Public Gardens

The UNESCO listed Vrtbovska zahrada or Vrtba Garden, is located in the charming quarter of Mala Strana. Vrtba Garden, designed by Frantisek Maximilian Kanka in 1720, is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque gardens in Central Europe. Although small and intimate, the garden features everything a Baroque garden should; elegant staircases, statues and sculptures (by Matyas Bernard Braun), terraces, colorful flowerbeds incorporated with hedge designs, frescoes (by Vaclav Vavrinec Reiner featuring Adonis and Venus) and ornate banisters. The garden is also blessed with a superb location, it ...

Overlooking the glorious city of Prague is the equally beautiful Petřín Hill, one of the former vineyards of King Charles IV. This is the place to go and relax under a blooming cherry tree during a clear spring day or smell the fragrant beauties in the lovely rose garden on a lazy summer night, and it is also the perfect place to capture the wonder of Prague via your camera. It is a steep walk up Petřín, so if you wish, you can take the cool funicular up to the summer restaurant or all the way to the top of the hill. Petřín Hill also features a miniature Eiffel Tower (built for the for the ...

Located in a small village in the outskirts of Prague, the 250 hectares Pruhonice Park, founded in 1885 by Count Arnost Emanuel Silva Tarouca, is like a fairytale setting come true. Forests filled with exotic trees and bushes, seven sweet cascading ponds, soft rolling meadows, and blooming rhododendrons surround the lovely Czech neo Renaissance castle.  There is also a lovely Romanesque church dating back to 1187. This garden is a masterpiece of European landscaping and is listed as a historical garden by the ICOMOS organization. This is the perfect place to spend a day relaxing and pic ...

Separated from the mainland of Mala Strana by the Certovka (Devil's Canal), leafy Kampa Island is a lovely place to spend your leisure time. The manmade island was the result of the narrow Certovka stream, dug to power water mills (a few of these mills still exist today). The name of the stream is rumored to be named after a nasty spirited woman who resided in a nearby home titled the Seven Devils and who also washed her dirty laundry in the stream. Kampa Island was first mentioned in 1169. This island of gardens was designed in the English landscaping style with promenades alongside the Vl ...

Located in Prague 7, Stromovka (place of trees) Park is the largest of its kind in the city of Prague. The history of Stromovka dates back to 1268, when Premysl Otakar II used Stromovka as the royal hunting grounds. The park was opened to the public in 1804, after Czech nobles saved the grounds from complete demolition during the reign of Maria Theresa who ordered everything cut and burned. The park is no longer full of deer to hunt; the park now features paths for inline skating, ponds, large meadows, charming cafes that make for perfect places to work remotely, and even horse stables. Whe ...

Nestled secretly in a hidden courtyard between Jungmannovo and Wenceslas Square, the Franciscan Garden, a true oasis, is the perfect place to escape the overwhelming crowds in Prague. You can get to the garden through an entrance from Jungmannovo náměstí, through the Alfa passage leading from Wenceslas Square or the Světozor passage leading from Vodičkova street (both passages join in front of the gate to the garden). The garden dates back to the 14th century and was restored in the early 1990s. It sits by the lovely Church of Our Lady of the Snows, a worthy sight as well. The garden features ...

Close to Karlovo Namesti is the oldest botanical garden in the Czech Republic, the Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Science at Charles University. The garden used to be in the Smíchov district, but due to flooding from the Vltava River, the garden was relocated in 1898 to its current location. Located a bit out of the main tourist way, this intimate garden is relaxing and romantic, with benches and couples in love everywhere you look. Its winding paths lead around nooks and ponds, while the old alluring glasshouse is full of orchids, coffee bushes, a cactus room, primeval plants, and even a Me ...

The area of Troja is lovely, complete with green rolling hills followed by the snake-like winding Vltava, the grand Troja Chateau, a true Baroque gem, the Prague Zoo, voted among the top 10 zoos in the world, and the impressive Prague Botanic Gardens. Stretching over a large chunk of land, the Botanic Garden includes a Japanese Garden with a gorgeous grove of Japanese Cherry trees, an exhibition of irises, several small ponds and lakes, the vineyard of St. Claire, and the large Fata Morgana tropical greenhouse, which offers a trip around the tropics of the world. The unique shape and size, ...

Surrounding the Star Summer Palace is the Hvezda, or Star, Game Preserve. Founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I, the preserve was used for game keeping, nowadays, the green area is used as a recreational spot for numbers of Prague inhabitants searching for a quiet relaxing spot close to the city. Three long shady lanes surrounded by leafy trees stretch to the palace, a green haven laid out in English garden style. Hvezda Game Preserve is a perfect spot for an intimate summer picnic; or, to simply enjoy a book while relaxing on a bench surrounded by lovely trees, and forget the bustle of the ci ...

The mythological birthplace of Prague, Vysehrad, features a large park with trails and ruins of the old fortress and gates. The leaves of the tall ancient trees whisper as you make your way around this lovely area. In the Vysehrad park you can look for the resident raven, as well as the Stone of the Devil, said to have been placed in the park by the Devil after a fight with a priest, and the statues of Libuse and Premysl. You can also search for the Bath of Libuse, a legendary place where the high priestess bathed with men, then threw them to their deaths from the high cliffs of Vysehrad, ...

Located on an embankment overlooking the meandering Vltava, Letna Park is an interesting and relaxing place to spend your leisure time. To begin with, you may notice a very large ticking metronome, recognition of time, located at the base of the park. This was once the area that held the largest monument to Stalin in the whole world. Erected in 1955, the monstrous monument featured the largest group monument in Europe standing at 15.5 meters in height and 22 meters in length. The group consisted of a woman farmer, a laborer, and a soldier, with Stalin leading in the front of the group. The mo ...

Leading down from Prague Castle on the southern slopes are the Castle Gardens, formerly the Royal Vineyards, and 5 palace gardens (Ledeburg Garden, Palffy Garden, Greater Palffy Garden, Kolovrat Garden and Furstenberg Garden), all of which are connected and form terraced gardens. The effect is a gorgeous chain of lavish manicured gardens that are simply a colorful splendid sight. Take a break from sightseeing and roam the romantic gardens or simply gaze over the labyrinth of red rooftops of Mala Strana. The gardens offer stunning views of the city and often host live classical music concerts ...

Located in Mala Strana, or the Lesser Quarter, Wallenstein Garden is a beautiful manicured garden with lush greenery, shaped hedges, a large pond with a islet featuring a marble fountain of Hercules, statues representing heroes from Greek mythology, an aviary, peacocks to feed and even an Italian grotto with artificial stalactites (look for the animals and fantastic creatures hidden in the stalactite wall). The garden is conveniently located behind the Malostranska Metro entrance and is open to the public from April to October. It is the perfect place to sit and relax in midst of some hectic ...

The UNESCO listed Vrtbovska zahrada or Vrtba Garden, is located in the charming quarter of Mala Strana. Vrtba Garden, designed by Frantisek Maximilian Kanka in 1720, is considered one of the most beautiful Baroque gardens in Central Europe. Although small and intimate, the garden features everything a Baroque garden should; elegant staircases, statues and sculptures (by Matyas Bernard Braun), terraces, colorful flowerbeds incorporated with hedge designs, frescoes (by Vaclav Vavrinec Reiner featuring Adonis and Venus) and ornate banisters. The garden is also blessed with a superb location, it ...

Overlooking the glorious city of Prague is the equally beautiful Petřín Hill, one of the former vineyards of King Charles IV. This is the place to go and relax under a blooming cherry tree during a clear spring day or smell the fragrant beauties in the lovely rose garden on a lazy summer night, and it is also the perfect place to capture the wonder of Prague via your camera. It is a steep walk up Petřín, so if you wish, you can take the cool funicular up to the summer restaurant or all the way to the top of the hill. Petřín Hill also features a miniature Eiffel Tower (built for the for the ...

Located in a small village in the outskirts of Prague, the 250 hectares Pruhonice Park, founded in 1885 by Count Arnost Emanuel Silva Tarouca, is like a fairytale setting come true. Forests filled with exotic trees and bushes, seven sweet cascading ponds, soft rolling meadows, and blooming rhododendrons surround the lovely Czech neo Renaissance castle.  There is also a lovely Romanesque church dating back to 1187. This garden is a masterpiece of European landscaping and is listed as a historical garden by the ICOMOS organization. This is the perfect place to spend a day relaxing and pic ...

Separated from the mainland of Mala Strana by the Certovka (Devil's Canal), leafy Kampa Island is a lovely place to spend your leisure time. The manmade island was the result of the narrow Certovka stream, dug to power water mills (a few of these mills still exist today). The name of the stream is rumored to be named after a nasty spirited woman who resided in a nearby home titled the Seven Devils and who also washed her dirty laundry in the stream. Kampa Island was first mentioned in 1169. This island of gardens was designed in the English landscaping style with promenades alongside the Vl ...

Located in Prague 7, Stromovka (place of trees) Park is the largest of its kind in the city of Prague. The history of Stromovka dates back to 1268, when Premysl Otakar II used Stromovka as the royal hunting grounds. The park was opened to the public in 1804, after Czech nobles saved the grounds from complete demolition during the reign of Maria Theresa who ordered everything cut and burned. The park is no longer full of deer to hunt; the park now features paths for inline skating, ponds, large meadows, charming cafes that make for perfect places to work remotely, and even horse stables. Whe ...

Nestled secretly in a hidden courtyard between Jungmannovo and Wenceslas Square, the Franciscan Garden, a true oasis, is the perfect place to escape the overwhelming crowds in Prague. You can get to the garden through an entrance from Jungmannovo náměstí, through the Alfa passage leading from Wenceslas Square or the Světozor passage leading from Vodičkova street (both passages join in front of the gate to the garden). The garden dates back to the 14th century and was restored in the early 1990s. It sits by the lovely Church of Our Lady of the Snows, a worthy sight as well. The garden features ...

Close to Karlovo Namesti is the oldest botanical garden in the Czech Republic, the Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Science at Charles University. The garden used to be in the Smíchov district, but due to flooding from the Vltava River, the garden was relocated in 1898 to its current location. Located a bit out of the main tourist way, this intimate garden is relaxing and romantic, with benches and couples in love everywhere you look. Its winding paths lead around nooks and ponds, while the old alluring glasshouse is full of orchids, coffee bushes, a cactus room, primeval plants, and even a Me ...

The area of Troja is lovely, complete with green rolling hills followed by the snake-like winding Vltava, the grand Troja Chateau, a true Baroque gem, the Prague Zoo, voted among the top 10 zoos in the world, and the impressive Prague Botanic Gardens. Stretching over a large chunk of land, the Botanic Garden includes a Japanese Garden with a gorgeous grove of Japanese Cherry trees, an exhibition of irises, several small ponds and lakes, the vineyard of St. Claire, and the large Fata Morgana tropical greenhouse, which offers a trip around the tropics of the world. The unique shape and size, ...

Surrounding the Star Summer Palace is the Hvezda, or Star, Game Preserve. Founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I, the preserve was used for game keeping, nowadays, the green area is used as a recreational spot for numbers of Prague inhabitants searching for a quiet relaxing spot close to the city. Three long shady lanes surrounded by leafy trees stretch to the palace, a green haven laid out in English garden style. Hvezda Game Preserve is a perfect spot for an intimate summer picnic; or, to simply enjoy a book while relaxing on a bench surrounded by lovely trees, and forget the bustle of the ci ...

The mythological birthplace of Prague, Vysehrad, features a large park with trails and ruins of the old fortress and gates. The leaves of the tall ancient trees whisper as you make your way around this lovely area. In the Vysehrad park you can look for the resident raven, as well as the Stone of the Devil, said to have been placed in the park by the Devil after a fight with a priest, and the statues of Libuse and Premysl. You can also search for the Bath of Libuse, a legendary place where the high priestess bathed with men, then threw them to their deaths from the high cliffs of Vysehrad, ...

Located on an embankment overlooking the meandering Vltava, Letna Park is an interesting and relaxing place to spend your leisure time. To begin with, you may notice a very large ticking metronome, recognition of time, located at the base of the park. This was once the area that held the largest monument to Stalin in the whole world. Erected in 1955, the monstrous monument featured the largest group monument in Europe standing at 15.5 meters in height and 22 meters in length. The group consisted of a woman farmer, a laborer, and a soldier, with Stalin leading in the front of the group. The mo ...

Leading down from Prague Castle on the southern slopes are the Castle Gardens, formerly the Royal Vineyards, and 5 palace gardens (Ledeburg Garden, Palffy Garden, Greater Palffy Garden, Kolovrat Garden and Furstenberg Garden), all of which are connected and form terraced gardens. The effect is a gorgeous chain of lavish manicured gardens that are simply a colorful splendid sight. Take a break from sightseeing and roam the romantic gardens or simply gaze over the labyrinth of red rooftops of Mala Strana. The gardens offer stunning views of the city and often host live classical music concerts ...

Located in Mala Strana, or the Lesser Quarter, Wallenstein Garden is a beautiful manicured garden with lush greenery, shaped hedges, a large pond with a islet featuring a marble fountain of Hercules, statues representing heroes from Greek mythology, an aviary, peacocks to feed and even an Italian grotto with artificial stalactites (look for the animals and fantastic creatures hidden in the stalactite wall). The garden is conveniently located behind the Malostranska Metro entrance and is open to the public from April to October. It is the perfect place to sit and relax in midst of some hectic ...

Located on the flowing Vltava next to the golden-topped National Theater is the lush Slovansky Island. A quiet retreat in the center of the city, Slovansky Island features the neo Renaissance Zofin Palace, a playground and a toy train for children, the Zofin Garden restaurant (perfect for al fresco dining), a large gazebo and the Manes building, a famous functionalist building plus more. The island was formed in the 17th century by gradual soil deposits. After the floods in 1784 the island was fortified with a wall and trees were planted there. Also a spa, dyeing plant and a restaurant were ...

Located in the pretty neighborhood of Vinohrady, a district famous for being dotted with pastel Art Nouveau facades, green spaces and good eateries is Havlíčkovy - Grébovka Park. This is one of the city’s large parks and it is a wonderful setting to behold. The sloping park is characterized by a variety of massive, ancient trees, winding paths, a lovely Neo Renaissance palace, a wooden Victorianesque wine pavilion perched next to a vineyard, several historic houses (one used as a café) and a mysterious grotto, which is currently under reconstruction.

Located next to the magnificent Prague Castle is the Deer or Stag Moat. The Deer Moat is a beautiful natural ravine made from the Brusnice Stream making it one of the most peaceful places to walk in Prague while it is conveniently and attractively situated next to Prague’s famous castle. Historically the moat used to be part of Prague Castle’s northern fortification, which helped to defend the massive complex. The Brusnice Stream was drained to the underground pipes in 1899 creating a lovely natural ravine. During the reign of Rudolf II the moat was fenced and used for breeding and ...

Located in the gorgeous Art Nouveau district of Vinohrady bordering Zizkov is the lush and rather large Riegrovy Sady (Rieger’s Park). This pleasant park stretches between Italská, Chopinova, Polská, and Vozová streets and is one of the most popular leisure spots in Prague 2. The park takes its name from František Ladislav Rieger, a Czech politician. At the main entrance of Riegrovy Sady off of Italská Street there is a statue by Josef Václav Myslbek of Rieger from 1913. The park was established in 1904 as a public garden in the English style and has been a peaceful green area ever since ...

A beautiful valley on the outskirts of Prague 6, Divoká Šárka natural preserve is an ideal place to go in Prague if you want to relax in nature. You can spend a whole day here and you will still have a lot to discover on your next visit. The natural preserve spreads on the rocky slopes of the Šárecký potok stream and mainly on the territory of its right bank. Divoká Šárka was declared the first Prague natural monument considering its geological, zoological and botanical richness. In the territory of Malá Šárka many historical and archaeologically valuable objects have been found from ...

A popular tourist destination with Prague residents is the Prokopské and Dalejské Valleys nature reserve (Prokopské and Dalejské údolí) in the southwest area of Prague. The nature reserve is easily accessible from the surrounding Prague quarters of Jinonice, Hlubočepy, Butovice, Řeporyje and Barrandov. The western part of the park is formed by the Dalejské valley, which spreads along the Dalejský potok stream. From its confluence with the Prokopský potok stream the nature reserve is called Prokopské Valley. Thanks to several hiking trails the park is an ideal place for long walks. Dalejské and ...

In the middle of Prague 4 is the large and lush Kunratice Forest. The forest is conveniently accessible by the Roztyly metro station and presents Prague residents with a lovely green space for relaxation, sport and entertainment. The attractive forest is home to a variety of trees, some of which are national trees as they are very old, numerous animals including deer, a tranquil lake called Swan Lake and more. In the forest you can find numerous walking and cycling trails and designated areas for playing, eating and resting complete with playgrounds for children, benches, shelters, etc. The ...

The Modřany Gulch (Modřanská rokle) natural monument is located at the territory of the capital city of Prague in the area between the Prague quarters of Modřany and Písnice in the valley of the Libuš and Písnice streams. The Modřany Gulch features an educational route that you can comfortably manage in an hour. At seven stops you can learn about geology and fauna and flora living at the Modřany Gulch. The route is also suitable for bikers and it is not physically demanding. Until the beginning of the twentieth century there occurred allegedly many rare plants including unusual ferns. In the ...