Divoká Šárka
A wild valley of cliffs and streams inside the city boundary
- Area Dejvice
- Type Park
- Time needed 2h
Divoká Šárka is a wild valley of shale cliffs, a stream and woodland on the western edge of Prague, beginning at the terminus of tram lines 20 and 26 in Vokovice. It is a nature reserve inside the city boundary and is used mainly by Praguers for walking and running rather than by visitors. Marked trails run through it for several kilometres down towards Podbaba, there is an open-air swimming pool near the entrance in summer, and in between there are essentially no facilities. Wear proper shoes.
Open in the planner →Getting there
Tram 20 or 26 to Divoká Šárka, the last stop; it is also a bus interchange on the airport route. From Staroměstské náměstí allow forty to forty-five minutes, taking the metro line A (green) to Nádraží Veleslavín or Bořislavka and changing to the tram, or riding tram 26 through from Dejvice. From the tram loop the valley starts immediately: cross the road and the path drops steeply down into the gorge within a couple of minutes, over loose stone and roots.
What you see
The entrance end is the dramatic part. The stream, the Šárecký potok, has cut a narrow gorge through dark shale, and the crags above it — the rocks by Džbán — are used by climbers and give the only real viewpoints. The marked path follows the water east, crossing it on footbridges and stepping stones, through sections of close woodland, past small weirs and meadow clearings where the valley opens out. Above the entrance is the Džbán reservoir, with the summer pool beside it. Continuing downstream the character softens — open grass, a few mills converted to houses, allotments — and after several kilometres the valley comes out at Podbaba near the river, where there is a tram and train connection back. There are no monuments and no interpretation; the point is the terrain.
What to pair it with
Nothing in the historic centre is near. It pairs with the Břevnov Monastery complex or the Dejvice end of the city, and with Trója and the zoo if you come out at Podbaba and continue along the river.
When to go
A daylight, dry-weather, warm-season walk. Late spring and autumn are best: the stream runs well, the woods are not dusty and the paths are passable. After rain or in winter the shale paths are slick and genuinely treacherous on the steep sections. The pool operates in high summer only. Weekend afternoons bring local families to the first kilometre; go on a weekday morning and you will see almost no one past the entrance.
What is hard about it
The honest warning is the surface. Paths are rough, muddy, steeply sloping and loose underfoot, with exposed stretches above the stream; this is not a stroll in city shoes and it is not suitable for prams, wheelchairs or anyone unsure on uneven ground. Between the pool and the Podbaba end there are no toilets, no cafes and no water, and phone coverage is patchy in the gorge. Signage marks the trails but not the distances well, and people underestimate how long the full valley takes. It is a long way out for scenery that is pleasant rather than spectacular, and visitors with only a few days in Prague usually have better uses for half a day.
Common questions
How long do you need at Divoká Šárka?
Two hours covers the gorge at the tram end and a loop back. Walking the whole valley to Podbaba takes three to four hours including the journeys.
Do you need walking boots?
Trainers with grip will do in dry weather, but the shale and mud make smooth-soled shoes a bad idea at any time of year. After rain, boots.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There are a couple of refreshment points near the tram terminus and the pool in season, and nothing at all in the middle of the valley. Carry water.
More of the same kind
- PetřínThe wooded hill above Malá Strana, with orchards and a funicular
- Kampa IslandAn island under the Charles Bridge, with a mill wheel and a park
- Letná ParkThe plateau above the river, with a beer garden and the metronome
- Prague ZooOne of the best zoos in Europe, built into a hillside