How many cities to visit: Three or four is the right number for a week to ten days. Czech distances are short, but each place rewards at least two nights and a slow evening in a pub. Five or more turns the trip into a rail timetable exercise. Add a fifth only if you have more than ten days.
Choosing the kind of city: Everyone should see the capital once. It is crowded, but it deserves the attention, and two to three nights covers it. Beyond that, decide by style. If you want
medieval and baroque scenery, choose a Bohemian town and go early or late, because day-trippers vanish by 5 p.m. If you want
student energy, wine and low prices, Moravia is the better call. If you prefer rough edges, industrial heritage and a skip-the-guidebook feel, the northeast is the place, though it asks for more patience. …
read more 👉 How many cities to visit: Three or four is the right number for a week to ten days. Czech distances are short, but each place rewards at least two nights and a slow evening in a pub. Five or more turns the trip into a rail timetable exercise. Add a fifth only if you have more than ten days.Choosing the kind of city: Everyone should see the capital once. It is crowded, but it deserves the attention, and two to three nights covers it. Beyond that, decide by style. If you want medieval and baroque scenery, choose a Bohemian town and go early or late, because day-trippers vanish by 5 p.m. If you want student energy, wine and low prices, Moravia is the better call. If you prefer rough edges, industrial heritage and a skip-the-guidebook feel, the northeast is the place, though it asks for more patience. Skip the extra castle tour in every single town. One or two interiors are plenty, and the exteriors are free.What it costs: Expect US$50 to 80 a day in the capital and US$35 to 55 elsewhere, including a dorm bed, two cheap meals and local transport. Dorm beds run roughly 450 to 900 CZK (US$20 to 40) in the capital and 350 to 600 CZK (US$16 to 27) elsewhere. A weekday lunch menu costs 150 to 220 CZK (US$7 to 10), and a half-liter of beer is 40 to 55 CZK (US$2 to 2.50) in ordinary pubs but 70 to 100 CZK (US$3 to 4.50) in squares. Entry to a main castle circuit is 250 to 450 CZK (US$11 to 20), regional chateau tours 150 to 300 CZK (US$7 to 14), and guided walks are either tip-based or 300 to 600 CZK (US$14 to 27). Intercity trains and buses usually run 150 to 400 CZK (US$7 to 18) per leg when booked ahead. A 24-hour city transit pass in the capital is around 120 CZK (US$5).Safety and local manners: Czech cities are very safe, and the real risks are petty. Pickpockets work crowded trams, metro stations and tourist squares, so keep phones and wallets zipped. Avoid street currency exchange booths with big “0% commission” signs, because the rates are poor. Use a ride-hailing app, not a taxi from the station. Restaurants may add items you did not order, so check the bill.
Greet shopkeepers with “dobrý den” on entering. Tip about 10 percent by rounding up, and tell the server the total as you pay. Smoking is banned inside pubs and restaurants. Remove shoes if invited into a home, and keep voices down on late trams, where noise draws stares.