11 best outdoor swimming river & lake beaches in Prague (2026 Guide)

I think that summer is the perfect time to explore Prague’s outdoor swimming river and lake beaches. Prague and the Czech Republic is a landlocked country, so unfortunatelly we don’t have any sea beaches, but we have plenty of lakes and rivers that are great for swimming and water sports. I love swimming and over the last few years, I’ve revisited my favourite places in and around Prague.

In my practical guide I’ve included all the outdoor swimming beaches in Prague, including the historical Zlute Lazne – Yellow Spa (Podoli, Prague 4), the hidden lake at Motol (Prague 5, Motol) and the Dzban Beach in the Sarka Valley natural park (Prague 6).

And if you really want to escape the crowds, you can always visit my home town (village really…) of Cernosice, just outside Prague and go to the outdoor swimming area in the river Berounka close to the Cernosice – Mokropsy train station. It’s very chilled out place, free entry, friendly people and they have a great food truck.

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My local tips for outdoor swimming in Prague

Opening times

Generally speaking most of these outdoor swimming areas are open during the main summer season which is from 1 May till 30 September and are usually open all week, with slightly shorter opening hours in May & June.

Water temperature

The closest swimming area to the Prague centre is the Baden Baden River Beach, which usually has a colder water unless there is a summer heatwave. This is the same for the Yellow Spa Beach, because both are on Vltava River.

If you want much warmer water, head for the Motol Lake or Biotop Radotin, because these are lakes that warm up quick in the hot weather. Mokropsy Beach also has a nicely warm water as Berounka River doesn’t have any water dams and the water warms up as it flows down to meet the Vltava River.

Entrance Fees

If you are after a free entrance, then as far as I know the Baden Baden Beach, Pocernice Lake is free as it is the Mokropsy Beach, which is only 30 minutes by train from the Main Train Station.

You still need to pay to enter other natural swimming areas, but I find that it’s much lower than regular swimming pools.

1. Zlute Lazne (Yellow Spa) at Vltava River

If the heat of the centre gets too much escape to Zlute Lazne for the afternoon! Here you can experience swimming in the fresh water of the Vltava River, have a drink at a Hawaiian style bar, play table tennis or borrow a paddle boat to explore the river.  

It’s worth visiting during weekday until about 2 pm when you can get a much cheaper bike/boat or activities hire.  Apart from the regular activities on the side, there are special events to entertain you each month which are free as part of the entrance fee.

The Zlute Lazne has a fascinating and long history. It was originally founded in 1910 and by 1930s was one of ‘the’ place to be (and be seen!) in the summer. This was because people had more leisure time and wanted to spend it away from the polluted centre of Prague.

I love that there was even such thing as a ‘sun therapy’ where people were encouraged to spend time simply sunbathing and relaxing. And this is exactly what people did. In its heyday, Zlute Lazne welcomed up to 17 thousand visitors a day.

But things started to change in the 1960s, when further up the Vltava stream the government built a large water dam to supply water to Prague and the central Czech Republic.

This meant that water that now started to flow in the Vltava river was from the bottom of the dam and it was very cold! It didn’t help that a new indoor swimming pool (with balmy warm water) opened just around the corner in Podoli.

Zlute Lazne fell into disrepair and then the big floods of 2002 took all the wooden structures and for a while ended the Lazne’s history. But as with many areas of Prague that were flooded and damaged in 2002, Zlute Lazne was re-built and now has a new lease of life.

• Address: Podolské nábřeží 3/1184, Praha 4-Podoli
• How to get there: tram number 2, 3, 17 or 20 to tram station Dvorce (Podoli) and the beach entrance is directly oposite
• Open: daily from 09:00 till 22:00;
• Cost: 150 CZK for adults per day, children/students/retired 80 CZK, free for children under 100 cm
• Water: Colder (mostly cold unless there is a summer heatwave)

2. Baden Baden Vltava River Beach

After many years, the traditional swimming river beach has returned to Prague’s Štvanice Island and you can now again enjoy swimming in the Vltava River, practically in the middle of Prague. Over the last few years, the Vltava River water quality has been improved, so it’s perfectly safe to swim there.

The Baden Baden river beach has an old-fashioned feel, just a few sun loungers and a refreshment stall, but the facilities also include toilets and showers. The beach is open from late spring and I usually find that the weather in June is usually warm enough to start swimming there and if you are O.K with slightly colder water, May might be fine too.

• Address: Ostrov Stvanice (Stvanice Island), Prague 7
• How to get there: access the island from tram stop Stvanice (no. 12, 27 34) or walk from Holesovice or Karlin using the new pedestrian bridge (the beach is on the side of the bridge)
• Open: daily from 13:00 till 22:00 during weekdays and 11:00 – 23:00 during weekends
• Cost: Free
• Water: Colder (mostly cold unless there is a heatwave)

3. Motol Lake

This lake is perfect, if you like warm water, because the dept of the water is very gradual. The Motol lake is hidden behind green bushes and trees and yet is only a few minutes walk from the nearest tram stop. The swimming area is particularly suitable for children as it’s not too deep and has sand.

Facilities include showers, a small playground, and a snack bar offering refreshments. There is also a lifeguard. This is not a large lake beach by any means, but because it’s tucked away from the town, it’s also very pleasantly chilled out and never too busy. It’s also the closest place to the centre of Prague, that has warm water as Vltava can be quite cold.

• Address: Zahradníčkova Ulice – Street, Prague 5, Motol
• How to get there: from Prague centre take the tram no 9 to stop Motol (about 25 min ride) and then 5 min walk
• Open: daily from 9:30 till 20:00
• Cost: 140 CZK for an all-day pass for adults, concessions 80 CZK
• Water: Warms up quickly, especially in a hot weather

4. Swimming lake Džbán in Divoká Šárka

This large swimming lake is in a large nature reserve called Divoka Sarka (Wild Sarka). The lake was originally created at the end of the 1960s and has been open to public for almost 60 years. Unfortunately in 2023 the current owners closed down the original lake beach area, claiming that the area buildings were unsafe for public.

But, the good news is that from 2024 the local town council organised a shift made beach access on the other side of the lake, because they wanted to keep the lake open. So, if you visit this summer, expect still only basic facilities, until the council works out their plans for the future.

• Opening hours: Every day – 8:00 to 21:00
• Entrance fee: 90 CZK for the day
• Facilities: Changing room, stalls with refreshments, Free parking, toilets
• Water: fairly cold even during hot summers (but much warmer than Koupaliste Divoka Sarka!)

5. Koupaliště Divoká Šárka

If you want to experience what swimming in Prague felt like in the 1930s, this is the best place to go. This outdoor swimming lido is in the middle of rocky gorges of the Divoká Šárka nature reserve, so you hardly believe you are still in Prague!

But fair warning: it is nicknamed “The Shiverer” by locals for a reason. The two swimming pools are fed directly by a natural spring water stream (Šárecký potok), meaning the water is bracingly, beautifully ice-cold even during a blistering July summer heatwave.

The lido is fairly basic, just clean water, grassy banks, a tiny children’s wading pool and a stand selling classic Czech fried cheese (smažák) and cold Gambrinus beer.

• Address: Divoká Šárka 41, Prague 6
• How to get there: Take the tram or metro to Divoká Šárka and then about 15 min walk down through the forest valley following the red trail markers
• Open: Daily from 09:00 to 19:00.
• Cost: 150 CZK for adults, discounts available for children.
• Water Temp: Freezing. It will wake you right up!

6. Biotop Radotín

Biotop Ratotin is pretty special place, it’s the first ever artificial reservoir for swimming, that was set up about 13 years ago as ‘biotop’ lake. This means that lake water is which is cleaned biologically and without any chemicals, using only plants and ecosystems in filtration lagoons.

Swimming here is perfect not only for families with small children but also for allergy sufferers who are sensitive to chlorine in traditional swimming pools.

The facilities include changing rooms, outdoor showers, a children’s playground, snack bar, refreshments and toilets. The entire area is grassed with artificial irrigation and the area around the lake is beautifully landscaped and fenced off for privacy.

The swimming lake has an irregular oval shape with dimensions of approximately 62.0 x 75.0 meters. The swimming section has a variable depth of 0.40 m to 1.20 m (non-swimming area) and a maximum of 3.25 m (swimming area).

I find that Radotin is always very popular especially during the summer holidays and weekends, where the organisers often have to put a restrictions on new admissions to the swimming area.

It’s worth either picking a week day or arrive in the afternoon when the tickets are slightly cheaper and the lido is also a little less busy.

• Address: K Lázním 153 00, Praha 5 — Radotín
• How to get there: Take the train from Main Train Station towards Beroun and get of at Radotin (about 20 minutes), also 15 minutes ride by local bus from Smichovske Nadrazi (Train Station). Radotin is still within the inner Prague area, so you can use the regular Prague public transport ticket
• Open: daily from 09:00 or 10:00 – 18:00 (May/June) and 20:00 (July – September)
• Cost: 200 CZK for the whole day, 100 CZK for 4 hrs or 60 CZK for 2 hrs (concessions available)
• Water: usually nice and warm

7. Hostivař reservoir beach

The Hostivař Reservoir is about 30 minutes ride by the tram number 22 from the centre in beautiful Hostivař Forest Park in Prague 10. It’s the largest outdoor swimming area in Prague, visited up to 10 k people a day in the hight of a summer.

Here you will find grassy and sandy beaches, a nudist beach (completely separated from the main beach by a large forest and connected to the main gate by a road), a children’s playground with a trampoline and climbing wall and local food stalls with refreshments, drinks and ice-creams.

A good fun is the new a 50-meter long inflatable water slide with two lanes as well as a giant trampoline, which is included in the admission ticket.

You can also use the sports facilities here, such beach volleyball courts, an inflatable banana boat for up to 6 people, Russian skittles or ping-pong table.

Below the tennis courts, you can also find boat rental with boats, pedal boats, and paddleboards. There are also freequent cultural events (concerts by bands, singer-songwriters, and DJs) and creative workshops for children.

• Address: K Jezeru, Prague 10 – Hostivař
• How to get there: bus, train or tram number 22 to Hostivar and then walk (from the tram stop it’s about 20-30 minutes walk through the park). Buses are also available from all directions from the park
• Open: daily from 9:00 to 20:00
• Cost: 170 CZK for adults, 110 CZK for children, students, senior citizens, tickets are cheaper after 3 pm (110 CZK) and again after 6 pm (50 CZK)
• Water: usually warms up quickly with warm weather

8. Natural Reservoir Seberak

The Šeberák is totally chilled out place, where you can sit and relax, swim in the lake or have a meal at the Seberak Restaurant. There are events on most weekends and include programs such as the children’s theatre, magic shows, carnivals, creative workshops, guitar sing a longs or music concerts.

• Address: K Šeberáku 1538/1,2, Prague 4, 148 00
• Open: daily from 9:00 or 10:00 to 20:00 or 21:00 during 1 June – 20 September
• Cost: 120 CZK for adults, discounted after 17:00 to 80 CZK
• Water: usually warms up quickly with warm weather

9. Natural Reservoir Lhotka

Lhotka is another man-made ‘biotope’ reservoir. It was re-opened in 2018, after seven years of being inactive. The water in the lake is clean thanks to natural biological processes, without the use of chlorine and other chemicals.

The Lhotka Lake has changing rooms, a board access to the water, benches, snack stalls, a beach volleyball court, and other sports and recreational activities. The depth of the reservoir goes slowly down to about 3 meters, with the shallow water closer to the beach.

• Address: Nad Koupadly, 142 00 Prague 4
• Open: daily 9:00 – 20:00
• Cost: 180 CZK for adults, cheaper rate of 130 CZK after 15:00
• Water: warm

10. Mokropsy Berounka River Beach

If you really want to escape the crowds, you can also visit my home town (village really…) of Cernosice. We used to swim in the river practically anywhere, but these days, we also have an official beach!

You can find the Mokropsy beach below the weir on the left bank of the Berounka River in Černošice – Mokropsy. There is plenty of space on the grass to put your towel on or you can even use the sandy beach area.

There is a little bistro with outdoor seating, outdoor showers, toilets and you can also rent the beach volleyball court next to the beach. The bistro van is run by a local family business, that also has a very popular restaurant in Cernosice. The burgers are great, chips freshly made and I simply love that Iced Coffee is under ‘Cocktails’ on their menu!

• Address: ulice Na Drahách, Černošice -Mokropsy, 252 28
• How to get there: Take the train from Main Train Station towards Beroun and get off at Cernosice – Mokropsy (about 30 minutes), then about 10 minutes walk towards the river.
• Open: Tuesday – Friday 15:00 – 20:00, Saturday + Sunday 11:00 – 20:00
• Cost: Free
• Water: usually nice & warm (most of Berounka River is)

11. Počernický Rybník

If you want a swimming place that is 100% natural, completely unmanaged and won’t cost you a single koruna, head to the large Počernický pond in Dolní Počernice. This is the largest historical pond in Prague, surrounded by a gorgeous English-style chateau park and a natural reserve.

This is proper wild swimming, there are no concrete steps, lifeguards or manicured lawns. Locals usually access the water from the grassy banks near the historic dam or under the shade of the oak trees.

It is quiet, peaceful and feels like you’ve escaped to the deep Czech countryside while still technically being inside the main Prague area.

• Address: Národních hrdinů, Prague 14 – Dolní Počernice
• How to get there: Take the train from Masaryk or the Main Train Station to Praha-Dolní Počernice (about 15 minutes), then 10 minute walk through the chateau park. (90 min Prague ticket is still valid here)
• Cost: Completely free.
• Water Temp: Warm, natural pond water.

This blog post was originally written on 30 July 2024 and last updated on 25 May 2026