Private Prague Castle Walking Tour
Description
Enjoy a private 3-hour walking tour and discover the largest castle complex in the world. Visit the ancient buildings in the company of an historian guide and learn about Prague's rich and vibrant past.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Discover the fascinating 1,100-year old history behind the world’s largest castle complex on a private 3-hour walking tour of Prague Castle and the Royal District with an historian guide. This guided walking tour will take you to the imposing Prague Castle atop Hradčany Hill through the Royal Garden and over the Stag Moat. See the ancient buildings, that have been constructed and reconstructed in every architectural style, incorporating Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Renaissance, and Neoclassical monuments. Learn about the Castle buildings from your historian guide and how these have been bombarded by artillery, plundered by marauding armies and left to deteriorate by indifferent Austrian Emperors over the years. Allow your guide to bring this history to life with their vast knowledge of the country’s turbulent past. We recommend booking an afternoon tour if your schedule allows as the castle complex is often less crowded then.
Stroll past the Renaissance Ball Game Hall, where sporty aristocrats played tennis with the Emperor. Admirer the Renaissance sgraffito depicting the allegories of virtues, arts and sciences.
The purest Renaissance architecture outside Italy, Queen Anne's summer house in the Royal Gardens of the Prague Castle was commissioned by Ferdinand I in mid 1500's. It was converted into an astronomical observatory by Rudolf II. Among the guests, there were Tycho de Brahe, Johanes Kepler, and even the emperor himself, who died here after losing the royal title.
St. Vitus cathedral in Prague is one of the most monumental cathedrals in Central Europe and represents a prominent example of Gothic architecture. Founded in the first half of the 14th century it was finally completed 600 years later in the first half of the 19th c. The cathedral is the site of the royal crypt of Czech sovereigns and patron saints. Of particular interest are the baroque tomb of St. John of Nepomuk, the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional, cast in silver and gothic St. Wenceslas Chapel which houses relics of the saint.
Walk through the magnificent Vladislav Hall, built at the end of the 15th century combining the Late Gothic with brand new Renaissance style. It was the scene of coronation festivities and banquets, and knights' tournaments. The knights would enter the hall to take part in the jousting competitions in full armor and on horseback through the Riders' Staircase, which was designed precisely for that purpose. Step into the Ludwig Wing to see the window through which the members of the Czech Estates defenestrated two Austrian governors and their scribe, sparking the Thirty Years' War, one of the most destructive conflicts in human history.
Step into the austere and monumental Romanesque basilica built in the 1100 hundreds. Compare its architecture and interior to the just visited Gothic style of the St. Vitus Cathedral.
Walk through this quaint, diminutive street Originally built in the 16th century to house Rudolf II's castle guards. Step into the tiny rooms which now mostly house souvenir shops. There is a museum of medieval armoury within the former 14th-century fortification accessible from Golden Lane. Golden Lane is connected with Dalibor Tower, which used to be a dungeon.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your guide will meet you at your central hotel or flat and lead your group by metro, tram or foot (when the sites are close). Tickets are provided if you do not have a pass. We'll write to request your address when we send you your guide's phone and photo. If you don't want a pickup or do not respond with an address, please meet your guide 15 minutes before start time at the default meeting point, Metro Cafe, Klárov 51, 118 00 Malá Strana right beside the entrance to the Malostranska Metro Station.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Choice of morning and afternoon departure; please advise at time of booking
Reviews(12)
We loved the tour around the Prague castle with Vadim! He's got so much knowledge and is excellent at sharing it. I would definitely advise to take this tour, with an additional remark that it would even be better to plan this tour after a more general introduction tour into Prague. We would have even better been able able to put the whole story in a larger perspective if we would have taken that more general introduction tour before as well. That's something Insight Cities does as well and even though we did not take that tour, considering our other experiences with them I expect it to be great and valuable too!
We're so pleased you enjoyed the tour. It makes us proud of our exceptional guide team and wide range of tours. Please try us again when you travel in Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Salzburg and Budapest.
We had a great experience with Bonita and Vadim. We joined Vadim for a behind the ropes visit to the Strahov Library before meeting up with Bonita for a tour of the castle complex. They are both such amazing guides--so engaging and interesting-- we wished we could have spent all of our time in Prague with them! I am confident that any tour with them would be amazing and I look forward to booking with them again.
Thanks so much for your review! Both Bonita & Vadim are fantastic guides and we are so glad you were able to have them both guide you through the beautiful city of Prague. We look forward to seeing you on another Insight Cities tour in the future!
We toured Prague with the intro tour with Vadim, and he was so good we came back for the Power, Glory, and Destruction tour the next day. He combined facts and anecdotes in a way that made the tours both informative and memorable. My understanding of Prague history is so much deeper now — definitely recommend!!
We're so grateful for this review -- Vadim will be so happy to read this. Let us know if you'd like more touring in our Central European cities. -- Elizabet at Insight Cities
Vadim, our guide, was one of the best guides we have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He is very knowledgeable and extremely generous with his time. His explanations of the castle complex and St. Vitus Cathedral made it all come alive for us. The time spent with Vadim made our time in Prague a true pleasure. By ourselves we could not have gotten to appreciate the complex nearly as much as we did. I can't praise him enough!
We're so glad the tour was such a positive experience for you and a meaningful part of your travels. Thank you for the review! Insight Cities
We toured the Prague Castle Complex with Vadim, and he was amazing! He was interesting and informative, and he knew the best times to tour each sight so we were never in large crowds. He answered every question we asked and some we didn't ask. The complex is large, and we would have missed so much if we went by ourselves.
Thanks so much for letting us know you enjoyed it! We really appreciate it. Elizabet at Insight Cities
This tour was FANTASTIC!!! Vadim was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about what he was showing and explaining. Also, Bonita was so easy to work with beforehand. Very accommodating and reliable!!! Highly recommend!!!
Thank you for leaving such a positive review!! Vadim & Bonita will be thrilled.
I've used Insight Cities for years for touring our student groups through Cold War history and the Old Town. This was my first year using them for a castle tour. As usual, Vadim gave us an lively discussion and really opened up the Castle's history in a deep way. The students always enjoy his tours and this one was no different. Thanks Vadim!
Thanks so much! It is just wonderful to see travelers and student groups again after this long ordeal. We really appreciate the lovely feedback and look forward to your next group!
We had an incredible experience with Vadim. He knew so much - the four people in our small group were professors/art historians and interested in history. He recognized that we weren't the 'typical' tourists who just wanted a few stories - but wanted all the details - so he gave us all the details & stories - we LOVED it! And I think he enjoyed having people who really wanted to hear the in-depth information - and he stayed with us longer than the 3 hours we had booked. We HIGHLY recommend - especially if you want more than just the 'typical' tour and stories. Vadim was excellent! He was also personable and enjoyable - we learned a bit about his own story, too - which made it even more fun! Great job, Vadim!
Our guide was extremely knowledgeable & presented a great tour. The best things about this trip was how we were able to dodge the long lines by knowing back ways into the gardens, being able to customize out trip by buying tram tickets to start at the top & work our way down & to find a charming, non-touristy cafe for some water, pastries & a brief respite off of our feet. I would highly recommend this trip to see Prague.
<p>Our guide was a local and was great. She provided lots of information and even stayed a little late with us as we were derailed by a heavy rainstorm. The castle and all its surroundings are amazing. Would highly recommend this tour.</p>
