Prague Castle tops list of most popular tourist attractions in Czech Republic

Prague, Czech Republic – Wondering where to go in the Czech Republic and what are the top things to do in Prague? Worry not, we’ve got all the answers right here. According to figures released by the Czech Tourism Agency this week, the Prague Castle, once again, topped the list of the most popular tourist attractions in the Czech Republic.

Prague Castle n°1 in list of most popular tourist attractions in the Czech Republic

In 2018, over 2.4 million tourists – a 3% increase compared to the previous year – visited the magnificent Prague Castle and its breathtaking St. Vitus Cathedral, two of the ultimate things to see when you’re sightseeing in Prague, whether you’re staying for a couple of days or longer.

The Prague Castle complex, only one and the most famous of the many Czech castles scattered around the lands of Bohemia and Moravia, is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm. Ahead of your visit, be sure to check the opening hours indicated on the official website, as the different sites within the castle, including the St. Vitus cathedral and the charming gardens, may have different opening hours.

The entrance fees to Prague’s Castle vary depending on the circuit you choose (aka. on your level of motivation and fatigue): the prices of the tickets range from 350 Kc (€14) for full access to every parts of the complex to 250 Kc (€10), minus the famous Golden Lane (one of Kafka’s lodging places) and the Rosenberg Palace.

Discounts are available for children under 16, students or seniors over 65, while children under the age of 6 and disabled people, among others, can have access the whole complex for free.

You should also know that you can enter the Prague Castle for free, without buying any tickets, and just wonder throughout the premises and the royal gardens – although you won’t be able to enter any of the buildings or the cathedral.

And whichever time of the year you’re visiting, it’s strongly advised to come as early in the morning as possible to avoid the long queues (plus, the view from the Prague Castle in the early morning hours is absolutely breathtaking).

Petřín and Prague Zoo round up top 3 best attractions in Czech Republic

Don’t worry, there are plenty of other fascinating things to see and do in Prague apart from the royal castle, which remains the seat of the Czech President to this day.

In 2018, the two other most popular and can’t-miss tourist attractions in the Czech Republic were both located in the capital city: the Petřín funicular (2 million visitors in 2018) , which brings visitors to the top of the awe-inspiring Petřín Hill, and the Prague Zoo, which attracted over 1.4 million visitors last year.

Other popular sites to visit in the Czech Republic

At 4th place comes the first destination outside of the Czech capital with the former industrial complex of Dolni Vitkovice in the Moravian city of Ostrava (1.36 million visitors), home to ‘Colours of Ostrava’, the biggest and most famous music festival in the Czech Republic that takes place every year in July.

The AquaPalace, located slightly outside of Prague, completes the top 5 most popular Czech attractions with 820.000 visitors (both foreign and domestic) in 2018.

Other notable tourist destinations include Aqualand Moravia (792.000) and the famous Eiffel Tower lookalike Petřín Tower (697.000), located on top of the eponymous hill (one of the most romantic walks and beautiful parks Prague has to offer).

Czech Republic attracts growing number of tourists

Last year, the Czech Republic saw a record number of visitors, with over 21 million people visiting the country, while tourist hotspots like Prague or Cesky Krumlov in South Bohemia are struggling to cope with this unprecedented influx of visitors.

For the complete list of the most popular sights to visit in the Czech Republic and how to spend your sightseeing hours in Prague, feel free to check the full report of the Czech Tourism Agency.

And in case you were wandering: the Charles Bridge, obviously one of the top places to see in Prague which very likely attracts more visitors than the Prague Castle itself, wasn’t included in the list… simply because it’s impossible to count how many people walk through this 14th-century historic landmark on a daily – let alone annual – basis.