12 Best Things to Do in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic

Prague is the jumping-off point for so many adventures throughout the Czech Republic, and visiting the historic village of Kutná Hora, just an hour outside Prague, is probably the easiest and most impressive way to spend your Czech travel time.

Kutná Hora possesses some incredible sights, and while you’ll often see the town painted as the ideal day trip from Prague, you can definitely spend more than one day exploring it. And yes, you can always rent a car to explore Kutná Hora.

Driving in the Czech Republic is pretty chill, especially when driving to small towns across the countryside. Getting there by public transport is easy, too, and it takes less than an hour from Prague to reach the main train station.

So why is Kutná Hora famous? Almost 1,000 years ago, a group of Cistercian monks built a monastery in what was then Bohemia, and the city would eventually become known more for its silver mining opportunities than its clergymen.

Let’s explore what makes Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, a not-to-be-missed part of your Eastern European travels. Below, you’ll find the best things to do in Kutná Hora.

TL;DR

Things to Do in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic

1. Take a guided tour through the historical town center of Kutná Hora

Address: Kollárova 589/7, Vnitřní Město, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

Many of the places on this list are close to the city center, so you can wander around the area and find just about everything you might want to visit in the afternoon. However, you may find it valuable to set up a guided tour of the town and its historic buildings.

It’s very common to see tour providers offering a day trip to Kutná Hora, and they’ll even offer you transportation from Prague with admissions. However, don’t feel pressured to see the whole town in a single day.

You’ll find some authentic Czech restaurants throughout town that warrant exploration. The town also has some excellent accommodations like the boutique hotel Chateau Třebešice.

After you tour the city center, consider getting a lookout tower and mirror maze entry ticket. The maze is the best thing to do with kids in Kutná Hora and can make a day filled with tours and majestic vistas a little more kid-friendly.

2. Marvel at the Cathedral of St. Barbara (Chrám svaté Barbory)

Address: Barborská, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

When you think of giant Catholic churches, you probably think of Notre Dame in France or the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. The Cathedral of St. Barbara (Chrám svaté Barbory in Czechia) will wow you just as much, if not more, than those lauded Catholic structures.

It is appropriate that the cathedral was named after the patron saint of miners since the town’s history is so intertwined with its Medieval silver mine. Construction on the church began in 1388, but it would take several years – centuries actually – for construction to finish.

Officially, the church wasn’t completed until 1905, meaning the church took more than 500 years to build. Consequently, the church has several different architectural styles, but the whole thing seems to fit together beautifully.

If you have time to stay in Kutná Hora overnight, the Elvíra ubytování v soukromém is an excellent place to stay that’s within a stone’s throw of St. Barbara’s. This kid-friendly accommodation offers a garden and play area on the grounds.

See Related: Is Prague Safe? Important Safety Tips for Travelers

3. Explore the exhibits of the Jesuit College (Jezuitská Kolej)

Address: Barborská 24, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Jesuit College (Jezuitská Kolej in Czechia) is another of Kutná Hora’s famous buildings that took a long time to build. In the 1600s, a group of Jesuits descended on the town, intent on bringing its citizens into the Catholic fold.

They decided to build a college next to St. Barbara’s Cathedral. It took about 100 years, but the Jesuits would finally finish construction in the mid-1700s. The building is a beautiful example of Italian-influenced Baroque architecture and is part of the Kutná Hora UNESCO World Heritage site.

Today, the building houses the Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region, which features modern art from the 20th and 21st centuries. You’ll likely visit the college at the same time you visit Barbara’s church since they’re right next door to one another.

4. Faint when you enter the Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice Sedlci)

Address: Zámecká, 284 03 Kutná Hora, Czechia

If all you have time for is a Kutná Hora day trip, make sure the Sedlec Ossuary or famous Bone Church is on your itinerary. If you’re short on time and don’t want to plan your itinerary, try a day trip from Prague to Kutna Hora and The Ossuary.

You’ll never see anything like it before or again in your travels. Officially known as the Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice Sedlci in Czech), the church was built in the 14th century with a small graveyard next to it.

Over time, the graveyard’s size was reduced, so some skeletons were brought inside the church. Eventually, the entire cemetery was eliminated, and all the skeletons were relocated inside.

Rather than finding places to store the skeletons, the skeletons were transformed into an eerie display as part of the church’s décor. Nobody knows who created the Kutná Hora Bone Church display, but it remains one of Europe’s most incredible visual experiences.

Local legend suggests a half-blind monk created the morbid displays. Want to stay overnight near the ultra-creepy Bone Church? Try the quiet and friendly Hotel a MUZEUMLEGA, which is just a few blocks away.

5. Learn a little history at The Little Castle (the Hrádek)

Address: Komenského nám. 41, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Little Castle (the Hrádek in Czechia) was originally built at the start of the 14th century and was originally designed as a fortified palace but would eventually become a local family’s stone house at the end of the 15th century.

The building would change hands a few times over the centuries and operate for a time as a Jesuit seminary and school. The house would undergo renovations twice in the 20th century but remain a beautiful example of European Renaissance-era architecture.

Inside this historical, gothic building, you’ll find the Czech Museum of Silver, which is worth a walk-through if only to learn a bit of the history of why the buildings in Kutná Hora were built in such a grand manner (hint: there was a LOT of money in the Bohemian region due to the silver mining operations).

This is also worth a visit to see the caves where silver was mined, but make sure to book the English tour in advance and you cannot buy it at the door.

See Related: Best Castles in the Czech Republic to Visit

6. See an exhibition at the Dacicky House (Dačického House)

Address: Komenského nám. 41, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Dacicky House (Dačického House in Czechia) is a home built in the late Gothic era where you can wander around everywhere, from the cellar to the attic. The home has several interactive exhibitions, so you’ll want to put the house on your itinerary if you have children and want to bring them to a Czech museum they’ll actually enjoy!

This house museum got its name from a colorful 16th-century inhabitant, Mikulas Dacicky. He was known as a local drunkard and troublemaker during his lifetime. Welp, every town’s got one.

One of the interesting features of this house, which is easily accessible within the Kutná Hora Town Centre, is that nobody knows exactly when it was built. Records exist of an early purchase of the home in the 1500s, but nothing concrete about its specific build date or year.

See Related: Best Museums in Prague, Czechia

7. Take a picture of the Column of the Virgin Mary Immaculate

Address: Šultysova, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

Also known as the Plague Column in Kutná Hora, the Column of the Virgin Mary Immaculate was built in the early 1700s after a brutal plague in the region killed more than 1,000 people.

This Kutná Hora landmark features a statue of the Catholic Virgin Mary Immaculate and reliefs along the base of miners killed in the plague.

Seeing the plague column and snapping a picture of it will only take a few moments during your time in Kutna Hora, but it’s a unique tourist attraction that’s worth a look.

The plague column is definitely one of the more eerie things to do in Kutná Hora, Czech Republic, especially because it’s not the only plague column out there. Others exist throughout Europe in countries like Slovakia, Austria, and Germany.

8. Pretend You’re a Pilgrim at the St. John of Nepomuk Church (Kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého)

Address: Husova 120, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

Regarding styles, the architecture of the historical buildings in Kutná Hora is all over the place! You’ll see everything from Medieval to Gothic to modern styles. Still, the St. John of Nepomuk Church (Kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého in Czechia) is probably the most notable, with true Baroque architecture throughout.

St. John is one of the most significant saints of the Chechen people, and this church was built just before the Catholic Church canonized Saint John. To canonize means to elevate someone to sainthood and is a process that takes years after the death of the person nominated for sainthood.

It’s worth noting that the church is actively used for worship, so if you visit, you may see a service underway.

See Related: Most Famous Landmarks in the Czech Republic

9. Take a tour of the Italian Court (Vlašský dvůr)

Address: 552/1, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Italian Court (Vlašský dvůr in Czechia) is a palace but first became famous in the 1300s as the seat of the Central Mint of Prague. Coins were once minted throughout the country, but one of the most famous Bohemian kings, King Wenceslas II, centralized all minting in Kutná Hora as part of his reform plan.

In addition to operating as Bohemia’s royal mint, the Italian Court was transformed into a part-time royal residence. Today, the Italian Court is one of the most-visited buildings in the town. If you find it necessary to pick and choose just a few sites to see when you visit Kutná Hora, definitely put this building on your itinerary.

10. Visit the 600-year-old Gothic Stone Fountain (Kamenná kašna)

Address: Husova, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

The Gothic Stone Fountain (Kamenná kašna in Czechia) was built in the late 1400s by the same architect who built St. Barbara’s church and is an unusually-shaped and rather large fountain.

Like many fountains built hundreds of years ago, the Gothic Stone Fountain actually provided residents with water. Still, the discovery of the silver mine and the resulting mining activity in the Middle Ages made it impossible for the fountain to provide clean water to locals.

If you’re thinking about staying in Kutna Hora overnight, consider eating dinner at Restaurace Ruthardce, which serves some of the best barbecues in Eastern Europe, and then walking over to see the fountain. It’s lit up beautifully after dark, and you’ll miss the display if you leave the small town too early.

11. Stay out late and visit a Kutna Hora bar, pub, or music club

Address: Dačického nám. 15, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

You can wander around the Kutná Hora City Center and see just about everything in an afternoon, but that doesn’t mean your stay should end in a single day. If you’re inclined or have the time, consider visiting Kutná Hora overnight to enjoy the restaurants and the handful of clubs in town.

If you want to enjoy some drinks and entertainment after your day spent examining early Baroque building styles and other historical sites, try Česká 1 Music Club, which routinely welcomes musical acts and performers multiple times a week. They normally open at 7 p.m.

Looking for a place to crash after your evening spent enjoying the music and entertainment of Kutna Hora? The Hotel U Zvonu is within walking distance of the music club and a mile or so of all the attractions you’ll want to see during your stay.

The next morning, live like a local and order a beer with your breakfast. Did you know beer is often cheaper than water in the Czech Republic? If you imbibe regularly or every once in a while, don’t let your Czech vacation end without ordering at least one Pilsner Urquell.

See Related: Best Party Cities in Europe | Top Nightlife Destinations

12. Walk or ride the Royal Walk along Vrchlice Creek

Address: 552/1, 284 01 Kutná Hora, Czechia

Starting at the Italian Court, you can wander along Vrchlice Creek (yep, that’s a lot of consonants in a row in that word!), where signs will guide you along the way and ensure you get one of the best panoramic views available of Kutná Hora.

If you walk the entire way and back, you’ll pass several sights you might not otherwise see on a standard tour of Kutná Hora, including a pond that’s used as an ice rink in the winter, some well-preserved windmills, and other Medieval features.

Bear in mind that if you want to walk the whole trail out and back you’ll cover a rather immense 18 miles on foot, so definitely prepare yourself for a long outing if you choose to walk the entire thing. You might not have enough time for the whole walk if you’re only in town for a day trip.

Suppose you’re keen on walking during your Kutná Hora visit. In that case, you’ll also find Ruthard Lane in walking distance of the creek, which features narrow cobblestone streets that connect several of Kutná Hora’s most famous sites, including the Italian Court and the Church of St. James.

FAQ

Related Resources