Katerina Kaftanova (1982)

Havlíčkovy sady aka Grébovka is one of my favourite parks in Prague. You can go there and have a picnic, read a book, go there to jog or even have a glass of local wine… Parents with kids will find two playgrounds in the park, one of them is right below the wine cellar (see below).

The park was built between 1871-1888 around a villa which belonged to Mr. Moritz Grobe (an important Prague industrialist of his time). You can find many interesting things in Grébovka: the above mentioned villa, an artificial cave (grotto), an ex “gaming house” (there is a restaurant now and also a vineyard. 

There is also a wine cellar, which is unfortunately closed now (reason – all the wines – from the local’s vineyard – have been finished already :-)).

The botanical garden in Troja is situated near the Prague ZOO. It is open throughout the year and in my opinion is the prettiest in spring and autumn.

The outside exposition is a large area of 25 hectares in total. It consists of several interesting parts including eg. an ornamental garden, a Mediterranean flora area, a vineyard (with a wine cellar), a peat bog with a small lake, a peony meadow and much more – it depends on what you like and what you are in the mood for :-).

As the season changes, there are also topical exhibitions – recently I visited a nice and colorful pumpkin exhibition and I’m already looking forward to the traditional spring bonsai exhibition which takes place in the beautiful and peaceful Japanese garden.

The area of Prague castle’s neighbourhood (called Hradčany) is quite crowded (mostly by tourists of course). But there is a street there – called Nový Svět (New World) which is a surprisingly quiet place where you can easily get ‘lost’. Nový Svět used to be a poor, but picturesque quarter of Hradčany which always attracted artists – many of them lived or are still living there.

There are a lot of things not to be missed at Nový Svět – check out the door handles – there are a couple of really interesting ones. If you have kids or just would like to get back to your childhood, there is a playground discreetly hidden behind the wall lining the alley.  

Last but not least – recently a pleasant small café was opened in one of the houses. Check it out – the coffee is good and the prices are very friendly!

If you and your kids are not fans of uniform toys made in China, the brand new shop Hugo chodí bos is a right place for you. 

The idea of such a shop came from a young photographer (and full-time) mother, Adéla Husáková Kantůrková when she was looking for some nice toys for her daughter. She was missing a toy shop, where she could find local made toys, books and other kids stuff in one place. She took it as a challenge and two years later, with the help of family and friends, she opened Hugo chodí bos.

The assortment consists of various toys (made from wood, metal, fabric, paper etc.), books, decorations & accessories and also some furniture. All the producers are Czech only, which is a unique concept when it comes down to toy shops in Prague.

And what I bought for my little one when I first visited the shop? A metal ladybug (which can move) and a set of six wooden cubes. 

If you would like to check the selection of the shop in advance, you can do it on the website, which also works as an e-shop (delivery within Czech republic only).

Being a mother of a lively toddler and having a conversation with a friend over a coffee at the same time can be quiet adventurous. That’s why I’m always glad to find a place, where my little one has some entertainment and I have at least two minutes of free time :-).

Kafé a kakao is a cozy baby friendly (and of course non-smoking) café not far from the park Grébovka (check the Havlíčkovy sady article). There is a simple, but nice children’s corner with a variety of toys for different ages and they also have a special kids menu.

As the name of the place indicates, as a drink you can order coffee (or tea) and cocoa – I recommend the one with whipped cream. They also have good homemade lemonades. From the desserts, I recommend the chocolate cake (they also have a gluten-free variant). If you are not in the mood for something sweet, you can choose from a selection of sandwiches, quiches and salad. 

Kafé a kakao is also suitable for breakfast and lunch. The daily (healthy) lunch menu consists of one soup, main dish and a dessert.