ALONG THE RIVER FULL OF STORIES
From Vyšehrad to Charles Bridge
Beautiful façades, ancient walls, avant-garde new buildings – each house in Prague tells its own interesting story. Discover fascinating new sides of Prague on a walk along the Vltava River.
RIGHT BANK OF THE VLTAVA RIVER: A DANCE AGAINST THE TIDE OF TIME
Our hotel is located near the Vltava River, the vibrant water vein along which the medieval cultural, commercial and political power center of our country was built 11 centuries ago. A walk through Prague along the river will literally take you against the tide of time. Let yourself be guided to charming places that breathe history and will tell you their stories.
Just a few steps from the hotel you will find Náplavka on the Vltava quay. It was once neglected, but is now hip and vibrant. On weekends, many Prague residents come here to shop at the farmer's market. Locals and guests can refresh themselves at stalls with a wide range of offerings. Street musicians from all over the world play and on beautiful evenings there is partying here in the open air.
Further downstream, you will come across a unique combination of music, dance and architecture. At Jirásek Bridge, you can admire the iconic "Dancing House", whose façade undulates like the playful surface of water. The postmodern building by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, and whose shape was inspired by the legendary dance couple, Fred and Ginger, has left its mark on our city.
The neighboring Art Deco house was home for many years to the playwright Vaclav Havel, the face of the "Velvet Revolution" and later President of the Czech Republic. He was a great supporter of the architectural revitalization of Prague and opening it to the world.
Another unique connection awaits you just a few steps away. Black and white, horizontal and vertical, "Manes" is an ingenious combination of the historical and the modern. The 15th-century Šítkov Water Tower stands out from the minimalist exhibition building of the Mánes Art Society. Modern art has found a home here in our country for more than a hundred years. Take a look through the large windows to see if there is an exhibition going on that you might like.
For some peace and shade, the parks on the islands of Slovanský and Střelecký, where the people of Prague also like to take a break, are right next door.
How about a boat ride on the Vltava River? Boats or pedal boats can both be rented to see the city from the water.
And now you are in the heart of Prague. On your right is the "Golden Chapel", as the National Theatre is affectionately called. However, this neo-Romanesque gem did not have an easy fate when it practically burned down before it was completed. Nevertheless, it rose like a phoenix from the ashes and became a symbol of the indomitable desire of the Czechs to have their own prestigious cultural institution. Did you know that in the 19th century, literally crown by crown, the entire nation contributed to this! As the motto, "Národ sobě" (The people for themselves), above the stage still reminds us today!
Cross the street and you are in the legendary Kavárna Slavia, a popular center of intellectual and artistic life. For 150 years, poets, writers, philosophers, actors, directors and musicians have been meeting here. The composer Bedřich Smetana lived and worked here, and his no less famous colleague, Antonín Dvořák. World-famous artists such as Jiří Kolář and Jan Zrzavý, Nobel Prize winner for literature, Jaroslav Seifert, the director of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Hair", Miloš Forman and his childhood friend, the aforementioned playwright and later president, Václav Havel, have all been guests of the Kavárna. Enjoy the unique view of the river and the opposite bank with Petřín Hill and Prague Castle like many generations of bohemians, artists, scientists and dissidents before you.
After a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, you can walk along the river bank to two more important monuments in just a few minutes. The Gothic Charles Bridge, the second oldest in our country, will be presented separately. On its forecourt, however, you will find the sprawling baroque complex of the former Jesuit college, the Klementinum. Today it houses the National Library, and you can admire the beautiful decorative interiors from the 18th century. By the way, the meteorological observations that have been recorded here continuously since 1775 represent the longest continuous series of this scientific data in the world.
From here you can explore the maze of alleys in Prague's Old Town or cross the Charles Bridge to the opposite Lesser Town. But if you are already tired and saturated with impressions, take tram (numbers 2, 17, 18) and return to the hotel to have a little siesta.
LEFT BANK OF THE VLTAVA RIVER: RENDEZVOUS WITH EMPERORS, PRESIDENTS, ALCHEMISTS AND BREWERS
Welcome to the left bank of the Vltava River. This walk will also take you to many special places that reflect the rich history and magic of Prague. The river is crossed by a series of bridges. The closest, just a few steps from the hotel, is the "Palacky most", named after the father of the nation, the historian and politician, František Palacký. Cross it in a few minutes and you will find yourself at "Smíchovska Náplavka". Once an important port and trading center, today it is a modern, vibrant place in close proximity to the river, with many small cafes, pubs and galleries.
A little tip: The banks on both sides are connected by a small ferry that shuttles back and forth. The boat trip is a romantic experience and you have a wonderful view of the city.
Further downstream we reach the "Anděl" district. A lot has been built here in the last thirty years and it has been transformed into a modern shopping and entertainment center. However, in the surrounding alleys, this former brewery and working-class district still retains its own character and is where you will find numerous bars and pubs for rockers, hipsters and sports fans.
A truly relaxing time in nature in the middle of the city can be enjoyed in the nearby Kinsky Gardens. The extensive park on a hill was laid out in the 19th century and is now a popular destination for day-trippers and lovers. It is not for nothing that there is a statue of Karel Hynek Mácha, the poet and most important representative of Czech Romanticism, in the gardens.
Petřín, a steeply rising hill, is a symbol of Prague. A cable car(in operation since 1891) takes you to the summit where there is a rose garden and a hundred-year-old, still functioning observatory. Above all is the iconic little Eiffel Tower, inspired by its famous Parisian brother, which you can climb(without queues). From up there you have a wonderful view of the city.
Further downstream you come to the romantic island of Kampa known as "Prague Venice". Bathed by the Vltava River and its arm called Čertovka, it is an oasis of peace and greenery offering a romantic view of working watermills, a colorful palette of cafes and restaurants, and many other attractions: the Lennon Wall, sought after by tourists, the Kampa Museum, which focuses on Czech art between the wars and the post-war period, or the Liechtenstein Palace, which also hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Emperor Akihito.
What the Old Town is to the right bank of the Vltava River, "Mala Strana" is to its left bank. One of Prague's most picturesque parts, it is a historic district full of winding streets, quaint pubs, churches, palaces and old apartment buildings with house marks and signs (which used to serve in place of house numbers). Be prepared, however, that contrary to the "flat" right bank, the terrain here is more hilly, and the roads take you up and down.
Be sure to visit the Church of St. Nicholas, a baroque pearl created by architects Kryštof and Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. Here you can feel the true spirit of baroque - light and shadow, breathtaking decorations and exalted spiritualism.
The main artery of „Mala Strana“ is Nerudova Street, which leads you to Prague Castle, the center and symbol of Czech statehood since the 10th century. Formerly the residence of Czech kings and the emperors of the Holy Roman empire, today is serves as the office of the Czech presidents. If you're lucky, you might bump into the current one, General Petr Pavel, coming to work on his motorcycle.
From the center of Prague Castle rises the St. Vitus Cathedrale. A Gothic church inspired by French cathedrals that waited six centuries for its completion. Its catacombs are the resting place of a large number of Czech rulers, including the most famous of them all, Charles IV. In the 14th century he gave Prague the structure we see today, a legacy that has endured for centuries.
At Prague Castle, you literally won't know what to visit first: the Gothic Vladislav Hall, where you can even go by horse and carriage and which is now the backdrop for the inaugurations of Czech presidents! The old royal palace, linked to the history of the Defenestrations of Prague and the royal governors who survived the fall from the window thanks to a dung heap below them! Or perhaps the Golden Lane, which supposedly housed alchemists who were rumored to have produced gold under the legendary Emperor Rudolf II, and where the world-famous writer and Prague-born Franz Kafka lived three centuries later! The castle offers a journey through many eras and countless stories.
Down the old castle steps we descend to „Mala Strana“ and take the tram (number 2, 18, 22 or 23) along the Vltava back to our hotel.
BRIDGES AS A CONNECTION BETWEEN SPACE AND TIME
Bridges have always been symbols of connection and communication. And because we also host and connect many people from all over the world, we have taken a liking to this symbolism. Not only will you find images of Prague's bridges in the interiors of our hotel, but you will find many of them in the immediate vicinity. The nearest one, named after the eminent historian and politician, the "Father of the Nation", František Palacký, was completed in 1876. Today, many tram lines pass through it, connecting the right and left banks of the Vltava River.
Just two blocks further towards the city centre, you will come across the Jirásek Bridge, named after the writer Alois Jirasek, who is now considered the historical writer of the Czechs. His most popular work, „Bohemia's Old Legends“, published in 1894, is a collection of stories, legends and prophecies from ancient times. To this day, this book is part of the core of Czech cultural heritage. Near this bridge stands the "Dancing House", an architectural feature that we have already presented to you during the walk along the right bank.
Closer to the center you will reach the "Legion Bridge". With its tall buildings and sculptures, it is the jewel of the Vltava and Prague. From here you have an impressive view of the city, including the Charles Bridge, the National Theatre, Petřín Hill and Prague Castle. The Legion Bridge was built in 1901 in an eclectic style, combining neo-baroque and Secession. Since 1919, its name has commemorated the Czechoslovak legions that fought in the First World War and contributed to the creation of the independent Czechoslovak state.
The "Charles Bridge" is one of the most iconic river crossings in all of Europe. The spiritual father of this 14th-century Gothic structure was Emperor Charles IV. Legend says that the builders used raw eggs, which were added to the mortar to reinforce the building. A historical anecdote adds that one of the wagons brought boiled eggs so that they would not break on the way. The current character and atmosphere of the bridge is described by a unique collection of predominantly baroque statues of saints. The most famous one is dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk and commemorates his martyrdom. Touching the bronze relief is said to bring good luck.
A few metres further on, you will come across the Mánes Bridge, named after the painter and leading representative of Czech Romanticism, Josef Mánes. If you cross this bridge to „Mala Strana“, you will come to the monumental Wallenstein Palace with its riding school, which also houses top exhibitions. ... And from here you can go up to Prague Castle.
From „Mala Strana“ or Prague Castle, take tram no. 2, 18, 22 or 23 back to the hotel.
Another excursion tip: the castle "Vyšehrad".
Vyšehrad (Prague Stronghold) is one of the most well-known early medieval castle walls in Bohemia. The second Prague Castle of the lineage of the Přemyslids was founded as early as the 10th century and expanded several times during the Romanesque and Gothic periods. However, the current form was significantly determined by it‘s transformation into a Baroque Fortress during the 17th century. Inside the castle are the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul and the Vyšehrad Cemetery, where numerous artists, scientists and politicians are buried. A place steeped in history and tranquillity without much hustle and bustle.
Just a little further up the river you will also see the steel Vyšehrad railway bridge, a 19th-century technical monument, built for the Austro-Hungarian railways that crosses the Vltava River near Vyšehrad.
In the vicinity of the bridge there is the Museum of Shipping and many cozy wine and beer bars or terrace cafés, that invite you to stop for a bite to eat or a drink. Let your gaze wander over the river and end a long day full of discoveries in a relaxed way.