Prague is one of the best city break destinations in Europe and perfect for families, but there's plenty fo explore outside of the city. We're talking stunning historic castles, thermal springs, and even a bone church. Kids will love every minute exploring on these top day trips from Prague for families.
If you're traveling to Prague with kids, there's so much to see and do. Visit Prague Zoo or have an adventure at children's island. Explore Prague's history at Prague castle, wander aimlessly through the Old Town, or spend time at the Railway Museum. Prague is also the perfect place to base yourself to go on day trips throughout the Czech Republic and beyond.
Karlovy Vary (also known as Karlsbad) is one of the most famous spa towns in Europe, with numerous hot springs. The spa town itself is beautiful with colorful houses dotting the hillsides, surrounded by forest. It's one of the most popular day trips from Prague.
Karlovy Vary has some of the best spas in Europe (teens will love them!), and people come from all over the world for healing and relaxation. Younger kids will love collecting souvenirs in the Karlovy Vary way by gathering a tiny amount of water from each one of the mineral springs.
For amazing city views, ride on the Diana Funicular or climb to the top of the hill.
How to get there: Karlovy Vary is a 1 hour, 48-minute drive from Prague. This is perfect if you've hired a car or brought your own vehicle. You can also hop on the bus, which takes around 2.5 hours (not ideal for small children).
See one of the most famous landmarks in the Czech Republic and tick another UNESCO World Heritage site off your bucket list. This large park spans over 250 hectares, and it's the perfect day trip from Prague with kids!
On the park grounds, you'll find Pruhoniky Castle. The castle is not open to the public, but there is a small museum on the ground floor.
How to get there: Pruhonicky park is only a 15 minute drive from Prague city center. You can also take public transportation (the bus or metro), which takes the same amount of time.
Ceský Krumlov is one of the most visited towns in the Czech Republic, and you can see why. This historic town is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and has many picturesque buildings.
Be sure to visit Ceský Krumlov castle, one of the most beautiful castles in Europe and one of the largest castles in the Czech Republic (after Prague Castle). Climb its tower for amazing city views. Wander along the narrow streets of the beautiful town and stop into a local café for snacks.
How to get there: If you are driving, Ceský Krumlov is a couple of hours from Prague. Currently, there is one train per day between the two cities. A train ride takes close to three hours.
This is definitely one of the most popular destinations to visit outside of Prague. The medieval castle dates to 14th century and once guarded the jewels of the Holy Roman Empire (the Crown Jewels are now in Prague Castle).
Walk to the top of this stunning hilltop fortress and be rewarded with fantastic views. Explore the paintings and treasures that line the castle and learn about the fascinating history of the Czech Republic. English tours are available at certain times throughout the day.
How to get there: The local train runs every 30 minutes from Prague central train station to Karlstejn (note that you will have to walk for around 20 minutes to the castle - most of it uphill).
The scenic train journey takes you along the Berounka River banks. It will take about an hour. You can also explore by car. It will take about 30 minutes and you can park nearer to the castle. It's a very easy day trip from Prague with kids.
If you want to add a German city to your vacation, a city break to Dresden is perfect to combine two countries into your trip. The city of Dresden is stunning, with baroque style architecture and spectacular views.
If you're visiting Dresden with kids, there's plenty to do. Kids will love to see the miniature railway in Palatial Park (Großer Garten), the Dresden Zoo, the ropes course at Waldseilpark Dresden-Bühlau, and the many playgrounds dotted throughout the city.
How to get there: The train journey from Prague to Dresden is 2.5 hours, but you'll see some fantastic scenery along the way. The drive from Prague to Dresden can be as little as 1 hour, 35 minutes. However, it's best to rent a car or book a private transfer with younger kids.
Aquaplace is one of the best waterparks in the Czech Republic and a great day trip from Prague for families. The indoor waterpark has huge pools and slides to keep little ones entertained for hours.
How to get there: You can reach Aquaplace by car from Prague in as little as 15 minutes.
Konopiste Chateau used to belong to the famous Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Older kids will love the guided tours to see what life was like in the 20th century.
The residence also has vast gardens to explore, ponds, and a forest. Konopiste Chateau is the perfect day trip to get away from city life for the day.
How to get there: Konopiste Chateau is difficult to reach by public transport. The best way to get there is to hire a car. The drive is around 35 minutes. You could also book a return transfer.
Bohemian Switzerland National Park is a great option if you want to spend time outdoors with the family. The stunning national park is actually near Prague, not Switzerland, close to the German border.
There are many hiking trails, and boat trips through the picturesque gorges. See the fascinating rock formations and sandstone mountains at one of the prettiest places in Europe.
How to get there: Bohemian Switzerland is just a 2-hour drive away from Prague. With older kids, consider booking a guided tour.
Telc is one of the most picturesque villages in Europe and has UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Start visiting Telc in the main square and see its fantastic architecture.
From there, you can explore the hidden archways and enjoy the slower pace of life by exploring the town's cafes and small galleries. There's a large park attached to the Telc chateau that's worth a visit. Make sure you climb the tower for stunning views of the village.
A day trip to Telc is often put together to visit Trebic, one of the most visited towns in the Czech republic. In Trebic families can learn about the town's history. It's a town where Jewish families had to live separately from the Christians.
There's a Jewish quarter that is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site that's definitely worth a visit, along with a visit to the Trebic Synagogue, and Jewish cemetery. The other UNESCO site in Trebic is St. Procopius Basilica, built in the 13th century. If your family loves history, this is one city you'll definitely want to visit.
How to get there: Telc is difficult to visit by public transport, so your best option is to hire a car or book a transfer. With older kids, consider booking a guided tour, this is probably the best way to learn about the area. Trebic is a 30-minute drive from Telc.
Liberic is a fascinating city just 1 hour away from Prague. Although most people visit Liberic to go skiing, there is plenty to do in Liberic with kids, and it's one of those amazing day trips from Prague.
One of the best things to do in Liberic is to ride the cable car to the top of the Jested mountain for stunning views. Other things to do in Liberic include the Liberic Zoo and the botanical gardens. The city is also home to DinoPark, one of the best attractions in the Czech Republic for families.
How to get there: The easiest way to reach Liberic from Prague is to drive. The journey will take as little as 1 hour, 10 minutes. There's also regular buses that take around an hour and a half. Train travel is also an option, although the journey time is much longer. Many day tours also run from Prague to Liberic.
Visiting a bone church isn't for everyone, but we promise your kids will be fascinated by a trip to Sedlec Ossuary. Easily booked as a day tour from Prague, you will have an opportunity to see a church decorated with over 40,000 human bones.
The bones were from church excavations in the 15th century, that were later transformed into an artistic masterpiece in the late 19th century. It's definitely worth visiting with older children and teens.
The town of Kutná Hora is also home to a chocolate museum, a bobsled trek, and a LEGO museum. Families will find plenty to do in this charming town.
How to get there: Kutna Hora is an hour by car from Prague. If you would rather use public transportation, a direct train takes about one and a half hours.
If you are looking for other places to explore in Central Europe, why not visit Poland? The city of Gdansk is perfect for kids! Other destinations we recommend are the stunning city of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria and the historical city of Zagreb, Croatia.
About the author: Sylvie is a family travel blogger who tries to explore as much as she can with her daughter. At European Cities with Kids, you'll find everything you need to know about going on a European city break with kids, from choosing the perfect destination for you and your family to deciding the best places to stay and planning what to do.
Europe Travel Tips
Book Your Flights
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If you travel frequently, consider investing in a Priority Pass for airport lounge access. It's nice to have a space where you can relax before your flight.
Book Your Accommodation
We regularly use Expedia.com and Hotels.com to find lodging when we travel. It's a great way to compare vacation rentals, hotels, and resorts.
If your family knows they want to stay in a vacation rental, we recommend looking at VRBO and Plum Guide.
Book Your Transportation
For rental car agencies, try Rentalcars.com. We tend to use Hertz simply for the quality of service.
When traveling in Europe, we use AutoEurope to make our bookings. They find the best rates and allow you to compare different car rental agencies. Europcar is another option.
If you would prefer to travel by train in Europe we recommend Eurail who offers discounted packages for rail travel.
Book Your Tours and Travel Photos
We regularly used companies like Viator and GetYourGuide to book tours when we travel. Both have great communication and a large variety of activities that work for all ages.
If you're visiting a city with multiple attractions, be sure to check out a discount pass, such as CityPASS or Go City. Both are worthwhile investments.
Context Travel is another option and they offer more educational based activities. The former teacher in me loves their tours.
One of our favorite things to do annually is take photos with Flytographer. They have photographers around the world and we've used them on four separate occasions. This is our favorite travel souvenir.
Don't Forget Travel Insurance
With the state of travel these days, it's important to have some type of travel insurance to cover any unforeseen accidents, illnesses, threat or cancellations. We always travel with insurance and would recommend SquareMouth, Travelex, or Medjet as good options. And if you want to compare different insurance options, use Travel Insurance Master to find the best policy for your group.
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