Kutná Hora

Day 1: Sedlec origins and the miners’ cathedral

Begin where Kutná Hora’s story started: the Cistercians’ Sedlec and its luminous Baroque Gothic rebirth. Then rise to the town’s acropolis to meet the Late Gothic ambition of the miners at their own cathedral.

• Morning: Arrive at Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží and walk 15 minutes to Sedlec. Visit the Cathedral of the Assumption to see Santini’s radiant Baroque Gothic and self-supporting spiral stair; then the Sedlec Ossuary (be quiet and respectful; photography rules can change—no flash, no touching). Buy a combination ticket covering Sedlec and St. Barbara’s, and come at opening to avoid crowds.
• Midday: Hop the local train or bus one stop to Kutná Hora město. Grab lunch around Palackého Square, then take a gentle orientation loop through side lanes to feel the mining-shaped street pattern (wear sturdy shoes—cobbles and slopes).
• Afternoon: Explore St. Barbara’s Cathedral; look for frescoes of miners and the shift from earlier vaults to Benedikt Ried’s complex net vaulting. Step into the nearby Corpus Christi Chapel if open for a raw slice of medieval architecture.
• Evening: Stroll the terrace in front of the Jesuit College for the local korzo; golden hour sets both the college and St. Barbara’s aglow—best light for photos. In off-season, enjoy the quiet; in summer, check for evening concerts in church venues.

Day 2: Mines, money, and the royal mint

Today connects the darkness underground to the brilliance above ground—how silver paid for everything, and how coinage made the town Europe’s cash register.

• Morning: Tour Hrádek (Czech Museum of Silver) and descend into the medieval mine (book ahead; not suitable for claustrophobia or small children; you’ll wear protective gear and stoop through narrow passages). Understanding the mines transforms how you read the whole town.
• Midday: Visit the Italian Court to trace the Prague groschen story in the royal mint and chapel. Pause for coffee in the courtyard; note how palace, mint and fortification merge in one complex.
• Afternoon: Step into the Church of St. James to compare its purer High Gothic with St. Barbara’s; admire the slightly leaning tower outside. Continue to the Stone House for late Gothic burgher splendour, then the Stone Fountain as a window onto medieval water engineering.
• Evening: If open late, explore GASK inside the Jesuit College for a thoughtful old–new architectural dialogue; otherwise linger on Barborská Street as the sandstone deepens in colour at sunset. Summer brings occasional night walks and extended hours; winter magnifies shadows and atmosphere.

Day 3: Hidden lanes and modern layers

Leave the main procession route to catch Kutná Hora’s textures—side streets, small museums, and 20th‑century villas that reveal a different rhythm of life.

• Morning: Wander Ruthardská Street beneath the Jesuit terrace to feel the medieval topography up close. Drop into Dačický House for smart UNESCO context, then see the former synagogue on Smíškova for a quiet Neo‑Romanesque/Moorish Revival detour.
• Midday: Walk the Vrchlice valley below the acropolis for landscape context and views back to the buttresses (cooler on hot days; paths can be slick after rain). Return via side alleys to spot sgraffito and layered plaster on burgher houses.
• Afternoon: Head towards the main station through the Šipší district to see Art Nouveau and early Modernist villas—a clean break from the Gothic core. If you missed it earlier, slip back to Corpus Christi Chapel or the Stone House museum.
• Evening: Join locals for an unhurried korzo back on the Jesuit terrace, or book a final concert in a church if available. If visiting in late June, the Royal Silvering festival animates the streets—expect pageantry, crowds, and evening performances (arrive early and pre-book site entries).

By Air

• Prague (Václav Havel Airport, PRG) – approx. 85 km. By car: 1 h 15–1 h 30. By public transport: 1 h 50–2 h 15 via airport bus (AE) to Praha hlavní nádraží, then train to Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží and a short local shuttle to Kutná Hora město (town centre).
• Pardubice (PED) – approx. 40–45 km. By car: 45–60 min. By public transport: train via Pardubice hl.n. to Kutná Hora hl.n. (about 30–40 min), then local shuttle to the centre.
• Also feasible: Brno (BRQ) 2–2.5 h by car; Vienna (VIE) 3.5–4 h by car or around 4–5 h by train with changes.

By Train

• Stations: Kutná Hora hlavní nádraží (main line; near Sedlec, 15 min walk to the Ossuary) and Kutná Hora město (central). A frequent local shuttle (6–8 min) links hl.n. and město (typically every 30–60 min).
• From Prague: trains from Praha hlavní nádraží (and Praha-Libeň) to Kutná Hora hl.n. in 50–70 min on fast services (R/Ex; some EC). Total to the centre with the shuttle: 65–90 min.
• From Pardubice: 30–40 min to Kutná Hora hl.n.; change to the shuttle for the centre.
• From Brno: 2 h 30–3 h with a change (usually at Pardubice or Kolín).
• From Vienna: around 4–5 h with changes (typically Břeclav/Brno and Kolín/Pardubice).
• Tickets: buy via České dráhy (ČD) or other national operators; mobile tickets widely accepted. Seat reservations not needed on regional legs.

By Bus

• Direct buses run from Prague (e.g., Florenc; some services from Háje) in about 1 h 40–2 h, and from nearby towns (Kolín, Čáslav, Pardubice) more frequently.
• Main arrival: Kutná Hora, autobusové nádraží (bus station), a short walk to the historic centre.
• Check current timetables on IDOS for frequency and stops.

By Car

• From Prague: about 70 km east; typical routes via D11 or D1 then main roads 2/38; 1 h 15–1 h 30 depending on traffic.
• From Pardubice: about 40–45 km; roughly 45 min via main road 2.
• Parking: paid car parks by St Barbara’s/Jesuit College (Barborská), the Italian Court, and at Sedlec (Ossuary/Cathedral). The historic core has narrow, one-way streets and signed restrictions—follow local signage.