Vítkov

This very comfortable Prague city ride is for any type of weather, however, clear skies will allow you to enjoy several nice viewpoints. I remember ten years ago biking in Prague was considered quite dangerous, but this route really shows how you can stay on dedicated bike paths without interacting with city traffic.

After starting from Letná park you will be passing through Stromovka, the largest Prague park where the first tramway was tested by František Křižík in 1891. Look at the newly reconstructed restaurant “Šlechtova” and the complex of ponds which was originally designed by the emperor Rudolf II. Water to these ponds was fed by Rudolfova štola (Rudolf’s tunnel) dug under Letná park in 1593. This project took 11 years to finish. You can imagine the size of it leading from the point 18 to close to point 2 in Stromovka.

At point 3 you will be crossing the new bridge built on the place of collapsed bridge in 2017. Along the river, at point 4, you may wonder what is that funny structure on the left. Yes, it is the original Trojan horse built by Greeks in the fight for Troy. How it got here, nobody knows, but now it is nice location to have a coffee and watch the people practicing their skills in the artificial white water canal. They occasionally have small concerts in the summer.

At point 5 you will have a choice to follow the marked bike road along the busy street, or follow a slightly less comfortable road along the river bank. If you are not in rush, like us, go along the river and enjoy the surroundings. Be aware that this path is shared by bikers and pedestrians, so be generous in leaving them enough space.

In the underpass before point 7, note the mural memorial to Petar Introvič, who was very instrumental in making Prague a biker-friendly town. The bike path to point 8 is actually the bike-friendliest in Prague. At point 9 you will be riding through the nice small natural park called Smetanka with the meanders of the Rokytka stream. Riding on top of the hill “Třešňovka” (Cherry orchard hill) at point 12 gives you another unusual view of Prague.

The next stop on your trip should be Vítkov with the statue of Jan Žižka, leader of the Hussites’ armies and probably the most famous Czech warrior. (Czechs are very peace-loving people and therefore they don’t have many war heroes.) This is another stunning view of Prague, of course. After the steep ride downhill, you will enter the llong tunnel connecting Žižkov to Karlín. Back in the times, this tunnel was barely lit and people were scared to use it. That is probably why there is a big sign “Neboj” (Do not be afraid) at the entrance of the tunnel from the Karlín side.

After crossing the river on Hlávkův bridge you will finish your ride going through Letná park.

https://en.mapy.cz/s/godopoluca 25 km, 260 m elevation gain. To see this ride in context, check our interactive maps.