Please Critique my Prague Itinerary
 

I will be in Prague for 5 nights in July and have compiled activities for 4 days. I would like to hear your inputs, suggestions, and comments whether these are too aggresive/laid back, and whether I missed any must-see's. Thanks everyone! :)

Day 1 and 2
Explore Old Town, New Town, and the Jewish Quarter with the following as the main attractions:
Old Jewish Cemetery, Old New Synagogue
Astronomical Clock
St. Agnes Convent
National Museum
Wencelas Square
Muchas Museum

Day 3
Prague Castle: Sternberg Palace, Royal Garden
St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace, St. George's Basicilla
St. Nicholas' Concert at 5PM
Municipal House

Day 4
Day trip to Cesky Krumlov (on my own)

topping for me

I would only add that I ABSOLUTELY recommend getting a private guide for your first day in Prague. I found one by reading through the Fodor's Forum (do a search) and we paid around $15/hour for a very friendly, fluent English, young lady (around 28-30 yrs old). She was thorough in her history and was able to add "fun facts" and culture that we wouldn't get from a traditional tour and certainly wouldn't get on our own. I highly recommend it!

I think it is a good itinerary. You should have time to do things fairly leisurely. Prague isn't hard to find your way around. I don't know that you need a guide, altho you would probably learn more that way than without. Have a great time. Prague is one of my two favorite cities. (Don't forget Kampa Island. Is St. Agnes Convent open again? I know it was hit hard by the flood, but that it a while ago now.)

Hi
have you reserved your Municipal House tour? They are infrequent (in English) and must be booked in advance.

Spending most of a day at the Castle, including the Sternberg Palace, is a lot. I don't think Municipal House will be doable that day and I personally would not want to spend so much of the day in that area but then wait for a 5pm concert (if the concert is in St Nicholas in Mala Strana, as opposed to the other St Nicholas church)

After a half or 2/3 day at the Castle, I'd spend the rest of the day in strolling or browsing around Old Town Square--Astronomical Clock, Ungelt Square, nothing structured for me at that point.

brooklyn56 - I still haven't decided whether I will get a private guide. If it cost more than $20/hr, I probably wouldn't do it, and I was under the impression that it would cost me $35+, which I wasnt willing to pay. But I will do some more research and get a quote for sure.

Kristinelaine, thank you for your input on Kampa Island, I will add that to one of the first two days. My apt is actually just around the corner from the St Agnes Convent, so it wouldnt be too much out of the way for me to take a peek and see if they're open. But I did read in one of the posts here that it was closed.

Elaine thank you for your recommendation that I move the tour of the municipal house to another day. No, I havent booked it yet, but I will soon, thank you for the reminder :) I made this itinerary to be flexible, so if by the 4th day I feel like I need more time in Prague (which I probably will), I might drop CK.

Elaine, I did get an email from David and they're open at 11:30AM. I dont think that they have lunch menu though. I also emailed the MH and they said to email them again as I get closer to my arrival date in Prague (1st wk in July). I also contacted the tour guide Jana that you recommended during your last trip to Prague and her rate is US$20/hr (or 900czk or 15Euro), and I booked her for 2 hrs. Thank you so much for all of the useful info you shared with me!!

It seems she's giving you a discount for not paying in crowns.
When we used her it was through a pre-paid General Tours arrangement, but she'd mentioned that she freelances.
Sounds like you'll have a great trip

I think I am going to give Jana the payment in US$ :) Thank you so much for all of your help, Elaine - I know that I got so much information from your file and trip report on Prague. I have 45 days until I leave :D

For a picture perfect view of Prague go to Letna Park,which is located across the Vltava from the Jewish Quarter

Check before you head to the St. Agnes Convent. It was closed for repairs this past July. There was extensive damage done to the convent because of the major flooding in Prague a few years ago.