Couples planning a pre-wedding shoot, an elopement or a proposal in Prague often ask the same questions. Do we need a permit? Can the photographer bring a tripod? Can we fly a drone over the Old Town? The answers are spread across a dozen official websites, most of them only in Czech. We collected them in one place.
The short answer: for a normal couple shoot with a handheld camera, most public places in Prague need no permit. Some gardens charge a fee or ban professional shoots, and drones are almost never an option in the centre.
Quick overview
| Place | Couple shoot allowed? | Permit or fee |
|---|---|---|
| Prague Castle courtyards | Yes, during opening hours of the area (06:00–22:00) | No outdoor photo fee published. Organised events need a permit. |
| Prague Castle gardens | Yes, when the gardens are open (March–October) | No outdoor photo fee published. Closed November–February. |
| Charles Bridge | Yes | None for private photos, even with a tripod. Commercial filming has a high daily fee. |
| Palace Gardens below Prague Castle | Yes | CZK 1,800 + VAT for a wedding shoot outside a rented area |
| Wallenstein Garden | Only private, non-commercial photos | No professional shoots |
| Vrtba Garden | About one hour of photos after a ceremony held there | Ask the garden for a shoot without a ceremony |
| Vyšehrad | Yes | Professional wedding photos need approval in advance. No fee published. |
| Botanical Garden Troja | Private photos only, unless you book | Engagement package CZK 10,000 |
| Drones in the centre | Practically no | No-fly zones, special authorisation and landowner consent |
Prague Castle
The Castle’s visitor rules (in force since November 2023) do not mention outdoor photo shoots at all. Couples with a photographer walk through the courtyards every day. What the rules do say:
- The Castle area is open 06:00–22:00 all year. Early morning is by far the quietest time.
- The gardens (Royal Garden, South Gardens) open only from March to October: March 10–17, April to June 10–19, July and August 10–20, September 10–19, October 10–17.
- Organised events need a permit from the Castle administration. A small couple shoot is not described as an event, but a large crew with lights could be.
- Inside the buildings you need a photo ticket, and flash, tripods and lights are not allowed. Commercial photos inside need a contract with the Castle administration.
- Drones are banned for any purpose, because the Castle is part of a no-fly zone.
- No picnics or blankets outside marked areas, no walking on lawns and no picking flowers.
Charles Bridge and the Old Town
Prague 1 has answered this question publicly. For private photography it “will neither require nor issue” a permit, even if you use a tripod. A permit for special use of the road is needed when the use is commercial. For commercial filming on Charles Bridge the city charges a flat CZK 250,000 a day.
Prague 1 has not said whether a paid couple session counts as commercial. In practice, a photographer with a handheld camera and no crew, lights or set does not block the bridge, and that is how couple shoots usually work. If you plan lights, reflectors with assistants or a film crew, ask Prague 1 first.
For parks and green areas in Prague 1 (for example Kampa), events and filming need a lease approved by the council. Apply at least a month ahead.
Gardens with their own rules
Palace Gardens below Prague Castle
The gardens publish a clear price list. A wedding shoot outside a rented area costs CZK 1,800 excluding VAT. A general shoot for up to four people is also CZK 1,800 per group per day. Rice, confetti and anything thrown at the couple are not allowed, and neither is smoking or open fire.
Wallenstein Garden
The garden belongs to the Czech Senate and allows only private, non-commercial photography, without equipment and without blocking paths. It is open from April to October. If you want the peacocks in your photos, do not use flash on them.
Vrtba Garden
If you marry in Vrtba Garden, you get about an hour for photos and video afterwards, with a photographer of your choice. Rice and confetti are banned in the garden and the courtyards. The garden does not publish a fee for a shoot without a ceremony, so ask them directly.
Vyšehrad
Personal photos are free. Professional wedding photography needs approval in advance from the Vyšehrad office (sekretariat@praha-vysehrad.cz). Drones may not take off or land there, and open fire is not allowed.
Botanical Garden Troja
Without a booking, only private photos with a handheld camera are allowed, without tripods or lights. The garden offers an engagement package for CZK 10,000: one hour on the St Clare vineyard terrace for up to four people, with sparkling wine and optional photos at the chapel. It is one of the few places in Prague that sells a proposal setting officially.
Petřín
We found no official rules for photo shoots in the Petřín rose garden. Couples photograph there regularly, but treat it as a public park: no blocking paths and no picking roses.
Drones
This is the question we hear most, and the answer usually disappoints. Central Prague is covered by several drone zones listed by the Czech Civil Aviation Authority:
- the zone for densely populated areas, which covers the city,
- the control zone of Václav Havel Airport,
- prohibited areas along the river and around government buildings,
- Prague Castle, where drones are banned outright.
In the populated-area zone you may not fly over uninvolved people, and that includes people in cars and behind windows. In the busy Old Town this is almost impossible without closing the area. A legal flight therefore needs an authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority, and also the consent of the landowner where you take off and land. Fines reach CZK 3,000,000. Always check the official map at dronemap.gov.cz before planning drone footage.
Our advice: plan aerial shots outside the centre or skip them. Prague’s views from Letná, Vyšehrad or Petřín give a similar effect without a drone.
Confetti, rice, petals and candles
- Vrtba Garden and the Palace Gardens ban rice and confetti.
- Open fire is banned at Vyšehrad and the Palace Gardens, and open flames are banned inside Castle buildings.
- Sky lanterns are banned in all of Prague.
- Fireworks above the smallest category are banned at heritage sites and within 50 metres of the river.
- We found no general rule for petals or confetti in the streets or at the Old Town Hall. Ask your venue, and clean up after yourselves.
Practical tips
- Keep the setup small. A photographer with a handheld camera fits the rules almost everywhere. Lights, stands and crews are what bring permits into play.
- Go early. Our golden hour table shows when Charles Bridge and the Castle are quietest in each month.
- Book gardens ahead in May, June and September, when many couples want the same places.
- Check winter closures. Most castle gardens close from November to February, so a winter shoot is mainly streets, bridges and viewpoints.
Plan your shoot with us
We plan pre-wedding shoots, proposals and elopements in Prague and handle garden bookings and approvals for you. Send us your date and the places you like, and we will suggest a route that works on that day.
Sources
- Prague Castle: visitor rules from 13 November 2023 (PDF, Czech)
- Prague 1: tripods on Charles Bridge, photography on Charles Bridge, events and filming on green areas
- Palace Gardens: price list and conditions
- Czech Senate: Wallenstein Garden
- Vrtba Garden: weddings
- Vyšehrad: photography and filming
- Botanical Garden Prague: filming and photography
- Civil Aviation Authority: drones and DroneMap
- City of Prague: fireworks and sky lanterns
Checked against these official pages in October 2026. Some Prague 1 answers date from 2018 and 2020, so confirm with the venue or office before your shoot.