I love ordinary places. There is a hidden beauty everywhere, even at an ugly public transport station. And Vltavská is definitely an ugly space – at least at first sight.
Built in the communist ’80s, Vltavská is one of the most busy stations on line C. Lots of people come to Letná, the hipster paradise in Prague 7 (where you want to go too, for sure) or Pražská tržnice, a big market space. Hop on the red C line and hop off at Vltavská station too… and then explore the surroundings of this communist-built public transport crossroads.
Vltavská space is a concrete labyrinth of stairs, walk-throughs, tram rails and a city centre highway and it may be sometimes a bit smelly, but it is fascinating too. I like to come here from time to time to check new colours and stuff. There’s graffiti all over the place, parkour apprentices over your head, crazy stairs going nowhere, I can rest a bit in a small park nearby and listen to buskers playing accordion or guitar.
Vltavská is also a home to homeless people (sounds crazy but it’s true) with a big heart, and it’s definitely worth spending ten minutes of exploring while you are on your way to… somewhere else.
