Relaxing

Image by Jana Kneschke

Even though you often look down at post offices to collect your ticket or to stamp your letter, here you should look up. The ceiling in the Main post office in Jindřišská street deserves admiration, and not only the ceiling. The whole building is the most beautiful post office interior I have ever seen. If you add its’ opening hours (02:00 till midnight, it is closed for only two hours), it is really awesome.

There is also one curiosity – a tubular post system, more than 100 years old, still functioning (e. g. to Czech News Agency). Originally it delivered mail at a speed of 40 km/h across the river to many destinations and also to Prague Castle (there it was in 8 minutes, beats the metro, too!).

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Main post office | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Jindřišská 14 | Praha 1
02:00 – 00:00 daily

Image by Tomáš Jungwirth

In the very north of Prague, quite near the place I live, there is a very nice spot. It is a hill called “Baba”. You can easily get there taking bus No. 131 from the stop Hradčanská, getting out at “U Matějě” and then walk north-west. It is a very nice walk through the woods of “Divoká Šárka“.

The hill has an interesting history. Up on it you will find a strange ruin. Surprisingly enough, its history is not confirmed. There are several theories – the widest-spread claims that it is a former wine-press built in 1622. Another says that it is a regular building newly-built at the beginning of the 19th century, others say that it used to be a chapel. No matter which of them is true, it is a nice spot which is even lit at night.

From there you can see a large part of Prague that you wouldn’t see anywhere else (for instance the sewage plant on the largest island at Vltava in Prague). Also, looking at the Prague castle from above is not a very common thing to do. The park around is a great place for sports or chilling out. If you prefer to walk, follow the red tourist sign, which will lead you to the forests of Divoká Šárka.

Not to forget, the surroundings offer an unique architectural composition. There are a number of functionalist villas built in the era of the so-called “First Republic”. See some of them here!

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Baba | Relaxing | Free
U Matějě | Praha 6
24 hours daily

Image by Tomáš Jungwirth

The lime stone cliffs in the south-west of Prague, just above Prokopské údolí, are particularly unique. The whole area of Barrandov is actually called after a French paleontologist Joachim Barrande who made some significant discoveries in this area in the 19th century. The lime stone preserved a lot of prehistoric sea fossils and you can still find them if you know where to seek.

Later, lime stone appeared to be a very attractive mining item. So until some mid-20th century, the whole massive was being mined out. That is also where the largest cliffs come from. Time to time, some of the massive would collapse, leaving the big rocks grow like teeth from the terrain.

By the cliffs there is also one of the best-guarded military areas in the Czech republic. No-one really knows what is its purpose. It is only known that the hills are drilled through with a number of corridors. Allegedly there used to be a secret nazi bomb-research center while later the communists used the space for storage of explosives.

To get to the cliffs, find your own way up either from Hlubočepská or Zlíchov bus/tram stop. If you make it up to the edge, you will definitely agree that it’s one of the best imaginable places for a Sunday trip (which can be either 3 or 15 km long, depends on you) or a picnic. The massive offers a great view of Prague while you can hear the muted sounds of the city…

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Barrandov cliffs | Relaxing | Free
Hlubočepská | Praha 5
24 hours daily

Image by Tomáš Jungwirth

Prague is full of “green” spots. Those are not only parks – if you manage to get a little bit further from the center, you can get to “real” nature, as well. One of the locals’ favourite places to spend nice mornings, afternoons or evenings is Prokopské údolí.

Located in the south-west of Prague, it is just about twenty minutes from the centre. It’s useful to take a bus (104 or 120) from the stop Na Knížecí (Metro stop Anděl) – and get out at Hlubočepská. A bike path begins there which will easily lead your steps. If you actually have a bike, don’t hesitate and ride it – walking is also fine, though.

The place is lovely in fall or winter. In fall, you will particularly enjoy the cool mist that covers this deep valley as well as the colorful leaves of all kinds. In winter, especially when there is snow, the place is very silent and feels a little bit like another, distant, world – and yet it is still close to the city.

I would recommend taking some snacks and wine too, as there are number of places for a small picnic… For instance by a pond, laying some fifty meters up north from the main road. It used to be really messy, but things seem to be getting better…

If you feel a bit like some action, I would also recommend going up the hill and seeing Prague from Barrandov rocks. It is quite high, but definitely worth it!

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Prokopské údolí | Relaxing
Hlubočepská | Praha 5
24 hours daily

Image by Tomáš Jungwirth

Prague is a very green city, which I find particularly important. In the center there are quite a lot of parks while the outskirts are full of woods. One of the nicest is the hardwood forest at the foothill of Chuchle, at the southwest of Prague. By legend, it is even a magical forest and under one of the trees near the cemetery there is supposed to be a treasure chest…

It is a great place for a family walk or a picnic. You can also find a so-called “mini zoo” there, which was originally a first-aid station for wounded or ill forest animals. But then came the idea of making it a place you where you can actually show the animals. So they built the surrounding-fitting runs and cages and these days you can find there all sorts of deer, boars, owls, wild cats or even a bobcat.

My very favourite place is the somewhat hidden church with a surprisingly large cemetery. If you manage to look through all the leaves (or in winter ) that spot offers a nice view of the river and a part of Prague. It is very silent and often feels even somehow deserted.

Chuchle forest is very comforting in the summer. In the fall you will find all kinds of colourful leaves but you may have most fun there in the winter. If you manage to rent a bobsleigh or something like that, the hill will make for a perfect place to use it…

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Chuchle forest | Relaxing | Free
Velka Chuchle | Praha 5
24 hours daily