I visited Prague in June 2026 during a massive heat wave. Every day of my visit was in the high 90s (mid-high 30s celcius) with two days reaching over 100 (38 degrees celecius).  This of course wasn’t ideal, but I can’t control the weather.  However, I could figure out ways to make the most of my visit.  

First, I bought the 24 hour transit pass (PID Lítačka app) so that I could take trams/buses/metro as much as possible. Usually when visiting a city I like to walk from place to place so I can discover those little hidden gems along the way, but with the heat, I needed to be more strategic. Only 16% of the public transit in Prague has AC, but sitting in the heat is still better than walking in the direct sun. And when I did get one of those rare AC trams (they have a yellow front bumper), it was such a nice treat to cool down for a few minutes. I was impressed with Prague’s public transit system as I never had to wait more than 5 minutes.  None of my routes required the metro or buses, but the tram system was extensive and easy to navigate. 

Second, I woke up early every morning and left my lodging before 7am for sightseeing walks.  This gave me cooler temperatures, more shade cover, and as a bonus very few people.  However, a drawback to this was that I only got to experience the exterior elements of the area – shops, cafes, and attractions don’t seem to open till 9am at the earliest.  I was able to find the rare coffee shop open at 8am, but even those were hard to find. 

I would plan one morning attraction and be there just when it opened at 9am.  After this activity, I retreated back to my place to regroup, have some lunch, and make a plan for the afternoon.  I chose one museum/AC’d activity and researched swimming options (though these weren’t as successful as I hoped) and other late afternoon activities.  

One day I focused on the Lesser Town side of the river. I started with an early morning walk over the iconic Karlův Most, Charles Bridge. Framed by large arched towers on either side of the river, the bridge feels like a walk through another time. Either side of the sandstone bridge holds 15 large sculptures depicting saints and important personalities of world history. Admiring these with views of the castle on the hill in the background is what makes the bridge a mainstay on the tourist circuit.  

Just before the bridge ends, there’s a small staircase on the left that took me down into a small picturesque Kampa neighborhood below.  While everything on the bridge felt massive, this small cobblestone paved neighborhood felt cozy.  Walking across a canal, I spotted the sculpture of Kabourek, the grumpy old water goblin. Set beneath the Velkoprevorksy Mlyn, Kabourek guards the water mill. He is one of forty goblins said to dwell in the Vltava river.

My destination was Lennon’s Wall. I was expecting a colorful tribute to John Lennon, and while there was a small section about his legacy, the freedom of speech the wall provides to anyone who wants to add their tag or message is really the tribute in itself. 

A peaceful oasis close by is the Wallenstein Garden. I actually ended up in this walled garden space at both the beginning and end of the day. In the morning, I took in the lush gardens, shaded benches, tall hedges, water features, and roaming peacocks that call the gardens home.  At night I enjoyed a free orchestra performance (they happen most Thursday nights starting at 5pm).  The orchestra set up on the raised stage under the beautiful frescoed ceiling, and the seating was luckily in the shade by that time of the day.

My main stop for the morning was the massive Prague Castle that sits atop the area.  The castle grounds include several buildings – four of them are included in a basic ticket.  At the center of the castle grounds stands the impressive St. Vitus Cathedral, so it made sense to start my morning there. 

At 9am, I was the first person to enter the grand cathedral, giving me an opportunity to take in the impressive space in the peace and quiet of the morning.  The tour is set for people to proceed one way around the cathedral, which I appreciate as it allows for crowd control.  The vaulted arches and ceiling high stained glass windows draw the eye up, though I also enjoyed the colorful light shining down on the stone floor. The seven meter wide rose window, designed by Czech artist František Kysela, especially, alights the interior space with a glow.   

Dating back to the 900s, the St. Vitus Cathedral started as a rotunda by Prince Wenceslas. The Basilica was added in 1060, and construction of the Cathedral began in 1344.  However, because of wars and turmoil, the Cathedral wasn’t fully completed until 1929. 

Because it took so long for the cathedral to be completed, several architectural and design styles are showcased. While the cathedral is overall Neo-gothic, Czech artist Alfons Mucha’s art nouveau stained glass window, and Nikolaus Pacassi’s baroque dome add intrigue to the design.

Next, I wanted to start at the other end of the castle and make my way through the grounds to the back. So the next stop on my itinerary was the Golden Lane. Now, as I said the castle has created one way tours through the place, and so I would advise other people to end with Golden Lane to prevent having to rewalk the incline back into the main castle grounds.  Let’s just say that the Castle is not designed for people with limited mobility. 

Golden Lane is a collection of tiny houses that were once the home of people who worked within the castle grounds.  People lived in these small abodes until after World War II: it’s amazing to think about living within such a small space – all the houses shared one privy until the 19th century. The houses are either set up to showcase the person who lived there – the seamstress, apothecary, mystic, etc – or home to small stores selling tourist ware.  

On the 2nd floor of the house is a small collection of armor and weapons on display. Tucked away at the back of the lane is a small cafe. I enjoyed taking a moment here to really feel the atmosphere of the place before moving on. I also noticed that not many people ventured to this part of the Golden Lane, which means they were also missing the really interesting apothecary’s display house.  

Next was St. George’s Basilica with its Romanesque stone interior and modest decoration – especially compared to the color of the stained glass in the Cathedral.  Below the altar is a crypt, which holds the remains of members of the princely house of Přemyslids.

My last stop was the Old Royal Palace.  The grand room at the center of the palace dwarfed the people touring it. The rest of the exhibits were set off this grand room in smaller rooms that once served as the bedrooms and living spaces of the royal family. 

The Prague castle could easily take up a whole day – especially if you book tickets for the rest of the buildings.  I liked that each space was different from the next both in design and function. They all worked together to give a comprehensive look into life in the castle. 

A short bus ride away is the Strahov Monastery, which also features the beautiful Strahov library. When researching Prague, two libraries kept popping up as places to tour, and I chose this one.  Off the main hallway on the second floor are two atrium libraries: the Theological Hall built by Abbot Jerome Hirnheim in the 1670s and Philosophical Hall built by Abbot Václav Mayer in the 1780s. Each is encircled by two floors of antique books and contain beautiful painted ceilings.  The only way to enter the spaces is with a guided private tour that needs to be booked far ahead of time.  For the general public, the libraries are only seen from the hallway.  

However, the hallway is also part of the visit. Curio cabinets holding items ranging from coins to shells dating back to the late 18th century. Supposedly there’s a taxidermy Dodo bird in one of them – it’s bulging eyes definitely creeped me out a little.  One of my favorite cabinets was the wood library – books made out of the various barks of trees and inside each is the information about each tree. 

On the monastery site is also the Strahov Brewery and restaurant.  I’m usually an IPA drinker, but in the Czech Republic, finding anything outside of a Pilsner is rare. Thus, I was excited to see that the Brewery offered a range of beers – from the classic Pilsner to Ambers and IPAs. 

I spent the late afternoon at a nearby swimming hole: Koupaliště Motol.  While it wasn’t my favorite place to swim, I was just happy that I could access a place to cool off by public transit (10 minute walk from tram #10).  The cooler waters and shaded grass area was all I needed at the end of a hot day.

Based on my June 2026 visit.