At a glance

  • Start with the Kafka-related sites in the Old Town and Josefov, and plan the route to avoid crossing the river repeatedly.
  • Distinguish actual residences from memorials and museums, and leave time to read at one museum.
  • For a literary walk, choosing two or three places that bring the writing to mind is more memorable than listing lots of street names.
  • If it rains, start with indoor exhibits and take a short walk through nearby lanes when the weather clears.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

Stop 1

Franz Kafka Birthplace marker and Old Town lanes

Stop 2

Josefov’s community history and Kafka-related markers

Stop 3

Choose one: Franz Kafka Museum or New Jewish Cemetery

Places and meals

Franz Kafka Birthplace

Look at the marker on the present-day building alongside the surrounding Old Town.

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Franz Kafka Museum

An option for exploring Kafka’s life and writing in one place.

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New Jewish Cemetery

Follow the cemetery’s opening hours and visitor etiquette.

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How to fit it in

This route suits visitors who want to understand Kafka’s language, family, community, and urban surroundings, rather than recreate the settings of his fiction.

Reality check

Transport

Walk around the Old Town and Josefov; travel separately to the New Jewish Cemetery by metro or tram.

Time

Allow 2 hours for the Old Town walk, or half a day if you add a museum or cemetery.

Cost

Street markers are free; museum admission and special exhibitions cost extra.

Safety

At cemeteries and religious sites, follow guidance on opening hours, dress, and photography.

If plans change

If the literary museum is closed

Turn it into a city walk: visit the Kafka birthplace marker, Old Town lanes, and the historic neighborhood around Josefov, then read a page of a translation at a bookstore.

When tourist sculptures are crowded

Skip the moving-head sculpture and the narrow-lane photo stops. Choose just two places where Kafka actually lived or studied, and focus on their context.

Small tip

Distinguish present-day memorial markers from places where Kafka actually lived. Don’t match fictional settings to specific addresses today without evidence.

Final check before departure

  • Walk in one direction, starting in the Old Town and continuing to Josefov: begin at the birthplace marker on Náměstí Franze Kafky, then visit markers related to Josefov. Check the Jewish Museum’s opening days only if you plan to go inside a synagogue.
  • Check the Kafka Museum’s hours and standard admission: if you include the museum in Malá Strana, plan a west-side route that crosses Charles Bridge. For a regular visit, check the official ticket page; don’t assume you need to book a time slot.
  • Don’t combine the New Jewish Cemetery with the museum in the same half-day: check the cemetery’s hours and religious holidays, and allow separate time for the metro or tram ride.
  • For your final stop, choose either the museum or the cemetery: pick the museum on a rainy day, or the cemetery if you have plenty of daylight and time for the journey. If both are closed, finish with a walk through the Old Town and Josefov.
  • At the cemetery, follow on-site guidance about entry, dress, and photography. In seasons with short days, leave enough time to reach the cemetery and your return stop in daylight. At night, use main roads instead of quiet shortcuts.

Even if one site is closed, the streets of the Old Town and Josefov are the heart of this walk.

Information checked: 2026-07-27

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Check the location on the map

Use Google Maps to review the location and nearby route. Recheck opening hours and prices with the official source before visiting.

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