be encouraged and transformed on the way to the fullness of life.” Strahov Monastery, Prague Early this morning we walked up to the Prague Castle. Prague Castle has a rich history dating back to the late 9th century, when it was established by Duke Bořivoj I, the first Christian prince of Bohemia. Initially a fortified settlement, it became a significant seat of power for Bohemian kings and later Holy Roman Emperors. Official office of the President of the Czech Republic, currently Petr Pavel (2023-present). It is the largest coherent castle complex globally, recognized by the Guinness World Records. Covering nearly 70,000 m², it serves as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a vital cultural institution in the Czech Republic. It offers a glimpse into Czech history and architecture over a millennium. We visited the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane and St. Vitus Cathedral. We then walked up to the Strahov Monastery. We visited the Library, the Art Gallery, the Treasury and the Church of Assumption. We had a late lunch at the SV. Norbert Beer Garden, Strahov. We took the Tram route 22 back to the Hotel. As the Sun set in Prague, the Church bells rung, the City lights came on.

An absolutely impressive and unforgettable place. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to enter the cathedral — the line was over three hours long. There were a lot of visitors, especially during the weekend. Still, even from the outside, the experience was incredible. The architecture, the atmosphere, and the views around the Prague Castle are stunning and truly breathtaking. We really enjoyed taking our time outside and admiring the details and surroundings. Knowing that this place was built over nearly 600 years makes it even more impressive — a true wow moment. Highly recommended, even if you only have time to see it from the outside.

Beautiful place where you can see the whole city from the top of this castle. You can get a feel of how life was, how solemn and magnificent of a castle it is. Certain areas you need to pay like everything in Europe anyway but it’s breathtaking . It’s worth a visit .

So much history and so much to see. We took a three hour tour which was amazing. I would highly recommend it. David was a wonderful guide who was well informed and made our tour so interesting I can highly recommend him to anyone who tours the castle. He made history come alive. Thank you David

Beautiful castle district with amazing views. Bare in mind that there is no actual castle. It's a whole neighborhood of various buildings. The cathedral is impressive and the street with the tiny houses is very picturesque

Beautiful place but hammered with tourists! Need to get in early to see the main attractions, ie changing of the guard. That's fair enough but a good atmosphere...foreign tourists have no filter, just ploughing into you with no manners! It's a hell of a walk so get ready to boost your steps! Went into a restaurant opposite the cathedral...was really nice and friendly, cheesecake was belissimo! Beer wasn't bad either 🍺👍

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) is one of the most famous sights of Prague. With 1.8 million visitors annually, it is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Czechia. The history of the castle goes back a long way and has been used by kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia with construction starting in 870 AD. The castle is stunning and the grounds are huge, it feels like you're walking through not a castle, but a medieval town as you pass through the Castle and its gardens. It's the largest ancient Castle in the world. You could spend several hours here and not run out of things to see and do, there is also a Starbucks in the Castle which has fantastic service and fantastic views of the city, so is an ideal place to stop for a toilet break, or just a drink and a rest while exploring. It is very hilly, with lots of steps leading up to the Castle, I was exhausted by the time I'd made my way up from the nearest Metro station, a lack of places to grab a cold drink nearby, other than the Starbucks is a wasted opportunity. 4* - One of the main places to see and do in Prague alongside Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square, The Astronomical Clock and others.

Worth visiting if you are in town, but note that you'll need to get a ticket, thus three stars. Additionally, if you go, go early otherwise you'll have to deal with large crowds. I would also recommend you take tram 22 and get off at Pohořelec station, this will allow you to avoid walking up the hill.

By itself, yes this is an impressive place...if it was the last castle on Earth with zero competition from other castles. But since there is a lot of castle competition, this is probably the dullest and lamest castle I have ever been to in my 10+ years traveling through Europe. This castle doesn't feel like a "castle". Sorry Prague! -250K/$11 Basic Circuit Ticket -Old Royal Palace...it's quite barren inside, not a lot decor -St. George's Basilica...small, generic -Golden Lane...tourist trap shops -St. Vitus Cathedral...very impressive! Great art, sculptures, architecture...why build housing for the poor when you put all the resources to a giant church? -No cool awesome imposing stone walls...its just surrounded by regular buildings that look they have been built in the 20th century. -150K/$7 Tower of the Cathedral...climb 280steps and 100+ meters for some amazing views and solid cardio calorie burning exercise. 200K/$9 Lobkowicz Palace...90% of the art is just portraits of important dead people. There was one fun room dedicated to animals, but otherwise disappointing compared to other European palaces. This is definitely skippable. I will definitely visit Prague again someday, but don't think I'll pay to go inside the same castle areas.

Prague castle is a must see for anyone visiting. The castle is a complex of buildings and not a medieval fortress. It still houses a lot of government offices. They have a beautiful church to see. The place was so mobbed with people I recommend going with a group tour.

Budget at least 4 hours and get there at opening to beat the crowds. Plenty of places to enjoy a coffee or snack. It is a very busy place worth seeing, expect Disneyland sized crowds and lines. They do move quickly though. Interesting illustrations of Czech history over time.

Hubby and I felt that Prague Castle is a very over-rated tourist trap. A basic ticket for 250czk (about $11.00 USD) is very affordable, and it gives entrance to the Old Royal Palace, Basilica of St. George, Golden Lane, and St. Vitus Cathedral. The Palace, Basilica and Golden Lane was so crowded that it was impossible to enjoy any of the sites. There were so many people on Golden Lane that it was difficult to move and forget about going into the tiny houses. St. Vitus was closed and we were never able to gain entry. The outside overlooks of were also so crowded that it was very difficult to enjoy the overlook scenery. We figured the over crowding was due to the many large tourist groups. Not very enjoyable.

Yelp Review 2023 #103: Prague Castle is definite must-visit while you're in Prague. Within the castle grounds is a beautiful church, St. Vitus. There are multiple entry ways to get to the castle grounds. You have to go through a metal detector and security will check your bags. Prague Castle is the third largest castle in the world. You can easily spend at least 3 hours here. Big place, lots to see. If you're interested in watching the changing of the guards, you have to be here minutes before 12pm. If you want a good spot, be at the gate by 11:30am. I thought I was hot sh!t for being there at 11:15am and I was able to sit and the guards were right in front of me. It turns out I was the wrong end of the castle! LOL. Good thing I decided to ask at 11:45 because I'm not seeing any signs of a grand ceremony. I had to run to the other end of the castle and of course, by the time I got there it was already 11:50 and there was already a big crowd of tall men standing in front of the gate! I had to keep my neck as long as possible and my arms way up just to be able to take pictures and videos. The changing of the guards takes about 5 minutes. There's a marching song. Listen to the guards and get out of the way! There's a Christmas market and a cute little village you can visit before or after the ceremony. The statues around the castle look interesting.

Wow! A beautiful palace with a monumental cathedral inside. It's not clear to me why it's called a "castle" instead of palace. Maybe because the president lives here?

We bought the Basic Circuit tickets and focused primarily on St. Vitus Cathedral and secondarily St. George's Basilica. The St. Vitus Cathedral is magnificent, both the inside and the outside. We also used our guidebook to learn about each of these places while seeing them, which certainly increased our level of appreciation and enjoyment. We had initially planned to go to the Prague Castle right at its opening time in the morning to avoid crowds in the high season, but the forecast of very hot whether persuaded us of going there in the afternoon since the sites are mostly doors and cooler than the outside. Fortunately, we did not encounter excessive crowds or any lines of waiting. Perhaps a good portion of tourists were taking a lunch break since we arrived right before noon?

Gorgeous castle to visit. I recommend you buy your tickets in advance so it is less of a hassle once you get there. My friend and I enjoyed our stroll in the palace area and its vicinity. The architecture and the details are impressive! This castle is a must-see if you're visiting Prague.

A great spot perched above Prague to catch cityviews. Most places require admission, but walking around the grounds and small garden is free as is the cathedral if you don't mind the line and masses. Go early and flee before the tour groups arrive towards noon.

When in Prague you have to visit the castle. We ended up doing the tour which was pretty ok. We were pretty excited that we managed to time it right with the Christmas Market as well. Yummy food there.

Must place to explore while in Prague. The cathedral has one of the most fascinating stained glass windows

We did a walking tour of Prague Castle and the Church and grounds. Perched high on the hill is this beautiful decorated and architecturally inspiring work of art that was a work in progress for the last 600 plus years. You first have to clear security and empty your pockets and let them look in your bag. If the head of state is in the flag will be up. Too much to see and take in with all the history and beauty to take in as explained by your guide. They were still celebrating Easter with decorations and food. Many food vendors and beer stations in a food court like area. Lots of people, it will be very crowded as it is a main draw for Prague. We there during the week and it was crazy crowded. It's ok you may never be in Prague again so it's a must do. So Czech it out. There are many restaurants as you go further in the grounds. The views are spectacular and will take your breath away. Enjoy!

Best way to visit this Prague castle is to go on a tour which we ended up doing. This gives the best highlights of the castle and also skip all the lines so our time spent there was very efficient. There's also option to stay longer after the tour if anyone chooses to do that. We also saw the changing of the guards. Very beautiful castle and the tour provided lots of history which was very interesting. The tour provided lots of photo opportunities including the view of the city from the castle. Highly recommend visiting this castle when in Prague.

DO NOT walk from the Charles Bridge all the way to Prague Castle. If you do, don't say I didn't warn you. Something I always forget that maps excludes from their ETA, STAIRS! You can enter the grounds for free, but won't have access to certain entrances or views. This place is DEFINITELY a tourist trap. There are plenty of tour groups and small, narrow areas that you get easily frustrated. It's even worse in the summer! No tripods are allowed, so if you are traveling alone, you have to ask one of the many tourists to take a poor quality picture of you. There are several different passes, but the main attraction is the ornate cathedral.

Unbelievable! Maybe the most remarable man made thing I've ever seen. Totally worth the long lines to get in, and the masses of humanity you have to negotiate through to get to see the many amazing treasures. During my 12 day treck along the Danube and Vitava Rivers, I saw a lot of churches and castles. Even though they where all amazing, this one was the can't miss crown jewel. Bring your camera, comfortable shoes and patients for all the people that will walk in front of you, or on your feet.

Castle is divided into many museums. Research before going which tours interest you. Overall the castle is worth it. The Castle Museum provides decent reconstructed history of habitation on the grounds of the castle through history. But many of the key exhibits are reproductions. For example, most of the historical documents and books are all reproductions. Otherwise, the museum presents a nice overview of the story of human habitation at the site of the Prague Castle. Price 140 Kc Budget 1 hour for the Castle Museum Photography is not allowed inside.

While in Prague, I went to Prague Castle twice. On my first full day in Prague, I went with a tour group, and while we didn't see everything (there is too much to see!), we toured the outside and the grounds. On my last day in Prague, I went back to see a little more of the inside of the castle. There is just so much to see, that it's almost overwhelming. I was there for a couple of hours, and I still only saw a fraction of what there was to see. If you really want to see everything, you really need a full day, as well as a lot of patience, as the castle is so crowded with people. While I was there on my second visit, on October 26, 2015, there was some sort of event going on--perhaps a visit from a diplomat, or something; I never quite found out what was going on--so with a large crowd that was gathered in front of the castle, I watched soldiers marching around and gathering for an assembly. Near the entrance of the castle is a Starbucks. So if you need to use the bathroom or need wi-fi, just pop into Starbucks. [Yelp collections: Europe 2015; Prague, Czech Republic; Bridges and Castles]

Prague castle is a must while visiting Prague. It's on a hill and the views are gorgeous. It might take a few more minutes because they have security check points in place at the entrance of the gates. Christmas time they have a bunch of things going on around the premises and you see vendors and selling of food, and small souvenirs etc. There are some options while buying Prague Castle tickets. Depending on how much time you have you can see what works for you. Option 1 includes the castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, exhibition St. George's Basilica, Daliborka Tower, Rosenberg Palace Option 2 includes the castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, and Daliborka Tower Option 3 only includes the exhibition in the St,Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle Picture Gallery. I know option 1 the pass is good for two days. I'm not sure about the other two options. The castle is huge with rooms beautifully furnished. A must to see if you are into historic places. ~

After five years of Yelping, I've reached my 1,500-review milestone! Of course, I saved it for an extra special place: Prague Castle. This castle complex originally mesmerized and trapped me Thanksgiving weekend 2010. I was studying in Europe and visited Prague for a couple days with a small group. I'll never forget trekking my way up from Charles Bridge to the top of the castle grounds and looking out over the stunning city. What a view. Six years later, the city pulled me back for a few months. This gave me ample time to explore the grounds more and try to get used to the uphill path. I don't think it's actually possible to "get used to" the stairs, to be frank. There's a ton of them. It's a workout. That is all. Prague Castle deserves a nice long visit during your trip. St. Vitus Cathedral is the most well-known and photographed of the buildings and it's awesome to stand at its base. Make sure to go inside too! And don't bring any stupid items with you. Guards will thoroughly search you and your bags. Inside the tower at Hradčany, you can also find the Defenestration of Prague window. For some reason, the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was always such a fascinating bit of history to me growing up. Read up on it before your visit! Basically if you visit you're exposing yourself to over a thousand years of Bohemian history. It's awesome and well worth the small admission fee. Truly, no visit to Prague is complete without a visit to the famous Castle. I hope to return one day.

Looming over Old Town, this complex compels you to visit. Splurge on a private guide and you'll have the best visit. Centuries of history all around, and the stories behind what you're seeing is mind blowing. Amazing half day, and easy to spend more time. It gets crowded, don't let that stop you. Enjoy!

The biggest Medieval Castle in the World, once in a life time experience that you have to see, you can spend a day in the outside visiting all the gardens and gorgeous views of Prague, there is a winery near by as well. And you can definitely spend at least one day inside this castle. I was here during the 100 years anniversary of Czech Republic's Independences fro the Austrian Empire. It was very nice to see at the castle all the ambassadors cars with the country flags, on the car leaving this place for celebratory events that took place in Prague that weekend. US attended this event as well.

The place is absolutely gorgeous. Pictures could never do this justice, only the true eye can appreciate the awww you feel. I do have a tip. Find the tram to go up the hills to avoid having to walk.

An amazing castle. Impressive architecture. I climbed to the top of the tower. Long spiral staircase. The view was wonderful. It was sunny nice day and the view was convincing why the town is a world heritage. Praha....so pretty.

Absolutely breathtaking! Gorgeous craftsmanship. Highly recommend it on a trip to Prague, lovely woodwork and some nice art pieces. The grandeur of the estate is not noticeable from the streets.

Our favorite activity in Prague was exploring the castle complex for about five hours...whew! Favorites of the favorites: St Vitus cathedral and the "history of the castle" self-guided your experience. Fantastic! Soooooo much interesting history. Even the cold rainy weather didn't dampen our enthusiasm - we stopped into one cafe and some shops to warm up.

Prada castle is quite an architectural sight to see. Be sure that you get s guide to appreciate all that you're going to be seeing. Take the number 22 tram to go up to the castle and then walk down the hill to the Charles bridge. It can get very crowded at prime group hours in the morning getting through security and also into the cathedral. Consider going in afternoon when crowds might be a little smaller.

Beautiful and amazing. One of the most impressive churches I've ever seen is located here. I absolutely recommend visiting if you come to Prague. The views are absolutely beautiful with every direction being a postcard. You can walk around the whole castle in less than an hr at a very easy leisurely pace, faster if you only take pics of bigger things. You will not be disappointed if you visit.

Well, if there happens to be a castle, then I am going to go and check it out, what is basically what I did when we arrived in Prague. Mind you, it isn't one of the best castles that I have been to, and it also appears to have undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. Still, it is actually a rather nice place to wander around, and there are also quite a few things to see, even though we only went for a quick rush through the place. The other thing is that it is a little out from the old town as well (actually it is on the other side of the river), so I guess there is also that. Still, it was a nice enough place.

MY FUTURE HUSBAND'S HOUSE LOL This was the first castle I ever visited! It is absolutely stunning! Looks like Sleeping Beauty's Castle. Requires ticket purchase to enter. The Prague Castle is ginormous! If you're interested at all in history and architecture this is the place for you! The castle is so extensive! They have museums throughout that show you authentic clothing from the time era. It reminded me of madrigal shows that we used to put on in high school. It's Monty Python times ten! Put this on your checklist if you're looking to marry royal and rich.... plenty of bachelors on the loose roaming around looking for their queen....

We walked all the way from charles bridge to get to the castle and see the cathedral as well. Beautiful views all the way from the bridge. Come here for the gorgeous sunset and walk down to the medieval themed restaurant U krále brabantského, you won't regret it. We visited August 2010.

For lack of a better word, this place is fucking awesome. Prague Castle, which includes the famous cathedral that overlooks the city on top of the hill across the river, is an absolute must-see if you happen to visit Prague. As I mentioned in my review of the actual cathedral, the views on this hilltop are stunning. The castle grounds now houses the Czech government and you can easily catch the military honor guards all over the premises. There are TONS of tourists here but one can totally understand why as this is one of the premier places to visit in Prague. Even though it is a bit of a hike to go down the hill to reach the famous St. Charles bridge, it's actually really worth coming here early in the morning and spend half a day here to take in all the amazing sights .. and after that you should make your way down the hill and across the bridge to the center of the city. This is a great place to take photos and soak in a lot of history. Trust me, if you make it this far to Prague, it would be a mistake to miss this major cornerstone of one of Europe's most historic cities.

Definitely worth a visit on your trip to Prague. One thing to check ahead of time is whether certain buildings are closed. We went admittedly close to their closing time and a lot of the castle was already closed. It was also fairly rainy that day so that could explain the need to block off certain things. Another thing to note is that there aren't really any signage or descriptions once you make your way inside the grounds. The very unique looking castle with it's emerald green spires is easily found but other than that you spend a lot of time pretty much just wandering into different things. For example, we totally lucked upon a medieval archery range where you can load up a real antique cross bow for and take 3 shots for only 50 czh. You get to keep your targets too. Very fun diversion and it makes you feel like Daryl from the Walking Dead. The same hall has tons of other medieval items including an armory and a torture chamber. The other thing to note is that some of the grounds are free but several others that really get into what seems like the deepest parts of the castle are only accessible via paid ticket. Because we were so close to closing we didn't want to pay for those exhibitions so at least for the free parts of the castle, it was enough. If you're short on time too then exploring the free parts is enough for an hour or so. Otherwise I can totally see someone spending several hours on the grounds.

Beautiful grounds to this place, absolutely stunning from nearly all vantage points. Perched up on a hill, the castle grounds could literally consume an entire day just venturing around if you'd let it. I mean everyplace you look there is just magnificent sites from the ne were parts all the way to the oldest architectural wonders. The castle is an absolute must see for anyone visiting Prague and this is something that your eyes will always remember. Pros- Lovely atmosphere Lots of exploration to be had Very well maintained Vantage points Picturesque Historical significance Extremely inexpensive Lots of nearby shops and eateries Cons- Hike to get to

More Christmas Markets! I came here by Uber- forget trying to hike this- it's at the top of the tallest hill in Prague. Cough, cough, wheeze. From the castle, you can get many great views of the Charles Bridge and Old Town. This castle is huge, meant to repel armies. All around the place are wonderful statues, sculptures, and chandeliers to light the way! They had the Czech guards standing at attention in front of important buildings, and giant violent statues of men beating people down. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see some of the castle grounds, because there was a long, long line to get to the church. Ain't nobody got time for that. On the way in, I found yet another Christmas Market here, with some food, local crafts, stuff made from iron, and other trinkets to hang up at Christmas. Nothing too out-of-the-ordinary. It certainly seems that the goods were aimed at tourists here. Be sure to check out all the fun architecture, with cool designs on the walls and bricklaying techniques. It's free to get in! Totally worth it.

Guiness book of world records says that prague castle is the largest castle in the world. That is likely true but its more of a complex to me. Many buildings from the 900s up. So very old. Bring your walking shoes as its at the top of a big hill. If you walk from the river (as we did) even more of an uphill. Inside is stunningly beautiful. Rumor is the bohemian crown jewels are somewhere in the complex (cue up Wayne and garth; excellent). Includes the church of the virgin Mary, the basilica of st. George and the basilica of st vitus. Under Charles IV, it was rebuilt in a gothic style and existing castle fortifications were strengthened. Much more history and sightseeing to be found here along with a Starbucks for anyone jonesing for java.

Ahhhhh!!! What a beauty this place is. I happened to be here during February. It was snow and ice covered. And equally breathtaking. Love the winery up on top that overlook the entire city. Icicle all over the castle. Stunning cathedral!!! Wear comfy shoes and walk all around. Best views of the city can be found here. And if you take the trolley/bus, it drops you right outside. You can either take it back or walk towards the bridge. Love the cathedrals and details. You can also go up for extra fee. Or walk down the cobble stones toward the winery. The winery was closed and snow covered when I went but I can only imagine how busy it must be in the summer time. To drink wine in the massive magical castle over looking your would be kingdom? Kind of enticing isn't it :) It would be an ideal place to hide during the winter time in GOT era . They also have many soldiers in different uniforms walking around! Some wouldn't blink or move a muscle! Others will actually pose with you in a picture. It's so very exciting!! You can also find a few hot wine shops around the castle during the winter time. I had a few myself just so I don't turn into a human Popsicle!! Tip: wear comfy shoes!! And watch where you walk. A lot of steps, stairs and steep areas. One can spend a whole day in here!! It's a must when you're in Prague. Come for pictures, come for the tour, history!! Either way, it's a magical spot!

Louis R is back in the building. Perched high on the hill is this beautiful decorated and architecturally inspiring Prague Castle that was a work in progress for the last 600 plus years. Looming over Old Town, this complex compels you to visit. Centuries of history all around, and the stories behind what you're seeing is unbelievable. Near the Prague Castle is the St. Vitus Cathedral. Both the Prague Castle and the St. Vitus Cathedral are worth visiting. The St. Vitus Cathedral has beautiful stained glass and gold leaf mosaic. Part of the cathedral is free for visitors, but if you want to go through the whole thing, you would have to pay a modest fee. The cathedral is also separated into the old and new part. Be like Louis R and travel to Praha. Try. Please try.

Getting here can be a little tricky so check the website for options. I would suggest starting from the highest point and going down... Meaning the furthest point from the river. That way you'll just be going downhill you whole visit... And walk back to town... This place has a lot to see, so be sure to budget an ample amount of time. Also make sure you know what time the buildings close! I mistimed it and had to rush through! When you get tickets, they only come in combo packages. So choose wisely. A lot of the areas have an area where you can go see something for free, but if you want the history and the up close view... Need a ticket. Also there are areas you don't see from the public area. I would suggest getting the smallest combo at a minimum... Also the ticket is good for 2 days!

Even if your time is very limited, Prague Castle should be at the top of the reasons for visiting Praha. Why? - It sits atop a hill. Probably the best view of Prague would come from here. - About a 10-15 minute walk from Charles Bridge. Walk it. It's worth it. - You can take the steps up, or you can take the side streets and walk up. I did the streets on an incline. There were numerous shops that I stopped into and it was enjoyable. Better than huffing and puffing on the steps. On my way down, I took the steps. So much easier! - There are areas that are free. If you want to get a deep dive, then you'll have to buy a ticket. I didn't due to short on time.

Prague Castle sits high atop a hill, overlooking the city. It's like it's own little city (obviously)! Even if you don't have a full day to explore, or if you aren't allowed to buy tickets for the things you want to see because they say it'll take 3 hours to see them and the castle closes in 2 hours....it is still worth visiting! Tickets, we heard, are actually good for 2 consecutive days. So you don't have to try and smush all the things in one work-hours period. We might have had more time to explore if we had ridden a tram to the top of the hill. But we decided, since the weather was nice, that we would walk up the seemingly unending stairs up to the castle. Be aware...this is not for the faint of heart....or faint of knee...or however you want to look at it. It is a strenuous climb! But what a feeling of accomplishment! And you get an awesome view of the city from up there! Around the castle are bunches of museums you can visit. And even if you can't buy tickets, like we weren't, you can still walk around the outside areas of the castle, walk through the gardens and grounds, and at least walk into the busy entry of St. Vitus Cathedral (though you can't go in further....without a ticket!!) The guards are stoic and in baby blue uniforms. I literally stumbled into the path of a changing of the guards march...there wasn't a hubbub around it, at least not within the courtyard of the castle. I really only wish we had been able to see more, but we were turned away from buying tickets. Se we only were able to enjoy the free outsides. But it was still lovely none-the-less!

The best tip I can give for anything Prague Castle-related is to plan on spending two half days there. I say this because it will be VERY crowded in the mornings, however, your tickets are good for two days. So, if you go in the mid to late-afternoon, you can still visit three or four locations before they close up, and you can return the following day to finish up your tour. That's the best way to visit this attraction. The grounds are large, and there are buildings just everywhere. You can't get into all of them, but the ones that are open, and that are included on your ticket are worth seeing. I admit to (still) being more than a little confused as to how "Prague Castle" relates to the complex of buildings on the grounds. I'm pretty sure we visited everything that our tickets allowed us to visit (we got the second-highest ticket), and I know I was suitably impressed by every building and the different exhibits within. However, I had been expecting a castle - something along the lines of Edinburgh Castle - and this was not that. It is impressive, I'll give it that. It's just not at all what I had imagined. So, the complex itself is worth your day, but I do reiterate the tip above - go later, utilize the two-day option - otherwise you'll be shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists from around the world. And if you have my luck, you'll get the rude tourists who don't give a rip if they're stepping on you or constantly running into you. But that's just my luck. There is plenty to see here, and they do offer audio tours (for a fee, and it's time-bound, so don't dawdle). Plus, there are shops dotted all around the grounds, so if you ever think, "I really wish I could buy a(n) [insert item here]...", chances are you won't be too far away from a shop that can sell you said item. Worth a visit, and worth the climb. Heck, we even saw the band that Rick Steves followed around when we were leaving the Castle one day. You just never know what you'll stumble upon. And those views!...

Awesome. I took a lot of pictures around here, and when I shared those pictures with friends, they surmised that the pictures I took didn't look real. People gonna say that it's shopped. You can get here by crossing the Charles Bridge and hiking up the sets of steps towards the castle grounds. It's only about a mile, and fairly manageable, although it would be wise to bring very comfortable walking/hiking shoes, and be very careful with the cobblestone. I'd actually recommend coming at sunset, because you can get a great view of the city, and have a great backdrop at the same time as well. Randomly, the best view you can get is actually at the outside roof patio of the Starbucks nearby. Get onto the corner of the wall and snap some great pictures. There was a couple actually taking their wedding/engagement photos, which is telling of how great the views are here. The tour of the grounds is quite nice, and when we arrived late, right around dusk, the crowds were non-existent, which was nice. There are a lot of honor guards out there, and they're all very kind and patient. We wandered around for a while, and it's crazy to see how large and old these buildings are, and just how well-kept everything is. After wandering, we kept heading west towards a couple Czech breweries, and saw a few restaurants on the way, so you can definitely find places to eat and drink nearby. You can easily spend a solid couple hours just wandering the area, and the views of Prague are one-of-a-kind. Easily a must-visit (if not, the must-visit) landmark in Prague.

The Castle is itself very interesting and it's place in Prague's history is also fascinating. There's little by way of decoration or furnishings, so if you're looking to find chateau-like opulence, you'll be disappointed. The walk up the hill requires strenuous effort or patience. Those of you with walking limitations might want to take the tram. The view of Prague from the walls is spectacular. It is an easy 10-minute walk from the Castle to the Church of Our Lady Victorious where the Infant of Prague lives. The gift shoppe is worth a visit.

Near the Prague Castle is the St. Vitus Cathedral. For those that do not know, St. Vitus is the saint of oversleeping LOL. Our tour guide said that he must have "overslept" in selecting what he wanted to be the saint of. Well enough of the jokes. Both the Prague Castle and the St. Vitus Cathedral are worth visiting. There St. Vitus Cathedral especially has beautiful stained glasses inside and gold leaf mosaic on the outside. Part of the cathedral is free for visitors, but if you want to go through the whole thing, you would have to pay a modest fee. You will notice that the cathedral is also separated into the old and new part. Visitors can especially see that the further part of the cathedral is old and original due to the darker coloration of the stones. Pro tip: Best place to take photographs of the entire cathedral is at the corner outside the building. Just stand as far into the corner toward the back, and turn around. You should be able to capture the entire cathedral in its glory!

The Castle complex is the #1 best tourist destination in Prague. We arrived using Uber, it's 35% cheaper than Taxi and faster than public transit. Spend the extra $1 to upgrade to Uber Select for a MUCH faster pickup. Buy the cheaper Short Version ticket, it covers all the highlights and we took our time over 4 hours onsite. For an extra $18, i recommend rent the audio tour. Bring your own earphones. First stop, go directly to the St Vitus Cathedral which is the primo highlight of the "Castle" which is actually a complex of many churches, palaces and buildings. Don't miss the Royal palace and the St George Basilica. End your tour at the far end by strolling along the cute cottages of Golden Lane. On the way home, we had the Uber driver make a 10 minute pit stop at the famous colorful John Lennon graffiti wall to take some Instagram pics. See attached photo.

This place is amazing. Really beautiful church. The line to get into the castle looked really long but took us about 10 to get thru. The line into the castle was twice as long and took around 25 minutes but was worth the wait. My daughter and I loved it. We did tour b which had about half the buildings included. It was a good mix for us. It took us about 3 hours to tour the buildings we had tickets for. There are lots of stairs in some of the buildings and it could be a little dicey if you aren't stable or in decent shape. There were lots and lots of people everywhere. Some of the large group tours got in the way and were kind of annoying. Overall we had a great time and it was well worth the ticket price.

The cathedral was my favourite part..... beautiful architecture and stunning artwork. You can chose different tours depending on how much time you have. We chose tour B and to be honest it was enough. It's downfall is the lack of information on each building. Very minimal writings so you begin to feel your missing the significance of the different buildings/ structures. Good way to spend an hour or two but I'm glad I hadn't purchased a longer tour. Nice warm drinks on offer at points of the tour and there's a Starbucks- always a bonus!

Definitely a must see in Prague, but don't come at 9am. At 9am the tour buses arrive and hordes and I mean hordes of tourists descend on the castle. The line for the security check snaked down the street. It took us 45 minutes to get in. Once in it's still crowded, so don't come at 9am. No line to buy tickets (guess the tour group hordes already had theirs) and although we could see a lot for free, why not spend the 250ckz and see inside? Start with St. Vitus's Cathedral. This is the building you see in all the pictures towering on the hill. Huge and awe-inspiring. Beautiful stained glass. Also on the ticket are the Old Royal Palace which offers excellent views of Prague, the Basilica of St George whose beauty is in its simplicity and the Golden Lane which is basically the gift shop gauntlet exit. There is also a 350ckz ticket that offered more sights that apparently aren't worth seeing (according to a well know European travel author and guide with a name like mine), so we passed on those. Everywhere battled through tour groups to see things. So, don't come at 9am. But Prague Castle is definitely worth seeing. Did I mention don't come at 9am?