Strahov Library, Loreta and the Klementinum: a private tour
Four hours with a licensed guide: the Strahov Library and the Loreta above the castle, then down across Charles Bridge to the baroque library of the Klementinum.
- Duration
- 4 h
- Format
- Walking
- Group
- Private, only your party
- Start
- Strahov Monastery or your hotel (a car can take you up the hill)
- Walking
- Moderate
- Guide languages
- English, Spanish, Turkish
Tour code: PP-T11
Highlights
- The Theological and Philosophical Halls of the Strahov Library
- The Loreta, with its Santa Casa, cloisters and treasury
- The Loreta carillon, which plays on the hour during the day
- The lanes of Nový Svět and the walk down past Prague Castle
- The Baroque Library Hall and the Astronomical Tower of the Klementinum
Route and timing
0:00Ticket needed
Strahov Monastery and Library
The monastery founded in 1143, then the Theological and Philosophical Halls, seen from their doorways, and the Cabinet of Curiosities.
0:50Ticket needed
Loreta
The Santa Casa, the cloisters and the treasury, and the carillon if we are there on the hour.
1:35
Nový Svět and Hradčany
The small houses of Nový Svět, Hradčany Square and the castle gates, then down the Castle Stairs to the Lesser Town.
2:20
Charles Bridge
Across the bridge to the Old Town, with a coffee break on the way.
3:00Ticket needed
Klementinum
The Klementinum's own guided visit at a booked time: the Baroque Library Hall, seen from its entrance, and the Astronomical Tower with its view over the Old Town.
See the stops in order on Google Maps. The final route follows your pace and your wishes.
About this tour
Prague has two of the most beautiful baroque libraries in Europe, and they sit at opposite ends of the historic centre. This tour links them: it starts at the Strahov Monastery above the castle, visits the Loreta pilgrimage site next door and walks down through the castle district and across Charles Bridge to the Klementinum in the Old Town.
Books, bells and a quiet lane
The Strahov Library holds two famous halls. The Theological Hall is baroque, with painted ceilings and old globes, and the Philosophical Hall rises two floors high under a vast ceiling fresco. The corridor between them holds a cabinet of curiosities that collectors assembled centuries ago.
The Loreta was built around a copy of the Santa Casa, the house of the Virgin Mary venerated in Loreto in Italy. Its cloisters, church and treasury make it one of the finest baroque pilgrimage sites in Central Europe, and its bells still play a Marian song on the hour. Just below lies Nový Svět, a lane of small houses that feels like a village.
The Klementinum
The Klementinum was a Jesuit college, and its Baroque Library Hall is one of the most photographed rooms in Prague. The same visit climbs the Astronomical Tower, where weather records have been kept since the eighteenth century, for a view over the roofs of the Old Town.
Make it part of a bigger plan
The tour fits well with a morning at Prague Castle or lunch at the Strahov monastery brewery, and it works as a shorter walk too. Send us your dates and we arrange the tickets, the visit times and the car in one itemised quote.
Is this tour right for you?
Walking: Moderate
Some hills, steps and cobblestones, at an easy pace with breaks.
- About 3 km on foot
- Many steps and stairs
- Not suitable for wheelchairs. Ask us for a version by car.
- Possible with a light stroller, although a baby carrier is easier.
- A private car can take the uphill or longer parts.
Prefer less walking? Accessible Prague
Important to know
- Best time
- Morning
- Season
- All year
- Churches and synagogues ask for covered shoulders and knees.
- Entry is by timed ticket or guided visit, and we book your time slot in advance.
- Some parts can only be reached by stairs.
Busy dates (May to September, Christmas and New Year) book up early, so write as soon as you know your dates.
What can be added
Tick what you would like in the form below. We check availability and list each item separately in your quote.
- Entry tickets booked in advance
- Private car between the stops
- Lunch reservation
Meeting and drop-off
- Your guide or driver meets you in your hotel lobby or at the meeting point, with a sign showing your name.
- It ends where it suits you in the centre, or a car takes you back to your hotel.
- Your confirmation includes the names of your guide and driver and a contact number for the day.
Your guide and driver
A licensed guide with the Czech National Guide Card leads your tour. The guides we work with speak English, Spanish and Turkish, and other languages depending on availability.
Guides, drivers and venues are specialist partners we have worked with for years. You receive their details 24 hours in advance.
Practical information for your tripCombine it with
Frequently asked questions
Can we walk into the library halls?
No, and that protects them. At Strahov you look into the halls from their doorways, and the Klementinum's Baroque Library Hall is seen from its entrance. The view is still remarkable, and your guide explains what you are looking at.
How does the Klementinum visit work?
The Klementinum runs its own guided visits of about 45 minutes. We book the time, and your licensed guide takes you there and waits for you or ends the tour at that point.
Is the tour very steep?
No, if you start at the top. Most guests take a short car ride to Strahov, and from there the route runs mostly downhill to the river.
Can we do only Strahov and the Loreta?
Yes. A shorter walk of about two and a half hours covers Strahov, the Loreta and Nový Svět and ends at the castle gates.
- Licensed guides only
- Travel agency under Czech law
- Licensed transport partners
- One written, itemised quote
- Reply the same business day
Ask about this tour
Send your preferred date and group size. We confirm availability and send a written quote.
What happens next
- 1
Tell us
Fill in the short form or write an email: dates, group, interests and anything we should know.
- 2
Get your plan
We reply the same business day with a proposed programme and a written, itemised quote.
- 3
Enjoy Prague
Confirm by email and we take care of every booking. You get your driver and guide details 24 hours before.
We reply by email the same business day (Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 18:00 Prague time).
Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing. The cancellation terms of each service are written in your quote. Cancellation policy