podtour
Upper Hradčany: from Strahov to Castle Square
Above the Castle there's another Prague, a quieter one.
Prague Castle: Kings, Astronomers and Prisoners: audio walk in Prague
Eleven stories, from Hradčany Square to the prison towers: the banquet after which Tycho Brahe died, the treasure the Swedes carried off, a cathedral six centuries in the making, three men thrown from a window in 1618 who survived, the woman who wouldn't hand them over, and the lane where no alchemist ever lived.
What this walk is about
Prague Castle has been ruling from the hilltop for a thousand years, and this walk tells you what went on inside its walls. You start in front of the palace where, according to the Prague tourist office, Tycho Brahe went to his last banquet; you cross the courtyards of the presidents and of Rudolf the Second, whose books nearly all ended up in Stockholm; you find out why St Vitus took almost six centuries and how the Thirty Years' War began without a single death. You finish among prisoners and protectors: an alchemist, a lane of archers, the noblewoman who wouldn't give up the men from the window, and a knight whom tradition set to playing the violin. Everything can be heard from outside; the interiors are optional.
- Start
- The guest who stayed at the table
- Finish
- The legend of the prisoner and his violin
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. A walk for anyone curious about history, science and court curiosities. Plan your walk during the Castle grounds' opening hours. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk has slopes or changes in level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The guest who stayed at the table
- 2
A castle for a republic
- 3
The treasure taken down the Elbe
- 4
Six centuries under construction
- 5
The tomb nobody moved
- 6
Horses in the great hall
- 7
Thrown from the window
- 8
The alchemist without a formula
- 9
The lane without alchemists
- 10
The woman who said no
- 11
The legend of the prisoner and his violin
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Prague, before you go
Prague is a city of cobbled squares, bridges and a hill your legs will notice. Group walks by riverbank and leave room to stop: looking is part of the journey.
More walks nearby
Malá Strana: from the Charles Bridge to the Foot of the Castle
You come down off the bridge into the district that lived at the foot of the Castle and never stopped looking up at it.
Josefov, Prague's Jewish Quarter: the Golem, Memory and Kafka
Josefov was a city within the city, and it very nearly vanished.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.