7-Day Czech Republic Itinerary: Prague, Český Krumlov & Karlovy Vary

Day-by-day plan

1. 

   Day 1Prague →

   PRG arrival + Old Town Square + Charles Bridge dusk

   • •Land at Václav Havel (PRG); Airport Express bus or taxi to centre (~$10-30)
   • •Drop bags, walk Old Town Square + Astronomical Clock (every hour, expect a crowd)
   • •Charles Bridge at dusk — the bridge empties out after 8 PM
   • •Dinner at Lokál Dlouhááá: pork knee, dumplings, $1.80 unfiltered Pilsner Urquell
   • •Nightcap at Hemingway Bar (Czech's top cocktail spot)

   Stay in Old Town (Staré Město), Lesser Town (Malá Strana), or Vinohrady for walkable access.

2. 

   Day 2Prague →

   Prague Castle + Lesser Town + Beer Spa optional

   • •Prague Castle 9 AM — St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane
   • •Walk down to Malá Strana via the Castle Steps
   • •Lunch at Café Savoy — the Habsburg-era favourite
   • •St. Nicholas Church + Wallenstein Garden (free, peacocks)
   • •Lennon Wall graffiti murals
   • •Beer-spa option at Bernard Beer Spa (relax in a tub of hops, $80, kitschy but fun)
   • •Dinner at U Modré Kachničky for old-Bohemian roast duck
3. 

   Day 3Prague →

   Jewish Quarter + Vyšehrad + Letná

   • •Josefov (Jewish Quarter): Old-New Synagogue + Old Jewish Cemetery (heavy but essential)
   • •Lunch in Vinohrady: Krystal Mozaika or Café Lounge
   • •Vyšehrad fortress + cemetery (Dvořák, Smetana) — fewer tourists, postcard view
   • •Letná Park beer garden at sunset for the panorama
   • •Dinner at Eska (Smíchov) or Field (Michelin)

   → Next: bus · ~3h · ~$18 — RegioJet or FlixBus Prague → Český Krumlov direct. Book ahead for the cheap fare.

4. 

   Day 4Český Krumlov →

   Český Krumlov — castle, Vltava, evening with locals

   • •Arrival around lunch — drop bags at a pension inside the historic centre
   • •Český Krumlov Castle complex tour — 7 hectares, second-largest in CZ
   • •Castle moat with bears (since the 1500s — a Rožmberk family quirk)
   • •Vltava River raft / canoe rental (1h, ~$15) along the oxbow loop
   • •Dinner at Krčma v Šatlavské — meat-skewers over open coals in a 16th-century jail cellar
   • •Last drinks at Cikánská Jizba (gypsy bar with live fiddle on weekends)

   The day-tripper hordes leave around 5 PM — staying overnight is the whole point. Book a centre pension, not a hotel on the highway.

   → Next: bus · ~3h · ~$18 — Direct bus Český Krumlov → Prague.

5. 

   Day 5Prague →

   Return Prague + free afternoon

   • •Bus back to Prague — arrive around lunch
   • •Lunch at Sisters Bistro for chlebíčky open-faced sandwiches
   • •Free afternoon: Wenceslas Square + Lucerna Passage (David Černý upside-down horse)
   • •DOX Centre for Contemporary Art (Holešovice) or Mucha Museum
   • •Dinner at La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise (Michelin) or budget at Lokál U Bílé Kuželky
   • •Cocktails at Hemingway Bar or AnonymouS Bar

   If you'd rather see another town: Kutná Hora (Sedlec ossuary, 1h train) is a strong day-trip alternative.

   → Next: bus · ~2h 15m · ~$12 — RegioJet or FlixBus Prague → Karlovy Vary direct.

6. 

   Day 6Karlovy Vary →

   Karlovy Vary spa day trip

   • •Mlýnská kolonáda + Sadová kolonáda — sip from each numbered hot spring
   • •Buy a porcelain lázeňský pohárek sipping cup at the colonnade shop
   • •Vřídlo geyser at the Hot Spring Colonnade (12m eruption)
   • •Lunch at Embassy Restaurant — Hapsburg-era spa-town classic
   • •Becherovka tasting at Jan Becher Museum ($12, 30 min)
   • •Funicular up to the Diana Tower for the spa-valley view
   • •Last bus back to Prague (book ahead — last departure ~7 PM)

   → Next: bus · ~2h 15m · ~$12 — Karlovy Vary → Prague return; arrive ~9 PM.

7. 

   Day 7Prague →

   Departure

   • •Last cappuccino at Café Imperial or Café Louvre (Einstein's old haunt)
   • •Airport Express bus or taxi to PRG (~30-45 min)
   • •Allow 3 hours for international departures

Want to swap something?

Skip Karlovy Vary: swap Day 6 for Kutná Hora (Sedlec ossuary + St. Barbara's Cathedral, 1h train each way). Add Brno: drop one Prague day for an overnight in Moravia's capital (cheap wine country, second-city vibes). Beer focus: extend to 8 days and add Plzeň (Pilsner Urquell brewery tour, 1h 30m from Prague).

Practical tips

• •Czech currency is the koruna (CZK), not the euro. ATMs are everywhere; avoid Euronet for poor rates.
• •Lokál is the country's best chain restaurant — multiple Prague locations, fresh-tank Pilsner Urquell, classic Czech food at $8-12 mains.
• •Buy long-distance bus tickets via RegioJet.com or FlixBus.com — half the price of same-day, and reserved seats.
• •Tipping: round up the bill or 10% for good service. Not expected, but appreciated.
• •Avoid taxis hailed on the street in Prague — use Uber, Bolt, or Liftago. The flat rate to PRG airport is ~$25.