Prague Full-Day Sightseeing Tour with River Cruise and Lunch

The New Town by coach: Wenceslas Square to the Dancing House

The day starts with a coach tour of the New Town, founded in 1348 and much larger than its name suggests. You pass the Powder Tower, a Gothic gate of 1475, and the Art Nouveau Municipal House next to it, then the State Opera and Wenceslas Square, a long boulevard crowned by the National Museum, where many key moments of Czech history took place.

The coach continues to Charles Square, one of the largest squares in Europe, with the New Town Hall, and on to the riverbank to see the Dancing House, a playful 1996 building whose two leaning towers seem to dance together. This part of the Prague city tour gives you the big picture before you explore on foot.

Hradčany and Prague Castle

Crossing the river, you reach Hradčany, the Castle District, also called the diplomatic quarter because of its embassies. Your guide shows you its aristocratic palaces, such as the Schwarzenberg Palace with its sgraffito facade, and the Archbishop's Palace, both dating back to the 16th century, around Hradčany Square.

Then you walk into Prague Castle, the official seat of the Czech head of state and often called the largest ancient castle complex in the world. You see the castle guard at the main gate, photograph the Gothic towers of St. Vitus Cathedral from its courtyards and enjoy panoramic views over the city from the ramparts. Interiors are not included on this tour, which keeps the day moving at a comfortable pace.

Lesser Town, Wallenstein Garden and Charles Bridge

From the castle you walk down into the Lesser Town, Malá Strana, a baroque quarter of palaces, church domes and red roofs. A highlight on the way is the Wallenstein Garden, a formal early-17th-century garden with a grand loggia, bronze statues, an artificial dripstone wall and peacocks strolling among the hedges.

The walk then leads to Charles Bridge, begun in 1357 and lined with baroque statues of saints, with Gothic towers at both ends. Crossing it on foot with a guide is one of the classic moments of any Prague walking tour, with views of the river, the Old Town and the castle hill behind you.

Lunch and Old Town Square

Lunch is served at a traditional Czech restaurant: a soup, a main course with a choice of chicken or a vegetarian dish, and dessert, either apple strudel or a pancake. Drinks are not included, so you can order soft drinks, juice or water as you like.

In the afternoon you continue to Old Town Square, the heart of medieval Prague, surrounded by colourful baroque and Gothic facades. Here you see the Old Town Hall and its Astronomical Clock, which has been telling time since 1410 and comes alive every hour with moving figures of the Apostles, and the twin spires of the Týn Church. The Prague Astronomical Clock is one of the most visited sights in the city, so it is worth hearing its story from your guide.

Josefov, the Jewish Quarter

Next you walk into Josefov, the former Jewish Town of Prague, today an elegant district crossed by the tree-lined Pařížská avenue with its Art Nouveau buildings. Your guide tells the long history of the Jewish community here and how the area was rebuilt at the turn of the 20th century.

You make photo stops at the Old-New Synagogue, completed around 1270 and the oldest active synagogue in Europe, the neo-Romanesque Ceremonial Hall and the walls of the Old Jewish Cemetery, where gravestones stand in dense, tilted layers. Entry to the Jewish Quarter's buildings is not included, but the guided walk gives you a clear picture of this special corner of Prague.

The Vltava River cruise

The day ends with a relaxing one-hour Vltava River cruise. Your guide hands out individual boat tickets and you choose your seat freely, then glide past Charles Bridge, the embankments of the Old Town, Kampa Island and the castle hill, seeing the places you visited during the day from a new angle.

A Vltava River cruise is one of the best ways to rest your feet after a full day of sightseeing, and the views of the bridges and spires from the water are among the most beautiful in Prague. The cruise ends at a pier in the centre, close to where the tour began, so it is easy to continue your evening in the Old Town.