Prague Jewish Quarter & Old Cemetery: 2.5-Hour Walking Tour

Five Synagogues & 12,000 Graves: Prague's Jewish Quarter in One Morning

You walk through five synagogues and descend into the Old Jewish Cemetery, where 12,000 tombstones are layered beneath your feet. A licensed expert guide tells the history of Josefov and the Jewish community across five centuries. All entrance fees and the guide are included. The tour lasts 2.5 hours and starts at Maiselova 5, near the Maisel Synagogue.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Maisel Synagogue20m · entry included
2. Old Jewish Cemetery20m · entry included
3. Pinkas Synagogue and Old Jewish Cemetery20m · entry included
4. Old New Synagogue20m · entry included
5. Spanish Synagogue20m · entry included

Explore Prague Jewish Quarter and Synagogues

• Start at Get Prague Guide office
• Walk through Jewish Quarter Josefov
• Visit Maisel Synagogue
• Explore Old Jewish Cemetery
• Walk to Pinkas Synagogue and cemetery entrance
• Visit Old New Synagogue
• See interior of Spanish Synagogue and exhibition

The experience

Our guide stops you outside the Maisel Synagogue and asks if you've noticed how the streets here narrow and turn inward. That's intentional, she says, and then she starts walking. You follow into Josefov, Prague's Jewish Quarter, and within the first ten minutes you understand why this place matters. The tour lasts 2.5 hours, which sounds short until you realize how much ground you're covering: five separate synagogues, a cemetery that holds about 12,000 tombstones stacked in layers, and stories that connect them all. Your guide is a licensed expert in Jewish history, not someone reading from a script, and the difference shows immediately.

You start at the Maisel Synagogue, then move to the Old New Synagogue: one of the oldest surviving synagogue buildings in Europe and still used for services today. Men are given head coverings at the entrance if they don't have one. Women adjust their dress to meet the code (no exposed shoulders or arms). It feels respectful rather than restrictive once you understand why. After that comes the Pinkas Synagogue, and from there you descend into the Old Jewish Cemetery itself. The tombstones are so densely packed that you're walking on layers of history, literally. Families were buried on top of each other because the space was so constrained, and the guide points out how you can read the dates and names if you look closely. It's one of the biggest Jewish cemeteries in Europe, and standing in it changes how you think about the quarter above.

The Spanish Synagogue is the last stop, and it's where the permanent exhibition "Jews in the Bohemian Lands, 19th–20th Centuries" lives. The interior is ornate in a way the others aren't, and the exhibition itself traces the community from Joseph II's reforms in the 1780s through the Second World War and beyond. By the time you finish, you've moved through five different buildings, each one telling a different part of the same story. All entrance fees are included. You don't buy tickets separately or wait in lines. The guide handles entry, and the tickets are valid only for the duration of the tour, so there's no lingering or coming back later. It's a contained experience, which is part of what makes it work.

The tour meets at the Get Prague Guide office at Maiselova 5, a few steps from where you'll start walking. Dress code is smart casual, and comfortable shoes matter because you're on your feet the whole time. Public transport is nearby if you need it to get there, and the pace is suitable for all fitness levels: no climbing, just walking and standing. Book this if you want the full picture of Prague's Jewish heritage without assembling it yourself.

What’s included

• Admission to the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Old New Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, and Maisel Synagogue.
• a local licensed expert guide who specializes in Jewish history.
• and the 2.5-hour walking tour through Josefov. Head coverings are provided for men entering the Old New Synagogue and cemetery. Public transportation is available nearby to reach the meeting point.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except SaturdayDeparts at 10:00

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Youth (5 to 15 years) · Child (under 5)

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Please, meet your guide at the office, GET PRAGUE GUIDE at Maiselova 5, 110 00, Prague 1. The office has a blue and white sign and a blue and white umbrella in the window.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Get Prague Guide

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Prague's Jewish heritage in depth without piecing it together across multiple visits: the guide connects five centuries of history across five buildings in one morning, and all entry fees are already paid.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (5 to 15 years); Child (under 5).

What's the dress code for entering the synagogues?

Smart casual. Women must cover shoulders and arms. Men must wear head coverings (provided if needed) in the Old New Synagogue and cemetery. No exposed abdomen, swimwear, or bare feet.

How long is the tour?

2.5 hours. It covers five synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, starting at Maiselova 5.

Are entrance tickets included?

Yes. Entry to the Old Jewish Cemetery, Old New Synagogue, Spanish Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, and Maisel Synagogue are all included. Tickets are valid only during the tour.

How many tombstones are in the Old Jewish Cemetery?

About 12,000. They're stacked in layers because the space was so constrained historically.

Is there a permanent exhibition?

Yes, at the Spanish Synagogue: "Jews in the Bohemian Lands, 19th–20th Centuries," covering the community from the 1780s through the post-WWII period.

Is the tour suitable for people with limited mobility?

Yes, it's suitable for all fitness levels. You walk and stand but don't climb stairs.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation?

No. Public transport is available nearby to reach the starting point at Maiselova 5. The tour itself is a walking tour through the quarter.

What's the Old New Synagogue?

One of the oldest surviving synagogue buildings in Europe, still used for religious services today. It's the oldest surviving building in Josefov.