Entry 01 · who we are
We are Lucie and Lukáš — travelling Europe at our own pace with our child and two dogs. Everything we try on the road gets an honest write-up: where to sleep well, what’s worth the detour and what to skip.
Readers trust us because we only recommend what we have experienced ourselves. And search engines trust us because we have been doing this properly for years — in 14 languages.
Entry 02 · how many people read us
Active users according to Google Analytics, February–July 2026. July was the strongest month of the past half-year.
…not counting grandma —
she reads everything twice 🙂
Entry 03 · value for accommodation partners
this is the number that matters ↓
We don’t just write inspiration — readers find their accommodation with us and book it right away. A recommendation from a family that actually slept there simply works.
* Methodology: booking value is estimated from paid-out commissions (≈ 2–3 % of booking value), converted at Czech National Bank rates.
Entry 04 · search reach
Clicks from Google Search Console, February–July 2026 — a route that keeps climbing.
AI visibility
~930visits per month from AI assistants recommending our content as a source
ask an AI about a holiday in Europe —
the answer might be us →
Entry 05 · the audience that knows us by name
Total social media followers ~53,300
people actually open our emails —
we only write when there’s something to say
Entry 06 · content that works for years
Every Czech article is translated into 13 more languages. A partnership with us doesn’t stop at the Czech audience — Germans, Poles and Swedes find your accommodation through us too.
Entry 07 · what we can do together
every partnership is tailor-made — this is the starting menu
The whole family arrives, stays and honestly photographs and films the visit. You get the real photos and videos for your own use.
The text doesn’t vanish from a feed in two days — it brings guests from search for years, in 14 languages at once.
Stories, reels and authentic recommendations for more than 53,000 followers who know us by name.
Your offer in an email to 11,967 subscribers — the most loyal part of our audience.
Visibility across ~15,700 articles and destination hubs. Format and scope by agreement.
got another idea?
bring it on ↓
Entry 08 · the last page of the journal
we reply fast — we’re always online on the road anyway
Lucie — face of the brand · @endijka · content & photography · Lukáš — data & partnerships · numbers, reports, contracts
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
When Lukáš and I set off for Barcelona at the beginning of March, one of our very first stops was the famous Barceloneta. We were only there for a long walk, because it definitely wasn’t swimming weather at the time, but honestly, even in the height of summer we probably wouldn’t have gone in the water there. If you’re wondering about the best beaches in Barcelona, local blogger Diana recently summed it up perfectly when she wrote that locals today skip Barceloneta entirely and head north instead, or straight out of the city.
It’s the most famous beach in Barcelona and looks absolutely stunning in photos, but in reality it’s probably the worst spot in the city to lay down your towel. All the city beaches are artificial, created during the enormous redevelopment of the coastline before the 1992 Olympic Games. The swimming experience, though, changes dramatically with every metro stop you travel away from the historic centre.
That’s why I’ve put together 12 tips for beaches in Barcelona and the surrounding area, so you know where to find clean sand and where, on the other hand, to keep a close eye on your wallet. We’ll look at when the sea is at its ideal temperature, what strict rules apply along the coast, and why it sometimes pays off to hop on a commuter train and travel a few stops further south or north.
This is an absolutely crucial detail that can save your entire summer holiday. Barcelona’s sea warms up very slowly and cools down even more slowly, so when planning your trip, definitely don’t go by air temperature alone. In June the city is already baking at 26 °C, but the water is only 20 °C, which for most of us is pretty borderline for a longer swim. If you set off as early as May, be prepared for the fact that the water is an icy 17 °C and only true cold-water enthusiasts will brave the waves.
The best swimming conditions are found in August and September, when the sea finally warms up properly. In August the water averages a lovely 25 °C, but you have to reckon with the fact that the city is overcrowded and the beaches are literally bursting at the seams. In September, on the other hand, the water temperature drops only slightly to a very pleasant 23 °C, but the tourist crowds noticeably thin out and the sun doesn’t burn as aggressively. Autumn swimming in Barcelona is therefore paradoxically a much better choice than spring. Even in October, when it occasionally rains and the air is around 22 °C, the water stays just as warm as in early June, so you can dip in without any problem.
If you’re interested in detailed monthly averages, take a look at our article Weather in Barcelona: temperatures by month and when to go. We were here in early March, and although we mostly walked around the city in light jackets, it was nowhere near swimming weather. In March the beaches serve more for strolls with a coffee in hand than for catching a tan, even though the sun can already be quite pleasant during the day.
💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, which usually has the best cancellation terms. Tickets, tours and activities are then worth comparing and booking through GetYourGuide.
When Lukáš and I were exploring Barcelona, we chose the beautiful Hotel Gaudí, which has a fantastic rooftop terrace and sits right next to the famous Palau Güell palace. From here we could walk to the sea, to the Arc de Triomf, and to the La Boqueria market, but if you’re going purely for beach relaxation, it pays off to stay in the Poblenou or Barceloneta districts instead. Bear in mind, though, that as of April 2026 the tourist tax in Barcelona has risen significantly. For a five-star hotel you now pay €12 in taxes per person per night, while for tourist apartments the fee has gone up to €9.50 per person. Fortunately, this tax is charged for a maximum of seven consecutive nights.
If you’re looking for accommodation that combines proximity to the beach and quality service, I definitely recommend booking hotels well in advance via Booking.com. On top of that, Barcelona is gradually revoking all licences for short-term apartment rentals with the aim of eliminating them completely by the end of 2028. This means that classic hotels tend to sell out very quickly and average room prices keep rising, especially in the summer season. You can read more about the individual districts in our guide Where to stay in Barcelona: 10 districts.
Of the specific hotels that have great reviews and are strategically located near the sea, definitely check out these three popular options, with something for every budget:
The coastline is divided into several main stretches, and the differences between them are enormous, whether it’s the crowds, the noise, or the cleanliness of the sand. Let’s take a look at the most famous beaches right in the city as well as the hidden gems that a commuter train will comfortably take you to.
This is the absolute epicentre of the tourist industry and the first place most visitors head from the centre. If you do come here, take the locals’ advice: take a look at the incredible buzz, but pick a different spot to actually lay down. In July and August it’s packed shoulder to shoulder, music blares from dozens of portable speakers, and street vendors constantly weave between the blankets. These so-called manteros will offer you a massage every five minutes or cups of mojito. But they mix the drinks on the sly without any refrigeration and often store them right in the drains by the road, so this purchase is entirely at your own risk.
The Barceloneta metro station on the yellow L4 line is also one of the five most critical spots in the city when it comes to pickpockets. Thieves know exactly that huge crowds in flip-flops with phones in their back pockets flow through here, so be extremely vigilant and never leave your belongings on the blanket unattended.
So why come here at all? Clearly for the great food. Don’t head onto the sand itself, but slip into the grid of narrow streets of the old fishing quarter. You’ll find the historic 7 Portes here, or the excellent Can Majó restaurant, which offers great vegetarian versions of tapas and rice dishes coloured with squid ink.
💡 Tip: If you do come here, don’t forget that once you cross the road back into the city you must put on a T-shirt or shirt. Barcelona’s bylaw is uncompromising, and walking around in just your swimwear away from the beach can cost you a fine of up to €300.
If you walk along Barceloneta beach heading south, you’ll reach the Sant Sebastià and Sant Miquel stretches, dominated by the enormous glass building of the renowned W Barcelona hotel. Sant Sebastià is one of the oldest beaches in the city and historically even had a section reserved for nudists, though today you’ll mostly find crowds of tourists with cameras who’ve come to photograph the famous hotel sail.
The atmosphere here is very similar to neighbouring Barceloneta, so you can only dream of a peaceful rest. The upside, though, is that here you’ll find several more upscale beach clubs and bars where you can rent a comfortable sun lounger with a parasol for a fee. Just bear in mind that prices for a full-day rental can climb quite high in peak summer season, and the spots disappear really fast.
Interestingly, the historic red Teleférico del Puerto cable car departs right from here, carrying you high above the busy harbour up to Montjuïc hill. It’s a great experience and the views over the entire sun-drenched coastline are definitely worth it, just be aware that longer queues often form at the ticket booths by the beach, especially around midday.
Right beyond Barceloneta heading north lies Somorrostro beach, which is firmly tied to Barcelona’s nightlife. It sits right next to the Port Olímpic marina, home to the biggest and most famous nightclubs like Opium or Pacha. During the day, you’ll often see people sunbathing here who danced all night and are now sleeping it off on the hot sand, while lively beach volleyball tournaments go on around them.
Despite its party reputation, this beach is very well maintained and you’ll find all the facilities you need, including spacious showers and clean toilets. Overall, there’s a very youthful and energetic atmosphere here, so you certainly won’t be bored. But if you’re after silence, the murmur of the sea, and peace to read a book, head a bit further north, where the buzz noticeably fades.
💡 Tip: On all of Barcelona’s city beaches there’s a strict ban on drinking alcohol bought from a shop, the so-called botellón. If you throw a party here with a case of beer from the corner shop, you risk an unpleasant fine of €100 to €600. And if minors are with you, the rate rockets up to €1,500.
Once you pass the busy Port Olímpic and head further north, the atmosphere finally starts to noticeably calm down. Nova Icària is an immensely popular family beach that you can reach from the historic centre in roughly fifteen minutes at a brisk pace. It offers very calm water ideal for swimming and excellent facilities for all kinds of water sports.
Compared with the previous beaches, you’ll find much more space here and the sand tends to be considerably cleaner. Right by the beach there are also several quality restaurants and so-called chiringuitos, the typical beach bars. They usually open from spring to autumn and offer great refreshment right by the water, so you can have a coffee or a lemonade with a view of the waves.
This beach is also wonderfully accessible for wheelchair users, and in the summer season there’s even an assistance service for people with limited mobility. They have special amphibious chairs available that allow safe and comfortable entry right into the sea, which makes Nova Icària one of the friendliest spots on the coast.
If you ask locals where they go to the sea after work, most of them will send you right here. Bogatell works as a completely calm alternative to the busy city beaches. From the Poblenou metro station on the yellow L4 line, you can reach it on a leisurely twenty-minute walk, and along the way you can take in the modern architecture of this up-and-coming district.
The sand here is visibly cleaner, the crowds have noticeably thinned, and you have plenty of room to comfortably spread out a blanket and enjoy the space. The beach also boasts the prestigious Blue Flag, which guarantees high water quality and good beach facilities. This is exactly the place where you’ll finally enjoy that longed-for relaxation without constant interruptions from street vendors.
Right on the beach you’ll also find El Xiringuito Escribà, which is one of the best establishments in the city, where people come for its famous paella and excellent vegetable tapas. Definitely make a reservation well in advance, though, because this bar is hugely popular even with locals and is often hopelessly full.
💡 Tip: All of Barcelona’s beaches have a strict smoking ban. The police actively enforce it to protect non-smokers and prevent cigarette butts piling up in the sand, which are a huge environmental burden. With a cigarette in hand you’ll at the very least be shamefully ordered off the beach.
If you keep going even further north, you’ll come across Mar Bella beach, which has a very distinctive, free-spirited character. Since the 1990s, its left section has been reserved as a nudist beach, and historically it’s also the very favourite summer haven for Barcelona’s LGBTQ+ community.
Don’t be misled, though, Mar Bella offers great activities even if you’re travelling with small children or teenagers. Right behind the beach there’s an excellent concrete skatepark, plenty of modern climbing frames, and even a giant slide that can keep kids entertained for hours, while you can read a book on your blanket in peace.
Thanks to its considerably greater distance from the main harbour, the water here tends to be beautifully clear and the horizon isn’t spoiled by as many cruise and cargo ships. It’s a great compromise between good city accessibility by bike or on foot and a pleasantly relaxed beach atmosphere.
Nova Mar Bella lies surrounded by the glass skyscrapers of the modern Diagonal Mar district. You’ll definitely find peace here, but you have to accept that it completely lacks the typical historic backdrop of the old town that you know from colourful postcards and guidebooks. The buildings here are much newer and feel more like a modern residential neighbourhood somewhere in Miami.
This beach is sought out mainly by locals who live in the adjacent new developments, and only an absolute minimum of ordinary tourists stray here. The sand is beautifully fine and the entry into the water fairly gentle, which you’ll appreciate especially during autumn swimming, when the waves are a little calmer and the water temperature is still very pleasant.
Interestingly, thanks to the much more open space, the wind here is often a bit stronger, which makes Nova Mar Bella an ideal spot for flying kites in spring and autumn, and you’ll occasionally come across enthusiasts of various windy beach sports.
These are the very northernmost points of Barcelona’s coastline. Llevant is a relatively new beach that only officially opened to the public in 2006, and it offers a complete escape from the city madness. It’s usually beautifully calm here, and on part of the beach there’s even a special fenced-off area during the summer season where you can bring your dogs for a swim without worry.
Right next to it is the enormous concrete Fòrum zone. Here you actually won’t find any classic sand, but rather paved concrete surfaces with an artificially created sea pool that’s protected from big waves. You descend into the water on metal steps, much like at a classic public lido.
The Fòrum zone is known above all for the fact that huge music festivals are held here, such as the world-famous Primavera Sound. If you just want a quick swim in clean water at the weekend without having to laboriously brush sand off your legs and belongings, it’s quite an interesting and unconventional alternative.
If you want truly wide beaches and crystal-clear sea, do what the Catalans do at the weekend and hop on a commuter train. At Plaça Catalunya, Sants, or Arc de Triomf, board the R1 line towards Maresme and in twenty to thirty minutes you’ll get off at Ocata station. Trains run every half hour and a one-way ticket costs you roughly €4 to €5.
Local bloggers call this beach utterly underrated, because tourists usually travel much further south by train and here you’ll mostly meet only local residents. Awaiting you is an exceptionally wide beach, clean sand, and perfect peace. It’s the ideal choice for those who just want to lie in silence, read a book, and swim in the gorgeous turquoise water.
Right next to it lies El Masnou beach, which seamlessly follows on from Ocata. Here you’ll find a lovely harbour full of small cafés and excellent restaurants, where after a full day of sunbathing you can enjoy great vegetable tapas with a view of the moored sailboats. And if you’d like to go a bit further, in forty-five minutes you’ll reach Caldes d’Estrac, where the beach is lined with old, colourful modernist villas.
If instead you take the commuter train south, your first big destination should definitely be Castelldefels. The journey from the centre takes roughly twenty-five minutes and has one absolutely unbeatable advantage. The train station lies just 200 metres from the sand, so as soon as you step off with your towel, in two minutes you can already take off your shoes and run straight to the water.
The beach offers an incredible five kilometres of golden sand and is considerably emptier than the overcrowded city beaches in Barcelona. It’s beautifully wide, flat, and thanks to the distinctive gentle wind that blows here regularly, it’s also a very popular spot for kitesurfing and other adrenaline-fuelled wind sports.
On the well-kept promenade along the beach you’ll find a huge number of chiringuitos that stay open late into the warm evening. Here you can comfortably rent sun loungers and parasols, whose price usually hovers around €15 to €20 a day, and enjoy the murmur of the sea in peace.
A little further south lies the beautiful and immensely photogenic little town of Sitges. On the R2 Sud line train from Sants or Passeig de Gràcia, you’ll get there in a pleasant thirty-five minutes. Sitges isn’t just about ordinary swimming; it’s a full-fledged all-day trip with stunning architecture that’s definitely worth adding to your itinerary.
The town offers a choice of an incredible 17 different beaches, has old white streets, a beautiful church rising on a cliff right above the sea, and a famous nightlife. It also boasts as many as nine Blue Flags for cleanliness, which is the most in all of Catalonia. On the way by train you’ll also pass the village of Garraf, famous for its iconic green-and-white beach huts set in a small, romantic cove.
⚠️ Important notice for 2026: Extensive construction work is taking place this year on the railway line in the Garraf–Sitges section, and an alternative transport plan is in place. Before your trip, always check the current status at rodalies.gencat.cat so you don’t get stranded on a service disruption and have your plans thrown off.
If you don’t mind travelling a little longer, the romantic cliffs and fragrant pine groves of the famous Costa Brava coast are definitely worth the journey of over an hour. From the Estació del Nord bus station, which lies a short walk from the Arc de Triomf metro stop, direct and comfortable buses run by the Moventis company.
The journey to the picturesque resort of Tossa de Mar takes roughly an hour and twenty minutes and a one-way ticket costs €15 to €27. Tossa is absolutely breathtaking, because a beautiful and superbly preserved medieval castle rises right above its main beach, beneath which you can swim in crystal-clear turquoise water.
A cheaper and slightly more adventurous option is to buy a combined Tren + Bus ticket at the commuter train station. By train you comfortably travel along the coast as far as the town of Blanes, and there you seamlessly transfer to a connecting Autocars Pujol bus that will take you to further seaside resorts along the cliffs.
We also have these detailed guides to Barcelona for you:
Once you’ve had enough of the salty air and beaches, you can set off to discover the city itself or head out on more trips. As I mentioned, during our March visit we mostly walked everywhere, explored the awe-inspiring Sagrada Família inside and out, and sat on that famous mosaic bench in Park Güell. Back then we skipped Tibidabo because of the bad weather and worrying reviews about cars being broken into.
If you’d like help planning your whole stay, take a look at our other articles:
Yes, they occasionally appear, especially when warm winds drive them towards the shore. Always u003cstrongu003ewatch the flag systemu003c/strongu003e by the lifeguards, who monitor safety during the summer season. Green means safe swimming, while yellow urges caution, very often due to increased jellyfish presence or strong currents. Red means an absolute ban on entering the water.
This is an absolute basic rule you must remember. u003cstrongu003eNever leave your belongings unattended.u003c/strongu003e Theft from towels is a massive phenomenon on Barcelona’s beaches. Pickpockets work in teams and as soon as you turn to face the waves, your bag instantly disappears. One of you should always stay on the blanket, or don’t bring anything valuable to the water at all, just a few coins for water.
Absolutely not, drinking alcohol in public, the so-called botellón, is strictly prohibited. u003cstrongu003eFines range from €100 to €600u003c/strongu003e and if there are minors with you, the amount can climb to an incredible €1,500. The ban applies both on beaches and in the streets throughout the city.
No, Barcelona has an u003cstrongu003eabsolute smoking banu003c/strongu003e on all city beaches. The city is trying to combat the huge environmental burden of cigarette butts in the sand and protect non-smokers. Police patrol and will at the very least shame you off the beach with a cigarette.
Chiringuitos are typical beach bars that stand right on the sand. They offer refreshing drinks, coffee and simple tapas. u003cstrongu003eTheir season usually starts in springu003c/strongu003e and they close in autumn. Right at these bars you can legally have a drink and they often rent out comfortable beach loungers with umbrellas.
Definitely don’t try it. Barcelona’s civic ordinance from 2025 u003cstrongu003estrictly prohibits moving through the streets without a shirtu003c/strongu003e or just in swimwear. As soon as you cross the road from the sea into the city, you must get dressed, otherwise you risk a fine of up to €300 and they won’t let you into any establishment or church anyway.
Yes, all main city beaches are u003cstrongu003eequipped with public showers and toiletsu003c/strongu003e. In past years they were occasionally turned off due to extreme drought, but in 2026 the water reservoirs in Catalonia are full again, so there are currently no restrictions for tourists in this regard.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
When it comes to kids’ airplane packing, don’t pack the carry-on just for the flight itself — pack it for the worst-case scenario, the one where your checked bag never shows up. It needs to hold everything essential for the first twenty-four hours in your new destination, so you don’t have to go hunting for an open shop the moment you land.
Besides medicine, travel documents and enough food, don’t forget a change of clothes in case of an accident. Most parents remember a clean T-shirt for their child, but they often forget to pack a spare for themselves.
I’ve put together specific packing lists neatly divided by your child’s age. Read through which toys work best and what to watch out for when packing liquid pouches.
Packing for a trip with a child is a whole new discipline where you learn something new every year. Let’s look at the most important points.
💡 Tip: Pack for the situation where the flight is delayed and your checked bag doesn’t arrive at all. Everything you absolutely need to survive the first 24 hours has to be with you in the cabin.
Picture a perfectly ordinary situation. You board the plane, get settled, the doors close — and then the captain announces that due to a technical issue or the weather you’re facing a delay. You sit on the tarmac for a good three hours and can’t get off. Or, even worse, after a long flight you discover that your suitcase has been lost and all you have is what’s in your hands.
These crisis scenarios are exactly what you pack a child’s carry-on for. Never pack for the ideal flight, because that rarely happens with small children. The cabin backpack should hold a complete survival kit that keeps you calm even when everything goes wrong. The rules on exact bag dimensions and what your child gets for free vary by airline and by the child’s age, so always check them carefully or take a look at our article Luggage for Children on a Plane.
The key is to have everything split into logical groups, so you’re not blindly digging at the bottom of the bag for wet wipes when an accident strikes. Use small fabric pouches or clear cases so you can see at a glance where to reach. It’ll save you an unbelievable amount of stress.
💡 Tip: A plain cotton T-shirt for an adult takes up minimal space in the bag, but in a crisis it literally saves your dignity.
Every parent knows to pack a change of clothes for their child (and most pack two complete sets straight away). But what the vast majority of parents forget on their first flight is a change of clothes for themselves. Seasoned travellers on forums describe it perfectly and bluntly.
One well-known story from the British forum Mumsnet describes a mother who spent a twelve-hour flight covered in vomit from her eight-month-old, who started throwing up shortly after take-off. Spending hours in an air-conditioned cabin in a T-shirt your child has spilled juice on or soiled is absolute purgatory. Roll one spare T-shirt into your bag, and ideally a pair of light leggings too.
Always add at least two empty resealable plastic bags (so-called Ziploc bags) alongside the clothes. When a clothing mishap does happen, you need somewhere to seal the dirty, wet items airtight. That way you stop moisture from ruining the rest of your bag and prevent smells from spreading in the cramped cabin.
💡 Tip: Work out how many nappies you’ll use for the whole journey, from your front door to the hotel, and add a sensible reserve for delays — but don’t drag any more than that into the cabin.
A common mistake nervous parents make is trying to cram a half-holiday supply of nappies into the carry-on. Nappies are bulky and eat up all your precious space. Remember, you can buy nappies literally anywhere in the world, even in the most out-of-the-way little shops. For the plane you only need enough to cover the journey and a possible delay of a few hours.
As for the changing itself, cabin crew swear by one crucial rule. Do a so-called double-nappy change right before boarding, while you’re still in the terminal. The changing tables in aircraft toilets are extremely small, and wrestling a bigger toddler onto one feels like a wrestling match in a phone booth.
Here comes an absolutely critical warning. Used nappies always go in the bin — never throw them into the aircraft toilet. Aircraft toilets work on a vacuum-suction principle, and a nappy full of absorbent gel will jam the system instantly (putting the toilet out of action for the whole cabin). For children under 5 on long flights, consider using pull-up nappy pants. When the plane hits turbulence and the seatbelt sign comes on, your child might not be allowed to the toilet for an hour, and pull-ups act as a safety net.
💡 Tip: Medicine always belongs in the cabin — never put it in a checked bag that could get lost or freeze in the hold.
The contents of your cabin first-aid kit should cover acute situations (fever, pain), not a month’s worth of chronic treatment. The basics for the cabin include fever medicine and a reliable thermometer. Always discuss specific products with your paediatrician in advance. For larger boxes of prescription medication, carry a doctor’s note in English, though airport practice varies ⚠️ (you must always follow the instructions of security staff).
But watch out for the trap that so many families fall into. Sunscreen does not count as medicine and is subject to the standard liquid limits. Liquid rules now differ from airport to airport — some hubs have introduced new CT scanners that allow containers up to 2 litres, while many others (including terminals used by low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet) still enforce the 100 ml limit in a one-litre bag. Always check the rules for the airport you’re flying from and back to.
If you’re thinking of calming your child before the flight with some kind of medicine, be very careful. Don’t give melatonin to children under 2, and for older children always consult a doctor first. We never recommend giving children sleep medication just for convenience on a plane, because in a pressurised cabin they can react unpredictably.
💡 Tip: Baby food and breast milk are exempt from the 100 ml limit — you can bring the amount you need for the journey.
Food and drink are key to a happy child on a plane. While adults have to buy water after security, baby food (snacks, pouches) and milk are exempt from the limit. You don’t have to squeeze them into the clear one-litre bag. Just bear in mind that security may ask you to show the contents or even taste them (practice varies between airports ⚠️).
Don’t rely on the flight attendants — keep an empty resealable water bottle handy. You carry it through security empty and then easily fill it at a drinking fountain at most airports. The air on a plane is very dry and children need to drink far more often, so waiting for the drinks trolley really doesn’t pay off.
When choosing snacks, go for dry, long-lasting items. Crackers, cut-up fruit or snack bars work brilliantly. Avoid anything that melts, crumbles or sticks. Feeding in small pieces also takes plenty of time and naturally keeps your child occupied.
💡 Tip: Use compression bags to separate the kids’ things from yours and save precious space in the backpack.
Packing for a family holiday sometimes feels like moving out of a small flat. If you’re flying with a low-cost carrier on the basic fare (just a bag under the seat), a child’s little backpack simply isn’t enough for the whole holiday. Many parents make the mistake of giving the toddler its own backpack, which the child gets bored of after five minutes — leaving the parent to carry it.
Rather than having no free hands, a much better strategy is to buy at least one adult a higher fare (Priority), which includes a proper wheeled cabin case. You can wheel the case with one hand, wear your backpack on your back, and keep your other hand free for your child. Since 12 November 2025, Ryanair also requires boarding passes exclusively in the app, so you’ll constantly need a hand on your phone.
Organise the bag so the most important things are within reach. Wet wipes, pain medicine and a dummy must never be at the bottom. Put the spare clothes in a compression bag, roll the air out of it and stash it right at the bottom (you won’t need it straight away).
💡 Tip: You don’t need complicated toys — at this age a baby mainly needs sensorimotor stimulation and your closeness.
Travelling with babies under six months is, paradoxically, often the easiest, even though it’s what scares parents the most. A baby usually sleeps through most of the flight if you keep them in a carrier or on your lap. The essentials are plenty of milk (whether breast milk or formula) and a dummy, which helps equalise ear pressure during take-off and landing.
Pack a crinkly cloth book or a toy in contrasting colours. You really don’t need much more. It’s more important to think about your baby’s temperature comfort. There’s often a draught from the floor of the plane and the air conditioning can be aggressive, so pack warm socks and a light cotton blanket to cover the baby when they fall asleep.
For yourself, don’t forget to pack enough breast pads (if you’re breastfeeding) and a disposable changing mat. It’s handy not just for the toilet changing table, but also as a clean surface if you have to lay the baby down on airport seats while waiting for a delayed flight.
💡 Tip: A plain packet of paper tissues makes a genius toy — let them pull out one tissue after another.
This is the age when a child takes in their surroundings far more intensely and won’t just sleep. At the same time they don’t yet understand cartoons on a tablet, so all the entertaining falls on your shoulders. The rescuers tend to be utterly ordinary things. Plain stickers work brilliantly — stick them on the back of their hand and let them try to peel them off.
An empty plastic bottle also does the trick — throw in a few pieces of dry pasta as a rattle (just make sure it’s shut tightly). At this age, restricted movement starts to become a problem. The child wants to crawl or stand up, but has to sit on your lap.
The rule is: only start doling out entertainment the moment boredom sets in. Boarding and taxiing on the runway are visually interesting enough on their own. Let your child watch out the window and look at the safety card. Only once they start getting fussy should you pull out your first trump card.
💡 Tip: Paper masking tape printed with a road stuck onto the fold-down tray table will keep a toddler busy more reliably than expensive toys.
Parents agree that the age between one and three is the hardest of all for travel. The child already wants to walk, has a mind of their own, but still can’t hold their attention on a film. Bring a magnetic drawing board (no markers to ruin the seat) or water colouring books, where the brush only fills with clean water.
Another tried-and-tested trick is reusable window stickers or a quiet book (an interactive fabric book). The zero-cost emergency option is a pad of sticky notes (Post-its) and a pen. Draw faces on them and let your child stick them all over the seat in front of you. They peel off easily and leave no glue behind.
An important rule the whole cabin will appreciate: nothing that makes noise belongs on a plane — nothing that plays tunes, flashes or spills easily. Avoid anything you can’t quickly scoop back into a box with one hand when the plane suddenly lurches. For more tips, check out our article How to Entertain a Child on a Plane.
💡 Tip: On a plane, a tablet is a capsule outside normal time and space — drop the parental guilt and use it to your advantage.
With pre-schoolers and school-age kids, focused activities and storytelling start to work. Pack sticker books, a travel version of a board game (like Dobble or Uno) or building blocks with bigger pieces. A tried-and-tested free trick is to grab a printed toy or perfume catalogue from the duty-free shops at the airport. Kids can flick through and choose from it for tens of minutes.
But the absolute essential is a well-prepared tablet. In-flight Wi-Fi is expensive or doesn’t work, so don’t rely on streaming. Download at least four times what you plan to play (kids often switch, and what they love at home bores them quickly in the air). Don’t forget a strong power bank.
To stop your child from disturbing the people around you, headphones are an absolute must. Look for a pair with a volume limiter, so your child doesn’t damage their hearing in the noisy cabin. They must also have a wired connection option, because not every in-flight system can be paired wirelessly over Bluetooth.
When packing your cabin bag, you constantly have to balance airline limits against airport rules. To keep it all straight, I’ve put together two key tables to help you get your head around the rules for 2026.
Table 1: Airport Liquid Limits (2026) Liquid rules increasingly vary depending on which terminal you’re flying from and whether it has the new CT scanners. Baby food and milk are exempt, but the rest of your cosmetics (and sunscreen) are subject to these limits.
| Terminal type | Limit for ordinary liquids | Take out of the bag? | Who flies from here |
|---|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| Older terminals (no new scanners) | Max 100 ml in a one-litre clear bag | YES (everything into a plastic tray) | Many low-cost carriers, e.g. Ryanair, Wizz Air |
| Terminals with CT scanners | Up to 2 litres at some hubs ⚠️ | NO (thanks to the new CT scanners) | Selected upgraded terminals |
Note: Practice at foreign airports on the way back can differ, so we always recommend planning for the stricter 100 ml option if you’re not sure.
Table 2: Baggage Allowance for Babies (under 2, without their own seat) If you don’t buy your child their own seat (they fly on your lap), they’re not entitled to a standard carry-on. Instead, airlines offer a so-called “baby bag”. Here’s an overview of the three most common low-cost carriers.
| Airline | Baby Bag | Free pushchair / car seat |
|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— |
| Ryanair | 1 bag up to 5 kg (max. 45 × 35 × 20 cm) | 2 items of equipment free |
| Wizz Air | 1 bag up to 10 kg (max. 40 × 30 × 20 cm) | 1 item of equipment free |
| easyJet | Changing bag (max. 45 × 36 × 20 cm) | 2 items of equipment free |
If your first flight is coming up and you want to be absolutely sure you haven’t forgotten anything, read through our other detailed guides. You’ll find answers to everything, from choosing the right suitcase to your first-aid kit.
The biggest mistake is pulling out entertainment before takeoff. u003cstrongu003eBoarding the plane is visually interesting in itselfu003c/strongu003e. Introduce toys gradually (roughly every 20 minutes), only when the initial excitement wears off and real boredom sets in. Save the tablet as your absolute last resort, when your child is already tired.
Yes, u003cstrongu003ebaby food and breast milk (including formula) are exemptu003c/strongu003e from the 100 ml limit. You can bring the amount needed for the journey. However, security may ask you to open the bottle or taste it. For regular water for older children, bring an empty bottle and fill it after security.
Ear pain is caused by pressure changes, most commonly during descent before landing. For babies, u003cstrongu003egive them a pacifier during takeoff and landingu003c/strongu003e or breastfeed them, as swallowing helps equalize pressure. For older children, offer a drink from a bottle with a straw, crunchy snacks, or let them chew. If your child has a cold, consult your pediatrician about nasal spray.
Never give children sleep medication just for your convenience during the flight. u003cstrongu003eMelatonin must not be given to children under 2 years oldu003c/strongu003e and for older children it must be explicitly approved by a doctor. In the pressurized cabin, children may react paradoxically to sedatives with hyperactivity, which only makes the situation worse.
The reality is that a child’s excitement about their own backpack will evaporate after five minutes at the airport. If you’re flying on a basic fare with only a backpack, u003cstrongu003edon’t give your child a heavy bagu003c/strongu003e, because you’ll end up carrying it. Better to give them just a light toy and pack the rest in your own luggage.
Changing tables on airplane toilets are extremely cramped. u003cstrongu003eChange your child right before boardingu003c/strongu003e while still in the terminal. If you must change during the flight, have a disposable changing mat with you. Always throw dirty diapers in the bin, never toss them in the toilet or you’ll clog it.
The key feature is a u003cstrongu003evolume limiteru003c/strongu003e, so your child doesn’t damage their hearing by turning up the volume too high in the noisy airplane environment. Choose headphones that have the option of a classic wired connection, as not all in-flight entertainment systems or children’s toys support modern wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
That iconic silhouette, which seems to seamlessly extend the mountain and forms an unmistakable symbol of the whole of northern Bohemia, tempts you to visit from far away. Ještěd in the Czech Republic, standing 1,012 metres above sea level, isn’t just an ordinary hill above the city of Liberec — it’s a place where breathtaking nature meets architecture that has collected awards from all over the world. Whether you come here for fantastic views, sporting adventures, or you long to spend a night in a one-of-a-kind retro hotel in the clouds, this trip is guaranteed to win you over.
If you’re coming here for the first time, I have to flag one absolutely crucial thing right at the start that catches a lot of visitors off guard on the spot. The cable car from Horní Hanychov straight to the summit is currently not running and won’t be for several more years. Don’t let that put you off at all, though, because there are still plenty of ways to get to the top, and the journey itself through the beautiful nature of the Ještěd–Kozákov ridge is worth it.
Here you’ll find everything you need for the trip — from parking, to a coffee with a view, to a tip on when to set off so you’re greeted by a sea of clouds instead of grey fog. You’ll learn where it’s best to park, which route is the most comfortable with a pram, and of course there’ll be no shortage of tips on the most interesting things waiting for you at the very top. Grab your comfortable shoes and maybe a windbreaker too, because it can get really windy up there, and let’s dive into the planning.
The most common question visitors deal with before the trip concerns transport to the summit itself. The cable car from Horní Hanychov has been out of service since 31 October 2021 and is undergoing full preparation for a complete reconstruction until further notice. The closure came after a tragic accident in which one of the cabins fell from a height of thirty metres, sadly costing the conductor his life. The rail inspectorate later found that the cable car lacked components ensuring automatic brake activation, and the whole case is currently before the courts.
In practice, this means for your trip that you have to get to the top either on foot, by car, or by using the Skalka chairlift, which brings you up to roughly two-thirds of the hill. The official website clearly states that the traditional cable car is currently out of service, so definitely don’t count on it when planning your route.
The good news is that work is already well underway on a project for a completely new cable car. In December 2024, the design by studio Anna Marešová designers was chosen — the same studio, incidentally, behind the look of the new cable car to Prague’s Petřín hill. The new brightly lit silver cabin for a hundred people should resemble a landing UFO, and the line will run right from the tram terminus. In the most optimistic scenario, the first passengers won’t ride until 2029 or 2030 at the earliest.
There are several ways to conquer this iconic summit, and you can choose exactly according to your physical fitness. Take a look at the most popular routes and car parks so you know precisely what to expect.
If you’re travelling by car, you’ll come from Liberec along the E 442 road through the Horní Hanychov district and climb up through the forest to the Výpřež saddle. Here you have a choice of several official car parks, from which you’ll walk the rest of the way. The closest is the U Ještědky car park, where daily parking costs €8 and it’s a pleasant fifteen to twenty minutes up along a small road. Just watch out — the machine here only takes cash.
A cheaper option is the Výpřež car park, where daily parking comes to €4, paid at the local kiosk. From there a roughly three-kilometre walk along a small road awaits you, taking around seventy-five minutes, and it’s great for families with a pram too. Alternatively, you can use the P1 car park right by the Ještěd ski resort, which costs €8 per day and offers convenient access to the hiking trails. You can also drive right up to the summit, where parking comes to €10 per day, but capacity here is very limited.
Hiking lovers can head to the summit directly from Liberec’s Horní Hanychov district, which is easy to reach by public transport. From Hanychov there’s a popular blue-marked hiking trail measuring 3.4 kilometres that prepares you for a fairly steep climb. The total elevation gain on this route is around 450 metres, so you’ll break a decent sweat, but the reward is a beautiful forest path.
The route via Pláně pod Ještědem along the red trail measures 4.8 kilometres, and the climb is noticeably gentler, so you’ll have time to enjoy the views over the countryside along the way. Anyone who wants to make the hike even easier can set off from Černý kopec along the ridge, where it’s just under two kilometres with an elevation gain of only 140 metres.
Even though the cable car isn’t running, you can use the Skalka chairlift, part of the local ski resort, to get closer to the summit. This chairlift operates during the summer season too — in July and August it runs daily, while in September and October it works on weekends and selected holidays. The chairlift comfortably takes you up to Černý kopec, saving you the worst of the climb.
From the top station of the Skalka chairlift, all that awaits you is a pleasant walk along the red hiking trail, measuring just under two kilometres. The journey to the summit itself takes roughly under an hour from the chairlift, and even small children or casual hikers can manage it without any trouble. Current fares for both summer and winter seasons can always be found on the ski resort’s website.
A very practical way to reach the starting point of the hiking trails is to use Liberec’s public transport. A regular tram line runs to Horní Hanychov from the centre of Liberec, taking you all the way to the final stop. Incidentally, this is exactly where the completely new cable car will run from in the future. From the tram you can then smoothly join the blue hiking trail and set off on foot upwards.
This option has one big advantage — you don’t have to deal with parking at all or pay for a full day of parking. The terminus in Horní Hanychov is also the best starting point for the walking climb and for the route to the lower station of the Skalka chairlift.
How much the trip costs depends mainly on how much comfort you treat yourself to on the spot, because access to the summit itself and the views over the region are completely free. There’s no entrance fee to the building and no paid lookout tower, which makes Ještěd a very accessible destination. The basic cost for drivers remains parking, ranging from €4 at Výpřež, through €8 at U Ještědky, up to €10 right at the summit.
If you decide to combine the trip with a gastronomic experience, bear in mind that prices in the restaurant are higher, because they cook with fresh ingredients and the logistics of transporting supplies to the summit cost something. Lunch for two will come to roughly the level of a better city restaurant. The most expensive but also most beautiful option is staying right in the Ještěd Mountain Hotel, where the cheapest rooms start at around €110 per night — but for those unforgettable views it’s definitely worth it.
💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, which usually has the best cancellation terms. Tickets, tours and activities are then worth comparing and buying through GetYourGuide.
Here you’re essentially choosing between two worlds — either a night right in the clouds inside the transmitter, or a comfortable hotel down in Liberec for a fraction of the price. There are simply more options, so it’s easy to pick the right one for your budget and preferences.
By far the most magical option is the Ještěd Mountain Hotel, located right inside the iconic transmitter building. The hotel has a capacity of around forty-five beds divided into six categories, and an excellent breakfast is always included in the price of the stay. The cheapest Economy rooms go from around €110 per night, but bear in mind they don’t have a reserved parking space. More spacious Comfort rooms or the popular Retro ones come to around €180, and there’s a large apartment for families at roughly €410. Guests keep coming back mainly for the incredible atmosphere, watching the sunrise or a winter inversion right from bed, with a sea of clouds directly beneath your feet.
If the hotel at the top is fully booked or you’re looking for a more affordable option, Liberec offers plenty of great hotels, from which you’re at the foot of the hill within minutes. A standard double room in the city ranges between roughly €60 and €80 per night. Here are some tried-and-tested tips for different types of travellers:
Whether you’re on a quick visit or planning a long weekend, you could actually rush through the whole of Ještěd in an hour and head home. But then you’d miss quite a few things that keep people coming back again and again.
The main reason people travel here from far and wide is the fantastic architecture. The building in the shape of a single-piece rotational hyperboloid was built between 1966 and 1973 according to the design of the brilliant architect Karel Hubáček. The roughly ninety-metre-tall building was designed to seamlessly extend the mountain and not disrupt the hill’s natural silhouette, and this very idea made it a world first. On the Amazing Places map it holds a rating of 4.82 out of 5 from a hundred and sixty-five votes, placing it among the best-rated spots in the whole Czech Republic.
This architectural gem replaced the original wooden mountain chalet, which burned to the ground in January 1963. The building’s exceptional quality was confirmed by winning the Perret Prize in 1969, the highest award a Czech architect has ever received. The building — with structural engineering by Zdeněk Patrman and interiors by Otakar Binar — has been a national cultural monument since 2006 and is currently seeking inscription on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage list.
Ownership of this treasure recently underwent a major change when, in February 2026, the Liberec Regional Assembly approved the purchase of the building from České Radiokomunikace for around €7.4 million. The region is already preparing a huge reconstruction, which should cost between €16 and €20 million and take around ten years. Fortunately, these long-term plans don’t in any way restrict the current operation of the hotel and restaurant, so you can view the building both inside and out without worry.
One of the most fascinating technical details of the whole structure, which the ordinary visitor often misses, is an ingenious system of protection against strong winds. The summit of the mountain often experiences extreme weather conditions, and the building naturally sways in the gale, which could compromise its stability. The architects therefore had to devise a way to effectively counteract these huge gusts of wind and ensure the safety of the whole structure.
The solution was a special ring pendulum weighing 800 kilograms, cleverly suspended on dampers in the upper part of the tower. As soon as a strong wind hits the transmitter and the building starts to tilt, this massive pendulum, with its counter-movement, dampens the transverse oscillation. It’s an absolutely brilliant showcase of 1960s engineering skill that still works flawlessly today.
This unique system is hidden beneath the cover of the upper part of the tower, which is made of wound laminate so it doesn’t block the passage of radio waves. Thanks to this pendulum, staying in the hotel and restaurant is absolutely safe even during autumn windstorms. When you’re inside sipping coffee and all hell is breaking loose outside the windows, remember that above your head an 800-kilogram weight is quietly working to keep that entire enormous mass in perfect balance.
If the weather favours you, the views from the summit of Ještěd are among the very best in the whole Czech Republic. From an altitude of 1,012 metres you have the landscape at your feet, and on a clear day you can see deep beyond the borders of the region and even the country. Right beneath your feet stretches Liberec, a city of a hundred thousand, whose streets and parks look from this height like an elaborate model railway.
When you cast your gaze further into the landscape, a fantastic panorama of the Jizera Mountains, the Krkonoše, the Lusatian Mountains and the České středohoří opens up before you. The whole Ještěd–Kozákov ridge forms a natural barrier, so the view to the north towards Poland and Germany has a completely different character than the view into the Czech interior. You could spend hours here just identifying individual peaks on the horizon with a map in hand.
But remember that the weather at the summit can change within a few minutes. It often happens that while Liberec enjoys a sunny day, the mountain top is suddenly shrouded in thick cloud through which you can’t see even ten metres ahead. So it pays to always check the current webcam footage before heading up, so you get the absolute most out of this viewing spectacle.
The experience of the trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the famous restaurant, located right in the ring of the tower and offering panoramic views from every table. The restaurant opens daily at 10:00, when you can have soup and drinks, with the full menu available from eleven o’clock. Evening menu is served until half past nine, so you can comfortably make it here even after sunset.
The kitchen focuses mainly on honest traditional Czech cuisine, and the restaurant’s management takes pride in cooking exclusively with fresh ingredients rather than pre-made products. It’s precisely the high quality of the ingredients and the demanding logistics of transporting supplies to the summit that are naturally reflected in the higher prices on the menu. You can always find the menu for the current season on the restaurant’s website.
What’s more, the restaurant’s interiors are gradually being restored to their original 1970s look, so you dine in an authentic retro setting. Given the enormous interest from visitors, it’s strongly recommended to make a reservation in advance, ideally by phone between nine in the morning and eight in the evening. Without a reservation in high season, you can easily end up waiting quite a while for a free table.
If you want to experience something truly exceptional and don’t mind paying a little extra for the experience, book a stay right inside the transmitter. The Ještěd Mountain Hotel offers a capacity of around forty-five beds and ranks among the most unique places to stay in Central Europe. The rooms are set within the very shell of the hyperboloid, so the windows face down into the valley and you feel as if you’re floating above the landscape.
The hotel is constantly working to preserve its historical spirit, and some rooms have already fully returned to the original retro design by architect Otakar Binar. You can choose from several categories, from the basic Economy class, through the more comfortable Comfort and Retro, to a spacious family apartment that sleeps up to six people. Each stay also includes a hearty breakfast, which you can enjoy in the glass-walled restaurant before the first crowds of visitors arrive up top.
But the very biggest draw is the atmosphere itself, which you can only experience as an overnight guest. Watching the morning sunrise from bed, or the lights of Liberec at night, is simply priceless. The hotel management recommends booking directly through their official website, where you’ll often find the best terms and guaranteed availability of your dream room.
When the first snow falls, Ještěd transforms from a tourist destination into a paradise for all lovers of winter sports. The Ještěd Ski Resort offers a total of twelve slopes and eleven lifts or chairlifts, together making up over eleven kilometres of groomed trails. The season here usually starts at the end of November and lasts until mid-March, and nearly nine kilometres of slopes can be artificially snowed, so a snow cover is guaranteed.
A huge advantage of this resort is its perfect accessibility. As one of the few ski resorts in Europe, you can reach it directly by city tram from the centre of Liberec, and by car it’s just a little over an hour from the wider region. Most visitors use the main P1 area right by the resort for parking, where you’ll pay €8 per day and can put your ski boots on right away.
The main draw of recent years is the modern Nová Skalka slope, which offers top-class parameters for both sporty and recreational skiers. The resort doesn’t forget fans of evening skiing either, for whom there are four hundred metres of floodlit trail available from six to nine in the evening. Ski pass prices are adjusted regularly, so it’s best to buy them in advance through the online pre-sale on the resort’s official website.
As soon as the snow melts, the resort definitely doesn’t fall asleep — quite the opposite. Cyclists, scooter riders and parents with children head here all summer long. The heart of the summer operation is Bikepark Ještěd, which draws cyclists to a superbly maintained flow trail and a technical skill zone where they can hone their abilities. There’s also, of course, a complete bike rental, including the increasingly popular e-bikes, which let you conquer the local hills without unnecessary suffering.
If you’re not exactly a fan of pedalling, you can try a descent on robust off-road scooters, which you can also rent right on the spot. The scooter will safely carry you along the marked routes and it’s fantastic fun for adults and older children alike. The summer operation of the Skalka chairlift comfortably takes you up to the start of the trails, running daily throughout the holidays and on weekends in autumn.
The resort also thinks of the smallest visitors, for whom all sorts of children’s attractions are prepared. In the summer months, children will find big trampolines, a playground and even a pen with sheep, which makes the place an ideal destination for a full-day family outing. For exact rental prices and opening hours of the individual attractions, I recommend following the current information on the portal skijested.cz.
If you want to avoid the steep climb from Liberec but still long to reach the summit on foot, this route is made for you. The trip begins at the top station of the Skalka chairlift, which comfortably takes you up to the flank of Černý kopec. This saves you the most demanding metres of elevation and leaves you plenty of energy for the ridge crossing itself towards the iconic transmitter.
From the top station of the chairlift you join the red hiking trail, which winds mostly along the ridge and offers beautiful views over the surrounding landscape. This final section measures just under two kilometres and the total elevation gain is only 140 metres, which makes it a very pleasant walk. The path leads through forest and partly open terrain, so you’ll enjoy that proper mountain air without extreme physical strain.
At an easy pace you’ll manage this route in under an hour, so it’s absolutely ideal for families with school-age children or for casual day-trippers. During the summer season the Skalka chairlift runs every day, so you can plan this ridge hike practically whenever you like. Just don’t forget to check in advance the time of the last chairlift ride back down to the valley, so you don’t have to walk down in the dark.
There’s one natural phenomenon that turns a visit to Ještěd into an absolutely dreamlike experience, and one that draws photographers from all over the country. During the autumn and winter months, a so-called temperature inversion very often forms here. It means that while all of Liberec and the surrounding valleys lie beneath an impenetrable grey blanket of low cloud and people down there freeze, you stand in bright sunshine at the top of the hill.
The sight is absolutely fascinating, because an endless sea of white clouds spreads out around you, with only the highest peaks of the Jizera Mountains and the Krkonoše rising up like islands in an ocean. This very phenomenon is why it always pays to check webcam footage before a trip. It can happen that even when it’s overcast and foggy at home, the most beautiful sunny day awaits you at the top.
The inversion experience is multiplied even further the moment the day draws to a close and the sun begins to sink towards the horizon. Sunsets above the layer of clouds paint the sky in unreal shades of pink and purple. A photo simply never quite captures that sight. If you have the chance, plan your trip so that you stay at the summit right into the evening hours — that sight will stay etched in your memory forever.
A trip to the mountain doesn’t have to be all about sporting feats and architecture — families with children have a great time here too. The Ještěd Ski Resort has prepared a fun Trail of Ještěd Legends for its youngest visitors, playfully combining exercise in nature with discovering local history. The trail follows well-maintained hiking paths and is designed to keep children’s attention throughout the whole walk.
Along the trail you’ll come across several stops where, through wooden sculptures and information boards, you’ll meet the legendary characters from the surrounding forests. Children will learn plenty of interesting facts about which goblins and ghosts, according to old tales, inhabited the Ještěd–Kozákov ridge. It’s a fantastic way to motivate the little ones to keep walking without constantly hearing the classic question of when you’ll finally get there.
There’s also a bonus tied to the trail: trampolines and a pen with sheep, which graze here over the summer and can easily keep children busy for another hour. If you need advice on the route or want to find out the current status of the attractions, the resort’s info line is open from eight until half past four.
Not everyone has the time or the desire to sit down in the main restaurant with table service during a trip, and the summit of Ještěd is superbly equipped for exactly these cases. The popular Bistro 1012 operates right on the building’s outdoor gallery, and it’s perfect for a quick energy top-up. In summer the bistro is usually open from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon and offers basic refreshments that you can enjoy right there with a view of the surrounding panorama.
An even more relaxed atmosphere is offered by the Rohanka outdoor snack bar, located a short walk below the transmitter itself, which in summer also opens at nine in the morning. Here you can calmly sit on a bench, buy a soft drink, a quick snack, and on hot summer days there’s no shortage of the much-craved ice cream for children either. It’s an ideal stop the moment you’ve got a demanding climb from Hanychov behind you and need an instant boost.
You’ll appreciate these quick snack spots especially on weekends and holidays, when the main restaurant is fully booked and a queue forms in front of the entrance. Thanks to Bistro 1012 and Rohanka, you can be sure that even on the busiest day on the hill you definitely won’t go hungry or thirsty — and on top of that, you won’t lose precious time waiting a long while for a table.
You can conquer this famous summit without much trouble even if you’re bringing the youngest member of the family in a pram. Official data from the Amazing Places portal confirms that Ještěd is very well suited for trips with a pram — you just need to pick the right route. The red hiking trails leading along the ridge from Černý kopec are full of roots and stones, so with wheels you should give them a wide berth.
By far the best and most tried-and-tested option is to set off from the car park at the Výpřež saddle right along the asphalt road. The route is exactly three kilometres long and the whole way you’ll walk along a paved path that winds up in a pleasant, gentle climb. At a calm family pace the walk takes roughly seventy-five minutes, and the reward is beautiful views into the forests along the road.
If even this option would be too demanding for you, or bad weather catches you at the top, there’s one more backup solution. You can drive right up to the transmitter building itself completely barrier-free in your own car, which is a huge advantage for families with small babies or for visitors with limited mobility. Parking right at the top comes to €10 per day, but it gives you the highest possible comfort without having to take a single demanding step.
You’ll enjoy a trip to this landmark of northern Bohemia in any season, but you need to bear in mind that the mountain has its quirks. The weather here changes incredibly quickly and often differs significantly from the conditions down in Liberec. Before you set off, it always pays to check the current situation via the webcams you’ll find, for example, on the portals skijested.cz or ceskehory.cz.
While summer tempts mainly with long days and pleasant temperatures for cycling and hiking, autumn and winter have a completely different charm. The winter inversion, when you stand in the sun above an impenetrable sea of clouds, is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena far and wide. But remember that the summit is almost always noticeably windier and colder than the valley, so even in the heat of summer you should have a reliable windbreaker packed in your backpack.
When planning your trip, a few small pieces of advice will definitely come in handy to save you time and hassle right on the spot:
If you’re planning to spend more time in the region, be sure to check out my detailed guide Liberec: What to See, where you’ll find plenty more tips for trips in the area. For broader inspiration I recommend the article Where to Holiday in Northern Bohemia, or you can explore the tips in Where to Holiday in the Czech Republic. Families with children will definitely appreciate the overview of The Best Water Parks in the Czech Republic, and in winter don’t miss The Christmas Markets in Liberec either.
The most affordable Economy rooms at the Horský Hotel Ještěd start at around €110 per night (approximately 2,700 CZK). The more spacious Comfort and Retro rooms cost around €180 (roughly 4,450 CZK), and for a large family apartment you’ll pay around €400 (about ten thousand korunas). Every stay includes an excellent breakfast.
If you park at the nearest car park U Ještědky, you’ll comfortably reach the top in 15 to 20 minutes. The hike with a pushchair from the more distant Výpřež saddle takes around seventy-five minutes. From the final tram stop in Horní Hanychov, expect a more challenging ascent that will take you one and a half to two hours.
Access to the summit itself and the television transmitter building is completely free. There’s no admission fee as there’s no traditional paid observation tower on site. Your only costs will be parking fees and possibly spending on food and refreshments at the local restaurant or snack bar.
You can use several hiking trails from Horní Hanychov or from the Výpřež saddle, which is accessible by car. The ascent can be made much easier by taking the summer Skalka chairlift, from which it’s less than an hour’s walk along the ridge to the summit. Alternatively, you can also drive all the way up to the building itself.
The traditional gondola cable car from Horní Hanychov has been permanently out of operation since the tragic accident in October 2021 and is awaiting the construction of a completely new line. Only the Skalka chairlift from the ski area is in operation, running in both summer and winter seasons and taking you up to Černý kopec near the summit.
Yes, the place is very accessible for trips with a pushchair. The best and most comfortable route is the approximately three-kilometre paved road from the Výpřež saddle, which climbs gently and takes about seventy-five minutes. Completely barrier-free, you can also drive with a pushchair by car all the way to the car park right next to the hotel.
Absolutely yes, the location is officially rated as suitable for visits with dogs and you’ll meet plenty of dog walkers on the hiking trails and around the transmitter. You can safely take your four-legged friends on a hiking trip, just keep them on a lead in busy areas and on narrow paths.
An overnight stay at the Horský Hotel Ještěd is one of the most unique experiences in the Czech Republic and definitely worth it. The retro-style rooms offer fantastic views from windows facing down into the valley, and in the morning you can enjoy the magical sunrise in complete privacy before the first tourists arrive at the mountain.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
You don’t need a visa to visit Svalbard, Norway, the site of the world’s northernmost scheduled flight. Thanks to a unique treaty from 1920, the archipelago is formally open to everyone, but without a valid passport and special insurance, the harsh Arctic will only reluctantly let you go any further. And yet you can reach this icy kingdom comfortably in a single day, flying via Oslo.
If you’re planning a trip to a place where polar bears outnumber people, you have to be ready for a completely specific set of rules. Svalbard (part of Norway) works entirely differently from the mainland. Ordinary European health insurance doesn’t apply here, you can’t leave town without a rifle, and the local supermarket won’t sell you a beer unless you show your plane ticket.
From flights to documents and insurance to alcohol quotas: these are the things that really make the difference when planning a trip to the end of the world. Including the strict new rules in force from 2025 and 2026, why April is the absolute winner, and why you’d better avoid November.
Planning a trip beyond the Arctic Circle calls for a slightly different approach than a regular European holiday. Let’s take a detailed look at the ten most important points that will determine the success of your Arctic expedition.
You can reach Svalbard lufthavn (code LYR) with just two airlines. These are the Norwegian carriers SAS and Norwegian, which keep up a reliable year-round service to the archipelago. During the peak summer season and the spring months, both airlines significantly increase frequency, so there can easily be seven flights a week from Oslo. The first morning planes take off from the Norwegian mainland before seven a.m., while the evening ones land in the Arctic after eight p.m.
The most common starting point is the Norwegian capital. The direct flight from Oslo takes just under three hours, and return tickets cost around €270–310 if you buy them early. SAS also operates very popular flights with a stopover in Tromsø in northern Norway. From that town above the Arctic Circle, the hop to Svalbard itself takes just a pleasant hour and a half.
If you’re flying in from major European hubs, you’ll always have to change planes at least once. I’d recommend booking your tickets with a huge head start, easily 330 days ahead, when the reservation systems open. Aircraft capacity to Longyearbyen is strictly limited, and in the spring months, when the snowmobile season peaks, the best dates tend to be hopelessly sold out.
Arctic weather is unpredictable and can mercilessly wreck even the best-planned itineraries. Flights to Svalbard depend heavily on current visibility and wind strength. It’s not at all unusual for a plane from Oslo to make it all the way over Longyearbyen but be unable to land safely because of thick fog. After an hour of circling above the fjord, the pilot simply apologises and heads back to the mainland with all the passengers.
If you’re due to connect to an expensive expedition cruise on Svalbard or have a multi-day dog-sledding trip booked, never fly in at the very last minute. Travel forums are full of sad stories from people who missed their ship’s departure because of a delayed flight and lost thousands of euros as a result. The ideal strategy is to arrive in Longyearbyen a day or two early.
You can put this so-called buffer day to great use acclimatising to the freezing temperatures. Pop into the Svalbard Museum, where an entrance fee of 160 NOK (about €14) takes you through the whole history of the archipelago, from whalers to miners. You can also fill the time at the North Pole Expedition Museum, which charts the airship race to the North Pole. And if your luggage is delayed during a connection, you’ll at least have time to wait for the next flight, or buy warm clothes in the local shops.
Svalbard has an absolutely unique legal status in the world, stemming from an old international agreement. Under the so-called Svalbard Treaty of 1920, Norway requires no visa for entry to the archipelago, regardless of your nationality. You can even live and work here for an unlimited time, as long as you can support yourself and find your own accommodation.
But there’s one crucial catch that tourists often forget when planning their trip. Svalbard is not part of the Schengen Area or the European Economic Area. To get here, you have to go through a standard passport check when departing from Oslo or Tromsø, which formally means leaving the Schengen border. The same awaits you, of course, on the way back.
Although the Norwegian authorities theoretically accept national ID cards from EU countries, in practice a classic passport is strongly recommended everywhere. The airlines SAS and Norwegian often require it outright, and the local Governor warns against travelling on an ID card. With only an ID card you could run into completely needless problems handling emergencies, so definitely don’t leave your passport at home in a drawer.
The familiar blue European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will, plainly put, be useless to you here. EU rules don’t apply to the archipelago at all, and the small local hospital in Longyearbyen deals only with acute cases. There’s no maternity ward, no complex surgery and no long-term care. Any more serious health problem requires immediate air transport to Tromsø on the Norwegian mainland, which without good insurance gets incredibly expensive.
Your travel insurance must also cover search and rescue operations, known by the acronym SAR. Arctic nature doesn’t forgive mistakes, and sending out a rescue helicopter to a remote fjord costs astronomical sums. If you go on an organised trip with a local certified agency, they usually arrange this special insurance as part of the trip price.
For independent travellers, though, strict new rules apply from January 2026. If you want to head outside the marked zone around town on your own, you have to report your plan to the Governor at least 4 weeks in advance. The application must include proof of a huge financial guarantee for a potential rescue operation. For the most common zone A, for example, you must prove coverage of 120,000 Norwegian kroner.
The runway at Svalbard lufthavn is built on permafrost right on the shore of an icy fjord, and the descent over the snowy peaks alone is worth a window seat. The airport is genuinely small, efficient and sits just a few kilometres from the centre of town. Right by the baggage claim you’ll be greeted by the iconic stuffed polar bear, which is by far the most popular spot for your first holiday photos.
The easiest way to get to your hotel with your bags is to use the official airport bus, called the flybuss. It runs in reliable connection with every arrival and departure, and dutifully calls at all the main hotels and guesthouses in town. A one-way ticket costs about 100 NOK (around €9), but a return ticket, which is better value, will set you back 170 NOK (approx. €15). Note that you can only pay by card on the bus.
If you’re in a real hurry or travelling in a larger group of friends, you can happily use the local taxi service. The ride to the centre takes just five to ten minutes and costs roughly 150 to 250 NOK (about €13–22). Car rentals do exist here, but renting a car makes absolutely no sense. The entire road network is only a little over 40 kilometres long, and you won’t be able to drive beyond the town limits anyway.
So when is actually the best time to head to the far north? According to local guides, the absolute peak of the tourist season is unquestionably April. By this month there’s already plenty of daylight, but the landscape is still deeply frozen and covered in a thick layer of snow. It’s the absolutely ideal time for long, full-day snowmobile trips to Tempelfjorden and superb dog-sledding rides.
A very magical period is also the turn of February and March, when the sun returns after the long polar night. Right in Longyearbyen, the traditional Sun Festival (Solfest) is celebrated every year on 8 March, when the sun’s rays fall on the steps of the old hospital for the first time. During this period the sky turns pastel shades of blue and pink, which is exactly why photographers make the trip.
Bear in mind, though, that March is statistically the coldest month of the whole year. Daytime temperatures regularly drop to a freezing -20 to -30 °C, and the icy wind lowers the feels-like temperature even further. Early spring is also the best time to visit the stunning ice caves, which you reach either on foot or by a special snowcat.
May is a very odd transitional period on Svalbard, one that travel forums often strongly warn about. The snow around town starts to melt slowly and turns into deep mud, but the sea fjords are still firmly frozen. Cruise ships therefore can’t reach the glacier fronts, while the snowmobile season is slowly ending because of the melting ice. If you come in early May, you risk not being able to do either summer or winter activities to the full.
The real polar summer breaks out fully in June and lasts until the end of August. From roughly 20 April to 23 August the phenomenon of the midnight sun rules here, meaning the sun never sets below the horizon at all. Summer temperatures most often hover between a pleasant 3 and 7 °C, occasionally climbing to ten degrees. For a good night’s sleep, definitely pack a quality eye mask, or you won’t drop off.
Summer is the main season for boat trips, trekking and wildlife watching. You can set off on a cruise to the abandoned Russian town of Pyramiden or look out for belugas by the glacier walls. Since 2025, however, very strict nature-protection rules apply here. Cruise ships may carry a maximum of 200 passengers, must keep a distance of 300 to 500 metres from polar bears, and flying drones is completely banned in the national parks.
From mid-November to the end of January, the dark polar night reigns over the archipelago. The sun never appears above the horizon and even at true noon it’s pitch black outside. Travellers’ experiences are absolutely clear on this. November is probably the toughest and least welcoming month of the year to visit, because it’s very windy and there’s no snow for winter activities. If you really must go in winter, at least head to coal mine number 3 for a tour.
Many tourists fly here in winter dreaming of the perfect aurora, only to be disappointed. The truth is that Svalbard lies too far north for watching the aurora borealis. The main auroral belt is often located much further south, over northern Scandinavia. If your main goal is a dancing green sky, I’d recommend heading to Tromsø in Norway instead, where your chances of success are far greater.
Winter on Svalbard does, however, have one absolutely fascinating exception. During the deep polar night it’s so dark here that you can watch the northern lights even at true noon. Longyearbyen is in fact the only inhabited place on the planet where you can realistically experience this so-called daytime aurora. It’s more of a curiosity for enthusiasts, but if luck grants you a clear sky, you’ll see something truly unique.
The key to survival in the harsh Arctic is a well-thought-out clothing layering system. Whether you go in winter or summer, forget about one huge, shapeless jacket. Instead, opt for quality merino wool thermal underwear, an insulating fleece layer and a completely windproof outer shell. The wind is your biggest enemy here, and it can easily turn a normal -10 °C into a feels-like -25 °C within a few minutes.
In the summer months, be prepared for the fact that the Arctic tundra can be incredibly wet and full of treacherous mud. Quality waterproof hiking boots are an absolute must, because you’ll often be wading through shallow streams and soggy snow on your trips. Ordinary town trainers will soak right through within the first ten minutes of your walk.
A local quirk that tourists often aren’t ready for is the strict rule of taking your shoes off indoors. In Longyearbyen you must remove your shoes in hotels, museums, the library and the tourist info centre. It’s an old tradition from the mining days, to stop black coal dust being carried inside. So bring plenty of warm, clean socks, as you’ll be spending a lot of time in them.
Shopping on Svalbard has its own very specific and often amusing rules. The whole archipelago is a duty-free zone, which in practice means that outdoor gear and electronics tend to be noticeably cheaper here than on the Norwegian mainland. Fresh food, however, has to be laboriously flown in, so you’ll pay a hefty premium for something as simple as apples or fresh milk. Cooking from the well-stocked local supermarket still pays off.
The biggest curiosity is unquestionably the sale of alcohol. In the local Svalbardbutikken supermarket you’ll find the Nordpolet department, where a strict rationing system applies. As a tourist, you have to present your plane boarding pass at the till, or they simply won’t sell you spirits or beer. Wine is thankfully exempt from these historic quotas, so you can buy it without restriction.
The last and perhaps most important piece of advice is to plan early. Popular glacier trips, walrus cruises and dog-sledding rides tend to sell out months in advance in high season. The capacity of certified guides is strictly limited and can’t be expanded in any way. From 2027, moreover, all guides will have to hold official state certification, which will limit places on trips even further.
💡 Accommodation and experiences tip: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, where the cancellation terms tend to be best. Tickets, trips and activities are then worth comparing and buying through GetYourGuide.
Prices on Svalbard are high even by normal Norwegian standards, and accommodation, together with trips, is the biggest budget item. There’s no cheap Airbnb-style cabin here; you’ll mostly sleep in classic hotels or guesthouses. Where you choose to stay directly affects how much you’ll walk in the cold and wind, because the town is spread out along a long valley. Let’s look at some specific tips by budget.
If you’re after a more affordable option and don’t mind longer walks, head to the Nybyen district at the upper end of the valley. The cheapest beds are at the Gjestehuset 102 guesthouse, where a double room costs roughly €150 to €180 a night. The district is safe, but it’s about a thirty-minute walk into the centre full of restaurants. Right next door stands the popular three-star hotel Coal Miners’ Cabins, set in beautifully renovated former miners’ lodgings.
For those who want to stay right in the heart of the action, I recommend the Basecamp Hotel. It offers an absolutely wonderful trapper atmosphere full of driftwood and furs, so you’ll feel like you’re on a real polar expedition. Directly opposite stands the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen, which holds the title of the world’s northernmost full-service hotel and offers amazing outdoor hot tubs with mountain views.
If you’re looking for luxury and top-notch dining, the clear choice is Funken Lodge. This boutique hotel sits slightly uphill above the town centre and offers first-class service. In bad weather you may appreciate that you don’t even have to go outside, because their hotel restaurant cooks absolutely fantastically and even offers great vegetarian menus.
A significant chunk of your budget will be swallowed by the compulsory organised trips, because you simply can’t get beyond the town limits without a paid guide carrying a rifle. Here’s a rough cost overview to give you an idea (reckon roughly €0.09 per 1 NOK):
For a short four-day stay I’d recommend setting aside roughly €1,700 to €2,100 per person (including flights, accommodation and at least two proper trips). If you want to save, the well-stocked local Svalbardbutikken supermarket lets you cook your own meals, and you can then invest the money you save into better experiences out in the field.
If the Arctic north tempts you, I’ve prepared more guides to help with your planning. Read about everything you can see and do in Svalbard, or dive into the details of the capital itself in the article Longyearbyen: what to see.
For those considering a route by water, I recommend the detailed overview Trips and cruises in Svalbard. If you’re more interested in the northern lights, find out why it’s better to head to the mainland to Tromsø: the gateway to the northern lights. And for a general overview of the Scandinavian climate, take a look at the article When to visit Norway: Norwegian weather.
Here are the answers to the questions almost everyone asks before a trip to Svalbard.
You don’t. Thanks to the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, citizens of all signatory states can travel here without a visa, and the treaty has been in force for many countries since the early years. However, you must go through passport control when departing from mainland Norway, as Svalbard is not part of the Schengen Area.
Formally, EU citizens can travel with an ID card, but airlines and the Governor of Svalbard strongly recommend carrying a valid passport. Without one, you could face serious problems in case of emergencies, as the islands lie outside the European Economic Area.
It’s not. The archipelago does not belong to the European Economic Area at all, and the local hospital only handles the most essential cases. You must therefore arrange comprehensive commercial travel insurance that also covers search and rescue operations.
A direct flight from Oslo takes just under 3 hours, and from Tromsø you’ll arrive in as little as an hour and a half. A round-trip ticket from Oslo typically ranges from €240 to €300, depending on the season and how far in advance you book. In summer, flights operate up to seven times a week.
The deepest darkness occurs from mid-November to the end of January, when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all (polar night). Surprisingly, the coldest month is statistically March, when daytime temperatures commonly drop to extreme -20 to -30 °C.
Although the polar night in Svalbard is perfectly dark, the archipelago is already too far north for reliable aurora borealis viewing. You’ll have a much better chance of seeing a spectacular light show on mainland Norway in Tromsø, which lies directly beneath the auroral oval.
Your best chance is during the summer months (July and August) on expedition cruises around the archipelago. Remember, however, that bears are wild animals, must not be actively sought out, and since 2025 boats must strictly maintain a minimum distance of 300 to 500 meters.
Ideally several months ahead. The spring season (March and April) and peak summer (July) in Longyearbyen sell out incredibly far in advance. Guide capacity for snowmobile tours or boat trips is very limited and cannot be expanded.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
Welcome to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, a place where there are more snowmobiles than permanent residents. A town where you have to stash your rifle in a special locker before entering the supermarket, where restaurants ask you to take off your shoes, and where dying is officially discouraged, because the local cemetery hasn’t accepted new burials for decades. That’s exactly what this northernmost fully functioning town on Earth is like.
Although it sounds like the plot of a gritty Nordic thriller, the reality is incredibly warm and cosmopolitan. Longyearbyen on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago (Spitsbergen) is home to roughly 2,400 people from more than 60 countries, who together face the polar night and the unpredictable Arctic weather. You’ll find top-notch dining, cozy cafés, a university campus, and even the northernmost brewery on the planet.
This guide walks you through the very best the town has to offer — from snug little cafés and dark mine shafts to where you can grab a beer brewed from glacier water. I’ll also let you know which time of year to come so you don’t get stuck in total darkness, and where to stay, because moving around the island comes with some very strict safety rules.
Picking the right season is absolutely crucial on Svalbard, because nature here dictates ruthlessly what you can do. From late October to mid-February the polar night rules, and from November 11 to January 30 the sun never rises above the horizon at all. November and December can be very harsh, windy, and dark, so outdoor activities are kept to an absolute minimum. On the other hand, it’s the only time you can theoretically watch the northern lights even at high noon, which is a genuine world first. Travelers often point out, though, that Svalbard lies paradoxically too far north, so the aurora itself tends to be weaker here than, say, in Norway’s Tromsø.
The best compromise and the most photogenic time is considered to be the turn of February and March, when the snowy landscape is bathed in a fascinating blue light. On March 8 the locals also cheerfully celebrate the so-called Solfest, the day when the sun’s rays first touch the steps of the old hospital. April is then the absolute peak of the winter season. The days grow longer incredibly fast, the snow offers ideal conditions for snowmobiles, and the sun is already high in the sky. Just be aware that hotels tend to sell out well in advance and temperatures still regularly drop to -20 °C.
The summer season kicks off in May, and from late June to August it brings endless midnight sun and melting ice. This is when all the boat trips depart from Longyearbyen to see walruses, whales, and the vast bird cliffs. Locals sometimes call summer the muddy season, because the snow melts and you’ll need genuinely good waterproof hiking boots for the trails, but the blooming tundra is absolutely worth it. The ideal length of stay in town is roughly 4 to 5 days, and it’s smart to keep one day as a buffer. Flights from Oslo occasionally get canceled due to strong winds.
💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, where the cancellation terms are usually the best. For tickets, tours, and activities it pays to compare and buy through GetYourGuide.
Since the town is very small and classic Airbnb apartments basically don’t exist here, you’ll be choosing from just a handful of hotels and guesthouses. I recommend booking your accommodation far in advance, easily three quarters of a year ahead, because capacity fills up extremely fast, especially in April and summer. From the airport you can easily reach all the main hotels on the flybuss airport bus, which costs around 100 NOK one way.
If you’re after absolute comfort and a great location, stay at the popular Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen. It sits right in the center, offers fjord views from outdoor hot tubs, and prices start from around €300 a night. For lovers of boutique style and luxury, the absolutely ideal choice is Funken Lodge, which rises on a hill above town and boasts fantastic breakfasts. Just keep in mind that in a winter blizzard the uphill walk from the center is a bit more demanding.
A golden middle ground with authentic historic atmosphere are the Coal Miners’ Cabins in the Nybyen district, where miners once slept. Also very popular is the Basecamp Hotel, which instantly charms you with its rugged trapper design full of wood and furs. An excellent central option is the modern Svalbard Hotell Polfareren, or the quirky guesthouse Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg, set in a former miners’ lodge and offering a great restaurant too.
If you’re traveling on a limited budget, the hostel Gjestehuset 102 is probably the cheapest decent option in town, with a bed from around €70 a night. Just count on a thirty-minute walk into the center, which in the biting Arctic cold can be quite a challenge. 😅
Even though the town is small, there’s surprisingly plenty to see, and some things you truly won’t find anywhere else on the planet. Here are twelve tips that will help you make the most of it without any pointless wandering.
On your first walk through town, the brightly colored facades of the local houses immediately catch your eye, contrasting with the harsh surrounding nature. These vivid colors are no accident at all — they’re meant to psychologically help residents get through the endlessly long dark months of the polar night. The main pedestrian zone is lined with cozy cafés, shops selling luxury outdoor gear, and parked snowmobiles everywhere. In fact, there are officially more of them registered than there are residents.
As you enter many buildings, you’ll notice one huge peculiarity. In most hotels, museums, and even the tourist information center, you have to take off your shoes right at the entrance. This unusual tradition comes from the days of massive coal mining, when locals tried to keep the ubiquitous black dust from being tracked into clean interiors. Today it’s more of a cultural ritual, so don’t forget to pack some nice — and above all warm — socks.
On the edges of town you’ll be sure to come across the most photographed road sign in the world. It shows a black polar bear in a red triangle with the warning “Gjelder hele Svalbard,” meaning “Applies to all of Svalbard.” This very sign clearly marks the boundary of the safe zone, the so-called Management Area 10, beyond which you can’t take a single step without a loaded rifle or an armed escort.
💡 Tip: Carrying a firearm into the Svalbardbutikken supermarket and other public buildings is strictly forbidden. In front of the shop you’ll therefore find special lockable cabinets for rifles, where hunters and guides must leave them.
If you really want to understand in depth how this inhospitable place even works, your first steps should clearly head to the Svalbard Museum. This award-winning and extremely modern exhibition offers the best possible introduction to the history and nature of the entire archipelago. You’ll learn absolutely everything from the brutal first whaling expeditions, through the harsh life of Russian Pomor hunters and Norwegian trappers, to modern geological research and coal mining.
A large part of the beautifully designed museum is devoted to the unique Arctic fauna and flora. Up close you can view a majestic stuffed polar bear, a huge walrus, and the endemic Svalbard reindeer. With its disproportionately short legs and stocky body, it looks more like a cute plush toy than a rugged Nordic animal. You’ll also find fascinating, detailed information on how local animals managed to biologically adapt to the extreme cold and endless darkness.
Admission for an adult costs 160 NOK, roughly €14, and children under 18 get in completely free. The museum is open every day, mostly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and you should set aside at least two hours for a really thorough visit. Remember that the strict shoe-off rule applies here too, right in the lobby by the ticket desk.
💡 Tip: The museum has a very well-stocked shop with amazing books about polar expeditions, maps, and Arctic literature you won’t find anywhere else.
A little farther toward the harbor lies another fascinating institution that will delight absolutely every lover of history and adventure. The North Pole Expedition Museum focuses exclusively on the heroic and very tragic attempts to reach the North Pole using giant airships. It was from Longyearbyen and the nearby research town of Ny-Ålesund that the most famous and boldest polar expeditions once set off.
The star of the gripping exhibition is the story of the airship Norge from 1926, aboard which the legendary Roald Amundsen, Umberto Nobile, and Lincoln Ellsworth successfully flew over the North Pole. But the exhibition also maps in great detail the subsequent catastrophic voyage of the airship Italia, which crashed tragically onto an ice floe in 1928 and triggered the largest international rescue operation in the entire history of the Arctic.
In the two-story museum you’ll find heaps of stunning period photographs, original film footage, old newspaper clippings, and preserved personal belongings of polar explorers. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Three times a week — on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — there are also morning guided tours with an excellent guide, which add incredible depth to the dramatic stories.
💡 Tip: The exhibition is really quite specific and text-heavy, so if you have even a slight interest in aviation history and the conquest of the polar regions, you’ll be absolutely thrilled and could easily spend an entire afternoon here.
Even if you’re not religious at all, you definitely shouldn’t miss a visit to the friendly local church during your walk through town. Svalbard kirke is, after all, the northernmost Christian church in the whole world and forms the absolute social heart of the local community. The wooden building with its typical bright red facade stands on a slightly elevated spot above town, and its large windows offer a beautiful view over the entire valley and the frozen fjord.
The most interesting thing about this sanctuary is that it’s open around the clock, 24/7. It works not just as a place for quiet prayer, but above all as a safe refuge and cozy social space for all permanent residents and freezing visitors alike. Inside you can sink into comfy armchairs in the adjoining lounge, warm up by the fireplace, and read a book.
The parish also offers weary tourists free hot coffee, tea, and cookies, and especially during the polar night people love to come here to shelter from the darkness and the icy wind, so the church works like a communal living room for the whole town. In crisis situations it also carries huge symbolic significance — during the devastating avalanches of past years, for example, it served as the main crisis center for evacuated residents.
💡 Tip: Quite unsurprisingly, you have to take off your shoes right at the door of this church too, so don’t forget to bring clean and ideally woolen socks so your feet don’t get cold from the floor.
Getting a truly local beer on Svalbard was practically impossible for many decades. Under a very old Norwegian law from 1928, originally meant to prevent severe alcoholism among the hard-working miners, commercial alcohol production was strictly banned across the whole archipelago. But former miner and pilot Robert Johansen spent a full five years wearily battling the authorities and, in 2014, finally achieved an unprecedented change to the constitution.
Thanks to his incredible persistence, Svalbard Bryggeri was able to open, the world’s northernmost brewery, set at the 78th parallel in the middle of the Arctic wilderness. The first trial batch of beer was bottled here in the summer of 2015, and since then it’s become a huge hit across the whole island. The uniqueness of this beer lies, among other things, in the fact that it’s brewed from incredibly pure freshwater ice from the nearby Bogerbreen glacier, which is roughly two thousand years old.
The brewery offers fantastic and very funny guided tours combined with a generous tasting. On them you’ll learn absolutely everything about the absurd bureaucratic hurdles that preceded its founding, and you’ll taste five different kinds of local beer straight away. The tours usually take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday in the early evening, last about an hour and a half, and cost around €45.
💡 Tip: On Friday evenings the brewery turns into a very popular bar for the locals. It does get quite crowded, but it’s a great chance to soak up the authentic Nordic atmosphere.
The entire modern existence of Longyearbyen is utterly inseparable from coal mining, which began in earnest here in 1906 thanks to the American entrepreneur John Munro Longyear. To truly grasp how extremely demanding and dangerous this work was in Arctic conditions, head off on a tour of the historic mine Gruve 3. This mine was permanently closed in 1996 and today works as an absolutely fascinating time capsule, where time seems to have stood still.
During the dark tour you’ll be kitted out with a classic miner’s helmet, a strong headlamp, and a special heavy overall. An experienced guide first leads you through the sprawling outdoor facilities, shows you the grimy workshops, and finally takes you right into the dark, icy mine shafts. You’ll see the original preserved machinery and hear harsh stories about how miners had to work lying down for whole days in seams just 60 centimeters high.
And right now this tour is even more powerful than before: at the end of June 2025, the last active Norwegian mine, Gruve 7, was closed, definitively ending the entire coal chapter of Svalbard after nearly 120 years. The Norwegian town is now going through a complex and costly transition to cleaner energy sources, relying primarily on tourism and research.
💡 Tip: You can easily book tickets for the three-hour mine tour online. Inside the shafts there’s a constant temperature close to freezing and a strong draft, so really dress very warmly.
If you want to experience the real, unspoiled Arctic wilderness without needing physically demanding expeditions, book an unforgettable evening at Camp Barentz. This cozy camp lies about ten kilometers outside town in the wide Adventdalen valley. It’s located far from any light pollution, which makes it an absolutely superb spot for watching the magical northern lights during the winter months from October to March.
The main building of the camp is a precise wooden replica of the historic hut in which the discoverer of Svalbard, Willem Barents, harshly wintered on Novaya Zemlya in 1596. Inside, a huge blazing fire catches your eye, where armed guides greet you with a smile (yes, armed, because bears don’t book ahead for morning coffee). The whole evening is then all about storytelling about the life of trappers in the far north.
During the evening a traditional hot meal is served, often an unlimited amount of hearty reindeer stew. Vegetarians needn’t worry, though — just let them know in advance and they’ll prepare an excellent meat-free alternative for you. There’s also coffee brewed right over the fire and sweet Arctic desserts. The highlight of the program is a fascinating educational talk about the king of the Arctic, the mighty polar bear, where you’ll learn absolutely everything about its habits and surprising migration routes.
💡 Tip: This immensely popular trip lasts about three hours and costs around 1,545 NOK, roughly €135. Convenient bus transfer from your hotel and back is of course included in the price.
High above Longyearbyen’s airport, set deep into the frozen slope of Platåberget mountain, lies the famous Svalbard Global Seed Vault, often nicknamed in the media as the doomsday vault. This key global backup system opened in February 2008 and serves to safely preserve seeds of the world’s agricultural crops in case of huge global catastrophes, wars, or irreversible climate changes.
Currently, deep in the permafrost at a constant and carefully guarded temperature of -18 °C, more than 1.4 million seed samples from all over the world are safely stored. Although this place is immensely important for the future survival of humankind, as an ordinary tourist you’ll never get inside under any circumstances. Entry is strictly forbidden to outsiders, and the massive vault opens only a few times a year to receive new precious shipments.
Even so, it’s absolutely worth making the trip up to the vault for a while. The imposing concrete entrance portal, which juts sharply out of the snowy slope, is decorated with a stunning light art installation. Especially on a winter night, the blue-green glowing roof in the middle of utter wilderness feels almost magical and mystical. It’s a very popular short stop on sightseeing bus tours.
💡 Tip: You could theoretically walk to the illuminated portal straight from the airport, but remember that it sits on the very edge of the safe zone, so it pays to keep your eyes peeled or better yet rely on an organized guided ride.
The landscape around Longyearbyen practically begs for hiking, but as already mentioned, you simply can’t go past the polar bear sign on your own. Local authorities require that anyone leaving the red-marked safe zone carries a loaded rifle, a flare gun, and, of course, knows how to handle them in a crisis situation.
For the average tourist it’s practically impossible to simply borrow a firearm these days, because the approval process can take up to two months and involves a lot of complicated paperwork. That’s why by far the best solution is to join an organized trek with a certified guide. Very popular, for example, is the hike up the plateau mountain Platåberget, which rises to 450 meters and offers a breathtaking view over the whole town and the frozen Isfjord. A great alternative is the hike to the summit of Sarkofagen, which leads right along the edge of the glacier.
The guides on these hikes act not only as your personal protection against bears, but also serve as excellent sources of information about local wildlife, the melting permafrost, and geology. During the short Arctic summer, be aware that the terrain tends to be very muddy and slushy, so you definitely can’t do without quality waterproof hiking boots.
💡 Tip: As of 2026, new strict rules also apply to rescue-operation insurance. If you go with an official tour operator, they handle all the complicated bureaucracy and hefty insurance guarantees for you. A half-day hike will cost you roughly 800 to 1,000 NOK.
Svalbard is a free-trade zone, which in practice means that no Norwegian VAT or high excise taxes apply here. Thanks to this, sporting and outdoor gear in the local shops is surprisingly cheaper than on the Norwegian mainland. If you need a new winter jacket or quality merino wool, it pays to shop right here in the center.
A completely different and much more complicated story, though, is written when it comes to alcohol, which is subject to a strict rationing system. It’s a leftover from the coal-mining days, when the authorities tried to limit drinking among the miners. Alcohol is sold exclusively in the special Nordpolet section inside the main Svalbardbutikken supermarket. Local residents have strict monthly quotas here, allowing them to buy, for example, only 24 cans of beer and two bottles of spirits.
As a tourist you can of course buy alcohol, but at the checkout you must present a valid boarding pass or return flight ticket. Without a ticket the cashier won’t sell you a single can of local beer. While alcohol is cheaper here, fresh food is, on the contrary, noticeably more expensive due to the costly air transport.
💡 Tip: Remember that on your way back to Oslo or Tromsø you’re on a domestic flight. So alcohol bought on Svalbard is not covered by the usual international duty-free import limits, so it’s better to drink any larger stash before departure.
Who would expect to find working galleries and a lively cultural scene at the end of the world? And yet here they are! For just 2,400 residents there are several art institutions. One of the most interesting is the Kunsthall Svalbard gallery, which falls under the art museum in northern Norway and brings modern visual art to the remote Arctic.
The local exhibitions very often focus on themes closely tied to the north, such as ongoing climate change, relentless isolation, melting glaciers, or the tangled history of polar discoveries. The exhibition spaces themselves are on the smaller side, but the curatorial selection tends to be absolutely top-notch and offers a great contrast to the frosty reality outside.
In the town center you’ll also come across smaller private galleries and charming craft workshops. It’s right there that you can buy original jewelry or beautiful prints by artists inspired by the play of light, the northern lights, and the endless white wilderness.
💡 Tip: Cultural life here pulses mainly during local festivals. If you arrive in autumn, you might catch the popular Dark Season Blues music event, while in spring people cheerfully celebrate Solfest, which welcomes the long-awaited return of the sun above the horizon.
For a town so extremely cut off from the rest of the world, the local food scene is absolutely phenomenal. Right off the bat I have to mention the celebrated Fruene café, which is officially the northernmost chocolate shop in the world. They make superb pralines shaped like polar bears and great coffee that’s absolutely ideal for warming up after a frosty walk.
For an excellent lunch or dinner, be sure to head to the popular Kroa restaurant. It’s built entirely from massive driftwood and has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. They serve fantastic pizza at pretty reasonable prices, which all vegetarians will surely appreciate. I also have to mention the modern Stationen restaurant, which tastefully combines Norwegian classics with international cuisine.
If you’re after real culinary luxury, book a table at the legendary Huset restaurant. This institution is located in the old cultural house and hides beneath it a wine cellar with more than 15,000 bottles. Although Nordic establishments commonly tempt you with lots of fish and local meat specialties, most quality restaurants, including the Funken Lodge hotel, also offer a very thoughtful and tasty vegetarian menu.
💡 Tip: Dining in restaurants is generally very expensive. A typical main course will cost roughly 250 to 400 NOK, that’s about €22 to €35. If you want to save, the Svalbardbutikken supermarket is superbly stocked and even has a hot food counter with service.
The town itself will easily keep you busy for two days, but the real magic lies beyond its borders. Full-day trips are expensive, sure, but they form the absolute essence of a journey to the end of the world.
Planning your trip and still have plenty of unanswered questions? Svalbard is such a specific destination that it pays not to underestimate anything. Here are the answers to what travelers ask most often.
For a typical stay in the city with a few day trips to the surrounding area, u003cstrongu003e4 to 5 days are absolutely idealu003c/strongu003e. If you come just for a long weekend, you risk missing out on everything due to a delayed flight or bad weather. A longer stay of more than a week only makes sense if you’re following up with a multi-day expedition cruise around the islands.
Yes, within the clearly marked safety zone that covers the entire city centre, the harbour and the road to the airport, u003cstrongu003eyou can move around completely freely without a rifleu003c/strongu003e. But as soon as you pass the traffic sign with the polar bear, you’re entering the wilderness, where a weapon or the presence of an armed guide is an absolute necessity.
Not at all, it’s very easy. For every arrival and departure there is always an u003cstrongu003eairport bus (flybuss)u003c/strongu003e, which costs around 100 NOK (approximately €9) per journey. It stops at all the main hotels and guesthouses in town, so it will take you with your luggage right to your door.
Unfortunately, Svalbard is one of the most expensive destinations in all of Europe. For a u003cstrongu003eregular main course in a restaurant you’ll pay between 250 and 400 NOKu003c/strongu003e (€22–35), and an ordinary burger costs around 220 NOK. You can save significantly by buying ingredients at the local well-stocked supermarket.
Yes, and surprisingly well. Longyearbyen is connected to mainland Norway by huge underwater optical cables, so the u003cstrongu003einternet here is extremely fast and stableu003c/strongu003e. Your European roaming data should work here without any problems, but to be safe, check with your operator beforehand.
Paradoxically, not at all. Longyearbyen lies u003cstrongu003etoo far north, beyond the main belt of the northern lightsu003c/strongu003e. Although you can see them here during polar night, they’re often weaker than in northern continental Europe. If aurora borealis is your main goal, head to Tromsø instead.
This curious shoe-removal rule applies u003cstrongu003ein almost all hotels and guesthouses, in the Svalbard Museum, in the church and in some shopsu003c/strongu003e. At the entrances you’ll always find large shoe racks and often communal slippers. I recommend packing warm and, most importantly, clean woollen socks for your trip.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
Lukáš and I put off Jonášek’s first flight until he was almost two, but today flying is the easiest way for us to travel. Being nervous about flying with children is completely understandable, but with the right preparation you can handle it without any stress.
The key is knowing the rules, because they differ from one carrier to another. While full-service airlines charge roughly a tenth of the adult fare for an infant ticket, low-cost carriers charge fixed fees — with Ryanair it’s €25 per leg. On top of that, every child needs their own travel document.
Below you’ll find a complete overview of 14 areas you need to sort out before your trip. I’ve put together everything from buying tickets and stroller rules to clearing liquids at security and tips for keeping little ones entertained on board.
Once you decide to buy your tickets, a whole set of small decisions awaits you. This guide works as the main pillar of the whole topic of flying with children, so for each big area you’ll find the essential core plus the specific rules.
Airlines have their own rules on how old a baby must be to be allowed on board. While KLM has no minimum age and you could theoretically fly right after birth, some carriers won’t carry a baby at all within 48 hours of delivery. Between 48 hours and seven days, you’ll then need a special medical form. Carriers like Wizz Air or easyJet set the limit strictly at 14 days of age.
Pediatricians, however, see things a little differently and commonly recommend waiting at least two to three months before the first flight. The reason isn’t the flight itself or the cabin pressure, but above all a newborn’s immature immune system. Airport halls are full of people from all over the world, and the enclosed cabin space poses an unnecessary risk of infection that’s best avoided in the first weeks.
If you are flying, a common childhood cold becomes a huge issue. Blocked sinuses mean the child can’t equalise the pressure in the middle ear, which can cause serious pain during descent. Before the flight, always consult your pediatrician about a suitable nasal spray, and for little ones keep a good nasal aspirator ready in your carry-on.
The minimum age at individual airlines, pediatricians’ recommendations, and tips on where to go for your first trip are covered in detail in the article From What Age Can a Baby Fly.
Every child must have their own travel document to cross borders, even if they were born just a few weeks ago. For travel within your home region a national ID card may be enough (where accepted), which is cheaper and quicker to obtain. But if you’re heading to Egypt, Turkey or anywhere outside your free-movement zone, you’ll need a full passport for the baby.
The biggest catch lies in how the child looks in the photo. The law is clear that the document holder must resemble the photo, and with toddlers that changes at lightning speed. If your passport photo shows a sleeping one-month-old baby and you’re flying with a two-year-old full of curls, it’s better to replace the document in advance. Officers at the airport can turn you away and refuse boarding over a striking mismatch in appearance.
From spring 2026 the European rules are also changing. The EES (Entry/Exit System) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 for trips outside the Schengen area, and the good news is that children under 12 are not fingerprinted — only a photo of their face is taken. Late in the year (Q4 2026 is expected) the ETIAS system will come into force, where children under 18 don’t pay the fee but each must have their own approved application. If you’re flying with a child on your own or you have different surnames, always carry a written consent from the other parent for travel, and to be safe a copy of the birth certificate too.
A consent template, signature verification, and the difference between an ID card and a passport can be found in the separate guide Consent for a Child to Travel and Documents for Children.
Plenty of parents are under the illusion that a child under two without their own seat flies completely free. The reality is that the infant fee often catches you off guard. Full-service network airlines usually charge around 10% of the adult fare, which is a great deal on long-haul flights. Low-cost carriers, however, have hard fixed fees for every flight leg.
With Ryanair you pay a fixed €25 per leg for a lap infant, so a return ticket for the baby comes to €50. In practice it commonly happens that the ticket for your child is more expensive than your own discounted seat. Wizz Air charges around €27 per leg, but if the adult fare is cheaper, the fee is fairly reduced to that level.
Watch out especially for a second birthday celebrated during your holiday. Airlines don’t care how old the child is when you buy the ticket, but how old they are on the day of boarding. If your child turns 2 during your trip, they must have their own seat booked for the return flight. Airlines differ in how they handle this, so check with your carrier before booking whether you might have to pay the full adult fare at the airport.
A complete overview of infant fees and a calculation of when it pays off to buy a separate seat can be found in the article Airline Ticket for a Child.
If you’re planning to travel with children on your own without another adult, you need to know one absolutely uncompromising aviation rule. One adult may only be responsible for one infant under two years of age. It’s pure physics and safety in emergencies, when an adult simply can’t safely secure two small children on their lap at once.
This means that if you’re a solo parent with twins under two, forget about lap-only tickets (both children on your lap). You simply won’t be checked in at the desk. In that case either a second adult must fly, or you must buy a full seat for the second child and place them in a certified car seat approved for aviation use.
The age of the accompanying person also varies by carrier. With Ryanair the companion must be at least 18, while with Wizz Air 16 is enough. Special rules also apply to unaccompanied older children. Some carriers offer this service for schoolchildren aged 6 to 11, but low-cost carriers like Ryanair, Wizz Air or easyJet don’t offer an unaccompanied minor service at all — passengers can only fly alone with them from age 16.
How to handle twins, travelling with grandma, and different surnames is covered in the article Solo Parent and Twins on a Plane.
Seating families together on a plane was a nerve-racking game for years, but things are finally changing. The European Parliament and the EU Council approved the final text of the passenger rights revision on 13 July 2026. Under the new law, a child under 14 must be seated next to their accompanying adult free of charge. Because of a transition period, though, we’ll realistically only see this legal certainty from mid-2027, so for now you must pay close attention to individual carriers’ rules.
After pressure from regulators, Ryanair scrapped the mandatory family seating fee on 25 June 2026. If you choose random seat assignment, the system will place children under 12 next to an adult for free. There’s one crucial catch, though, because families relying on random allocation almost always end up in the back of the plane, since the front rows get snapped up by paying passengers.
If you’re flying with a lap infant, never choose an aisle seat. With Ryanair there’s a hard rule that an adult with an infant must sit exclusively by the window, purely for safety reasons. Only above the window seats are there two oxygen masks. This rule shatters the traditional internet advice to never pay for seats at all, because if you want to be sure the whole family flies together, you simply have to buy that window.
How to avoid being split up for free and what to do when it happens anyway is covered in the article Where to Sit with a Child on a Plane.
A stroller falls under the category of baby equipment and travels with you free of charge with the vast majority of airlines. At home we have a compact travel stroller, the Joolz Aer, and we’re extremely happy with it for flying because it’s incredibly easy to handle. Always check in advance, though, how many pieces of equipment your carrier will actually let you bring.
The most common practice is the so-called gate-check, where you take the stroller all the way to the boarding gate, fold it there, and staff take it down to the hold. If you’re flying on holiday with certain carriers, watch out for their conditions of carriage. Some explicitly state that they’re not liable for damage to unwrapped strollers. A protective bag for the stroller or wrapping it properly in shrink film is then absolutely essential.
If your stroller comes out on the belt at your destination damaged, never leave the airport hall. All international flights are covered by the Montreal Convention, and you must report the damage immediately at the baggage claims desk, where they’ll issue a PIR report. You then have an obligation to lodge the claim in writing directly with the airline within 7 days, otherwise your right to compensation lapses.
All three check-in scenarios, airline rules, and how to claim for damage can be found in the article Stroller on the Plane.
The full claims process, including deadlines, is in the article Damaged or Lost Stroller.
Most parents choose lap travel with a supplementary infant belt for children under two. In terms of saving money that’s completely understandable, but the US FAA strongly warns that the safest place for such a small child is a certified car seat secured on its own seat.
The reason isn’t potential crashes, but strong turbulence, which is by far the most common cause of injury to children on board. During a sudden drop, an adult simply can’t physically hold onto a child on their lap. If you buy the child their own ticket, you can bring a car seat approved for aviation use on board, which is always placed on the window seat so it doesn’t block a potential evacuation.
An alternative for children from one year weighing between 10 and 20 kilograms is the certified CARES harness. This system slips over the aircraft seat back and creates a five-point harness. It’s accepted by Ryanair, Lufthansa and Emirates, for example, but individual carriers’ rules keep changing, so always confirm in writing with your airline whether you can use it.
How to recognise aviation certification, what the CARES harness can do, and how to handle a seat at your destination is in the article Car Seat on the Plane.
What exactly you get for your money differs dramatically depending on the type of airline. While with Lufthansa a lap infant is often entitled to their own checked bag up to 23 kg (depending on the fare purchased), with low-cost carriers the situation is much stricter.
Ryanair allows only one small bag up to 5 kg for a lap infant, and since 12 November 2025 requires digital boarding passes in the app exclusively, so you should devote the space you save to a reliable power bank. Wizz Air allows one small piece of baggage for the baby, but with a very specific rule for strollers. This Hungarian airline absolutely bans the carriage of any electric and motorised strollers, even in the hold.
The most generous, on the other hand, are the Nordic and Dutch airlines. KLM, for example, gives babies without their own seat a bag with a generous allowance of 12 kg. If you need exact figures, take a look at our other articles Ryanair Baggage: Dimensions, Weight and Fees or Wizz Air Baggage, where we break these limits down to the last centimetre.
A complete table of what a child gets free of charge with each carrier is in the article Baggage for Children on a Plane.
You pack the carry-on backpack for the worst possible flight scenario, when you hit a three-hour delay or your checked suitcase doesn’t arrive at your destination. Most parents dutifully pack two complete sets of spare clothes for the child, but they regularly forget one absolutely critical thing.
Always pack an ordinary spare T-shirt and leggings for yourself in the backpack. On travel forums the same horror scenario comes up again and again, where parents spent a twelve-hour flight in clothes completely covered in vomit from an eight-month-old who got sick right after takeoff. A rolled-up adult T-shirt takes up almost no space and, in a crisis, will literally save your sanity.
Don’t forget to pack at least two empty resealable Ziploc bags, in which you can hermetically seal wet and dirty things. Don’t count nappies by the day — estimate consumption for the journey itself plus a reasonable buffer for delays. You can buy nappies literally everywhere in the world, and in the backpack they just needlessly steal precious space. For details on how to choose the right carry-on backpack, check out our guide Carry-On Backpack: How to Choose the Right One.
A complete list by the child’s age, from baby to schoolchild, is in the article What to Pack for Children on a Plane.
This is currently the biggest information trap out there. European airports are gradually rolling out new CT scanners that scrap the annoying 100 ml liquids limit. Since 1 October 2025 this relaxed regime applies at some terminals, where you can bring one container of liquid of up to 2 litres per person — but crucially it only applies at terminals with the new scanners.
Be very careful if you’re flying on holiday to Turkey, Egypt or the UK. Many terminals are not affected by the change at all and still enforce the strict 100 ml limit in a single one-litre bag. It’s usually not the airline that decides which terminal you use, but your destination — so always double-check before you set off.
The good news is the exemption for families. Baby food, purée pouches, formula milk and water in a thermos to prepare it are exempt from the 100 ml limit in the quantity needed for the journey. This exemption is governed by the airport’s own rules, not the airline. Security may ask you to open a bottle, show the contents, or exceptionally even taste it. Be cooperative with them — it’s part of their job. More on what’s allowed on board is in the article What Can and Can’t I Take on a Plane.
Exactly what gets through security and how much liquid they’ll allow is covered in the article Food and Drink on a Plane for Children.
Once you arrive in the departures hall, you head to the check-in desk, where they weigh your suitcases and put a baggage tag on your stroller or car seat. You then take the stroller to security, where you have to empty it completely.
At larger airports, look for a special priority lane for families with small children, the so-called fast track. It saves you a lot of time in the queue, and staff there understand that folding a stroller simply takes time. If you handed your big stroller in right at the check-in desk, many airports let you borrow a free airport buggy in the transit zone and take it all the way to the boarding gate.
In the transit zone, then, try to tire the child out as much as possible. Many airports offer well-equipped play areas and quiet rooms with a microwave and changing tables. Don’t let the child sit at the gate with a tablet — let them watch the bustle on the apron instead, so they board the plane full of impressions and ready to sleep.
Play areas, quiet rooms, buggies and fast track are covered in the article Prague Airport with Children.
The physics in the cabin can trouble even adults, let alone children’s ears. The pressure in the plane doesn’t equalise automatically, and the higher pressure starts pushing on the eardrum, which causes that sharp pain. It surprises many parents, but the descent tends to be much worse and more unpleasant for the ears than takeoff itself.
The most effective weapon is swallowing, which opens the Eustachian tube. For infants, plain breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle works best. For older toddlers, drinking through a straw or chewing on favourite crackers does the trick. If the child has a cold or blocked sinuses, the pain multiplies, so always consult a pediatrician in advance about using a suitable nasal spray.
Never try to give your child sleeping remedies for a long flight that a friend recommended. The International Paediatric Sleep Association strongly prohibits giving melatonin to children under two and permits it in older children only after consulting the treating physician. Instead, get quality children’s headphones with a volume limiter for the flight, which will dampen the monotonous engine noise. Also don’t forget to pack basic fever medication, which we write about in our guide Travel First-Aid Kit: What Belongs in It.
What works by age and when it’s better to postpone the flight is covered in the article Ear Pain on a Plane in Children.
The biggest mistake new parents make is firing off all their entertainment trump cards before the plane even leaves the ground. On board, apply the iron rule of rotation and dole out activities in thirty-minute chunks at most.
First explore the safety card together, then pull out the first small toy. A great trick is to wrap new little items from the stationery shop in plain wrapping paper, because the unwrapping itself takes up plenty of time. Nothing that plays tunes, beeps, or is made of hundreds of tiny loose pieces belongs on a plane.
And now the most important thing: drop all the guilt about the tablet. Even child-development experts agree that screens on a plane won’t do any harm, so the rules from home can go out the window for those few hours. But keep the tablet in reserve as your heaviest weapon, for the moment when the child really can’t take any more, is tired, or when you hit a delay on the apron. Download the content to the device in advance, because airport Wi-Fi tends to be unreliable.
Specific tips by age and the activity-rationing rule are in the article How to Keep a Child Entertained on a Plane.
When a plane is delayed by more than three hours, EU Regulation 261/2004 kicks in, guaranteeing financial compensation. For families with children, though, there’s one huge and highly disputed grey area. Some airlines claim that a lap infant without their own seat has no entitlement, while legal interpretations say that if you paid any fee for the child, the entitlement arises. Practice varies, airlines often reject claims, but the advice is clear: always submit a claim for the infant and don’t be brushed off the first time around. More on the claims process is in the article AirHelp Review: Claiming Flight Compensation.
With family travel, the risk that the whole holiday falls apart because of a child’s illness the night before departure is also extremely multiplied. Good cancellation insurance is an absolute must. If your child falls ill at two in the morning and you fly at six, you won’t manage to cancel the tickets in the system in time. In that case you need a no-show confirmation from the airline and a doctor’s report on unfitness to travel, otherwise the insurer won’t reimburse you anything.
💡 Tip: If you’re flying to more distant destinations, you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle by choosing the right car seat at the rental company, because the laws in the destination country can differ dramatically. In Spain, for example, children under 135 cm must be in the back seat, and the fines are uncompromising.
When an entitlement to compensation arises and how to submit a claim is covered in detail in the article Flight Delays with Children.
To give you a better idea of how much a ticket for your youngest child will cost, I’ve put together an overview of fees at the most common carriers. These amounts apply to an infant under two travelling on your lap without their own seat. Always verify the prices at the time of your specific booking, because airlines like to quietly change them.
| Airline | Infant fee (0-2 years) | What’s included free in the ticket |
|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— |
| Ryanair | €25 / £25 per leg | 2 pieces of equipment (stroller + car seat) |
| Wizz Air | approx. €27 per leg | 1 piece of equipment (stroller or car seat) |
| Smartwings | Reduced fare (depending on the specific flight) | Stroller, cot and car seat |
| Lufthansa / SWISS | 10% of the adult fare | Checked bag up to 23 kg + 2 pieces of equipment |
| British Airways | 10% of the adult fare | 2 pieces of equipment |
| easyJet | Fixed fee (per current price list) | Up to 2 pieces of equipment (including a baby carrier) |
If you’ve already sorted out your tickets and you’re wondering exactly where to head with the family, get inspired by our itineraries and tips from places we’ve fallen in love with. Travelling with children has a completely different dynamic, so we’ve put together practical guides to popular destinations for you:
This is a common financial trap. Airlines don’t care about the age at purchase, but on the day of the flight. A child who turns two during the trip must have a full seat purchased for the return flight. With most carriers you’ll pay the full fare, so sort this out when making your initial booking.
It depends on the terminal. Liquid allowance rules vary by airport and security zone. Some major European airports allow up to 2 liters of liquids in certain terminals, while stricter zones enforce a 100 ml limit. Baby food and milk are usually exempt, but for regular drinks for older children, security often insists on disposal without compromise.
It depends on the specific airport and the current situation on the tarmac. Your stroller may be returned to you right at the aircraft door (at the jet bridge), on the regular baggage carousel in the arrivals hall, or at a special oversized baggage counter. Always ask the cabin crew when disembarking.
Low-cost carriers like Ryanair have a strict rule that an adult with an infant in lap must sit by the window. The reason is the number of oxygen masks, because only above window seats are two masks installed, which you absolutely need in case of cabin pressure drop.
If both children are under two years old and you plan to hold them in your lap, you cannot fly alone. For safety reasons, the rule is one infant per adult. For the second child you would have to purchase a separate seat and place them in a certified airline car seat.
Pediatric sleep associations strictly prohibit giving melatonin to children under two years old, and for older children only allow it on explicit medical recommendation. Don’t casually dose your children with medication on board, instead rely on natural tiredness from the airport and quality children’s headphones.
If your stroller comes out on the carousel damaged, never leave the transit zone. Find the claims desk, have a PIR report issued, and carefully keep your baggage tag. You must then report the damage to the airline in writing within 7 days at the latest, otherwise your claim for compensation will be forfeited.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
Malmö in Sweden is the country’s youngest and by far its most multicultural city, a place where former rusting shipyards have transformed into a hypermodern district crowned by an iconic skyscraper. Right in the centre you can swim in the sea without a second thought, gazing out at a gigantic bridge, and you’ll reach that same bridge from Copenhagen airport on a comfortable train in just twenty minutes. This city works as an absolutely ideal and affordable gateway to Sweden, one you can easily explore over a single long weekend.
While Stockholm can sometimes feel a touch stiff and pricey, Malmö is bold, relaxed and incomparably cheaper. You can comfortably explore it on foot or on a rented bike, because the terrain here is as flat as neighbouring Denmark. On every corner you’ll also stumble across fantastic street food, led by the legendary falafel that will reliably rescue your travel budget.
We’ve put together 18 concrete tips on what to see and do in Malmö, from the historic castle through the best falafel to a sauna above the sea. So you won’t miss anything key. I’ll tell you which districts to head to for history and where modern architecture pulses instead, recommend strategic spots for accommodation, and add a detailed budget so you know exactly how much this Nordic stop will really cost you.
If you want to experience the city at its very best, head here between May and the end of August. The south of Sweden has a fairly mild climate and in summer temperatures sit very pleasantly around 20 to 25 degrees. The days are unbelievably long, the sun sets late in the evening, and the whole Västra hamnen district and Ribersborg beach come alive with picnics and swimming. May is downright magical, too, because the entire surrounding province of Skåne bursts into millions of yellow rapeseed flowers.
During August the city hosts the huge Malmöfestivalen festival, which lasts a whole week and turns the centre into one big party. The streets fill with concerts, food stalls from all over the world and art installations, and most of the programme is completely free for visitors. Just bear in mind that accommodation disappears at lightning speed during this period and hotel prices shoot sky-high. A smaller pitfall lurks at the end of June during the summer solstice celebrations (Midsommar), when Swedes head en masse to the countryside and plenty of city businesses may be unexpectedly closed over the weekend.
The winter months, by contrast, have a very specific, even slightly melancholic atmosphere. December tempts you with traditional Advent markets on Gustav Adolfs Torg square and gorgeous light displays, but the days are extremely short and darkness falls around three in the afternoon. Temperatures hover near zero and a sharp wind often blows in off the sea, so you’ll bundle up in a scarf and spend most of the time dashing between warm cafés, museums and saunas.
💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, where the cancellation terms tend to be best. Tickets, tours and activities are then worth comparing and booking through GetYourGuide.
Choosing the right district will save you plenty of time and money on public transport, because Malmö is fairly compact. The most strategic choice is the area around the main station (Malmö Centralstation), from where it’s just a few steps into the historic centre and you can hop on a train towards Copenhagen or the airport whenever you like. Another great alternative is the modern Västra hamnen district, which offers stunning sea views and a calmer atmosphere, even though it’s about a twenty-minute walk into the old town.
If you’re after absolute comfort and fantastic views, Clarion Hotel Malmö Live is probably the best choice in the whole city. It’s an unmissable modern building right by the station, from which you’ll see the harbour and the historic centre laid out below you. A double room here goes for roughly 1,400 SEK (about €130) a night, and the price includes an utterly lavish breakfast that, thanks to the enormous selection, will keep you going for a good half of the day.
If you love industrial design and stylish interiors, definitely consider Story Hotel Studio Malmö right beside the water canals. The rooms have bare concrete ceilings and huge windows with sea views, and there’s a great restaurant with a terrace on the top floor. Prices here are very similar, usually starting around 1,300 SEK (about €120) a night.
If you prefer sustainable architecture and complete quiet, you’ll definitely be won over by Ohboy Hotell right in the eco-friendly Västra hamnen district. It offers unique rooms with their own street entrance, in front of which a city bike is automatically parked for you free of charge for the whole stay. A night here costs around 1,200 SEK (about €110) and, thanks to a little kitchenette, you can comfortably make your own breakfast from local ingredients. Anyone travelling on a very tight budget, on the other hand, can go for the clean and practical STF Malmö City Hostel in the centre, where a bed runs to about 300 SEK (roughly €28).
Thanks to its enormous mix of cultures, the local food scene is incredibly varied and, trust me, you certainly won’t go hungry here. Malmö also offers great value for money, especially if you know exactly where to go and what to taste. Whether you’re in the mood for a culinary experience or just looking for something warm to grab while wandering the city, you’ll always find a great option here.
If you’re after something quick and don’t want to hurt your wallet, head straight to the Möllevången (Möllan) district. This is where the legendary Malmö falafel is made, perfected to an art and available for just a few euros. Try renowned spots like Jalla Jalla or Falafel N.1. For lovers of calmer seating and a slightly more polished atmosphere, I’d recommend the modern covered market hall Malmö Saluhall, where you’ll find the best of local and world cuisine neatly under one industrial roof. ☺️
Here’s where the fun part begins: what makes Malmö win you over and what you’ll carry away in your memory. Historic landmarks blend seamlessly here with hypermodern architecture and tell the story of a city that transformed from an industrial port into a green metropolis of the future. You can comfortably reach most locations on foot, but for the more distant spots I recommend making use of the excellent city bike network.
The symbol of the new Malmö is undoubtedly the unmissable Turning Torso skyscraper, which rises to an impressive 190 metres and serves as a perfect landmark for the entire coastline. It was designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and its unique shape resembles a human body twisting around its own axis. Until recently it was the tallest building in all of Scandinavia, before it was overtaken by a few metres by the new Karlatornet project in neighbouring Gothenburg.
The building has 54 floors in total, and its construction was incredibly technologically demanding because the area is battered by strong sea winds. The façade twists a full 90 degrees from base to top, which in real life looks truly stunning (the building twists before you like a petrified dancer). If you want to take the best photos, I’d recommend shooting from a slight distance from the neighbouring Scaniaparken, where the whole twisted silhouette stands out against the Nordic sky and you get just the right angle without distracting elements.
There’s one small catch, though, that plenty of disappointed tourists run into right at the entrance. The skyscraper serves exclusively as luxury residential housing and offices, so there’s absolutely no observation deck for the public and no way to look inside. You’ll therefore see it only from the outside, but even so it’s an architectural experience you can easily reach on foot or on city bus number 2.
💡 Tip: the most beautiful view of the Turning Torso is at sunset, when the snow-white façade turns orange and the surrounding water canals reflect the last of the daylight.
Right beneath the skyscraper spreads Västra hamnen (the Western Harbour), probably the most interesting urban development project in all of Sweden. As recently as the 1980s, heavy industrial halls stood here and the giant Kockums shipyards operated, but after they went bankrupt the city opted for a radical cut. They levelled the whole area to the ground and built a district that runs one hundred percent on local renewable energy.
A stroll through the maze of modern houses, narrow streets and water canals will completely absorb you, and you’ll barely encounter any cars. Local residents collect rainwater here and grow vegetables on the rooftops, and the whole waste system is cleverly handled by innovative vacuum pipes hidden deep underground. The architecture is incredibly varied, since each block of houses was designed by a different studio, so you won’t find two identical buildings side by side.
The district’s biggest draw, though, is the long coastal Sundspromenaden promenade with its gorgeous wooden jetties. In the summer months locals spend whole days here, sunbathing on the boards and jumping straight into the sea, which is surprisingly clean. Grab a coffee at one of the seafront cafés, sprawl out on a wooden jetty and let your eyes wander over the silhouette of the Öresund Bridge in the distance.
💡 Tip: in the afternoon a fairly strong wind blows in off the sea, so even in summer it’s best to pack a light windbreaker or sweater in your backpack so you don’t get chilled needlessly by the water.
Just fifteen minutes’ walk from the historic centre you’ll come across Ribersborgsstranden, which locals lovingly nickname Malmö’s Copacabana. It’s an incredible three-kilometre stretch of fine, pale sand lined by a well-kept grassy park full of old trees. In summer you’ll find hundreds of people playing beach volleyball here, families with children on picnics and enthusiastic swimmers enjoying the refreshing water of the Öresund strait.
At the very end of the beach, a long wooden jetty stretches out into the sea, and at its end proudly stands the historic Ribersborgs Kallbadhus baths. This gorgeous wooden building from 1898 looks like something cut straight from an old period film and offers an utterly authentic Nordic experience. Locals come here to practise the traditional Swedish ritual of winter bathing (vinterbad), which involves alternating between a scorching sauna and then jumping into the icy sea water.
The baths are very strictly divided into a men’s and a women’s section, because you bathe here in the saunas and the sea exclusively without swimwear. Entry works out to about 85 SEK (roughly €8) and you get unlimited time to relax. Believe it or not, after an hour of sauna and icy water you’ll drag yourself out of the baths with the feeling that you’ve just survived a full-body reset, and you’ll love it. Even if the initial shock of the icy water takes a bit of courage.
💡 Tip: after your sauna, don’t forget to sit down in the cosy local café, which is accessible clothed for everyone and offers a fantastic hot tea with a view over the waves.
Once you’ve had your fill of modern architecture by the sea, head into Gamla staden (the Old Town), whose beating heart is the picturesque little Lilla Torg (Small Square). It was founded back in 1592 and to this day has kept its utterly unique historic atmosphere thanks to the original cobbled streets and beautifully restored half-timbered houses from the 16th century that frame the space on all sides.
During the day the square works as an ideal and very photogenic refuge. Fika is Sweden’s national ritual (an afternoon break with coffee and a cinnamon bun, without which you simply can’t survive here), and you’ll pay on average around 65 to 100 SEK (€6 to €9) for one. The most iconic building here is the so-called Hedmanska gården, an old merchant’s courtyard that today houses the wonderful Form/Design Center with free entry.
As evening strikes, the whole mood changes radically and the square’s cobblestones turn into one big pulsing open-air bar. Restaurants and pubs fill their heated terraces to the last seat and locals head here for a drink after work. The prices of alcoholic drinks here are admittedly among the higher in the city (a beer will easily cost 80 SEK, around €7), but for that wonderful historic character it’s definitely worth it.
💡 Tip: if you find the terraces on the main square full, try the tucked-away courtyard behind Café Pronto, where you’ll often find a free table and far more peace away from the main bustle.
Right next to the intimate Lilla Torg opens up the enormous expanse of the main Stortorget square, one of the very largest in Scandinavia. It was created in the 16th century under the rule of the powerful Danish mayor Jörgen Kock, who wanted to give the city suitable grandeur and space for large markets. At the centre of the square looms a mighty equestrian statue of the Swedish king Charles X Gustav, who definitively won the city back from the Danes in bloody wars.
The most striking dominant feature of the whole space, though, is the gorgeous historic town hall building (Rådhuset) from 1546. It was originally built in a fairly austere Gothic style, but in the 19th century it underwent an extensive rebuild into its current form, strongly influenced by Dutch Renaissance. Its richly decorated façade with brick details and statues of historic figures is one of the most popular photo spots in the very centre of the city.
While strolling across the square, definitely don’t miss the historic Apoteket Lejonet pharmacy (the Lion Pharmacy), which stands right on the corner. It’s one of the oldest working pharmacies in Sweden, and its wonderful 19th-century wooden interior full of carved cabinets, old apothecary jars and brass scales resembles a museum from the magical world of Harry Potter more than an ordinary prescription shop.
💡 Tip: try to make time for a walk around the town hall after dark too, when the whole building is beautifully lit and the square takes on a very calm, almost mysterious atmosphere.
A short walk from the main square, surrounded by a deep moat and mature trees, lies Malmöhus, the oldest surviving Renaissance castle in all of Scandinavia. The original fortress stood here as far back as the 14th century, but its current form of massive red brick was given to it by the Danish king Christian III in the mid-16th century. The castle played an absolutely key role in the constant bloody wars between Denmark and Sweden over control of the lucrative Öresund strait.
The history of this building is fairly dark and immensely fascinating. During the 19th century the castle served as a feared state prison, where the toughest criminals in the whole country served their sentences, and even the Scottish Earl of Bothwell, third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned here for five years. Today, thankfully, nothing at all remains of the grim atmosphere, and the whole castle complex has become an enormous and welcoming cultural centre.
A walk along the mighty defensive ramparts and around the moat is also free, and in the surrounding park with a windmill you can easily carve out a peaceful afternoon away from the busy centre.
💡 Tip: set aside at least two hours to visit the area around the castle, the park really is enormous and offers plenty of hidden benches ideal for an afternoon picnic.
Right inside Malmöhus Castle and in several adjacent historic buildings sits a complex of museums joined under the shared name Malmö Museer. It’s by far the largest museum institution in all of southern Sweden, and you should set aside at least half a day for a thorough visit. Admission is very friendly by Swedish standards, working out to 40 SEK (about €4) for an adult, and for that single ticket you get access to all the exhibitions across the huge complex.
The biggest hit, especially if you’re travelling with family and younger children, is the extensive aquarium and terrarium located on the castle’s ground floor. You’ll see absolutely everything here, from local fish living in the nearby Öresund through colourful coral reefs to venomous snakes and frogs. On the next floor you can then explore an engaging historical exhibition about the harsh Swedish–Danish wars and walk through carefully restored royal chambers with original furniture.
Right opposite the castle, in a separate building called Teknikens och Sjöfartens hus, is the technology and maritime museum, whose biggest draw is a real submarine, the U3. You can actually climb into the belly of this retired World War II military submarine and experience first-hand the incredibly cramped conditions in which sailors had to live and operate here for weeks on end.
💡 Tip: the museum tends to be fairly full of families with children at weekends, so if you can, plan your visit for a weekday morning instead, when you’ll have complete peace.
Lovers of modern art must not miss Moderna Museet Malmö on their visit, an independent branch of the famous Stockholm museum. The building itself is a fascinating architectural contrast, because the museum sits in the premises of a former historic power station from 1901, to which architects sensitively attached a modern extension with an unmissable bright-orange façade of perforated sheet metal.
The exhibitions here change regularly and the gallery focuses on top-tier international and Swedish modern and contemporary art. You’ll come across installations, video projections and giant paintings, and thanks to the space of the old turbine hall, even the most bizarre works have room to breathe. Ordinary constrained galleries simply couldn’t handle pieces like these.
Great news for all travellers on a tight budget is the fact that entry to the museum’s permanent collections is often completely free, and you only pay for some specific temporary exhibitions. After your visit, definitely pop into the cosy local café, which offers excellent speciality coffee and a quiet spot to sit in a gorgeous design setting full of art publications.
💡 Tip: the museum is usually closed on Mondays, so always check the current opening hours on the official website before your visit, so you’re not left standing in front of locked doors.
When you weave through the narrow cobbled streets behind the town hall, you’ll come across Sankt Petri Church (Sankt Petri kyrka), the absolute oldest surviving building in all of Malmö. This majestic church from the early 14th century is built in the typical style of so-called Baltic brick Gothic, so instead of traditional grey stone you’ll be struck by enormous expanses of red brick and an ingenious system of flying buttresses on the outside.
The church interior may surprise you at first glance, because the high vaults and walls are brilliantly clean and snow-white. During the harsh period of the Reformation, almost all the original Catholic decoration was painted over. Only the wonderful carved wooden altar from 1611 and a few fragments of fascinating medieval frescoes in a side chapel were saved, and these have recently undergone very careful restoration.
Entry to the church is completely free for everyone and it offers a perfect escape from the constant noise of the surrounding city. The huge tall windows let in gorgeous soft Nordic light, and you can often stumble upon rehearsals of the local choir or organ concerts, which thanks to the enormous vaults gain absolutely fantastic acoustics.
💡 Tip: during the summer months the church occasionally offers guided tours of the tower, from where a great view opens up over the whole historic centre; just ask at the entrance.
If you want to experience the real, unfaked soul of today’s Malmö, you have to head to the Möllevången district, which locals call nothing but Möllan. It’s here that you’ll fully feel the fact that people from 180 different countries around the world live in the city. The district feels slightly punk, brick walls are decorated with colourful street art, and the overall atmosphere differs radically from the tidy and quiet historic centre.
The centrepiece of the whole district is Möllevångstorget square, where a huge market of fresh produce takes place from Monday to Saturday. Stallholders loudly call out prices and the air carries the scent of exotic spices, mounds of fresh coriander and crates of cheap fruit from all over the world. It’s a fantastic spot for stocking up if you plan to cook for yourself, because prices here are a fraction of those in the usual Swedish supermarkets like ICA or Coop.
The streets running off the square are lined with dozens of Asian grocers, Middle Eastern bakeries and cheap bistros. In the evening Möllan turns into a hub of alternative entertainment, craft-beer pubs burst at the seams and you’ll hear a mix of languages from all over the world. It’s busy, loud and utterly authentic, a place you definitely shouldn’t skip on your visit.
💡 Tip: at the markets it can be tricky to pay with an ordinary bank card, since stallholders often require payment via the local Swish app, which you can’t get as a tourist, so bring a little cash here just to be safe.
We’ll stay in Möllan a little longer, because this is where the city’s greatest culinary treasure is found: the legendary Malmö falafel. Thanks to the strong, well-established community of immigrants from the Middle East, the preparation of these fried chickpea balls has been perfected here, and Swedes from other cities deliberately and happily make the trip for it.
It’s a proper local institution and at the same time the absolute cheapest hot meal you’ll find in all of Sweden. A huge falafel roll (falafel wrapped in freshly baked Arabic bread with a pile of vegetables and sauces) will cost you an incredible 50 to 70 SEK (about €5 to €6.50), roughly a third of the price of an ordinary restaurant lunch. You can choose from many kinds of sauce, from mild garlic to fiery hot, and the giant portion will reliably fill you up for half a day.
Vegetarians and vegans will find themselves in absolute paradise here, because the meat-free options are endless. Travellers most often recommend trying spots like Jalla Jalla or Falafel N.1 right by the square, where queues form even late at night. The balls are fried right in front of you, perfectly crispy on the outside and beautifully green inside from fresh herbs.
💡 Tip: when ordering, always have some pickled vegetables and a bit of hot sauce added, it gives the whole meal that right kick that locals are used to and that makes the local falafel so famous.
If you prefer a slightly more polished culinary experience and don’t mind paying a little extra, your steps should lead you to Malmö Saluhall. It’s a modern covered market built into the crumbling ruins of a former freight station, and that contrast of old and new works surprisingly well. The exposed old brick walls are complemented by black steel and a huge glass façade, so the whole space feels airy and industrially stylish.
Inside you’ll find around twenty carefully chosen stalls and bistros that represent the best of contemporary Swedish and world gastronomy under one roof. You can buy fresh sourdough bread from local artisan bakers, wonderful cheeses, or sit straight down at the counter and enjoy lunch. Prices here are noticeably higher than on the street in Möllan, but they perfectly match the top quality of the ingredients used.
For meat-free dining, the market hall is an absolutely ideal choice, especially if you’re travelling in a group where everyone fancies something different. You’ll find fantastic stalls with hand-pulled noodles, rich salad bars and modern vegetarian tapas. Buy your food, grab a tray and sit down at the large communal tables in the middle of the hall, where you can soak up the busy, friendly atmosphere of this culinary hub.
💡 Tip: the market hall is a great place to buy edible souvenirs from your travels, you’ll find premium Swedish jams, local mustards or luxury chocolate in gorgeous packaging here.
Right behind the historic Malmöhus Castle spreads Slottsträdgården (the Castle Garden), an utterly enchanting piece of calm nature in the middle of the city. It’s not a classic dull castle park with strictly clipped hedges, but a fascinating community project focused on sustainable and organic urban farming. The garden is cleverly divided into several themed sections, from a soothing Japanese one through a romantic rose garden to a wild meadow full of buzzing insects.
Local enthusiastic gardeners grow seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs and hundreds of kinds of flowers on the neat beds here, which on certain days you can even legally pick and buy home for a small fee. The whole green space is visually dominated by a beautiful historic windmill (Slottsmöllan), which rises on a gentle hill and forms a perfect romantic backdrop for your photos from an afternoon stroll.
Hidden in the middle of the gardens is the wonderful glass-walled Slottsträdgårdens Kafé café, which you definitely shouldn’t miss on your visit. It operates year-round; in winter you’ll warm up in a heated greenhouse full of plants, and in summer you can sit outside among the flowering beds. They make fantastic vegetarian sandwiches, warming creamy soups and, of course, there’s no shortage of excellent coffee and fresh homemade cakes for the perfect fika.
💡 Tip: during summer weekends smaller farmers’ markets are occasionally held here, where you can buy fresh vegetables directly from the people who grew them in the park.
Slottsträdgården flows seamlessly into Kungsparken (the King’s Park), which proudly holds the title of the oldest public park in the whole city. It was founded back in 1872 on the site of former military defensive ramparts, and its design draws heavily on classic English landscape gardens with winding sandy paths and sprawling green lawns.
The park is threaded with a dense network of water canals, along which you can go for a ride in summer on rented pedal boats or hire a small rowing boat and explore the city from an entirely different perspective. Huge centuries-old trees from all over the world grow here, including mighty oaks and exotic plane trees, which on hot summer days provide perfect shade for an afternoon rest. In the middle of the park you’ll come across a beautiful cast-iron fountain that lights up strikingly after dark.
For locals, Kungsparken is by far the most popular spot for weekend picnics and casual gatherings with friends. Pack fresh pastries from the nearby Saluhall in your backpack, grab a coffee to go, spread a blanket on the soft grass and enjoy that calm Swedish ease (lagom) right in the heart of an otherwise very busy and pulsing city.
💡 Tip: you can bring your own grill into the park without worry, at several designated spots you’ll find special concrete slabs where locals commonly cook up a warm dinner.
Another utterly unique green space is Folkets Park (the People’s Park), which lies near the Möllan district and is the very oldest park of its kind in all of Sweden. It sprang up at the end of the 19th century as an affordable place for the working class to relax, and to this day it has thankfully kept its very informal, slightly fairground-like and immensely relaxed atmosphere that entertains all generations.
Entry is free and inside awaits a remarkable hodgepodge: a 19th-century Moorish pavilion sits next to children’s climbing frames and a reptile terrarium, nobody knows exactly why, but it works. During the warm summer, regular free concerts by local bands are held here, along with popular outdoor cinema screenings; there’s a giant children’s paddling pool and you can even play a tricky game of mini golf with friends.
The park is lined with pleasant, unassuming cafés and fast-food stalls, so you can easily spend a whole lazy afternoon here watching local families and young people. In winter the paddling pool magically transforms into a popular public ice rink, where you can hire skates and enjoy a true Nordic atmosphere under strings of lights strung across the trees.
💡 Tip: if you’re travelling with children, feel free to set aside half a day for Folkets Park, they’ll find so many free climbing frames and activities here that you’ll struggle to drag them away.
If you want to get to know and experience Malmö like a true local, you absolutely have to hop on a bike and join the local traffic. The city regularly ranks in prestigious lists of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, and with its more than 500 kilometres of perfectly separated cycle paths it’s snapping at the heels of nearby, famous Copenhagen. The terrain here is also absolutely flat, so you won’t break a sweat even on longer rides between districts.
Renting a bike here is an utterly trivial affair thanks to the excellently run and cheap Malmö by bike shared-bike system. You’ll find dozens of docking stations all over the city; just download the app to your phone, link a payment card and for about 80 SEK (roughly €7) you get unlimited access to bikes for a full 24 hours. The bikes are sturdy, heavy, very stable and have a practical front basket for shopping or a backpack.
By bike is by far the most comfortable way to get from the centre to the more distant Ribersborg beach, ride through the whole modern Västra hamnen district and reach the markets in Möllan without any trouble. Cyclists here have absolute priority at intersections and their own special traffic lights, so you’ll feel completely safe even in heavy morning traffic.
💡 Tip: when you’re cycling, always signal the direction of your turn with your hand and raise your hand when stopping, local cyclists ride very fast and an unexpected stop in the middle of the path can cause an unpleasant accident.
Even if you’re not exactly a keen fan of shopping, the Emporia shopping centre in the Hyllie district is worth a visit for its breathtaking modern architecture alone. This gigantic building lies a short distance from the first train exit off the Öresund Bridge, and its main façade is formed by an enormous, deeply curved glass crack of golden colour that from the outside looks as if someone crushed the building in the middle with great force.
Inside you’ll find hundreds of shops, including all the well-known Scandinavian fashion brands and luxury design boutiques. The interior is logically divided into colour-coded zones with giant spiral staircases and futuristic lighting, so at times you’re not sure whether you’re in a classic mall or a museum of modern art. It’s an ideal and warm rescue in case the weather doesn’t cooperate during your trip and it starts to rain steadily.
Emporia’s biggest hidden secret, though, is the huge public rooftop garden, which you reach by escalator completely free of charge. The green roof full of hardy grasses and benches offers a fantastic panoramic view over the whole growing city, the majestic Öresund Bridge, and on a clear day you can see all the way to the coast of neighbouring Denmark.
💡 Tip: the quickest way to reach Emporia is by train from the main station (Hyllie stop), the journey takes barely a few minutes and the station lies right in front of the main iconic entrance to the centre.
The final tip doesn’t point to Malmö itself, but to its absolute greatest strategic advantage: thanks to the Öresund Bridge you have the Danish capital, Copenhagen, completely within reach. This unique feat of engineering measures an incredible 16 kilometres, part of which is a suspension bridge high above the waves and part an undersea tunnel, into which you smoothly descend on the artificially created island of Peberholm.
The easiest and by far the cheapest way to get to the other side is to use the frequent train connection (Öresundståg) straight from Malmö’s main station. Trains run every 20 minutes, a one-way ticket costs about 135 SEK (roughly €12) and in less than half an hour you’re already stepping off in central Copenhagen. This gives you a unique and very easy chance to combine a visit to two wonderful Nordic countries into a single weekend.
If you’re travelling in your own car, crossing the bridge will cost you fairly dearly; a one-way toll is around 470 DKK (roughly €63). That’s why most people choose the comfortable train, which is worry-free and saves you the hassle of hunting for overpriced parking in the Danish capital. Don’t forget, though, to pack a valid ID card or passport in your backpack, because the Swedes carry out strict, random border checks on the way back.
💡 Tip: if you plan to cross the bridge by car both ways, it pays to register online for the ØresundGO programme, which, thanks to an annual fee, cuts the price of a single crossing to a fraction of the original.
The fastest air route to Malmö surprisingly leads through the neighbouring country. The ideal option is to book a flight straight to Danish Copenhagen, to Kastrup airport, which lies right on the doorstep of the Öresund Bridge. Carriers like Ryanair, easyJet and Lufthansa serve it from many European hubs. As soon as you collect your luggage, you take the escalator down to the underground train station. You board the Öresundståg service and in an incredible 20 minutes you’re already stepping off in central Malmö. It’s often faster and more comfortable than the journey from airport to centre in many other European capitals.
If you’re moving around Sweden, super-fast X2000 trains of the Swedish railways SJ run here from Stockholm, covering the distance in under four and a half hours. But buy tickets well in advance, since they work like plane tickets and their price rises steeply just before departure. For travellers with a car or campervan, one option is the overnight ferries from Germany or Poland, which dock in nearby Trelleborg or Ystad, from where it’s just a short hop to Malmö along excellent motorways (which, incidentally, are completely free for cars in Sweden, so no motorway vignette needed, unlike in Austria or Switzerland).
Getting around the city itself is then an absolute breeze. The historic centre is very compact and largely reserved for pedestrians only, so you can cover most of the sights on foot without any trouble. For longer transfers, for example to Ribersborg beach or the modern Västra hamnen district, I warmly recommend using the already mentioned Malmö by bike shared green-bike system, because the cycling infrastructure here is honed to absolute perfection.
When it starts to rain, the excellently run green buses of Skånetrafiken will save you. You can’t pay the driver in cash on board the bus, you have to download the official Skånetrafiken mobile app in advance and buy your ticket through it, or simply tap your payment card at the terminal when boarding. Bonus news: if you arrive in the second half of 2026, the Swedish government has drastically cut the prices of monthly public transport passes, so the bus works out even cheaper than before.
If you have just two days for the city, I recommend splitting your programme into a historic and a modern part, so you soak up all the contrasts Malmö offers. Devote the first day to exploring the centre on foot. Start with a morning walk across Stortorget and peek into the oldest church, Sankt Petri. Around eleven, move on to the picturesque Lilla Torg for a traditional fika with coffee and a cinnamon bun.
For lunch, pop into the wonderful Malmö Saluhall market hall, where you’ll find great vegetarian tapas or Asian noodles, and in the afternoon calmly explore Malmöhus Castle with the adjacent Slottsträdgården park. In the evening, definitely head to the pulsing Möllan district, where you’ll taste the best falafel in the city (70 SEK, about €6.50, will be plenty for one) and wash it down with a local craft beer in one of the busy bars.
On the second morning, hire a city bike via the app and set off to discover the city’s modern face by the sea. Head to the sustainable Västra hamnen district, take a close look at the Turning Torso skyscraper and ride along the wooden promenade. From there continue along the coast to Ribersborgsstranden beach, where you can have a lunch menu (dagens lunch) with a generous salad buffet at one of the beach cafés. You can then spend the afternoon relaxing in the historic Kallbadhus saunas, or hop on a train for a quick shopping trip to the architecturally stunning Emporia centre.
If you have more time in Sweden, Skåne offers wonderful opportunities for further exploring. Just 20 minutes by train from Malmö lies the historic university town of Lund, which will charm you with its cobbled streets, ivy-covered houses and a majestic Romanesque cathedral with a fascinating astronomical clock.
Lovers of crime fiction should head east to the coastal town of Ystad, where the stories of the gloomy detective Wallander were filmed and set. A short distance away you’ll then find the magical megalithic stones of Ales stenar rising on a cliff above the sea. To the south-west, on the other hand, the Falsterbo peninsula tempts you with its white sandy beaches reminiscent of the Caribbean and picturesque pastel beach huts. For detailed planning of a car trip, check out our article Öresund Bridge: toll, train and how to cross it.
Interested in more of this gorgeous Nordic country? Take a look at our big overview Sweden: 30 tips on what to see and do or plan a stop on the west coast with the guide Gothenburg: 20 tips on what to see in Sweden’s second city. And if you’re about to cross the bridge, the article Copenhagen: 25+ tips on what to see and do will definitely come in handy. Don’t forget to explore the local flavours too through our article Swedish cuisine: 18 dishes you have to taste.
Before you throw yourself into packing your bags, I’ve summed up the answers to the most common questions I get about Malmö. Whether you’re sorting out budget, safety or transport, you’ll find it all neatly together here 😉.
For the city itself, u003cstrongu003eone packed day or a more relaxed long weekend is more than enoughu003c/strongu003e. In two days you can comfortably explore the historic centre, cycle along the coast in Västra hamnen, visit the museums in the castle, and enjoy the buzz of Möllevången in the evening without any rush. If you’re also planning a trip across the bridge to Copenhagen in Denmark or an excursion to the university city of Lund, you’d better set aside three days.
Yes, from the perspective of the average tourist u003cstrongu003eMalmö is a perfectly safe cityu003c/strongu003e, even though the media sometimes dramatise the situation. Gang-related problems are concentrated in outlying estates like Rosengård, where you have absolutely no reason to go. In the centre, on the beach, and in the lively Möllevången area, the same common-sense rules apply as in any other European city, so just keep an eye on your pockets in crowds or at the train station.
The fastest and most convenient way is by u003cstrongu003edirect train (Öresundståg), which departs from Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport and the main stationu003c/strongu003e. Trains run every 20 minutes, the journey takes about half an hour, and tickets can be easily purchased at machines at the station or via the Skånetrafiken mobile app. A single journey costs around 135 SEK (approx. €12). Don’t forget to bring valid ID; the Swedes conduct random border checks.
Definitely, u003cstrongu003eyou’ll notice the price difference especially in accommodation and foodu003c/strongu003e. While in Stockholm you’ll spend a fortune on an average lunch, in Malmö you can rely on ubiquitous falafel for just a few kronor or great-value lunch menus (dagens lunch) with unlimited salad buffet, coffee, and bread, which cost around 120 to 150 SEK (€11–14). Even hotels in the centre are noticeably cheaper than in the capital.
Yes, u003cstrongu003eswimming is hugely popular here and locals love itu003c/strongu003e. You can head to the three-kilometre-long city sandy beach Ribersborgsstranden, which lies just a short distance from the centre. Another great option is jumping into the water from the long wooden piers in the modern eco-district of Västra hamnen, where the water of the Öresund strait is surprisingly clean and offers very pleasant refreshment during the summer months after a full day of walking.
For the best falafel u003cstrongu003eyou need to head to the Möllevången district (Möllan)u003c/strongu003e, which has a strong Middle Eastern community and where the preparation of this dish has been perfected. Absolute legends include Jalla Jalla and Falafel N.1 right by Möllevångstorget square. You’ll get freshly fried crispy balls in warm Arabic bread with loads of vegetables and sauces for under 70 SEK, which will reliably save your budget.
It’s not absolutely necessary, as you can comfortably explore the historic centre on foot, but u003cstrongu003erenting a bike will save you loads of time and offer a truly local experienceu003c/strongu003e. Malmö is perfectly flat, has over 500 kilometres of dedicated cycle paths, and operates the Malmö by bike bike-sharing system, which is cheap and very easy to use via a mobile app. With a bike you can easily reach more distant beaches too.
In a weekend u003cstrongu003eyou can see the best bits without unnecessary rushingu003c/strongu003e. On Saturday morning explore the historic centre and Lilla Torg square, in the afternoon discover the castle with its museums, and finish the evening in the lively bars of Möllevången. You can then spend Sunday cycling to the Turning Torso skyscraper in the modern Västra hamnen district, swimming at Ribersborg beach, and enjoying a relaxing wander in the castle gardens before heading home.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
Tallinn serves up a fascinating culinary contrast that will keep you entertained from day one. In a single city you can grab lunch for six euros alongside local workers, yet also treat yourself to a top-tier tasting menu that confidently collects Michelin stars. When it comes to restaurants in Tallinn, Estonia, this is no longer the cheap East you once visited for cut-price beer — it’s a modern Nordic destination full of creative chefs.
The local food scene has undergone an enormous transformation in recent years and today proudly builds on the New Nordic movement, which puts the spotlight on local ingredients. At the same time, Estonians carefully guard their earthy traditions, so the ever-present dense black bread and fragrant cinnamon buns haven’t disappeared from bakery counters. You’ll also discover that the vegetarian scene here is surprisingly rich, so if you don’t eat meat, a real culinary feast awaits.
Let’s dive straight into the streets: from Michelin stars through cheap lunches for locals to what happened to prices after July’s VAT hike.
If you’ve read older travel guides, you might still believe the Baltics are a budget destination, but the reality of 2026 is unfortunately a little different. In July 2025 Estonia’s standard VAT rate rose to 24%, which of course immediately trickled down into every menu and café price list. Be prepared for a price level closer to Berlin these days — you’ll simply pay a little more for your culinary experiences.
The daily rhythm of Tallinn’s restaurants revolves around lunch, usually served from eleven in the morning until around three in the afternoon. This is exactly when you’ll encounter the phenomenon called päevapraad, an affordable lunch menu favoured by local office workers and students alike. Dinner then starts coming to life around six in the evening, and the most celebrated spots stay busy well into the late hours.
Paying in Estonia is an absolute joy, because the country can safely be called a cashless paradise. You can pay by card or phone absolutely everywhere, from a luxury Michelin restaurant to the smallest coffee stall at the market. As for tipping, it isn’t strictly required, but if you were happy with the service, it’s customary to leave roughly five to ten percent of the bill.
To avoid the classic tourist traps, I’d advise you to leave the main Town Hall Square and get lost in the side streets. Even better, head beyond the city walls into modern neighbourhoods like Telliskivi or Noblessner, where Estonians themselves go to eat. That’s exactly where you’ll find the best value for money without having to elbow your way through crowds of cruise-ship day-trippers.
Picking just twelve of the best restaurants in Tallinn, Estonia in such a diverse city isn’t easy, but these spots definitely deserve your attention. Whether you’re after an unforgettable Michelin experience, honest Estonian food in a historic setting, or quick street food among the locals, you’re sure to find your kind of place in this selection.
Just keep in mind that especially during the summer months and on weekends, Tallinn’s restaurants get seriously packed. So if you’ve set your heart on one of the celebrated spots, it’s best to book a table even a few weeks ahead so you don’t end up wandering the city with an empty stomach.
If you’re looking for the very peak of Tallinn’s gastronomic pyramid, this is it: a luxury spot in the seaside Noblessner district with two Michelin stars. The German head chef serves a precise tasting menu with a panoramic sea view that adds an incredible atmosphere to the whole experience.
Prices here are, of course, high, and the main signature menu will set you back roughly €325 per person. Although the offering is fixed and very exclusive, the restaurant caters to all its guests and has a full vegetarian version. Just mention this request when booking, which is an absolute must here even months in advance.
💡 Tip: If you want to experience Michelin quality at a slightly friendlier price, try booking a table for lunch, when shorter special menus are often on offer.
If you’re after a single Michelin star and a breathtaking location, you definitely can’t miss this architectural gem on the coast just outside the city centre. The glass dining room offers a gorgeous view across the bay straight onto the Old Town skyline, which you’ll appreciate most at sunset. The chefs here prepare a very creative seven-course menu that will cost you roughly €169.
Even at this prestigious spot they take great pride in their personal approach, so a vegetarian diet is no problem at all with prior arrangement. Each course comes with a little story about where the ingredient comes from — and honestly, that storytelling is more fun than you’d expect. Despite the high-end gastronomy, the atmosphere is very relaxed and Nordic-friendly.
💡 Tip: I’d recommend getting here by taxi or Estonia’s Bolt, since the restaurant lies a bit off the usual public-transport routes.
In the heart of the creative Telliskivi district sits a branch of the famous photography gallery, and on its rooftop hides a real culinary treasure. This restaurant boasts a Michelin Green Star for sustainability and runs on a strict zero-waste principle, where absolutely every part of an ingredient is used. For vegetarians it’s an absolute paradise, because fresh vegetables from local farms take centre stage and meat is treated more as a small add-on.
The interior is incredibly stylish and the glass walls offer one of the best views of the Old Town’s spires. Dinner here will cost you roughly €30–50 per person, which is very fair for this level of quality. And after a great meal, you can head down a floor to check out the current exhibitions of world photography.
💡 Tip: The gallery exhibitions are open until 11 p.m., so you can enjoy a fantastic dinner first and save the culture for later in the evening.
This spot is an absolute legend of Tallinn’s Old Town and has long held the top of countless popularity rankings. You’ll find it in a historic Hanseatic house, and the moment you step in you’ll be charmed by the incredibly warm staff, who bring freshly baked black bread to your table. Main courses here run between €15 and €22, which is absolutely brilliant for such a prestigious location.
Although the restaurant is famous for its traditional cuisine, vegetarians certainly don’t go hungry here — the meat-free dishes are full of flavour and local ingredients. The only complication is its enormous popularity, so you have to secure a table well in advance online; random walk-ins don’t stand a chance.
💡 Tip: Don’t forget to order their famous dessert after your meal — reviewers often mention they’ve never had a better sweet finish in Tallinn.
If you don’t manage to snag a table at Rataskaevu 16, don’t despair — head to its sister spot just a short walk away. Pegasus will win you over at first glance with its modern Nordic interior, dominated by large windows and minimalist design. Prices here are very fair and the atmosphere noticeably more relaxed, so it’s a great place to drop in for a long, leisurely lunch too.
The restaurant prides itself on fresh ingredients, and the vegetarian offering is a firm part of the menu, so you’ll easily pick from several excellent meat-free options. Besides the great food, this spot also boasts outstanding coffee, which draws local café loungers from all over.
💡 Tip: When booking, try asking for a table on the upper floor by the window — you’ll have a lovely view of the goings-on in the historic streets below.
This place is a pure-blooded medieval experience, tucked right inside the historic town hall building on the main square. Forget modern comfort: inside there’s only candlelight, staff in period costumes will deliberately be cheeky with you, and there are simply no cutlery — because medieval is medieval. The house specialty is elk soup for around four euros, but if you don’t eat meat, you should definitely go too.
As a vegetarian, you can order excellent savoury pastry stuffed with cheese and mushrooms, or fish a famous pickle out of a giant wooden barrel. It’s a huge tourist attraction, of course, but it has such incredible charm that it would be a shame to skip it while wandering the city. They only take cash here, so don’t forget to have some small coins ready.
💡 Tip: Don’t be afraid to play along with the brisk staff — their witty, cheeky banter is a key part of the whole medieval experience.
While we’re on the subject of the Middle Ages, we can’t leave out this enormous merchant’s house, which has elevated historic gastronomy into a perfect show. Inside, everything is exactly as it should have been in the fifteenth century: period music, massive wooden tables, and an atmosphere that makes you sit up a little straighter. Menus commonly feature game and meaty feasts, yet the place is very welcoming to plant-based lovers too.
As a vegetarian, you can order excellent roasted root vegetables, mushroom dishes, or traditional nut pastry. Prices here are a little higher due to the tourist popularity, but you’re mainly paying for the complete theatrical experience that reliably transports you back several centuries.
💡 Tip: Be sure to try their famous honey beer, served in heavy clay jugs — it tastes absolutely great.
If you want to experience Tallinn’s true hipster vibe, you have to head to an industrial hall in the heart of the Telliskivi district. This spot was one of the first to turn an old factory into a trendy restaurant, and it still holds huge popularity among locals to this day. The portions here are really generous and the prices very reasonable for the location, so you’ll eat your fill without any guilt.
For vegetarians and vegans it’s one of the best places in the city, with a huge and immensely creative selection of meat-free dishes. F-Hoone is famous above all for its weekend brunches, which draw the whole neighbourhood, so on a weekend morning expect it to be really busy and lively.
💡 Tip: It’s the ideal spot for lunch after exploring the surrounding street art, or before visiting the nearby market.
When a craving for something sweet strikes, your steps should lead to the oldest continuously operating café in Tallinn, which has smelled of coffee since 1864. Its name translates as “sweet tooth”, and the interior with wood panelling and mirrors will instantly transport you to the days of good old elegance. The café is famous for making marzipan, which they hand-paint right in front of fascinated visitors.
Since it’s a café, vegetarians will be in their element here among dozens of kinds of cakes, pralines and sweet pastries. It’s the perfect refuge for a dreary afternoon when you want a hot drink and simply want to watch the bustle in the surrounding Old Town streets.
💡 Tip: At the back of the café there’s a small marzipan museum, where you can admire incredible sculptures made from this sweet paste.
This renovated three-storey market right next to the main train station is where modern Tallinn meets traditional farmers. The first floor belongs to sellers of fresh produce, so if you want to buy local cheeses or fresh berries, head straight here. It’s an absolutely authentic place where locals come for fresh black bread and other Estonian treats.
For vegetarians, a stroll among the stalls of fresh vegetables, fruit and fragrant pastries is a real treat. What’s more, the market is covered and beautifully lit, so you can spend plenty of time here even when the weather outside isn’t ideal for long walks.
💡 Tip: Don’t forget to explore the market’s basement too, where a huge flea market hides, full of fascinating Soviet nostalgia and antiques.
While the market’s upper floor is for grocery shopping, the ground floor is dedicated to food and works as a huge, bustling food court. You’ll find dozens of street-food stalls serving dishes from all over the world that will reliably save you when hunger strikes and you don’t want to spend on pricey restaurants. Around lunchtime the whole city pulses here and the atmosphere is absolutely brilliant.
The vegetarian and vegan offering here is absolutely fantastic. In no time you’ll grab excellent vegan wraps, veggie bao buns or meat-free Asian noodles. You can then eat your food at shared wooden tables, where it’s easy to strike up a chat with local students or designers from the neighbouring Telliskivi district.
💡 Tip: Prices here are very low, so I’d recommend making the rounds of several stalls and buying lots of smaller portions to sample.
Estonia has a fantastic craft-beer scene, and this brewery in the Noblessner district ranks among the absolute best in Europe. It sits in a beautifully renovated industrial hall, and the moment you arrive you’ll be blown away by the sight of twenty-four taps pouring the finest porters and fresh IPAs. The atmosphere here is wonderfully relaxed and the interior overlooking the brewhouse is very photogenic.
Traditionally, real Texas BBQ and various meat specialties are served alongside the drinks, but they cater to vegetarians too. With your craft beer you can easily have meat-free sides, salads or a well-made vegetarian burger. On top of that, they even have their own sauna, which you can book for the perfect Nordic evening.
💡 Tip: If you want to learn more about beer-making, the brewery regularly runs guided tours of its depths paired with a tasting.
The cornerstone of local gastronomy is must leib, a dense black rye bread that counts as a national treasure in Estonia. This slightly sweet sourdough bread comes automatically with almost everything in restaurants, and it tastes best just as it is, spread with a proper layer of salted butter. You’ll take to it quickly, too — you’ll meet it at every turn, and it’s great without butter as well. A special chapter is kama, a unique roasted mix of ground rye, oats, barley and peas, which modern cafés love to sprinkle into yogurts and desserts.
When a craving for something sweet hits, head to the nearest supermarket and look for kohuke in the fridge. These are small curd bars in a chocolate coating that embody the Estonian childhood dream and taste absolutely fantastic. In classic bakeries, be sure to order a kringel, a richly braided sweet wreath usually filled with cinnamon, cardamom or delicious chocolate. Local cheeses and sweet pastries with forest berries are also well worth trying.
When it comes to meat and fish traditions, Estonians are very proud of their historic dishes. A local specialty they swear by is small silver fish called kilu, traditionally served marinated on a piece of black bread with a boiled egg. During the winter months, menus commonly feature verivorst, a blood sausage served with sauerkraut, and traditional taverns cook up hearty elk soup. On the coast and islands, smoked salmon or eel is an absolute classic.
The most popular liquid souvenir from the Baltics is, without competition, Vana Tallinn, a dark herbal liqueur with pronounced notes of rum, citrus and vanilla. Estonians drink it neat over ice, love to add it to hot coffee, or use it in mixed cocktails. For teetotallers and drivers, a great choice is kali, a fermented bread drink similar to kvass, which is pleasantly sweet and perfectly refreshing in summer. Estonia is also a promised land for coffee lovers — on every corner you’ll find a top-notch roastery where an excellent espresso costs around three euros.
Beer is a chapter of its own in Estonia, with the local craft scene led by the Põhjala brewery hugely popular. Just be prepared that alcohol is fairly expensive here, and a pint of draught beer in a pub will commonly cost you four to seven euros. What you’ll be glad to hear, on the other hand, is that tap water, called kraanivett here, is perfectly drinkable and in the vast majority of restaurants they’ll gladly bring it to you free of charge in a carafe.
Although Tallinn has gotten pricier, there are still ways to eat here for a few coins and not go hungry. Your secret password becomes päevapraad, the lunch menu that bistros and smaller restaurants offer every weekday from roughly eleven to two in the afternoon. It’s usually a soup and a main course for just five to eight euros, which is a fantastic price by Estonian standards. Look for chalkboard signs outside the entrances, or simply ask the staff.
Another great place for cheap eats is the already-mentioned Balti Jaama Turg market, where you can eat well at the food court for under ten euros. If you want to save even more, Estonian supermarkets like Rimi or Selver have excellent ready-meal sections. You can buy fresh salads, great cheeses, pastries and the beloved kohuke curd bars, which easily make up a cheap picnic in one of the city’s many parks.
According to surveys and traveller reviews, the vegetarian and vegan scene in Tallinn is surprisingly varied and very friendly. The modern New Nordic movement genuinely loves vegetables, and chefs often put them centre stage, so you needn’t worry about ending up with just a dry salad. The vast majority of better restaurants have creative meat-free courses on the menu that are perfected in flavour and use the seasonal gifts of Estonian forests, such as mushrooms and berries.
If you venture outside the main tourist centres, it helps to know a few useful words. The key word for vegetarian in Estonian is taimetoit, which simply means plant-based food. In supermarkets you’ll find a huge range of vegan products, spreads and plant-based milks, so even if you stay in an apartment with its own kitchenette, you can cook exactly the way you like.
💡 Accommodation and activity tip: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, which usually has the best cancellation terms. For tickets, tours and activities, it’s worth comparing and booking through GetYourGuide.
Finding good accommodation in Tallinn is thankfully not difficult at all, and the choice is really wide. Whether you want to sleep right in the historic centre with all those amazing restaurants just a few steps from your room, or you prefer modern neighbourhoods with an industrial edge, you’re sure to find something.
If you’re after luxury with a touch of that proper Estonian elegance, I’d recommend checking out the Hotel Telegraaf, right by Town Hall Square. It has a lovely spa and a perfect atmosphere. The golden middle path, offering great value for money, is the popular Nordic Hotel Forum a short walk from the centre. And if you’re travelling on a limited budget, take a look at Citybox Tallinn, a stylish and modern place right in the buzzing Rotermann district, where everything runs fully self-service.
Feeling a little dizzy from all this information about Estonian gastronomy? I don’t blame you — there’s really a lot to discover, and Tallinn knows how to surprise you pleasantly ☺️.
So to wrap up, I’ve put together quick answers to the most common questions you’ll probably have before your trip. From prices through reservations to paying — here you have everything important nicely in one place.
Prices depend on the location, but after the recent VAT increase, expect an average lunch at a restaurant to cost 10 to 20 euros. For dinner at mid-range establishments, you’ll pay around 18 to 30 euros per person.
It’s the Estonian term for daily special or lunch menu. Usually served on weekdays at lunchtime, it’s the best way to eat well for 5 to 8 euros.
At popular spots in the Old Town and Michelin-starred restaurants, reservations are absolutely essential, often several weeks in advance. For lunch menus at regular bistros, you won’t need a reservation.
Compared to Helsinki or Stockholm, it’s still cheaper, but compared to many other European destinations, you’ll pay more. After the tax increase, restaurant prices are comparable to, say, Berlin.
Definitely try must leib (black sourdough bread), the sweet braided pastry kringel, and curd snack bars kohuke. For drinks, sample the liqueur Vana Tallinn or the fermented drink kali.
The best option is the Balti Jaama Turg market, where there’s a huge food court on the ground floor. You’ll find street food from all over the world with prices well below regular restaurant levels.
Yes, the local scene is very friendly for vegetarians and vegans. Modern restaurants offer creative plant-based menus and supermarkets stock plenty of meat-free products.
Estonia is a cashless powerhouse, so you can pay by card, phone, or watch absolutely everywhere. You’ll probably only need cash when buying small souvenirs at medieval markets.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia knew exactly where to escape when the burdens of ruling started to weigh on him. During 1385 he spent almost the entire year at Křivoklát Castle in the Czech Republic, throwing himself into hunting in the deep forests and lavish feasting far from the reality of Prague. Today you won’t run into a royal retinue with freshly hunted stags below the walls, but the majestic atmosphere of one of the oldest and most important Czech castles, whose origins reach all the way back to the 12th century, has remained here to this day.
This medieval gem hidden in the heart of a protected landscape area attracts not only history lovers, but also filmmakers from around the world who have shot dozens of famous fairy tales and films here. I’ve put together a guide covering everything from choosing a tour route to ticket prices and 12 specific tips, so you can easily set off for Křivoklát as soon as next weekend. Among other things, you’ll learn about the infamous prison where the famous alchemist Edward Kelley spent two and a half years after killing his rival in a forbidden duel.
And because the Křivoklát region is worth far more than a single visit, I’ll throw in plenty of inspiration for the surrounding area too, so you can easily turn it into a whole long weekend. 😉
| tour | length | capacity | adult | senior 65+ / youth 18–24 / disabled | child 6–17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gothic Palaces (oldest core) | 60 min | max 40 people | €11 (260 CZK) | €8.50 (210 CZK) | €3 (80 CZK) |
| Castle Palaces (basic tour) | 80 min | max 40 people | €12 (300 CZK) | €10 (240 CZK) | €3.50 (90 CZK) |
| Whole Castle (Gothic + Castle Palaces, ramparts, tower) | 100 min | max 30 people | €15 (360 CZK) | €12 (290 CZK) | €4.50 (110 CZK) |
| Ramparts and great tower (self-guided) | 20 min | max 30 people | €6 (140 CZK) | €4.50 (110 CZK) | €1.50 (40 CZK) |
The National Heritage Institute offers visitors several different tour routes, so you can easily pick one based on how much time you have and what interests you most. On the Gothic Palaces route you’ll get a detailed look at the oldest core of the castle, including the second courtyard, the dark prison, the dungeon, the beautiful chapel and the stables. The basic Castle Palaces tour adds the magnificent Royal Hall, the picture gallery and the famous library. If you want to see absolutely everything, choose the extensive Whole Castle route, which also takes you onto the ramparts, into the Fürstenberg museum and up the Great Round Tower.
Basic adult admission ranges from around €11 to €15 (260–360 CZK) depending on the route, and you can pay conveniently by cash or card. Children under five get free entry to all tours, as do guides accompanying holders of severe disability cards and teachers accompanying school groups. If you’re heading out with the whole family or with friends, individuals don’t need to make any prior reservation — that’s only required for groups of more than fifteen people.
Tickets for all the main tour routes can also be bought online in advance on the castle’s official website, which saves you time queuing at the box office during the summer peak. Just keep in mind that the shortened Ramparts and Great Tower route is only open to visitors in the summer months, from the beginning of July to the end of August. For safety reasons this viewpoint route also closes immediately as soon as the weather turns rainy.
When planning your trip, don’t forget to carefully check the current opening hours for the 2026 season, because they change quite significantly over the course of the year. In the main summer season from 1 May to 30 September the castle is open from 9 am to 5 pm, with visiting days Tuesday to Sunday. As at most other state monuments in the country, the rule is that on Mondays the castle gates stay firmly shut to all ordinary visitors.
Once colourful autumn arrives, the opening hours shorten slightly and from 1 October to 31 October you can visit from 10 am to 4 pm, again with the exception of closed Mondays. I warmly recommend arriving with plenty of time to spare, ideally at least an hour and a half before the official closing time, so you can buy your tickets and complete the whole tour without rushing. During the cold winter months from November to April the entire monument is completely closed to the general public and only opens for pre-booked groups of fifteen or more paying people.
Křivoklát is tucked away in deep forests, but luckily getting there is more than easy. Whether you prefer the comfort of your own car or a romantic train ride along the popular Central Bohemian lines, you’ll reach your destination without any unnecessary stress. You just need to decide what suits you better.
Travelling by rail is without doubt the most romantic way to reach this picturesque corner of Central Bohemia in comfort. If you’re setting off from the capital, board a train on the Prague–Plzeň line and get off in Beroun, where a short change awaits. From Beroun you continue on a local service towards Rakovník and get off right at the charming Křivoklát stop.
Alternatively, you can travel via Kladno to Rakovník and change there for a service to Beroun. Whichever option you choose, it’s just 650 metres on foot from the Křivoklát stop to the castle gate. Even families with children will manage it without any trouble.
For those of you who prefer the independence of travelling by your own car, the drive from the capital is very straightforward and quick. The castle lies roughly fifty kilometres west of Prague, so you can get here fairly comfortably along the main roads in just under an hour of smooth driving. The nearest car park is in a very convenient spot, just three hundred metres from the historic monument itself.
When you arrive in the area, though, you must keep in mind at all times that you’re right in the heart of the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area. You may only park in marked spots. Don’t try parking along forest tracks or on meadows — fines in a protected landscape area are no joke.
💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We prefer to look for accommodation on Booking.com, which usually has the best cancellation terms. For tickets, tours and activities it pays to compare and book through GetYourGuide.
If you want to soak up the picturesque atmosphere of deep forests and historic monuments to the fullest, I recommend staying in the region for at least one night. There’s surprisingly plenty of accommodation around — you’ll count about fifty places in Křivoklát and the immediate area, so there’s something for everyone, from budget backpackers to families with kids. A great option, and a firm favourite among travellers, is the cosy Penzion a Restaurace Nad Hradem, where spacious family rooms await with their own bathroom and a handy little kitchenette for making your morning coffee.
The guesthouse looks out over the garden and has a pool in summer, which after a full day of tramping across ramparts and through forests you’ll appreciate more than you might think right now. ☺️ In the morning they serve a generous continental buffet breakfast full of fresh pastries, an array of cheeses, ripe fruit and refreshing juices. The complex also includes a traditional restaurant and bar, where you can pop in for a light meat-free dinner or a glass of good wine in the evening and talk over the day’s adventures.
Another good option is Resort U Jelena, which stands right below the castle itself, so it’s just a few minutes to the box office and you can set off on your tour in the morning before the coach tours arrive. You can choose classic two- to four-bed rooms with breakfast or half board, and if you’re travelling with a bigger group, there are also separate houses for six to ten people. It’s best to check the current offer and prices of both places directly with them before booking, as they change with the season.
A visit to this amazing Central Bohemian region definitely doesn’t end with buying a ticket in the courtyard. I’ve put together twelve tips for you. Some are right behind the castle walls, others will send you off into the surrounding forests. So go ahead and plan a whole weekend. 😁
You’ll spot the tower before you even reach the box office. It juts up above the forests, and you’ll immediately understand why filmmakers love it so much. If you’re a keen fan of bird’s-eye views, I definitely recommend the Whole Castle tour, because it’s the only one that takes you all the way to its very top. From the highest gallery, in good weather, you’ll be treated to a gorgeous panoramic view over the deep Křivoklát forests and the winding stream that flows into the Berounka not far from here.
Back in medieval times the stone tower served not only for defence and watching for approaching enemies, but has also starred in several famous film fairy tales. You might recognise it from the older, much-loved film Sleeping Beauty, where these massive walls made a perfect, chilling backdrop for the castle prison. Filmmakers simply love the well-preserved architecture here, and the tower rightly ranks among the most photographed spots in the whole area.
If you don’t want to do the long tour of the interiors, in the summer months you can take a very handy shortened route. During July and August the special Ramparts and Great Tower route is open, which you walk entirely on your own without a guide and which takes only about twenty minutes. Just always bear in mind that in rainy weather this outdoor part of the complex closes immediately for safety reasons.
On the Gothic Palaces route your guide will lead you into one of the most beautiful spiritual spaces you’ll ever see in a Czech castle. This late-Gothic chapel has kept its utterly stunning spiritual atmosphere to this day, which contrasts sharply with the bustle of the main courtyard or the darkness of the nearby dungeon. Its magnificent decoration was once seen to by the Czech rulers themselves, who reflected and attended services here during their stays.
The building history of this part of the castle is very closely tied to the era when the powerful ruler Přemysl Otakar II turned Křivoklát into an extensive royal residence. During the tour you’ll be able to admire with your own eyes the masterful work of the stonemasons of the time, who carved incredibly fine and intricate Gothic details into the hard stone. The coloured light streaming through the tall decorated windows creates a fascinating play of shadows in the interior, giving the whole space a magical touch.
The chapel has survived in excellent condition mainly thanks to the careful work of restorers, who tended to its costly upkeep over the centuries. Listening to the commentary, you’ll fully realise that this room was the true spiritual heart of the whole castle, accessible only to the most distinguished guests and the royal family itself. Just stand for a while and look — even without the commentary, the place will get to you.
Another unforgettable stop on the Gothic Palaces tour is the imposing Knights’ Hall, which holds a huge slice of fascinating European history. This grand space is now thematically dedicated to the powerful Habsburg dynasty, and above all to a very interesting historical figure — the lovely Philippine Welser. It’s right here that you can get an accurate picture of everyday life among the highest aristocracy during the high Middle Ages and early modern era.
The hall breathes the atmosphere of ancient heroic deeds, heightened by an extensive display of period weapons and elaborate armour adorning the massive walls. You can get a close-up look at the masterpieces of the armourers and swordsmiths of the time, who supplied the wealthiest nobles in the land. It’s absolutely fascinating to imagine how heavy it must have been to wear several dozen kilograms of iron armour during exhausting military campaigns.
The tour of this hall flows seamlessly into a visit to the adjoining Great Knights’ Hall, which served for even grander gatherings and lavish feasts. You won’t find tables laid with roasted delicacies here anymore, but the preserved architectural features and high ceilings will still take your breath away. The guides say the nobles held banquets here, and honestly, you can picture it without any trouble.
If you buy a ticket for the Castle Palaces tour, one of the absolute highlights will be a visit to the breathtaking Fürstenberg library. The moment you step in, that unmistakable scent of old books and leather hits you — you know, the one that tells you you’re in the right place. Shelves reaching all the way to the ceiling hold an incredible 52,000 volumes, making this collection one of the most important and largest château libraries in the country.
The library was gradually built up by members of the princely Fürstenberg family, who owned and carefully managed the castle until 1929. We owe the survival of the whole monument to this enlightened family, because they carried out its extensive restoration at a time when it was genuinely at risk of irreversible ruin. They diligently collected literature from every possible field, from philosophy and history to natural sciences and law, so they always had access to the latest European knowledge.
The basic tour won’t let you leaf through the rare books directly, but even just the sight of the endless rows of decorated leather spines is an unforgettable experience. During the commentary the guide will happily point out the most interesting pieces in the collection and tell you how difficult it was in the past to manage and protect such a huge number of books from meddling pests and damp.
Over the centuries Křivoklát wasn’t only a favourite place for boisterous royal pleasures and hunts — in later times it turned into a much-feared state prison. You’ll fully grasp this darker chapter of the castle’s history when you visit the deep dungeon and the cold prison cells, which you’ll see on the Gothic Palaces tour. Looking down into the dark holes where prisoners were lowered mercilessly on a rope, you’re guaranteed a shiver down your spine.
The most famous prisoner of all was the English alchemist Edward Kelley, who was involuntarily lodged here in 1591. He ended up behind bars on the orders of Emperor Rudolf II after killing the courtier Jiří Hunkler in a strictly forbidden duel. The ruler sent him a fairly clear message at the time: he would only win back his lost freedom in exchange for the secret recipe for a magical tincture used to make precious stones.
Kelley ended up spending two and a half years in these inhospitable surroundings, waiting in vain for release. Even Queen Elizabeth I of England interceded for him, and still nothing came of it. That’s some serious bad luck. 😅 The story of this famous scholar lends the cold walls here an incredibly mysterious atmosphere, and it’s one of the favourite tales the local guides will gladly tell you.
On the extended Castle Palaces tour you’ll have the unique chance to peek into the richly furnished castle picture gallery, which will delight the heart of every lover of classical fine art. These rooms served the noble owners for displaying rare family portraits, valuable landscapes and other works of art the family accumulated over the generations. On the walls you can admire the skill of the old master painters, who could perfectly capture not only the likeness but also the character of the high aristocracy of the day.
The number and quality of the artworks on display clearly show just how much wealth and influence the local owners commanded. And because the paintings hang right in the historic rooms, the whole thing feels completely different from an ordinary museum. During the commentary you’ll learn, among other things, how such collections were painstakingly built up in the past and which artworks were among the most sought-after by high society at the time.
As you walk through these elegant rooms, you’ll also surely notice the many references to King Vladislaus Jagiellon, who did a great deal for the late-Gothic rebuilding of the whole castle complex. It was during his celebrated reign that Křivoklát gained a series of new representative spaces designed to impress every foreign envoy and domestic visitor who wandered here.
If you decide to invest in the longest Whole Castle tour, your reward will be entry to the fascinating Fürstenberg museum. The whole exhibition is dedicated to the Fürstenbergs, the family who owned the castle for centuries and thanks to whom we still have it preserved at all. Here you’ll find a huge number of personal items, historic furniture and various family collections that will give you a perfect insight into the everyday life of this very significant noble family.
Since the castle sits in the middle of deep forests, a large part of the museum exhibition is devoted to rich hunting trophies and weapons that the nobles loved to collect. Hunting wasn’t just an ordinary leisure pastime — it was a very important social event where key political and business ties were forged. Looking at the exhibits on display, you’ll easily understand why rulers and nobility took such a liking to this place for their hunting expeditions.
The Fürstenberg family cared for the castle very carefully and with enormous love, yet in the end they had to part with it for good. The last owner, Max Egon II, sold Křivoklát in 1929 to the then Czechoslovak Republic, and the monument became state property. In the museum you can see a number of unique documents and photographs from this pivotal era, capturing the gradual handover of this enormous estate into the hands of the newly formed democratic state.
Among the most impressive spaces in the whole Central Bohemian complex is undoubtedly the spacious Royal Hall, which you’ll see in detail on the Castle Palaces tour. Its current generous form is largely down to the famous ruler Vladislaus Jagiellon, who decided to grandly rebuild the castle after a period of mild decline and give it a suitably representative face. It’s in these vast spaces that you’ll best appreciate the enormous architectural evolution this originally modest hunting lodge went through over the centuries.
The hall naturally served the most important state occasions, the reception of distinguished guests and the grand celebrations that were an inseparable part of life at the royal court. That vaulted ceiling is really something — you tip your head back and just stand there for a moment with your mouth open. It’s genuinely fascinating to imagine what important political decisions were made within these thick stone walls.
During the detailed tour, the local guides will explain not only the complex building history of this part of the castle, but also tell you many interesting facts about the lives of the famous rulers who loved to spend their precious time here. If you’re interested in Czech statehood and history, you’ll surely be intrigued by the documented fact that it was within these safely fortified walls that the precious Czech crown jewels were hidden for safekeeping during the turbulent and bloody Hussite wars.
Once you’ve seen all the castle palaces, definitely head out to discover the beauty of the vast Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area, which surrounds the whole medieval monument on all sides. About twenty kilometres from the castle, near the picturesque village of Skryje, you’ll find the popular Jezírka nature reserve, which rightly ranks among the most sought-after day-trip destinations in the whole region. This romantic body of water lies on the tranquil Zbirožský brook, one of the many smaller tributaries of the nearby Berounka river.
Interestingly, this unique natural scenery didn’t just form on its own over millennia — it took shape only after unexpectedly heavy rains in 1872. Back then a massive release of huge rock blocks gradually sealed the narrow crevices in the gorge and created two crystal-clear lakes. Right next to them, the photogenic Skryje waterfall cheerfully babbles away, and on sunny days you can take some truly gorgeous holiday photos here as a keepsake.
The path is well marked and even families with children will manage it — just watch out for roots and wet stones (sandals aren’t a great idea here). 😅 Along the way you’ll also fully enjoy the calm atmosphere of the local deep forests, which today make up almost two thirds of the enormous area of this UNESCO biosphere reserve.
You’ll find this picturesque village in the valley of the Berounka river, about fifteen kilometres from the town of Rakovník. It’s here that the historic Hamous farmstead stands — a unique folk monument and a perfect example of what traditional rural living and farming looked like in past centuries. During your visit you can take a close look at the authentic timbered living quarters, the old bread oven and the extensive farm buildings once used for keeping livestock and storing the harvest.
A trip to Zbečno also combines wonderfully with a pleasant walk along the river, where complete peace and the beautiful nature of the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area await you. The local forests are, by the way, a renowned paradise for keen mushroom pickers, so in autumn don’t forget to pack a cloth bag or basket. And if you prefer fishing, the banks of the Berounka offer an absolutely ideal setting for this relaxing hobby.
If you love hiking, you definitely shouldn’t miss the beautiful nature trail linking Křivoklát with nearby Zbečno. This very popular route leads you straight through the protected Brdatka nature reserve, where you’ll have the unique chance to admire the varied mix of local deciduous and mixed forests. These woodlands provide a safe refuge for an incredible 120 species of nesting birds and hundreds of rare plants.
But the biggest draw of the whole walk is the fantastic views of the famous meander of the Berounka river, which carves deep into the forested valley below you. The sight of the river lazily winding through the landscape is one of the most iconic images of the whole Central Bohemian region, and you’re guaranteed some gorgeous shots for your travel album. The trail is easy to walk, and thanks to the many information panels you’ll learn plenty of interesting facts about the local unique biosphere reserve along the way.
You can easily enrich your weekend itinerary with a visit to other interesting places, several of which lie within easy reach. Worth seeing, for example, is the village of Roztoky, about thirteen kilometres southeast of Rakovník, which offers more pleasant options for easy walks along the calm river. The whole area is also laced with a dense network of well-maintained cycle paths that will delight any keen cyclist.
If you still haven’t had enough of historic monuments after touring the medieval fortress, you can carry straight on to the nearby châteaux of Lány and Zbiroh. Both of these grand aristocratic residences are very easy to reach by car and make a great contrast to the rougher architecture of the old Přemyslid castle. Zbiroh will also charm you with its mysterious history linked to the Templars, while at Lány you can enjoy a stroll through the extensive château park, which traditionally serves as the summer residence of Czech presidents.
The castle courtyard and its majestic stone walls attract not only lovers of Czech history — for several decades now they’ve been a huge magnet for domestic and international film crews. According to available overviews, around thirty films have been shot at Křivoklát, including some of the most famous and best-loved Czech fairy tales. It’s precisely the well-preserved architecture here, free of jarring modern elements, that gives directors an absolutely perfect historical backdrop.
Take, for example, A Night at Karlstein from 1973, The Third Prince or Three Veterans. Křivoklát always played the grand royal residence that you simply can’t find anywhere else. A sharp-eyed viewer will surely recognise the local courtyard in films like Honza the Almost King, How to Wake a Princess, or in An Angel of the Lord from 2005, which featured unforgettable scenes from heaven and hell. Director Juraj Jakubisko then chose the exteriors here for his epic Bathory from 2008.
International productions don’t lag behind either, and they regularly bring the biggest Hollywood stars to Central Bohemia. Filmed among the stone ramparts were, for example, the action hit Wanted with Angelina Jolie, the visually striking The Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger, and the Norwegian fairy tale The Ash Lad from 2016. More recently, you might also remember the mysterious castle interiors from the popular TV show The Traitors, which made perfect use of the place’s dark atmosphere.
Choosing the right time to visit is the key to enjoying your trip in peace, without unnecessary stress from the crowds. During the peak of summer in July and August you have to expect the biggest rush of domestic and international tourists, which means longer queues at the box office and fully booked tour groups. The upside of the holiday months, though, is that the whole complex is open, including the special summer route to the ramparts and the great tower.
If you prefer a more intimate atmosphere and a calmer pace, I warmly recommend planning your trip for the Indian summer of September and October. The surrounding deciduous forests of the protected landscape area turn beautifully into autumn tones at this time and give you a fantastic backdrop for your photos. On top of that, you’ll comfortably avoid the summer heat, which you’ll especially appreciate on the more demanding walk up the steep castle hill from the train or car park.
In the cold off-season from November until early spring, the heritage staff carry out essential maintenance, and only pre-booked groups of fifteen or more paying people can get into the interiors. The winter months from November to March are therefore closed to individual visitors, so really don’t just turn up unannounced at Christmas. You’ll only find a locked gate and priceless peace and quiet. 😉
💡 Tip: As an individual you don’t need to worry about booking the regular tours at all — reservations are only compulsory for larger groups of more than fifteen people, who must email at least three days in advance.
💡 Tip: In hot summer months, definitely bring a light sweater for the longer tour routes, because inside the massive stone walls it stays pleasantly but quite strongly cool.
💡 Tip: If you’re driving, don’t leave parking to the last minute and don’t try to park freely in the forest, because the whole area falls within the strictly protected landscape zone, where high fines apply.
💡 Tip: Ideally plan your visit for weekdays other than Monday, when everything is closed, to avoid the typical weekend rush of day-trippers from nearby Prague.
💡 Tip: You can conveniently book tickets for all the main tours online from home on the official National Heritage Institute website, saving precious time you’d otherwise waste queuing at the box office.
💡 Tip: Pack sturdy, comfortable shoes, because the historic courtyard and the paths in the surrounding forests are full of uneven ground and cobblestones, on which you’d needlessly suffer in sandals.
Read our other guides too and get inspired for trips around the Czech Republic:
Before you start planning your trip to Central Bohemia, you’ll surely find it useful to have a summary of the most common questions travellers tend to ask about visiting this stunning royal residence.
The basic Castle Palace tour costs adult visitors u003cstrongu003e€12 in the current 2026 seasonu003c/strongu003e (300 CZK), while the longest route Through the Entire Castle costs €14 (360 CZK). The Gothic Palaces route is €10 (260 CZK). Children under five have free admission to all tours, and reduced admission applies to seniors over 65 and youth. In summer, access to the ramparts viewpoint is available for €5.50 (140 CZK).
The duration depends on which specific route you choose at the ticket office. u003cstrongu003eThe shortest tour of the Gothic Palaces takes about 60 minutesu003c/strongu003e, the medium Castle Palace tour lasts 80 minutes, and the most comprehensive Through the Entire Castle route requires a full 100 minutes of your time. The separate summer climb to the ramparts and lookout tower without a guide takes approximately twenty minutes.
The medieval courtyard and majestic interiors have appeared in dozens of popular films. For example, the classic comedy u003cstrongu003eA Night at Karlštejn, Three Veterans, The Third Princeu003c/strongu003e, and the beloved Christmas fairy tale Angel of the Lord were shot here. Among international big-budget films, the castle hosted the Hollywood action blockbuster Wanted with Angelina Jolie, The Brothers Grimm, the historical film Bathory, and also the recent thriller reality TV show The Traitors.
Křivoklát is currently state-owned and its day-to-day management is carefully overseen by the u003cstrongu003eNational Heritage Instituteu003c/strongu003e. The last private owners of this vast estate were members of the princely Fürstenberg family, who took exemplary care of it. A fundamental change came in 1929, when the last owner, Max Egon II, sold the entire castle complex to the then Czechoslovak Republic.
Yes, rail transport is very convenient and offers beautiful countryside views. From Prague you’ll travel u003cstrongu003eon the main line to Berounu003c/strongu003e, where you simply change to a local connection heading directly to Křivoklát railway station. From the train station it’s just 650 metres on foot to the main castle gate, so the entire journey is easily manageable even for families with children.
For regular individual tourists, the castle is not open year-round. u003cstrongu003eThe main season runs from May to Septemberu003c/strongu003e, when it’s open Tuesday to Sunday, and in October the opening hours are reduced. During the cold winter months from November to April, the gates remain closed to the public and only pre-booked group tours of fifteen paying persons or more are admitted.
Absolutely, a family visit is a great idea, plus u003cstrongu003echildren under five have free admissionu003c/strongu003e. However, I recommend carefully considering which tour to choose. The 100-minute Through the Entire Castle route might be too long and tiring for the youngest visitors, so with smaller children it’s much better to choose the shorter one-hour Gothic Palaces tour, which will reliably hold their attention.
If you’re visiting the castle for the first time and have plenty of time, u003cstrongu003eyou’ll see the most on the Through the Entire Castle routeu003c/strongu003e, which includes all the palaces and the great tower. The golden middle way is the eighty-minute Castle Palace tour with the magnificent library and picture gallery. For families with children or time-limited travellers, the ideal choice is the shorter Gothic Palaces route, which shows the most important historic core including the chapel.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
Road tolls in Norway work unlike anywhere else in Europe: you won’t drive through a single barrier, you won’t buy any motorway vignette, and yet you’ll still pay for the roads. The Nordic toll system is fully automated, so you simply glide under the cameras, soak up breathtaking views of the fjords, and the bill lands in your mailbox as much as two months after your holiday is over. If you’re planning a road trip through this country, one detail will catch you off guard: no gates, no cashier’s window, and yet you still pay for the roads — the big question is whether it’s worth sorting out any kind of registration in advance.
Norway may be a paradise for nature lovers, but its roads come with very strict rules, and breaking them can make your trip a lot more expensive. That’s why I’ve put together a complete and very practical guide to Norway’s tolls and traffic rules for 2026, so you can avoid unnecessary fines, understand how the discounts for electric cars work, and know exactly what budget to plan for.
Foreign travellers are often baffled on Norwegian roads by the fact that there are no price lists and nowhere to pay. Let’s take a look at the ten key rules for how this Nordic system works and what to watch out for.
In Norway you won’t find any motorway vignette at all, not even an electronic one like the kind used in Austria or Switzerland. Instead, the country runs a so-called point-based toll system, where you only pay for passing through a specific toll station. These stations are called bomstasjoner in Norwegian, and the charge is known as bompenger.
The whole system is completely automatic, and since the summer of 2020 — when the last booth at the Atlanterhavstunnelen was finally closed — there isn’t a single staffed payment point left in the country. This means that you don’t stop or slow down when passing a gate; you simply glide under the gantry with its cameras. The system reliably records you either via an electronic tag behind your windscreen or by simply photographing your licence plate.
Tolls typically apply to the city cordons around major hubs like Oslo, Bergen or Trondheim, as well as newly built stretches of motorway, long undersea tunnels and some significant bridges. Interestingly, once a particular infrastructure project has been paid off through the collected tolls, the charge is usually scrapped. The famous Atlantic Road, the tunnel near Kristiansund and the Ryaforbindelsen toll near Tromsø are all completely free to drive today. If you head out on a motorcycle, you have a huge advantage, because single-track vehicles pay no road tolls in Norway at all.
💡 Tip: You can find a map of all current toll stations on the official autopass.no website, but in practice you don’t need to study it at all — outside the big cities, toll sections are practically impossible to avoid.
If you get in your car, head to Norway and arrange absolutely nothing in advance, you’re not breaking any law. The cameras on the toll gates simply photograph your licence plate, and the system operator passes this data to Epass24, which is the official billing partner for foreign vehicles.
This Swedish company traces the vehicle owner in international databases and mails you a paper invoice by regular post to the address on your registration documents. The bill typically arrives one to three months after you get home. The downside of this passive approach is that a rather annoying owner-tracing fee is added to the toll itself — up to around ten euros for every invoice issued.
That’s why I definitely recommend the register-in-advance option, which is very simple and takes just a few minutes. On epass24.com you create a free account, enter your plate and email address, and link the profile to a payment card. This way you completely avoid the tracing fees, your receipts arrive neatly by email, and the amount is deducted automatically. What’s more, if you have an electric car or a hybrid, you can upload your vehicle’s emissions data here, which is absolutely crucial for getting the correct eco rate. That way you don’t have to worry about a paper letter getting lost in the post and racking up a huge penalty.
💡 Tip: When registering with Epass24, be extremely careful about typos in your licence plate or choosing the wrong country of registration. If the system doesn’t match your car, you’ll get a paper invoice with the surcharge anyway.
Besides photographing plates, Norway has a second layer to the system — the AutoPASS tag, commonly called a bombrikke in Norwegian. It’s a small electronic box that you stick behind your windscreen, and the toll gates read it from a distance. If you have a valid contract with one of the tag issuers, you automatically get a twenty-percent discount on every passage through a toll station.
It sounds great, but for the average tourist with a petrol car heading north for two weeks, the tag often isn’t worth the hassle. You have to pay a refundable deposit of around 200 NOK, and physical delivery of the tag by post abroad takes two to four weeks. A typical road trip around the fjords generates tolls of roughly a thousand Norwegian kroner, so the discount would give you back around two hundred kroner — which, for a lot of people, simply isn’t worth the admin.
On the other hand, the tag clearly pays off for three groups of travellers. First, owners of electric cars, because at many tunnels you won’t get the eco discount without a tag. Second, drivers of motorhomes over three and a half tonnes, for whom the tag is a lifesaver against astronomical fees. And third, people who visit Scandinavia repeatedly or for longer periods. The Norwegian tag can also be very easily linked to paying on the big Danish and Swedish bridges, such as the famous Øresund.
💡 Tip: If you do decide to get a tag, the best-rated provider with no monthly fees in 2026 is SkyttelPASS, through which you can easily order the box online.
If you fly to Oslo or Bergen and rent a car on arrival, the rules of the game change slightly. You can’t set up your own Epass24 contract for a Norwegian rental plate, because the car is already registered in the system. Most rental cars come with a local AutoPASS tag already stuck on, which dutifully logs all your passages during your holiday.
In this case the toll is charged directly to the rental company, which then re-bills it and charges it to your credit card afterwards. So don’t be alarmed if a charge of a few dozen euros hits your card even a month after you’ve handed the keys back. Rental companies very often add a small handling fee for processing the invoice, running to a few dozen Norwegian kroner per rental day. Large motorhome rental companies, for example, sometimes charge a flat-rate toll package upfront.
Definitely don’t try to pay the fees in cash at petrol stations or hunt for some kind of terminal — with a rental car there’s simply no way around the system. Before picking up the vehicle, just carefully check the terms for how high a toll-processing handling fee the particular company charges, so you’re not surprised once you get home.
💡 Tip: Keep your trip itinerary for at least two months after you get home. When the rental company later charges you for tolls, you can use your day-by-day breakdown to check they’ve billed you only for your own passages and not another customer’s.
This is by far the most important point for all campervanners and owners of big conversions. The Norwegian toll system strictly divides vehicles into two rate groups: group one, up to three and a half tonnes, pays the standard prices. Meanwhile, group two, for heavier vehicles, pays roughly two to three times as much.
For example, driving through the undersea Ryfast tunnel costs a regular car 119 NOK, but a vehicle over the set limit pays an incredible 357 NOK for a single trip. If you have a large motorhome weighing over three and a half tonnes, you’re facing these astronomical fees at every camera. There is, however, one very important exception. A heavy motorhome with category M1 in its registration documents falls into the cheap passenger-car group.
But there’s a big catch: you only get this benefit if you have a valid contract and a fitted AutoPASS tag. Without the box behind your windscreen, the system judges your plate by weight and charges everything at the crushing truck rates. So for heavier motorhomes, getting a tag is an absolute must that can save you huge sums on a single holiday. On top of that, for vehicles over three and a half tonnes in purely commercial operation, the tag is legally mandatory, and its absence carries a hefty on-the-spot fine of 8,000 NOK.
💡 Tip: When applying for an AutoPASS tag for a heavy motorhome, don’t forget to carefully upload a scan of your registration documents. The Norwegian side must clearly see that it really is a category M1 motorhome, so they set the correct, cheaper tariff.
For many years Norway was the promised land for electric cars, where you paid no tolls and parking was almost free. But that lovely era is now definitively over, and in 2026 the system is set up much more strictly. The basic nationwide rule states that zero-emission cars pay a maximum of seventy percent of the rate for a regular petrol vehicle.
The actual size of the discount then varies by region and project. In the toll cordon around Oslo an electric car pays roughly half the standard price, in Trondheim the discount is thirty percent, and in Bergen there was a fairly dramatic jump in eco tariffs this spring. The crucial catch, though, is that at a whole range of toll gates you only get the electric-car discount with a valid AutoPASS tag.
This applies especially to the extensive projects run by the Ferde company in the southwest of the country. If you arrive in an electric car on a foreign plate and don’t have a tag with you, you’ll pay the full 119 NOK to pass through the aforementioned Ryfast tunnel, whereas with a tag it would be just 66.64 NOK. So if you’re heading north in an electric car, definitely sort out a tag well in advance to avoid overpaying needlessly.
💡 Tip: Norway’s charging network is second to none, and you’ll find fast chargers even at very remote fjords. Fast-charging prices in 2026 run to around five to eight Norwegian kroner per kilowatt-hour, so driving on electricity works out financially similar to running on petrol. The main saving lies precisely in the lower tolls and discounted ferries.
Whereas in central Europe we’re used to 130 km/h on motorways and cameras with a bit of tolerance, in Norway you’ll have to slow down significantly, in every sense of the word. The general speed limit is 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h outside them. On better roads you’ll most often come across 90 km/h, and the absolute nationwide maximum is 110 km/h, which only applies on a few selected motorway stretches around Oslo.
Norwegian cameras have a tolerance of just three kilometres per hour, and fines rose again to astronomical heights in February 2026. If you do 130 km/h in that 110 zone, get ready for a fine of over €830, which is exactly 10,100 NOK. Exceeding the limit by twenty kilometres per hour on an ordinary road will cost you 7,450 NOK, and at higher speeds you lose your driving licence on the spot.
Besides the classic fixed cameras, which are always signposted in advance, watch out big time for so-called average-speed cameras. The cameras photograph you at the start and end of a section and reliably calculate your average speed. This system is deployed massively, especially in long undersea tunnels, where it’s tempting to put your foot down, and dozens of new monitored sections are added every year.
💡 Tip: Set your cruise control exactly to the posted limit and don’t try to blend in with the supposed crowd. Norwegian fines are actively enforced across borders, and the police may want you to pay a hefty sum by card right on the spot.
One beer at lunch and then behind the wheel? That simply doesn’t fly in Norway, and the looming fines will convince you faster than any lecture. The legal blood-alcohol limit is just 0.2 per mille, which in practice means absolute zero tolerance. The penalties for drink-driving are among the harshest in all of Europe, and the local courts really don’t cut anyone any slack.
If a reading over half a per mille is recorded, the standard fine is set at one and a half times your gross monthly salary, on top of which comes an automatic driving ban, and at higher readings even an unconditional prison sentence. Locals take it extremely seriously, and driving even after a single glass of wine is socially completely unacceptable here.
Another key peculiarity is the requirement to use dipped headlights all day, even at high noon in the middle of the polar day, when the sun in the north doesn’t set at all. Your mandatory equipment must include a warning triangle and a reflective vest kept within the driver’s reach at all times. If you head into the mountains outside the main summer season, remember that while winter tyres for passenger cars aren’t formally tied to the calendar, there’s a strict requirement for adequate grip. In Nordic conditions, that means a tread depth of at least three millimetres.
💡 Tip: In mountain areas you’ll very often come across signs warning of wildlife. Take them completely seriously — a collision with a huge moose or a herd of reindeer wandering across the road is a very real and dangerous risk up north.
When travelling along the stunning west coast full of deep fjords, you won’t avoid domestic ferries, which function as a natural part of the Norwegian road network. Just like on the roads, here too a fully automatic system called AutoPASS-ferje reigns. As you drive on board, the cameras again photograph your licence plate or read your tag, and you no longer buy a paper ticket in advance.
The ferry price depends solely on the length of your vehicle and rises very sharply. While a passenger car or smaller van up to six metres pays the base rate, for an eight-metre motorhome you can easily pay more than double. If you’ve set up an AutoPASS tag, you get an automatic ten-percent discount on ferries.
If you’ve got a lot of crossings ahead of you, though, you can set up a special prepaid account. For vehicles up to eight metres you send a deposit of 2,200 NOK and then travel on all domestic ferries with a huge fifty-percent discount. For electric cars, this discount even stacks with the eco tariff, so crossing the water costs you next to nothing. Any unused balance is refunded to your account without the slightest problem after your holiday.
💡 Tip: Foot passengers travel completely free on these short fjord ferries in Norway. You pay solely for the space that the motor vehicle itself takes up on board.
On travel forums, the same stories keep coming up from people who paid the price for not knowing the Nordic rules. The most common and most expensive mistake is ignoring the invoice from Epass24. The letter can take a good three months to arrive from abroad, it looks like some strange Swedish spam, so people simply throw it out. What follows is a stern reminder with a hefty fee, and then the debt is handed over to an international collection agency, which can quickly turn an original 800 NOK into thousands.
Another big trap is peak-hour tolls in the major cities. The cordons around Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim have different rates for normal traffic and for the morning and afternoon rush hours. If you arrive in central Bergen at eight on a Tuesday morning, you’ll pay the maximum possible rate. But if you plan your trip cleverly for the weekend or arrive outside the busy hours, you’ll save significantly.
Drivers also often forget the so-called time rule, timesregelen in Norwegian. This means that if you pass through several toll gates within the same city cordon in a single hour, you only pay for one passage. So there’s no need to panic when three different cameras photograph you in quick succession while you hunt for a parking spot in Oslo.
💡 Tip: An interesting insider fact for summer holidaymakers: in the huge cordon around the capital, Oslo, peak-hour rates don’t apply on weekends, on public holidays, and not for the whole month of July either, when Norwegians take their mass holidays.
If you’re on a long road trip and just need to grab some strategic sleep near the main routes after gruelling hours at the wheel, you’ll definitely appreciate accommodation with guaranteed, secure parking. Finding a spot for your car in the centres of Norwegian cities is often a nightmare that costs a fair bit of money too. So I’ve picked out tips ranging from cheaper options to comfortable hotels, always with easy parking and quick access back onto the main route. Norwegian hotel breakfasts, by the way, are a thing in their own right: expect warm dishes, fish and cheeses, not just a bread roll with jam.
To give you a better idea of how much Norway’s roads will cost you, here are some concrete examples of toll rates valid for 2026. Exchange rates naturally shift a little, but as a rough guide, reckon that 1 NOK is worth about €0.09.
| City / Section | Regular car (peak) | Electric car (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— |
| Oslo (inner cordon) | 47 NOK (~€4) | 26 NOK (~€2.30) |
| Oslo (off-peak) | 38 NOK (~€3.40) | 21 NOK (~€1.90) |
| Bergen (peak) | 64 NOK (~€5.70) | 44 NOK (~€3.90) |
| Trondheim (peak on E6) | 44 NOK (~€3.90) | 30 NOK (~€2.70) |
| Ryfast tunnel (no tag) | 119 NOK (~€10.60) | 119 NOK (~€10.60) |
| Ryfast tunnel (with tag) | 95.20 NOK (~€8.50) | 66.64 NOK (~€5.90) |
A model calculation for a typical road trip: If you set off on a classic 10- to 14-day loop along the Oslo – Bergen – Trondheim – Oslo route, you’ll pass through dozens of gates and enter several city cordons. Foreign travellers with a regular petrol car and no tag will realistically spend between 700 and 1,500 NOK (roughly €65 to €135) on tolls along this route. So it’s not an amount that will ruin your budget — provided you don’t rent a big heavy motorhome and forget to sort out an AutoPASS.
Before you leave, you can calculate your exact route in Norwegian online calculators (for example bompengeappen.no or on the websites of local operators), which will show you the precise price including all current projects and tunnels.
No, Norway does not use any time-based motorway vignette system in the form of stickers or electronic vignettes. You pay for motorways, roads, tunnels and bridges exclusively through point-based tolls when passing under a specific toll camera. The system automatically charges you only for the section you actually drove through, with no need to stop anywhere.
By far the easiest option is to register your license plate and payment card on the official Epass24 website before departure. The system will then automatically send you invoices directly to your email and charge your card. If you don’t do this, you’ll receive a paper invoice at home, but it will include an additional fee for tracing the vehicle owner.
I definitely don’t recommend trying that, because the Norwegians actively pursue their claims internationally. After an unpaid invoice, you’ll receive a stern reminder with a substantial fee, and the debt is promptly handed over to international collection agencies that pursue it across Europe. What started as an ordinary €40 can very quickly become a truly unpleasant and expensive problem.
Prices in 2026 depend on what time of day you enter the city. A regular petrol car pays 47 NOK when entering the inner ring during peak hours, and 38 NOK off-peak. Great news for summer tourists is that peak-hour surcharges aren’t applied at all on weekends, public holidays and throughout the entire month of July.
Yes, the golden era of free passage has definitively ended in Norway. Electric vehicles in 2026 typically pay thirty to seventy percent of the regular petrol rate. However, at many toll stations you’ll only get this eco-discount if you have a valid AutoPASS chip registered in your vehicle.
The rates are enormous and radar tolerance is just three kilometres per hour. If you exceed the speed limit on a motorway by twenty kilometres per hour, you’ll pay a fine of 7,450 NOK in 2026, which is more than €600. If you exceed it by thirty-six kilometres per hour on an expressway, it’s already 16,700 NOK, and above this threshold you lose your driving licence on the spot. It definitely pays to drive strictly according to the rules.
For a regular two-week road trip in a petrol or diesel car, the complicated process of obtaining a chip, paying a deposit and waiting for postal delivery probably isn’t worth it – free registration on the Epass24 portal will work absolutely reliably for you. However, the chip is a necessity for motorhomes over three and a half tonnes, which would otherwise pay astronomical freight rates, and it’s also highly recommended for electric vehicles to claim eco-discounts at individual toll stations.
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The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
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