Petrin Hill

Petřín Hill rises above Prague’s left bank of the Vltava River. From its slopes, you see Prague Castle, the red rooftops of Malá Strana, and the modern city skyline. Green spaces sit alongside the 19th-century Petřín Lookout Tower, the Mirror Maze with its warped reflections, and the Štefánik Observatory’s telescopes. Steep paths lead past orchards, the Hunger Wall’s medieval stonework, and quiet gardens filled with roses or fruit trees. You can reach the summit by hiking from Újezd Street or taking tram 22 to Pohorelec, though the historic funicular remains closed until 2026. This hill serves as both a viewpoint and a place to walk among trees, churches, and unexpected curiosities.

Visit the Petřín Lookout Tower

Built in 1891 for the Jubilee Exhibition, the Petřín Lookout Tower stands 58.7 meters tall. Its steel frame resembles a smaller version of Paris’s Eiffel Tower. Climb the 299 steps to the top for views stretching across Prague’s bridges, the Vltava’s bends, and distant hills like Sněžka on clear days. An elevator reaches a lower platform at 20 meters, but the highest deck requires stairs. Inside the tower’s base, photographs and blueprints explain its construction. Admission costs 220 CZK for adults, with discounts for students and seniors.

Explore the Mirror Maze and Observatory

The Mirror Maze, built for the 1891 Jubilee Exhibition, fills a wooden hall with curved mirrors that stretch or shrink your reflection. A second room displays a painted diorama of a 1648 battle between Swedes and Prague’s defenders. Nearby, the Štefánik Observatory lets you observe sunspots through solar telescopes by day or Jupiter’s moons at night. Staff host guided sessions explaining constellations and planetary movements. Entry to the maze costs 100 CZK, while the observatory charges 90 CZK.

Walk Through Gardens and Past Medieval Walls

Petřín’s slopes hold over 2,100 fruit trees in the Seminary Garden, where apple and cherry blossoms cover the ground each April. The Rose Garden, planted in 1937, grows more than 12,000 roses across 13,000 square meters from May to October. Stone paths wind past the Hunger Wall, a 4-meter-thick fortification built in 1362 to protect Lesser Town. Look for quarry pits where medieval workers extracted stone for Prague’s churches and bridges. Franz Kafka wrote about walking these trails, and plaques along the route describe the hill’s role in the city’s history.

Choose Your Path to the Summit

Steep, tree-lined paths connect Malá Strana’s streets to Petřín’s summit. From Újezd, a 30-minute hike passes the Nebozízek Restaurant, which has outdoor tables facing Prague Castle. If starting near Prague Castle, follow the path downhill past the Baroque Kinský Garden’s waterfall and pond. Tram 22 or 23 stops at Pohorelec, where a gentler trail leads through chestnut groves to the observatory. With the funicular closed, all routes require walking—wear shoes with good grip for uneven steps and gravel slopes.

Plan Your Visit

Arrive before 10 AM to avoid crowds at the tower, especially in summer when schools visit. Buy tickets for the tower, maze, and observatory separately at each site’s entrance. Public restrooms and a small cafe with coffee and pastries operate near the tower’s base. The gardens and Hunger Wall have no entry fees. Check the tower’s website for seasonal hours: it stays open until 8 PM from April to September but closes by 6 PM in winter. Photographers can book private access for sunrise shoots by contacting park staff in advance.