Prague excursion by water. River boat trip along the Vltava in Prague
Coming to Prague and not taking a ride along the Vltava River small boat- a big omission. The Vltava is as symbolic for the Czechs as the Volga is for the Russians or the Nile for the Egyptians. A walk along the river in Prague will not only help you take a break from walking, relax and recuperate, but also feel the atmosphere of the Czech capital - day, evening and night.
A little about the Vltava
This river, with a length of 433 km, is the longest in the Czech Republic and the largest tributary of the Elbe River in its territory. The name “Vltava” translated from Old German and Czech means “wild water”. The first mention of the Vltava can be found in the Fulda Chronicles in 872, however, it was called differently then, and at the beginning of the 12th century, in the Chronicles of Cosmas, the Czech version of the name is found - Wlitaua.
The Black Stream is the main source of the Vltava, part of which is called the Teplá Vltava. There is also the Cold Vltava, which begins in Bavaria and flows through the Czech Republic. Upstream The Vltava River is rich in extensive peat bogs, and the Vltava banks, filled with bends, cliffs, forests and small lakes, represent one of the most magnificent landscapes in Europe.
The color of the water in the Vltava changes depending on the weather. Its quality is such that it is suitable even for river trout! Interestingly, the water temperature in the Vltava never exceeds +16 degrees.
Ships and routes
You will see many different boats on the river in Prague - large and small, ancient and modern, boats and motor ships. Choose the one you like best. By the way, for a walk along the river in Prague you can rent a catamaran or boat. The Prague boat station is located on Slavic Island, in the city center, about , and rental costs will start from 9 € per hour.
The routes of ships and small boats along the river in Prague run both in the direction and in the opposite direction - towards Troy Castle. During excursions along the Vltava you can see such famous sights of Prague as the National Theatre, the famous Church of St. Nicholas, and many others.
River walks in Prague
There are several types of river walks in Prague. The most popular are short walks, from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, on pleasure boats. Such ships usually have two decks, the lower one is closed, consisting of two parts: observation deck and buffet; and the upper one is open, here there are tables and benches under a canopy. During the walk, the audio guide in several languages will tell you about everything you encounter on the banks of the Vltava. The cost of such walks and excursions along the river in Prague ranges from 10 to 15 € (children's tickets - 9 €), and they start near.
In addition to daytime river excursions in Prague, suitable for the whole family, there are also evening two- to three-hour excursions that include dinner, a welcome drink and a story from the guide. On such a trip, in addition to the main attractions, you can see the Vltava embankments, locks and bridges from the inside. The price of such river walks in Prague is about 25 €.
River excursions are great fun with great dining options to enjoy big company, cruises with a “sweet table”, and various themed ones. And completely unique are the romantic night river cruises in Prague with dinner and live music. Here already we're talking about about real liners - large pleasure ships with luxurious interiors used by several travel companies.
Tickets
Tickets for walks and river cruises in Prague can be purchased before the trip at ticket offices at the piers or from promoters in sailor suits, or booked in advance. Here are several websites of travel companies offering excursions along the Vltava:
Speaking about walks along the river in Prague, one cannot fail to mention that you can take a boat to the famous one, seeing along the way and feeding almost tame swans with a bun. Unfortunately, water transport This route is operated infrequently and from only two berths:
- embankment near Dancing House: departure to the zoo at 9:00, 12:00 and 15:30, and back at 10:30, 13:30 and 17:00
- Františku embankment (Nábřeží Na Františku): departure to the zoo at 9:00, 10:00 and 17:00, and back at 10:00, 11:00 and 18:00. From this pier the route is closer, but flights are not daily.
The entire journey will take a little over an hour, and during this time the boat will pass through the locks twice, which will definitely interest
Hello, all travel lovers! I invite you to the next virtual one. continued our acquaintance with the Czech capital. After walking the city streets for many hours, I wanted to relax and look at Prague from a different perspective.
From past travels, I remember river walks well: through Budapest at night and along the Grand Canal in Venice. With its sophisticated architecture, Prague was reminiscent of palaces and cathedrals on the banks of the Danube, and the water in the Vltava River was exactly the same color as in the canals of Venice. This is where all the similarities end. Each city is individual in its own way, and each travel agency strives with all its might to capitalize on this individuality. Did you swim? :)
The Vltava is the left tributary of the Elbe. The river is prone to flooding, so 12 locks have been built here. By the way, the most major flood occurred in 2002, when a large part of Prague was flooded.
The color of the Vltava water depends on weather conditions, it’s difficult to say about its quality, but the guides assure that river trout lives in the river. Didn't you come across it?
Even in extreme heat the water temperature does not exceed +16 °.
It is very easy to buy a boat excursion along the Vltava; just go down to the embankment in the city center. I will indicate the addresses of the piers at the end of the article.
Our river walk took an hour and a half, and began at the pier near the Chekhov Bridge. All cruises differ in time and price; boats and ships operate year-round, from morning until late evening.
An adult ticket for the route we chose cost 150 CZK (5.8 €), a child ticket 100 CZK.
You can choose a regular river trip, or you can go on a cruise with a romantic dinner by candlelight, in luxurious surroundings and pleasant music. I think the cityscapes will perfectly complement the entire idyll of the river excursion, which lasts three hours.
As soon as our boat set off, the panorama of Prague was full of bright colors ancient architecture and modern buildings.
On the left side, we were greeted by this floating boat (hotel on a ship) “Albatros” 3* with 86 rooms. A double room in such a hotel costs 60-80 € per night. All the main attractions of Prague are located within walking distance from the boat.
And here's another one business card Prague - Ministry of Industry and Trade. The monumental building immediately attracts your attention.
Petrin Hill with an observation tower similar to the Eiffel Tower appeared in the distance. I told about him.
There are many pleasure boats and motor ships plying along the Vltava, so you won’t have to stand in lines.
On boat station You can rent a boat or catamaran. By the way, catamaran in Czech is slepadlo.
The boat station in Prague can be found at the address: Slavyanský ostrov. It is located in the central part of Prague on the Vltava, next to the National Theatre. There is a park on the island and there is a rental of catamarans and boats. Price 250 CZK (9.7 €) per hour.
On the very banks of the Vltava there are two hotels in Prague: the President 5* business hotel and the InterContinental 5*. A Deluxe room at the President Hotel costs about 80 € per night.
Politicians, show business stars and cultural figures like to stay at the InterContinental Hotel. The fact that Michael Jackson preferred this hotel serves as an advertisement. Double room price from 130 € per night.
Now you know where to stay during your trip to Prague. :)
Remember the scandalous sculpture “Pissing Men”? In front of you is the very museum of the writer Franz Kafka, in the courtyard of which there are two healthy figures enjoying each other's company.
The Kafka Museum is open daily from 10.00 to 18.00 Ticket price: adult -180 CZK (7 €), children and reduced price 120 CZK.
A pompous building (1891) in the neo-Baroque style appears on the left bank of the Vltava. This is the former Straka Academy. Initially, there was a boarding school for students from poor families. Today, it is the seat of the Government of the Czech Republic.
And now we have approached the goal of our river walk. The famous Black Bridge or Charles Bridge appears ahead. It stands out from all the artistically attractive reality, and like a formidable guard hangs over the calm waters of the Vltava. The massive structure looks like a road from the past to the present, and the huge black sculptures only complement the mystical image of the main attraction of Prague.
In front of the Charles Bridge is the Old Town Tower in Gothic style, its sister - Powder Tower, located on Republic Square.
Behind the Charles Bridge there is a magnificent view of the museum of the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. Previously, the Old Town Water Station was located on this site. Nearby is the Old Town water tower with a clock.
Next to the Charles Bridge is the Legionnaires' Bridge, to the left of which is the building with a golden crown - the National Theater. For its construction, under the motto “The nation for itself,” money was collected throughout the country, hence the name - People's Theater.
Having reached the rapids, our ship turned around and sailed with the breeze into reverse side. The river walk along the Vltava ended successfully.
In conclusion, my video “River walk along the Vltava”
Where to buy a river cruise on the Vltava:
Near Chekhov Bridge, Dvorak embankment (Dvořákovo nábřeží)
Ludwig Freedom Embankment (Nábřeží Ludvíka Svobody), near the Ministry of Transport
Rohanskaya embankment
Alyosha embankment (Alšovo nábřeží), near Manesov Bridge
Smetana embankment (Smetanovo nábřeží), near Charles Bridge
Masaryk Embankment (Masarykovo nábřeži), near the “dancing house”
Podoli embankment (Podolské nábřeží), near the Podoli water park
Rašínovo embankment
Prices can be found on the Russian-language websites of the companies:
http://www.prazskebenatky.cz/ru/
http://www.evd.cz/en
http://www.cruise-prague.cz/rus
Thank you for your attention! See you again in Prague!
Cities located on rivers or canals are interesting to explore from the water - you get a new cross-section of this city, see the city from a different angle.
Sometimes this view is not very impressive. Let's say it doesn't look as advantageous as when walking in the center.
But cities like Amsterdam and are impossible in to the fullest appreciate without a boat trip. sailing along the canals among the vegetable gardens is a separate city attraction. Fantastically beautiful from the water. And on boat excursions along the Seine, stories about the sights are interspersed with songs about Paris, which greatly enhances the effect of perceiving the passing pictures of this great city.
It was Prague's turn. This is not my first time in Prague, but I still haven’t gotten around to river walks along the Vltava.
There are several types of river walks along the Vltava. Let's start with the fact that every person approaching the Charles Bridge stumbles upon blacks (politically correct speaking - Afro-Czechs) in sailor suits, who invite them for hour-long walks along the river (the exit to the pier is immediately under the bridge).
But most excursions along the Vltava depart from the pier, which is located behind the Chekhov Bridge. You can choose a one-hour walk, a two-hour walk, with or without lunch. The walking routes are also different: some ships head towards Visegrad, others towards the Troyan Castle. Judging by the reviews, the walk towards Visegrad is much more attractive.
Since there is a dam in the center of Prague in front of the Charles Bridge, you have to stand in the lock for 15-20 minutes in each direction. Therefore, it is better to choose a walk with lunch in order to use the time of passing the lock for lunch. Lunch is offered as a buffet.
Pleasure boats, as a rule, have two decks. The lower deck is closed and divided into 2 parts. In front better review, and there is a buffet in the back half.
The upper deck is open. There are tables and benches under a canopy.
Upon entering the boat, everyone is given a glass of Becherovka. Everyone takes their seats, the boat moves off. After about five minutes, passengers are invited to the buffet. There is a queue for a while. Everyone with plates crowds around a small space with bowls and dishes, then disperses to their tables. Lunch includes one drink: a glass of beer, a glass of wine, mineral water, tea or coffee.
Our locking and lunch time coincided with heavy rain, so we very successfully waited out the rain on the lower deck. The buffet was unpretentious, very simple: salads, cold cuts, vegetables, pasta, meat, herring.
The sweet table was more interesting; the sweets were cut into small pieces, so you could try a little of everything.
We eat and have lunch on the shore
The rain stopped as soon as we approached Visegrad, the farthest point of our route. The ship turned around, everyone climbed out onto the open deck, and the guide began her story.
The rock on which Visegrad was built
Spiers of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Along the way we met a film crew.
Meanwhile, people move along the Vltava almost on inflatable boats
Swans are also present
The characteristic spiers of the Emaus Monastery appeared - popularly these spiers are called “donkey ears”. In February 1945, the Americans flew to bomb Dresden and in the fog somehow managed to confuse Prague with Dresden. Several bombs fell on Emaus. The destroyed spiers were subsequently restored in this non-trivial form.
On the right heading – “Dancing House”
Multi-colored facades
Cute water tower on Slavyansky Island
We get into the airlock again. The lock is located in the channel between the left bank of the Vltava and the narrow Children's Island. There are summer cafe tables on the island.
And on the right is this painted house
Island cat
We leave the gateway
Spillway
Charles Bridge from different angles
Manes Bridge (named after the artist Josef Manes). Rudolfinum is piled behind it
Magnificent ancient Prague, the beautiful architecture of Hradcany, the famous Charles Bridge, sunset over the Vltava... and a shameful nightmare on pleasure boat. I don’t recommend this to anyone!
I’m still perplexed, how could the tour operator “Come with us” do such a poor job?! It looks like they consider their clients real cattle to sell something like this. First things first...
My old dream came true and in 2017, on May 1, I went to Prague for several days. I bought the excursion tour from the travel agency “Come with us”, and they, in turn, cooperate with “Accord Tour”, so the trip itself was arranged for us by “Accord”.
Judging by the reviews, the Accord's reputation is a bit controversial due to not always good guides. But I was very lucky - our accompanying guide was a responsible and knowledgeable young girl. The trip was great, I really liked the work of "Chord". Except for one thing. This is the very journey along the evening Vltava.
The first day in Prague was wonderful. We arrived in the city around 9 am and immediately began a sightseeing walking tour of Prague. This excursion was included in the price of my tour package. It lasted until 13.00 and ended on the Charles Bridge. After the review, I also booked a tour of the old quarter of Hradcany. This is what I highly recommend! Interesting and beautiful! Even despite the accumulated fatigue, I had a very good time. At about 16.00 we checked into the hotel and then had free time.
I must say that by this time we were quite tired. A night on the bus and then a very busy day on your feet. I could barely walk. I really wanted to rest peacefully and quietly. But I didn’t come to Prague to sit in a room....
"Accourt Tour" offered us a walking tour with dinner on a boat on the Vltava River for the evening. Prague, Vltava, boat, sunset... it just sounded incredibly cool. Moreover, the price included dinner (but you still had to eat somewhere).
So, we left the hotel and headed to the river pier...
The expectations were very high! Romantic delicious dinner on a pleasure boat, and around - spring Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe... The journey lasts 2.5 hours. And after dinner, a fascinating educational excursion from the guide awaited us. I expected to see half of Prague in this time. It’s not a shame to pay 30 euros for this.
The reality was very different from this. Actually, as my neighbor at the table on the boat said, it was a stupid idea, there was nothing else to expect.
Imagine 50 hungry and tired tourists from the CIS countries, locked in a very cramped room.
I once thought that there would be 20-30 people on the boat. In theory, it is designed for such a number of people. But the tour operator decided to cash in on tourists. And more than 50 people were squeezed into a small mess room on the lower deck. The boat, of course, is already narrow. And the organizers thought of placing tables here in 2 rows. There was a very narrow passage between them.
We arrived 10 minutes before departure and by this time all the normal seats were occupied. We couldn't even settle down with our group. One by one we were seated at tables with unknown people.
The buffet itself was located in the middle of the room. And when the guests were invited to dinner, a terrible avalanche of people, as if on cue, took off from their seats and ran!! rushed to the plates. There is very little space, everyone is hungry, angry, pushing and swearing. Well, you know how our people know how to behave... And with all this, in order to fill your plate, you had to stand in line for about 15 minutes - even pushing everyone away with your elbows.
I sat in horror and watched what was happening. I really didn't want to get into a food fight. That's not why I came to Prague.
The food was prepared little and not varied. I was not satisfied with the menu. In addition, a crowd of hungry compatriots swept everything they could off their plates. Even in reserve so that you don’t have to go for more.
Those who did not participate in this circus had only one choice - either feel like cattle and join the battle for food, or remain a loser and a sucker and sit with an empty plate.
Half an hour after the ship left, I got to the remains of the food. The kitchen was very mediocre.
As for the drinks, it was kind of a shame... The choice was very limited and the quantity too. While no one counted food, things were different with drinks. Each guest was given 3 alcohol tickets of their choice. That is, you could take 3 glasses of something. And no more. If you want more, pay extra. In fact, these 3 glasses are not enough. First I took dry white wine - 100 grams. I didn’t like the wine at all and then I took beer. Cheap plastic cup in 250 grams. Moreover, they clearly saved money on beer - it was not tasty and somehow watered down. This is the Czech Republic, a beer country. Most of these 3 glasses were not enough. I didn’t finish mine - I didn’t like the quality and attitude.
And then the third part of the “journey” began - the guide’s story. In truth, it was monstrous. The guide was an elderly, very cutesy woman (in my opinion, she was the owner of the boat). In an incredibly monotonous (incorrectly, it seemed to her, sublime) voice, she began to talk about the architecture of Prague. In any other performance these things could be of interest. I endured as long as I could. And then I took a glass of beer and went up to the upper open deck of the boat - it’s better to admire Prague at sunset.
Yes, the city is very beautiful. I didn’t remember anything from the guide’s story, which is not typical for me. I love history and enjoy listening to such things. But at least I looked at the city.
By the way, you can see very little during the walk. The pleasure boat passes along the embankment, under several bridges, then turns around and sails back. And so he walks back and forth 4 times. Quite monotonously. It's the same thing all around and it gets boring.
Honestly, the excursion turned out to be frankly unsuccessful. Perhaps not everyone on the boat even felt it. But I had a clear feeling that, for my own money, I was shown a place in the stall like some kind of cattle, and I wanted to finish this walk as quickly as possible. Tourists from the CIS are clearly considered second class here.
I decided to get to the hotel without a group, on my own. And this one is on foot independent walk I liked the evening city tour much more. I walked along the busy embankment, admired the river and moored old boats (boats equipped as a hotel), listened to the voice of the city. The surrounding area is full of picturesque, cozy cafes and restaurants. And all this is buried in blooming fragrant lilacs - there are a lot of them in Prague. Everything is civilized and beautiful. And why did I take this excursion and not go to one of them for dinner?!
The Czech Republic is beautiful in spring! I thoroughly enjoyed my trip. The only thing I didn't like was the river walk along the Vlata, which disappointed me.
Here it wasn't even a matter of the tour operator. Of course, they are to blame for poor organization and a terrible guide. But the format of the event itself implies inconvenience. Well, it can’t be convenient to have dinner large group people in such a narrow cramped space. Therefore it is
One of the entertainments in Prague on a clear warm day can be walk along the Vltava on a boat. The Vltava River is the main attraction of Prague, without which all this would not have happened.
Walking along the embankments you can see boats different sizes from motor ships to catamarans. You can swim on each of them. We will go on a short cruise with dinner on the boat “Šumava”. Later, while walking along the Bridge, I saw it and managed to photograph it. This is what it looks like:
You can take a boat cruise on the Vltava in different ways. You can buy a ticket next to the ship, in kiosks that are scattered around the city, from black guys in white sailor suits, you will certainly see them on the right bank tower of Charles Bridge on the Square of the Crusaders, you can book a trip online via the Internet, or use one of the tour companies, offering excursions.
This trip was suggested to us by Andrei, who works in one of the tourist offices in Prague. Unfortunately, their website is not working now and I suspect that the company has closed. Cost of trip with dinner which takes about three hours is 900 CZK. There is a shorter, cheaper program without dinner.
We met Andrey on Parizhskaya Street and he took us to the boat, which is located on the Dvořac embankment, almost below.
During the walk, the audience was periodically entertained by musicians.
Our ship had two decks. There was a restaurant downstairs, where administrators seated guests according to a system I didn’t understand. And at the top there was an open deck with tables and benches. It is worth saying that there is no food there right away and people sit at the tables for the first 10-15 minutes. Those who sat by the window can at least look out the windows. That's why my advice is: go upstairs right away and take a good place. Because after 15 minutes people will start to figure it out and pull themselves up. The buffet, which will be available half an hour after departure, will be available to everyone. There will certainly be a line at first, but there will be enough food. So I slowly loaded my plate with ham and cheese to go with the beer, and headed upstairs. Beer and Coca-Cola, of course additional fee. But you don’t need to go get them - the waitress will bring them herself as needed :)
As soon as we got to the upper deck, our ship sailed towards and slowly moved towards the Charles Bridge.
I was able to get a closer look at the log structures that protect the bridge supports from ice in the winter.
We came across boats similar to ours several times.
As I already said, you can ride along the Vltava not only on such a ship, but also on a catamaran or boat.
We approach the Kampa Museum and the famous yellow penguins of David Cerny. They glow beautifully at night and you will definitely notice them, if not during the day, then in the evening, walking along the Charles Bridge for sure!!
Another oncoming boat.
We gradually approach a small gateway. On the left side is Chair-2. By the way, you can read a little about penguins and this chair, as well as other unusual monuments in Prague.
Our ship approaches Streletsky Island and... I'll tell you about the island next time, subscribe to the newsletter so you don't miss it.
The island is a wonderful place, where you can have a relaxing time, soak your feet in the Vltava and drink beer.
If you look back, you will see the Charles Bridge, the Smetana Museum and the Old Town Clock Tower.
On the shore, children feed swans and ducks, the guys throw a stick to their dog, who happily dives for it.
A pensive man at the next table and the Admiral hotel on the water
People on the observation deck of the fortress
Panorama of Vysehrad.
Some kind of center. It seems to me that there is a sports tower and on the right there is a tower with stands for rowing competitions.
We come across another boat - the Vltava.
Here our boat turns around. Almost immediately after the Barrandovsky automobile bridge.
