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 Telč, sleep in Telč

Day 8: Side-trip to Slavonice, sleep in Telč

Day 9: Visit Třebíč 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: Prague, sleep in Prague

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: Prague, sleep in Prague

With More Time

With more time in the Czech Republic, consider a pair of other destinations that are a little more difficult, but still possible, to reach by public transportation: Hikers enjoy Wallachia, which fits easily into the above schedule after Olomouc (make your home base in Trojanovice). Wine lovers head for the Mikulov wine region, easiest to visit between Telč and Olomouc (make your home base 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.