9 Vltava river islands to discover in Prague
The Vltava river islands are great places to explore, especially in the summer when the temperature in Prague soars and the only thing you want to do is to eat ice cream or have a cocktail while listening to an outdoor concert by the river.
These islands, each with its own unique charm and history, are perfect for escaping the busy streets of Prague.
I always find myself stopping at Shooter’s Island, because it has my favourite cafe ‘Cocovan’, walking through Kampa from Charles Bridge, swimming in the Vltava river at the little beach at Stvanice Island and it’s been super fun to take a little boat around the Slavic Island.
Tip for walk & My favourite way to explore the islands
If you are up for a fun way to explore the islands by walking, you can follow my walk route I took recently.
I started at Smichov Lihovar (take tram 5,20,12 from Andel at Smichov or Malostranska in the centre of Prague and get off at Lihovar tram stop). Then you need to walk from Lihovar towards the river and find the bridge entry to the Emperor’s Island.
I walked the whole length of the Emperor’s Island and then I took the old-fashioned ferry across to Smichovska Naplavka and then continued walking on the river embankment all the way to Slavic Island. After that I’ve walk half way across the bridge to get to the Shooter’s Island. The final stop was Kampa Island, which you can see from the Shooter’s Island and you get there by walking across the rest of the Legioner’s bridge.
Islands in the centre of Prague
1. Kampa Island
Kampa Island is a small area next to the Vltava river on the Lesser Town side (Mala Strana) which is partly separated from the rest of the town by Certovka Stream (The Devil Stream). You can access Kampa directly from the Charles Bridge using the side stairs close to the end of the bridge or via side streets from Ujezd on the other side.
The Kampa Island park is great for picnics, but there are also plenty of restaurants, coffee places, art galleries and museum to keep you entertained.
My favourite things to do at Kampa Island
- Visit Kampa Museum & Gallery
- Have a coffee at the Scout’s Institute Cafe
- Listen to outdoor concerts in the park
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2. Shooter’s Island (Strelecky Ostrov)
Střelecký Island was also called at one point Trávník (Grass Lawn) or more poetically a Little Venice. You can find this island in the middle of the Vltava River between Ujezd and National Theatre and you can walk there from either direction on the Legion Bridge, one of the main bridges in Prague.
The first documented mentions of Střelecký Island date back to the 12th century. In the 14th century, it was used as a training ground for archery and crossbow shooting. In 1882, the first Sokol gathering took place on the island with a synchronised exercise display (which later moved to the purposefully built Strahov Stadium on the top of Petrin Hill).
My favourite things to do at Shooter’s Island
The Shooter’s Island is the perfect place to chill out – have a leisurely walk amongst the trees, homemade lemonade at the Cocoavan coffee place, listen to the free concerts or have a meal at the restaurant which has panoramic views of the Legion Bridge, the National Theatre, and Žofín. There are also great views of Charles Bridge, Kampa Island and Charles Spa Buildings from the far end of the island.
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3. Slavic Island (Slovansky Ostrov)
Slovanský ostrov, often also called Žofín, is a right-bank Vltava island that stretches along Masaryk Embankment between Jirásek Bridge and Legion Bridge. This island was gradually formed in the 17th century.
There is something for everyone on this island. Children can have fun at the playground, the neo-Renaissance Žofín building often hosts exhibitions and ballroom dancing and you can walk all the way to the Šítkov Water Tower at the end of the island.
You get a really cool view of the townhouses on both sides and the National Theatre. But, probably the most popular reason why people come here is because you can rent a boat and pedal boat rides here. There are about three different rental companies near the Žofín Palace offer traditional rowboats, and comfortable pedal boats of various sizes and shapes, including a pedal swan or old-fashioned car.
Prices are about the same in each place, but it depends on what type of boat you want to rent. As an example boat for 2 people is 300 KCZ for 60 minutes. You can also rent boats for 4 people, which at around 500 KCZ work out a little cheaper per person.
4. Children’s Island (Detsky Ostrov)
If you are visiting Prague with children, then you should definitely check out the Children’s Island in Smíchov Prague District Area. The whole island is dedicated to children and it has playgrounds divided by age, from toddlers to children up to fifteen years old. There are also sports facilities, including a football field with artificial turf, a basketball court, an area designated for volleyball or foot tennis, a petanque area, and a simple skateboard setup.
The island is completely free to enter and is open every day from morning until ten o’clock in the evening.
I visited the Children’s island, because you can see the Smichov Lock from there and because of the cocktails menu at the Jazz Boat, one of the best jazz clubs in Prague. The views of the water tower at Petrzilkovksy Island are great too.
5. Petrizilkovsky Island
This is the smallest island in Prague and it only measures 60 x 10 metres. It’s close to the Children’s Island and it’s not open to the public (but you can see it as you walk to get to the Children’s Island). But I think it’s worth mentioning this island, because it has a fascinating history.
During the Hussite Wars, the Old Town residents seized part of Kampa and the Malá Strana banks of the Vltava, leaving the Malá Strana residents no choice but to build their water tower outside the city limits. They took advantage of the fact that in 1483, the New Town residents allowed a Malá Strana citizen, baker Jan Petržilka, to build a new mill. This was on the site of a mill belonging to the Carthusian monastery, which had been destroyed in the Hussite riots.
In 1502, the Malá Strana community built a waterworks and a wooden water tower by the mill, which was later rebuilt with bricks and stones. Between 1547 and 1561, King Ferdinand I of Habsburg confiscated the island. In 1859, the island was purchased by the Prague municipality.
During the construction of the Smíchov lock chamber between 1911 and 1922, part of Petržilka Island was incorporated into the Jewish Island (now Children’s Island), and the remainder was significantly reduced. The island is now so small, that some maps don’t include its name.
Islands further away from the centre of Prague
6. The Hunting Island (Ostrov Stvanice)
You can find Štvanice Island between Karlín and Holešovice. In this area, the river was shallow, forming a number of river islands, most of which disappeared over time as the river got more regulated.
The island name originates from the time when the hunts (štvanice) took place here from the late 17th to the early 19th century. There was even a wooden arena where the hunts took place until 1816.
At the western tip of the island stands a small hydroelectric power plant, where the Helmovský weir ends from the left branch of the Vltava River. It was built between 1913 and 1914 based on the design by Ing. Arch. Alois Dlabač. From there you get a really amazing view of Prague Castle and the Vltava river towards the centre of Prague.
West of the Hlávka Bridge stands a neoclassical house, No. 858, from 1824, which is a protected cultural monument. The entire ground floor of the building used to house a dance hall.
In the 1930s, the Štvanice Winter Stadium was built in the western third of the island near the Hlávka Bridge. It hosted four Ice Hockey World Championships and was finally demolished in 2011. I remember going there in the winter to ice-skate with my brother.
Now, only the dilapidated entrance building No. 1125, which is used as a restaurant, remains because it is protected as a cultural monument. An open-air bike park has been built on the site of the former hall. As you walk around the park you can also see various art sculptures.
The other side of the island has tennis courts, river boat locks and also a new river beach with changing cabins, showers and refreshments. You can carry on walking to Holesovice or Karlin using the new Hlavka Bridge.
7. The Emperor’s Meadow (Cisarska Louka)
This is one of the man-made islands in Prague, which is just over 1,5 km long and has an interesting history.
Originally, this area was called Royal Meadow. It was a wide bank where the grand coronation feast of Wenceslas II likely took place in 1297. In the 19th century, the meadow became a popular excursion spot for Prague residents. Social events and sports matches, including horse races, were held here. Gold was panned here until the end of the 19th century.
Císařská louka became an island through the artificial excavation of soil from the western half of the meadow between 1899 and 1903, during the construction of the Smíchov boat port, originally named after Emperor Franz Joseph.
Císařská louka island is also a significant part in the history of Czech football and Prague Football Clubs, although not many people know this. In 1893, the very first official football match in the territory of Bohemia was played on Císařská louka. At that time, the best club in Austria-Hungary, Regatta, defeated the first Bohemian football club Loučeň 5-0.
My favourite things to do at the Emperor’s Meadow Island
This is super cool place to stay in Prague, if you are travelling on a budget and are happy to camp. There are two different camping sites on the island, including a campervan area. There is a super cool way to get off the island and start your tour of Prague from Smichovska Naplavka, as you can take the river ferry (run by the Prague public transport) from the tip of the island to the other side of the Vltava River. The ticket is only 40 CZK and it’s valid for further 90 minutes on all Prague public transport (or if you already have a valid ticket you can use it too).
This ferry is operated by the Prague Venice River Boats Trips and they have a lovely replica of an old-fashioned boat.
Last time I visited the island, it was during the Prague summer heatwave and it was great to be able to sit right next to the Vltava river, cool my feet in the water and watch the boats go by.
There are also few refreshments stalls and outdoor restaurants on the island, so you can enjoy a bit of quiet time in the middle of Prague.
As you walk through the island, you will also see a great views of Prague Vysehrad Cathedral and the hill on the other side of the river.
8. The Emperor’s Island (Cisarsky Ostrov)
Císařský Island, is the largest island in Prague and you can find it on the pedestrian route from Stromovka Park to Troja ZOO and Botanical Garden.
In the past, the island had many restaurants, gardening allotments, horse riding area and recreational sports grounds. Unfortunately, the construction of the wastewater treatment plant in the 1960s led to the decline of the island as a recreational area.
The name of the island is linked to it’s history. The island was originally given by the Czech noble men to Rudolf II for his personal use.
The island is quite peaceful and I like to walk there from Stromovka as it’s a good shortcut to Troja. There is a little refreshment stand with great hot dogs, ice-cream and beer and you can even sit down for a bit and then continue your walk.
9. The Rowing Island
Veslařský Island is a Vltava island in Prague-Podolí. It lies along the Podolí bank, roughly at the same level as the opposite Císařská louka.
The island is connected to the right bank of the Vltava River by a concrete bridge. It hosts clubhouses, boathouses, and other sports facilities dedicated to rowing (hence its name). The renowned Prague rowing race, the Pražské primátorky, traditionally starts at Veslařský Island.
The island has been mentioned as early as 1420. It was primarily formed by the deposition of sand during occasional blockages of the river channel by ice at the narrowing near Žluté lázně. The Schwarzenbergs established a small raft port and a storage area for timber harvested in the Šumava region.
As the importance of rafting declined, the island gradually transformed into a sports harbour. The island was artificially extended by sinking a cargo ship to accelerate the accumulation of river sediments.
This blog post was originally written on 29 July 2024 and last updated on 29 July 2024
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