Vyšehrad Prague: What to See, Tickets and How to Get There

Vyšehrad is a fortress on a rock above the Vltava, and walking its ramparts and parks costs nothing, all year round. You pay only to go inside: the Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul is CZK 180, and the casemates with the Gorlice hall and original Charles Bridge statues are a guided tour at CZK 330, or 295 online. Take metro C to Vyšehrad, or tram 3, 7, 17 or 21 to Výtoň. Around Prague checked prices, hours and tour times on the official websites on 2 November 2026.

For a rough conversion, EUR 1 was CZK 24.35 on 2 November 2026.

What is free at Vyšehrad and what is not

The information centre by Leopold Gate (V Pevnosti 163/2) sells tour tickets daily 10:00–18:00 with a lunch break. The Czech page says the break is 13:00–14:00, the English page and prague.eu say 12:00–13:00.

What to see on a free walk

• Leopold Gate and the ramparts: the main gate of the Baroque fortress, and walls with views over Prague. Stay off the tops of the walls: the rules forbid climbing or sitting on them.
• St Martin's Rotunda: a Romanesque round church and one of the oldest church buildings in Prague.
• Karlach Park: the legend-wrapped Devil's Column stands here.
• Štulc Park: the Baroque equestrian St Wenceslas statue that once stood on Wenceslas Square.
• Royal area: Myslbek's statues from Czech legends, the Black Well, and the viewpoints by the Powder Magazine and at Šemík's Leap.

For a self-guided visit, the free SmartGuide app has three outdoor routes in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Czech: The Best of Vyšehrad (1.2 km, 30–45 minutes), Walk along the Ramparts (1.9 km, 45–60 minutes) and Walk through Religious Heritage (1.2 km, 60–90 minutes).

A word on the legends. The site itself says nobody knows where Duke Krok and his daughters Kazi, Teta and Libuše really lived, probably somewhere near the Berounka, 30 km away. The tale of Horymír and his horse Šemík leaping off the rock first appears in Václav Hájek's chronicle. In documented history Vyšehrad appears in the mid-10th century as a seat of the Přemyslid dynasty. Vratislav, the first Czech king, founded the chapter here, Charles IV made it part of Prague, and after the Thirty Years' War it was rebuilt as a huge fortress.

Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul

The twin neo-Gothic towers reach 58 m and went up in the early 20th century. Inside you will find rich Art Nouveau wall paintings and the Gothic Vyšehrad Madonna. The carillon plays daily between 11:00 and 21:00.

• Tickets: adults CZK 180, ages 6–15 CZK 90, students 16–26 and over-65s CZK 135, family CZK 400. Online tickets are on the chapter's ticket portal.
• Free entry: under-6s, families with children at weekends, seniors on weekdays from 15:00, and anyone coming to pray (not combined with a visit).
• Guided tours: the basilica or, since autumn 2026, its roof timbers, with city views from about 20 m. CZK 360, ages 6–15 CZK 180, students and over-65s CZK 270. The roof route is by stairs, for up to 15 people.
• When it shuts: no visits during Mass, weddings, funerals or concerts. Check the restrictions list; for example, 5 November 12:00–15:00 and 21 November 15:00–17:00.

Vyšehrad Cemetery and Slavín

This is the oldest cemetery still in use in historic Prague, and burials continue here, so behave accordingly. The Slavín tomb holds about 40 leading Czech figures. Other graves include the composers Antonín Dvořák and Bedřich Smetana, the painter Alfons Mucha and the writers Karel Čapek and Božena Němcová. Hours: January–February 8:00–17:00, March–April 8:00–18:00, May–September 8:00–19:00, October 8:00–18:00, November–December 8:00–17:00.

Casemates and guided tours

The tunnels under the ramparts run for more than a kilometre, in four sections, and you can enter only with a guide. For most visitors the pick is Casemates to Gorlice, in English: you see the largest underground hall in historic Prague and six original Baroque statues from Charles Bridge.

*The operator lists Czech and English, but every session of these tours for 2–8 November was in Czech. Under-6s are free.

• English tours: the week of 2–8 November had 12 Gorlice tours in English, on Monday at 16:00, Tuesday at 10:00 and 15:00, Thursday at 11:00, Friday at 11:00 and 16:00, Saturday at 11:00, 13:00 and 16:00, and Sunday at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Wednesday had none.
• Buying: the official ticket portal or the information centre. Online is about 10% cheaper. Most sessions had plenty of places on 2 November, though one was down to the last ticket.
• Changes: Kouzlo Vyšehradu, a long-running walking tour, ended in October 2026. The Best of Vyšehrad is offered on request. The Gothic Cellar exhibition is closed for a rebuild, and the Powder Magazine show replaces it.

How to get to Vyšehrad

The metro route is the step-free one, says prague.eu, though some pavements are poor. By tram you arrive close to Brick Gate, where the Gorlice tour starts. The grounds are a pedestrian zone: drivers should use the paid zones outside Tábor Gate.

Tram tickets cost CZK 50 for 90 minutes; see our Prague transport guide. Near Výtoň, the Museum of Prague's Podskalí Customs House opens Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:00, CZK 80.

Practical tips

• Rules: no bikes, scooters or inline skates in the grounds; dogs stay on a lead.
• Time (our estimate): about two hours for the walk, basilica and cemetery, plus an hour for a casemates tour.
• Access: the grounds are step-free but historic, so take care. The operator calls the Gorlice route wheelchair accessible, while prague.eu warns of three steps into the hall and advises an escort. The Martin and Podolí routes are not accessible.
• Events: a family Dušičky afternoon on 7 November, 13:00–18:00, and St Martin's lantern procession on 11 November: the official programme welcomes the saint at 17:00 and sets off at 17:30.
• Prague Visitor Pass: the pass includes the Vyšehrad underground and the basilica.

Vyšehrad: common questions (FAQ)

Is Vyšehrad free to visit?

Yes, the grounds and parks are free and open all year. The basilica and guided tours cost extra.

How do I get to Vyšehrad from the centre?

Take metro C to Vyšehrad and walk about 20 minutes to the basilica, or take tram 3, 7, 17 or 21 to Výtoň and walk uphill.

Who is buried at Vyšehrad?

Antonín Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, Alfons Mucha, Karel Čapek and Božena Němcová, among many others, plus about 40 figures in the Slavín tomb.

Where are the original Charles Bridge statues?

Six original Baroque statues stand in the Gorlice hall at Vyšehrad, which you can see on the Casemates to Gorlice tour.

What are the Vyšehrad casemates tour times?

They change weekly, so check the official portal. Gorlice tours in English ran on six days out of seven in the week of 2–8 November.

Do I need to book a Vyšehrad tour?

Not always, and tickets are also sold at the information centre. Buying online saves about 10% and secures a place; groups are capped at 20–30 people.

Sources: Vyšehrad visit page, information centre, tours: Casemates to Gorlice, Martin, Podolí, Royal Vyšehrad, Tichá sláva, Tajemný Vyšehrad, exhibition, digital guide, parks, history and myths, access and parking, basilica hours and tickets, cemetery administration, prague.eu, PID fares, Prague Visitor Pass, Czech National Bank. Checked on 2 November 2026; confirm tour times before you go.

See also: Petřín Hill, Prague Walking Tours, 6 Cemeteries in Prague, Prague Viewpoints, What to Book in Advance, Best Time to Visit Prague, Where to Stay in Prague, Prague Itinerary.

Photo: the Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul at Vyšehrad. Tilman2007, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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