Prague: Where Even Getting Lost Comes With Good Architecture
Prague has seen everything over the centuries—empires, revolutions, medieval drama, modern reinventions—and somehow it still looks like it stepped out of a storybook. The history here isn’t trapped behind glass; it’s alive in the narrow old-town lanes, the Gothic spires, and the districts that each feel like they have their own personality (and opinion).
The Czech capital is a hub of Central European culture, brimming with world-famous attractions that have inspired writers and artists for centuries. It’s also the kind of city where you’ll turn a corner and accidentally stumble into yet another “wow, how is this real?” view.
In Prague, beauty is not a special stop on the itinerary—it’s basically the default setting.
For our girls’ trip through Central Europe by train, Prague was our second stop after Berlin, and the city I was most looking forward to in the whole trip. This time the “girls” were me, my bestie Sari, and her daughter Alyssa, who was three years old and had very strong opinions about which cobblestones were acceptable to walk on. We stayed for 3 days, spending two exploring the city and one on a day trip to Český Krumlov, which more than earned its own post. Traveling with a toddler changes the math on everything—fewer sights per day, more snack breaks, zero tolerance for long queues—but somehow it also made us slow down and actually look at things, which Prague rewards more than almost any city I know.
How to Get to Prague City Center
Arriving by Train: Praha hlavní nádraží (Praha hl. n.)
We came by train from Berlin and arrived at Prague’s main station, Praha hlavní nádraží (often abbreviated Praha hl. n.). It’s a through station, not a terminus, so trains continue north to Berlin and south toward Munich, Vienna, and Budapest.
The best part? You’re already in the city:
- About 15 minutes on foot to Old Town (depending on your luggage, your optimism, and in our case, a toddler who insisted on “helping” pull her own tiny suitcase)
- About 20 minutes to Charles Bridge (depending on your photo stops, and there will be photo stops)
To reach Old Town, take the tram or metro, or order a ride-hailing car. Tip from someone who likes peace and had a cranky three-year-old in tow: if you’re arriving late or tired, ride-hailing is often smoother than grabbing a taxi from the station stand, and it cuts down on the “tourist pricing” risk.
Arriving by Air: Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
If you fly directly into Václav Havel Airport Prague, the cheapest way into the city is trolleybus 59 (which replaced the old bus 119) to Nádraží Veleslavín, where you transfer onto Metro Line A. It’s frequent and takes about 15 minutes to the metro station. If you’d rather skip the transfer, the Airport Express (AE) bus runs roughly every 30 minutes direct to Praha hlavní nádraží, though as of 2026 it costs 200 CZK per adult (it doubled in price at the start of the year, so budget accordingly). With a toddler and a stroller, we’d honestly lean toward a private transfer or Uber/Bolt for the extra legroom and not having to fold anything up mid-transfer—just know that ride-hailing cars can’t wait right at the arrivals door, so you may need to walk to a pickup zone.
Where to Stay and Getting Around
Where to Stay
For first-time visitors, and especially for anyone traveling with small kids, Old Town is the easiest base. Most of Prague’s major sights are within walking distance, which makes sightseeing effortless when you’re also managing nap schedules.
The downside? It’s the most expensive and most crowded part of the city. But convenience in Prague can feel like a superpower when your travel companion is three years old and has finite patience.
We stayed at Ibis Praha Old Town. Even though “Old Town” is in the name and it sits right on the edge of the historic district, its actual address is in New Town—for us, the location was still perfect. It’s also just steps from the Palladium shopping center, which became our go-to for quick dinners, snacks, and emergency toddler-shoe replacements.
Getting Around Prague
Prague has one of the best public transport systems in Europe: metro and trams are best for central areas, while buses mainly serve the outer districts.
One thing worth knowing if you’re planning a similar trip in 2026: fares went up at the start of the year. A 90-minute ticket now runs about 46 CZK if you buy it through the PID Lítačka app, or 50 CZK on paper; a 24-hour pass is 140/150 CZK. If you see older blog posts (including, once upon a time, this one) quoting 30 or 40 CZK, that pricing expired at the end of 2025. We calculated roughly how many rides we’d need each day and bought accordingly from a tobacco shop, which still works as a ticket source alongside the yellow machines and the app.
Our Prague Itinerary
Day 1 — Old Town and the Heart of Prague
Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock
We arrived at our hotel in the afternoon and, after dropping our luggage (and letting Alyssa run in a circle in the lobby to get the wiggles out), walked to the historic heart of Prague: Old Town Square. It’s a marketplace dating back to the 10th century, surrounded by colorful historic buildings, churches, and the famous Prague Astronomical Clock.
Tourists gather every hour to watch the small mechanical show. Watching from the square is free and requires no ticket—the twelve apostles put on their roughly 45-second performance hourly between 9 am and 11 pm. It gets crowded in the afternoon, but it’s still charming, even (especially) through the eyes of a toddler who was thoroughly unimpressed by “old clock” but delighted by the crowd noise.
You can also climb the Old Town Hall Tower for views over the rooftops and the spires of the Church of Our Lady before Týn. As of 2026, the tower ticket is 350 CZK for adults, with an optional 100 CZK elevator supplement—worth it if you’re carrying a small child or just don’t feel like the stairs.
Day 2 — Prague Castle and Scenic Tram Rides
We gave ourselves one full day to cover as much of Old Town as we could, with a glimpse of New Town along the way.
Walk Across Charles Bridge
We walked into Old Town and straight to Charles Bridge. Construction began in 1357 under King Charles IV, and the bridge is now one of Prague’s most recognizable landmarks—516 meters across the Vltava River, lined with 30 Baroque statues. Charles Bridge gets very crowded in the afternoon, so go as early as you can. It’s also, as we discovered, a genuinely terrible place to try to keep a toddler moving in a straight line, since every statue is apparently worth stopping for.
Kampa Island
At the end of Charles Bridge, on the Lesser Town side, lies Kampa Island. It’s quieter, perfect for strolling, with small bridges, riverside views, and the occasional “love locks” scene—a pleasant break from the busy Old Town streets, and a good spot to let a restless three-year-old run around a patch of grass before round two.
Tram 22: The Scenic Route
The plan was to save our feet and let Prague’s public transport do the work. Tram 22 is one of the best ways to explore the city: find the stop near Kampa Island and ride toward Pohořelec, then walk downhill toward Prague Castle.
We learned—after boarding the tram in the wrong direction—that direction matters. But honestly, getting lost in Prague with a toddler in tow isn’t the worst problem to have; it bought us an unplanned detour through New Town and gave us an excuse for an early lunch at McDonald’s, which, when traveling with a three-year-old, is less a compromise than a strategic victory.
Strahov Monastery
After finally boarding the right tram, we continued on foot toward the castle and stopped at Strahov Monastery, founded in 1149. Its highlight is the spectacular library halls, filled with frescoes, globes, and centuries-old books. Note that you view the halls from the doorway rather than walking in among the shelves—this is for preservation, not a new restriction, so don’t be surprised. Tickets are purchased separately at the ticket office in the Church of St. Roch, and run around 150 CZK for adults.
Loreta
Loreta is a beautiful Baroque complex dating from the 1600s. Inside we find cloisters, chapels, and a bell tower that completes the dramatic Prague skyline.
Prague Castle
From Loreta, we finally arrived at Prague Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in the world. The courtyards and grounds are free to walk through, which was a relief for our budget and our toddler’s attention span. Inside, we saw:
- St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague’s Gothic masterpiece
- The old royal palaces
- Historic courtyards
Entry to the interiors (St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, and Golden Lane) requires the Prague Castle circuit ticket, which is 450 CZK for adults or 950 CZK for a family ticket covering two adults and up to four kids—worth checking before you arrive since prices have shifted over the years.
We watched the changing of the guard in front of the old royal palace as we arrived, then walked into St. Vitus Cathedral, a dramatic Gothic space filled with stained glass and towering architecture. By the time we finished exploring the castle, it was nearly sunset, and Prague looked even more beautiful in the golden hour. Tip: don’t miss the view from the windows as you make your way out.
We planned to head back to the hotel by tram. Simple. Instead, we boarded the wrong tram again—apparently a running theme for us in Prague. But Tram 22 really is one of the best sightseeing routes in the city, passing major landmarks and offering an effortless window tour. Sometimes the best views appear when you stop fighting the route, especially when you have a toddler asleep on your shoulder and no particular urgency to be anywhere.
Closing Thoughts
Prague is a city that rewards wandering. Yes, you can plan it properly—clock, bridge, castle, churches, dinner—and with a three-year-old in the mix, you probably should build in more buffer than you think you need.
But leave room for the moments in between: quiet side streets, unexpected viewpoints, and the occasional wrong tram that takes you somewhere beautiful. In Prague, even mistakes come with good architecture. And traveling slow, toddler-paced, might be the most Prague thing of all.
