A lovely morning spent exploring this castle in the fall, this monumental castle complex perched on a hill overlooks the city of Prague, and on a clear day you can see for miles. Coming from the east, the metro line A, trams (2, 22, 25, 94) and buses all stop at Malostranská, and from the roadway intersection it's a short few minute walk to the Old Castle Stairs, then a 8-10 minute walk uphill to the castle itself.
The fortifications built in this location span over one thousand years of history, its origins in the late 9th century established by Prince Bořivoj, the first Christian prince of Bohemia. Used as the seat of power for Bohemian kings, Holy Roman emperors, and now the official residence of the Czech president, as a result of its lengthy history the architectural styles represented vary greatly between Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance.
Since the St. Vitus Cathedral, the Golden Lane, and St. George's Basilica have their own Yelp pages I'll focus on the Old Castle in this review. The original structure was wooden from the 9-10th century, then Prince Soběslav built a Romanesque palace and All Saints Chapel in the 12th century, followed by an extension by emperor Charles IV in the first half of the 14th century. King Vladislav Jagiello led large-scale reconstruction in 1483 adding late Gothic and early Renaissance forms, and in the 18-20th centuries additional changes were made. Vladislav Hall is where the Crown Jewels are displayed (very crowded and only a few items on display). In current times the hall is still used for official state functions. The sections open to the public are fairly limited, it takes about 15-20 minutes to walk thru the Old Castle rooms. There are some placards with Czech and English descriptions though it felt a bit sparse overall.
Admission to the Old Castle is included in the Prague Castle basic circuit 450 CZK (~$19.53 USD) which can be purchased online or in person at the ticket office. This includes entry to the Old Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Golden Lane, and St. George's Basilica. There is an additional charge for the secondary circuit including the Prague Castle Story, the Castle Guard Exhibition and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery. And a separate ticket 200 CZK (~$8.68 USD) to climb St. Vitus Cathedral's south tower for 360 degree views of the surrounding landscape. It takes about 7-8 minutes of walking up an enclosed circular stone staircase, though if you're not claustrophobic or afraid of heights it's well worth it.
In October on a weekday I'd still recommend getting to the Castle right when it opens, or later in the afternoon a couple hours before they close, in order to avoid the peak crowds.
A gift shop and a few different bathrooms are located within Prague Castle walls. There are a few smaller castle buildings in the immediate hilltop vicinity that aren't open to the general public, currently used for administrative or other offices. Parking is available at lots near the castle though the majority of visitors are arriving by foot especially since a) within the castle walls normal vehicles aren't allowed, b) most routes of the ascent to the castle are via staircases so there will be at least some walking involved for most people. read more