Everything you need to know before taking a Prague Castle Tour

 

Dramatically perched atop a hill overlooking the river is one of Prague’s most famous and must-see sights – the incredible Prague Castle!

Remarkably the largest ancient castle in the world, it is a fascinating place to visit. The vast complex is home to such sights as the stunning St. Vitus Cathedral, the charming Golden Lane and some impressive palaces and museums.

Taking a Prague Castle tour is one of the best options if you want to see as much of it as possible. As there is so much to see, you’ll undoubtedly come away having learned a lot about its fascinating – and at times tumultuous – history.

To help you out, we’ve come up with everything you need to know when visiting Prague Castle!

PRAGUE CASTLE TOUR OPTIONS

The Prague Castle is a huge complex and has so much to see. It is a good idea to think about what you want to see before you arrive, as you really can spend a whole day or more checking out its amazing sights. The cheapest castle tour option is $18.

Alongside the Picture Gallery, St. Vitus Treasury, The Story of Prague Castle and the Great South Tower – all of which you can pay to go to individually – there are three circuits of the Prague Castle to choose from, each including different features. Not all Prague Castle tours follow the same route, so let’s take a look at some of the options you have available to you.

CIRCUIT A TOUR

With this ticket, you can see most of the castle when you visit St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Palace and St. George’s Basilica, as well The Story of Prague Castle, Rosenberg Palace and the Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower. This Prague Castle tour is certainly a great option as all the main sights are included.

• Cost: 350 CZK

CIRCUIT B TOUR 

It is also a good option as you get to see St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Palace and St. George’s Basilica, as well as the Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower. You do, however, miss out on learning about the history of the castle; the informative and interesting Story of Prague Castle isn’t included, and neither is the elegant Rosenberg Palace.

• Cost: 250 CZK 

CIRCUIT C TOUR

This tour of the Prague Castle is primarily aimed at people who would like to explore the wealth of artifacts and art that can be found in the castle. Only entry to the St. Vitus Treasury exhibition and the stunning paintings of the Picture Gallery are included with a circuit C tour.

As such, this Prague Castle tour is only really suitable if you’re not that fussed about seeing the interior of all the old palaces and churches. 

• Cost:  350 CZK 

PRAGUE CASTLE AUDIO GUIDES

To accompany you on your trip around the castle, you can rent an audio guide. Audio guides are packed full of interesting facts and stories about the beautiful buildings, and architecture you pass by.

• CZK 350 for three hours
• CZK 450 for the whole day 

GUIDED PRAGUE CASTLE TOURS

Another alternative is to take a guided Prague Castle tour. Your guide will help bring the history of the castle to life before your eyes! This option only takes you to St. Vitus Cathedral and the Old Royal Palace, so you would have to see the rest of the castle by yourself.

Costing CZK 100 for an hour-long tour, they do come highly recommended and are available in many different languages, ranging from English and French to Spanish and Russian. Customized tours are also available if you ask for them in advance.

As you can see, there are many different Prague Castle tour options available. It’s important to choose the right one, so you don’t end up disappointed and miss out on some of its most spectacular sights!

However, you can’t really go wrong as it is all worth seeing. One of the best things about the castle is that, despite its huge size, the palaces, museums, and churches are all located just a stone’s throw away from each other.