The Western Corner of Prague: Safer Spaces to Visit During the Epidemic

Staying away from crowds

If you plan to visit Prague sometimes soon, even as the epidemic lingers and vaccinations slowly roll out, you might still be wondering how much you can still see and enjoy while in the city. Fortunately, there have always been more than enough sites to visit even before the spread of coronavirus, and the virus itself could never change that. For those that might stay around Prague 5 or Prague 6, the route I outline below would be particularly easy to build into your schedule.

Take bus no. 191 or tram no. 22 from Hvězda to Petřín

The Hvězda Game Reserve is an enchanting place to visit. Once used for royal game hunting, the grounds have also served as a space for festivities, diplomatic visits and even military defense, like that of the notorious Battle of Bílá hora in the late autumn of 1620. We can thank Ferdinand of Tirol for the hexagonal star-shaped summer house that now stands at the back of the reserve, which Ferdinand later donated to his secret love. Many of the trees you will see at Hvězda are mature and include a variety of beech, oak, fir and hornbeam, plus there is an active effort to cultivate local fauna.

On the other end of this link, there is the Petřín tower. It is a smaller and wider version of what you would see in Paris, however, it offers a great view over the city and mountains to the north. Additionally, the Strahov monastery and Carpathian Ruthenian Church of Saint Michael Archangel are within walking distance, either to the north or south depending on which paths you take down the hill.

Take bus no. 176 or tram no. 9 from Švandovo divadlo, or tram no. 22 from Pohořelec

If you’ve found yourself meandering close to the Prague Castle to the north from Petřín tower, grab the tourist tram no. 22 and ride through Lesser Town. To stick with a more direct route back into the city center, walk south and find transport that will bring you across the river to the Dancing House.

Dancing House gets its name from the gravity defying design of the building and its dynamic posture, which harks back to famous dancers Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair. The building contrasts its neighboring properties due to the prime location but also history, since what once stood there previously had been destroyed accidentally during an American airstrike. If you are lucky and restrictions allow, you might find one of the best galleries to visit in Prague here.

Finish your tour of the city along the Vltava

A really convenient thing about this city is that, even if you get lost, there will always be enough tram, bus or metro stops nearby to get you back on track. Additionally, the Vltava river acts as a guide itself since it runs along a north to south axis. A unique feature to explore along the river is Náplavka, where there are boat docks, outdoor bars to grab a drink and plenty of scenery to soak up.

Sources:

[1] “Hvězda Game Reserve (Obora Hvězda).” Prague.eu, Prague City Tourism, www.prague.eu/en/object/places/490/hvezda-game-reserve-obora-hvezda. 

[2] “Petřín Lookout Tower.” Welcometoprague.cz, www.welcometoprague.eu/petrin-lookout-tower. 

[3] “Dancing House (Tančící Dům).” Prague.eu, Prague City Tourism, www.prague.eu/en/object/places/1643/dancing-house-tancici-dum.