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August 22nd, 2008
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Trips & Trails

Parakeets and a pig

By Fiona Gaze
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
June 4th, 2008 issue

TRIP TIPS



Roztoky u Prahy
www.roztoky.cz (Czech only)
How to get there: Bus from Dejvická or train from Masarykovo nádraží (check www.idos.cz for times)
Czech Tourist Club map: No. 36
Recommended walk: Roztoky Tiché údolí-Únětice-Černý Vůl-Statenice-Noutonice-Okoř
Walk length: Approx. 17 km
Central Bohemia Museum
Web: www.muzeum-roztoky.cz
Restaurace Koliba
Tiché údolí 1679, Roztoky
Web: www.roztoky.cz/katalog/
restaurant-koliba

The town of Roztoky u Prahy is so close to Prague you can walk there. It feels worlds away, though, with lush greenery, grand 19th-century villas, a handful of quirky, memorable pubs and a plethora of trails for walking and biking.
Snug along the Vltava just beyond the city limits of Prague 6, Roztoky is easily accessible from Stromovka Park in Holešovice (8 kilometers) by crossing Císařský ostrov and then turning onto the red trail, which runs past the zoo along the river. This route is popular with cyclists and families, and once you reach Klecany there’s a small ferry for 10 Kč that takes you across to Roztoky.
The town’s castle and Central Bohemia Museum offer regular exhibitions on history, culture and art, and are located close to the train station, with good signage. If you’ve arrived in Roztoky by foot or bike, you might want to follow the green path skirting the town and head up to Levý Hradec (about 3.5 km), an early medieval hill fort that offers views over the river, the Church of St. Clement and its well-tended graveyard, and an exhibit of archeological artifacts. There are also photos detailing Roztoky’s storied past, namely the town’s heyday in the 1930s when its Tiché údolí neighborhood served as a destination for Prague’s elite.
Tiché údolí is a great starting point if you’ve arrived in Roztoky by bus (15 minutes from Dejvická) or train (15 minutes from Masayrkovo nádraží). To get there, turn right at the restaurant Victoria, which is right across from the station, and you’ll be on Tiché údolí street. The blue trail veers off of this road and straight into the woods. But, if you stick to the street, it will wind you past turn-of-the-century villas, rolling gardens and the interesting former Hotel Sakura, which still shows remnants of its Japanese finishings and is now a hospital. Further along you’ll reach the charming pub Hospůdka Zvířátka (Little Animals), which offers food from the grill, six types of Černá Hora beer and the unfiltered, unpasteurized yeast beer Sklepní pivo. As the name indicates, the owners love animals: The space is filled with a menagerie of parakeets, cats and even a pot-bellied pig to liven things up.
At the end of the street, the blue trail rejoins at the entrance to the forest. The restaurant Koliba is tucked away at this bend as well and is worth a visit, though you’ll have to resist the temptation to while away a few hours on the shady patio overlooking the pond, especially with huge plates of grilled meats and fish going by.
Pressing on, the blue trail runs along a creek amid verdant growth, a leisurely stroll of just over 2 km to the village of Únětice. Just before Únětice you can either stick to the blue or branch off onto the green trail. The green leads you back to Prague, via a short, steep climb up to Kozí hřbet, or Goat’s Ridge, and past views over Prague on to Horoměřice (3 km), where you can get a bus back to Prague or stop for a beer and pizza. Continuing on the green takes you through Šárecké údolí and Hanspaulka, to Dejvická, for a total mileage of around 14 km.
Staying on the blue from Únětice will lead you all the way to Okoř (17 km). The walk is relatively flat and perfect for bikers, alternating between field paths and country roads, and passes through the villages of Černý Vůl, Statenice and Noutonice, which all have little pubs to quench the thirst you’ve worked up.
Okoř is known for its castle ruins, which represent the Gothic, Late Gothic and Renaissance styles. You can explore the grounds, grab an ice cream or fill up on fried cheese and cheap beer at the pub by the castle entrance. Buses run almost hourly (check the times in advance), and it’s a 35-minute ride to Dejvická.

Fiona Gaze can be reached at fgaze@praguepost.com


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