Walks in the Prague parks (IV) – Stromvoka – 3 km to 8 km (including Troja)

Stromovka is Prague’s largest park, with close to 100ha of attractive meadows and ponds bordering the Vltava river. The park was originally created as a royal game reserve in the 13th century by king Přemysl Otakar II, who built a small hunting lodge on the terrace above the river.
Stromovka reached the height of its fame in the 16th century when the Habsburg emperors created the landscape that today welcomes visitors looking for a shady spot close to the center of Prague. Emperor Rudolf II even built a remarkable underground canal that runs for 1.1 km underneath Letna hill, to connect the Vltava with the newly created Stromovka ponds. The Renaissance doorway with its inscription from 1583 is located just above the ponds area.
A good place to start a visit to the park is from the eastern entrance next to Výstaviště Praha. This extraordinary art nouveau exhibition area was constructed in 1891 to host the World Fair. There are tram stops directly at the Výstaviště Praha entrance, or it is a 900m walk from Nádraží Holešovice metro station.
A suggested itinerary from Výstaviště might be to first climb up to the terrace overlooking the park, passing Rudolf’s doorway on the way, and stopping at the viewpoint next to the Summer Palace (which now has a Renaissance character – the original Gothic castle having been converted in the 16th century). From there, several paths descend to explore the ponds area. The return route back to Výstaviště Praha passes the impressive planetarium, which is open to visitors during the day and evenings. It is worth a visit. This simple route is no more than 3 km in length.
Walkers wanting to extend the trip should consider touring some of the attractions on the Troja side of the river. Situated on the slopes above the north bank of the Vltava are Prague’s famous botanical gardens. The lower entrance to the gardens is an easy 1.5 km walk from the center of Stromovka, across the newly reconstructed Vltava footbridge. Highlights include the Japanese garden, the Fata Morgana greenhouse area (especially around May, when one of the greenhouses may be filled with giant tropical butterflies), and the vineyard of svatá Klára (with its superb views).
In addition to the botanical gardens, the Troja district also hosts Prague’s main zoo, which is worth a trip in its own right, as well as the spectacular Baroque Troja Chateau, which is home to the city’s collection of 19th century Czech art. The entrances to all three attractions are close to each other.
There are several refreshment options in Stromovka park and in Troja. One recommended spot is Artyčok Bistro, located just behind the planetarium. The bistro has entrances in both Stromovka and the Výstaviště exhibition area. Also, consider the stylish new (from 2023) bistro just inside the gates of Troja Chateau – bistro Karel (map point 8).

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Directions

There are many intersecting paths in Stromovka and there is no particularly recommended route to follow around the park
If starting from the Výstaviště Praha entrance, a suggested route might be to take the main path towards the planetarium and from there head to the Vozovna restaurant
From Vozovna, take the path that starts to climb the slope towards the summer palace, passing the 19th century Vodovodní domek, with the doorway to Rudolf II’s canal just behind this cream-coloured house
From there the path climbs up to the Summer Palace (pictured below) and the viewpoint
From the Summer Palace descend to the pond area – there are various alternative paths
From the ponds, if returning directly to Výstaviště, head back in the direction of the planetarium. If extending the walk to Troja, head towards the railway line on the north (river) side of the park, passing under the railway and then over the canal to reach the Císařský ostrov (island) with its well known riding stables
From Císařský ostrov cross the Vltava on the footbridge to reach the Troja area
Here there are several walking options, including to follow the Vltava in either direction – the path is completely paved and popular also with joggers and cyclists. The zoo and Chateau entrances are to the left (heading west)
Alternatively, to visit the botanical gardens continue straight on – the Troja Chateau garden is on the left. After 200m on the right side is one of the last old buildings from the former fishing district of Rybáře (note on the wall of the house is a sign showing the level reached during the floods of August 2002)
The lower entrance to the botanical gardens is at the end of this road (after crossing Trojská street).
Use the same route to return back to Výstaviště