Czech Republic Itinerary
By Rick Steves and Honza Vihan
So much to see, so little time. How to choose? To help you get started, we've listed our top picks for where to go in the Czech Republic, our plan for your best two-week trip by car, and your best 12-day trip by public transportation.
Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are our recommended priorities:
- 3 days: Prague
- 4–5 days, add: Your choice of nearby day trips (Kutná Hora, Terezín Memorial, Karlovy Vary, and three castles: Konopiště, Karlštejn, or Křivoklát)
- 6 days, add: Český Krumlov (and skip day trips)
- 8 days, add: Olomouc
- 10 days, add: Třeboň, Telč, and Třebíč and/or Slavonice
- More: Consider adding Šumava, Wallachia, or the Mikulov wine region with Lednice/Valtice
This list assumes you're primarily interested in the Czech Republic. But note that Prague also splices neatly into a wider-ranging trip that can include such nearby destinations as Vienna (4 hours by train), Budapest (7 hours), Kraków (8 hours), Munich (6 hours), and Berlin (4 hours).
Rick’s Best Two-Week Czech Republic Trip by Car
Day 1: Arrive in Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 2: Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 3: Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 4: Day trip to Terezín Memorial, sleep in Prague
Day 5: Tour Konopiště Castle en route to Český Krumlov, sleep in Český Krumlov
Day 6: Český Krumlov, sleep in Český Krumlov
Day 7: To Třeboň, then Slavonice; sleep in Slavonice
Day 8: Day trip to Telč
Day 9: Visit Třebíč or Moravský Krumlov (for Mucha's Slav Epic) on the way to Mikulov wine region, sleep in Mikulov or Pavlov
Day 10: Tour Lednice Château and visit whichever town you're not sleeping in, sleep in Mikulov or Pavlov
Day 11: To Olomouc (with time, visit Kroměříž en route), sleep in Olomouc
Day 12: Olomouc (possible side-trip to Wallachia), sleep in Olomouc
Day 13: Visit Kutná Hora on the way back to Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 14: Fly home
Rick’s Best Two-Week Czech Republic Trip by Bus and Train
Day 1: Arrive in Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 2: Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 3: Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 4: Day trip to Terezín Memorial, sleep in Prague
Day 5: To Český Krumlov, sleep in Český Krumlov
Day 6: Český Krumlov, sleep in Český Krumlov
Day 7: To Telč via Třeboň, sleep in Telč
Day 8: To Olomouc via Třebíč, sleep in Olomouc
Day 9: Olomouc, sleep in Olomouc
Day 10: Return to Prague, sleep in Prague
Day 11: Side-trip to Kutná Hora, sleep in Prague
Day 12: Fly home
With Less Time
With less than two weeks, home-base in Prague, make day trips to Terezín and Kutná Hora, and stop at Český Krumlov on your way in or out of the country.
With More Time
With more time in the Czech Republic, consider a pair of destinations that are a little more difficult, but still possible, to reach by public transportation: Hikers enjoy Wallachia, which fits easily into the above itinerary after Olomouc (make your home base in Pustevny or Trojanovice). Wine lovers head for the Mikulov wine region, easiest to visit between Telč and Olomouc (stay in in Mikulov or Pavlov).
Beyond the Czech borders, you could visit Budapest, Hungary, and Kraków, Poland — each an easy, direct night-train trip away from Prague (or an even quicker connection from Olomouc).
Honza Vihan is the co-author of the Rick Steves Prague & the Czech Republic guidebook.