24 hours in Prague
 

Hi guys,

I spontaneously paid for a flight to go to Prague (same day return ticket). So technically I have less than 24 hours in the city but would love to get advice on what you would recommend I see, eat or do. Normally when i visit a city I enjoy walking around and looking at the architecture, landmarks, tourist attractions, taking pictures and also love getting a good local snack/meal.

Again, any comments would be greatly appreciated!

Same day return ticket will certainly be less than 24 hours, more likely something like 10 hours.

I'd suggest you try to get out of the airport. Walk around a bit and look at the architecture, but yourself a meal or a snack. That may well be all you have time for.

Is this a mileage run? Is that why you bought a same day return?

Just walk around the center of Prague. Walk from the old town square (east of the Vltava river) across the famous Charles Bridge west to Mala Strana, then up the hill to the castle and the cathedral. Enjoy the views. You could walk from the old town down to Wenceslas Square too. Or try to find a walking tour that covers all of this stuff. Prague is a terrific walking city.

I normally don't take taxis, but maybe with only a few hours in Prague maybe I would take one to and from the airport. Public transportation to/from the airport to/from the center isn't bad but requires changing between a bus and a subway and can be time consuming.

Do consider taking public transportation within the city - Prague has a good public transportation system. If you have a smart phone with data, Google Maps works great for walking directions and public transit directions.

Try the WikiTravel guide to Prague for basics:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Prague

You might also find this useful:

http://www.inyourpocket.com/prague

(Downloadable PDF file - full of advertising unlike the WikiTravel guide but still some good info.)

We had a blast on a segway tour and were able to see most of the city within a few hours. Amazing photo ops and lots of fun. If you click on my name you can check out my trip report and get the name of the company we used.

Agree with Andrew....walk, walk, walk. Do check out the Jewish area..so poignant to walk around in the early morning when few people are out...the cemetery higher on the hill.
We were on the St. Charles Bridge at 5AM (I was sick and couldn't sleep) and it was so still and beautiful and not many people about except for about three different brides and their photographers getting ready for a sunrise shot. Didn't think much of the palace actually and would have rather spent the time exploring the streets around the big squares. Have a great time!

to maximise sightseeing, I would suggest getting a taxi from the airport to the Castle [which is on a hill] - you can then walk back down across the Charles Bridge to the rest of the city and see as much as you can before getting a cab back to the airport.