Kampa Island, the ‘little Venice” is one of Prague’s most romantic areas. Most people walk above Kampa Island Prague without setting foot on it or realizing it.
The Charles Bridge passes over it just before it reaches its end in Malá Strana, the wondrous Prague Lesser Town.
It’s one of the quieter areas in Prague city centre, and it’s somewhere we’ve strolled through many a time – so often that it’s become one of our favourite places to go in Prague.
Kampa Island is the most built-up – and also the most beautiful – of the Prague islands along the River Vltava.
Read on to discover more about this wonderful corner of the Czech capital.
Where To Stay On And Near Kampa Island Prague
Pytloun Kampa Garden Hotel Prague – elegant hotel in a quiet street metres from Kampa Park and two minutes’ walk from the Charles Bridge
Hotel Pod Věží – impeccable historic hotel a few steps from the Charles Bridge and Kampa Island
Archibald at the Charles Bridge – fantastic hotel on Kampa’s main square, some rooms with river and Charles Bridge view
Prague River Cruises
Panoramic Vltava River Cruise – the standard 50-minute daytime tour, including the canals of Kampa Island
Prague 50-Minute Evening Cruise – the city at its most magical, lit up at dusk and night
2-Hour Vltava River Cruise – the longest option, venturing further up the river to Vysehrad Fortress
Kampa Island Prague – An Introduction
Kampa Island very small – you could easily walk its length in ten minutes or so. Yet it’s packed with some of the most fascinating and fun sights in Prague.
It’s also home to some of the prettiest Prague streets and one of the best parks in Prague.
Its riverside position also means it has some of the best viewpoints in Prague, with outstanding outlooks onto the river, and especially Charles Bridge.
Kampa Island very much reminds me of the Ile St-Louis in Paris – it may not have the big-ticket attractions, but it’s one of the most charming places in Prague to just wander.
And if you’re wondering where to stay in Prague, there are some great Prague hotel options there too (see above).
Where is Kampa Island ?
Kampa Island – Ostrov Kampa in Czech – is located on the left bank – or west side – of the Vltava river in Prague.
It’s located between two of the most beautiful bridges in Prague, Legion Bridge (Legii most) to the south and Charles Bridge Prague (Karluv most).
A tiny part of the island is to the north of the Charles Bridge.
How To Get To Kampa Island?
No Prague public transport routes pass through Kampa Island itself, but several run close by. On the Malá Strana side of the river, the 12, 15, 20 and 22 trams call at (from south to north) Újezd, Hellichova and Malostranské náměstí.
The nearest Metro station, Malostranská, on the green line A, is a seven-minute walk away from the Charles Bridge and the northern end of Kampa Island.
Best Things to do in Kampa Island
1. Visit The Lesser Town Bridge Tower
The Lesser Town Bridge Tower – Malostranské mostecka věž – stands guard at the Mala Strana end of the Charles Bridge. It’s a short distance – 50 metres or so – from Kampa Island, but it’s a great place to get your bearings.
As well as being one of the city’s most striking buildings, the views from there are among the best from the numerous towers in Prague.
The view over the red rooftops of Kampa Island is magnificent, as is the outlook back across the Charles Bridge to Prague Old Town.
2. Na Kampě
Na Kampě is the main square – for that matter the only square – on Kampa Island. In keeping with the rest of the island, it’s fairly quiet, especially compared with the hubbub of Charles Bridge a few metres above.
The pretty painted houses make it one of the most beautiful streets in Prague, and it’s home to a few restaurants and bars which have tables outside in summer, when the trees provide welcome shade.
Further along there are also some Malá Strana hotels which provide an ideal base if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful to base yourself in Prague.
3. Kampa Park
Kampa Park is one of the most pleasant Prague parks, with a great deal to see. It came into being in the 19th century, and was modelled along the lines of an English park.
The Park makes up roughly two-thirds of Kampa Island, and has several great statues and sculptures (more on these in a moment), some lovely cafes and jaw-dropping river views.
One of our favourite ways to explore Kampa Park in Prague is to start at the Legion Bridge (southern) end, meandering up from there.
4. Yellow Penguins
The Prague yellow penguins are a highly visible installation by the Italian-based Cracking Art Group, atop a metal bar above the river a few metres from Kampa Island.
The 34 penguins are made from recycled plastic, and the point being made is a serious one – wildlife suffers immensely because of plastic waste that humanity generates.
They are also illuminated at night.
5. David Černy Babies
You’ll almost certainly come across at least one statue or sculpture by Czech artist David Černy when you visit Prague.
He is responsible for the revolving head of Franz Kafka, the Piss sculpture outside the nearby Franz Kafka Museum and the climbing babies on the Žižkov TV Tower.
You’ll find three slightly creepy crawling cousins of these little ones a few metres from the Yellow Penguins.
The three metal babies are a popular Prague photo spot, and kids, my son included, love clambering on them.
The babies don’t look quite so cute when you see their faces, which are replaced by vertical bar codes. Nonetheless, don’t miss Kampa Park Prague if you’re visiting the city with kids.
6. Čertovka Canal
The Čertovka canal runs the length of Kampa Island, and contributes greatly to it being one of the most attractive areas of Prague. The Canal was created to provide water for several mills, of which the water wheels remain. Many Prague boat trips run here.
It’s also known as the Devil’s Stream, and there’s a hobgoblin-like figure next to one of the water wheels. There’s a lovely view of Čertovka from Charles Bridge.
7. Kampa Museum
Museum Kampa is one of the best contemporary art galleries in Prague, and the Černy Babies are actually one of its exhibits. It’s housed in a beautiful converted riverside mill, with recent glass roof sections giving it a more contemporary gallery feel.
The permanent collection focuses on 20th century European art primarily from the Czech Republic, and there are always a number of visiting exhibitions.
Current examples include Prague Art Nouveau master Alfons Mucha and a display dedicated to Milada Horáková, who was murdered after a Communist show trial in 1950.
8. Charles Bridge
Visiting Prague without crossing the Charles Bridge is akin to going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. It’s so heavily over-touristed, yet is one of the two or three best things to do in Prague.
In case you’ve never encountered it before, the Charles Bridge Prague is the longest bridge over the River Vltava, built in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. It’s a stone arched bridge lined with Baroque-era statues.
The views to either end of the Bridge are awe-inspiring, one of the few sights I’ve ever seen that has made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Read my complete guide to Prague bridges here
Of course, every person and their dog converges on it, not to mention painters, caricaturists and the occasional jazz band.
Avoid the melee and get there an hour before dawn and you’ll appreciate just how compellingly beautiful and utterly unmissable it can be.
9. Charles Bridge Children’s Playground
This playground is immediately to the north of Charles Bridge, and my son and I have come to love it.
Surely it’s one of the best playgrounds in Prague for the view alone, along the Bridge to the dome of St Francis of Assisi Church, the spires of the Klementinum and the grand Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower.
It’s a fairly small playground with swings, slides and a sandpit. It’s also great for hide-and-seek, with the tall hedge at the end a great place to conceal yourself.
Best Places to Eat Kampa Island
Kampa Park Restaurant
Kampa Park Restaurant is immediately behind the playground, and it’s one of the best places for fine dining in Prague.
Forget the gallery of celebrities outside who have dined there – the menu is fantastic and the views of Prague from the river terrace are unsurpassable.
John Lennon Pub
The John Lennon Pub is located on Hroznova, another picturesque Kampa street, overlooking the Čertovka canal. It’s about 50 metres from the famous John Lennon Wall on ‘mainland’ Malá Strana.
This started out as a wall where people left protest messages against the Czechoslovak Communist regime, and this gained impetus in the early 1980s after the murder of the former Beatle, whose portrait usually adorns it.
It’s now one of the best-known landmarks of Prague, with a steady stream of visitors throughout the day and night.
The John Lennon Pub is as much about Big Ben as the Beatles, its walls chock-full of British paraphernalia as well as Lennon portraits.
I’ve only stopped by for a beer – a glass of the highly recommended Kozel Černy – but they also serve food, a mixture of pub classics like fish and chips and a few Mexican dishes.
Kampa Island Boat Trips
Another way to see Kampa Island is from the water. You often see boats passing along the Čertovka canal as part of a longer Prague boat trip – Kampa is touted as the Prague Venice, which, with one canal, is stretching it somewhat!
Prague Boats depart from several places along the river, and their smaller boats include the Kampa run as part of their itinerary.
A small, quaint paddleboat, the Elbis, also departs regularly from behind the Archibald at the Charles Bridge Hotel on Na Kampě.
Kampa Island Prague – Final Thoughts
We lived in Prague for four years and I’ve written extensively about the Czech capital and the rest of the country. Here are some more articles for you to browse, which will hopefully bring you further inspiration:
Top Sights In Prague
55 Amazing Things To Do In Prague – By A Former Local
Charles Bridge Prague – one of the most beautiful bridges in the world
Old Town Square Prague – one of the most beautiful squares in the world
Týn Church Prague – stunning Gothic church with fairytale spires
Landmarks of Prague – 22 unmissable sights in the city
Jewish Prague – all Jewish sites in Prague, including those beyond the Josefov district
Hidden Gems in Prague -27 off the beaten track sights to seek out
How To Visit Prague Zoo – one of the best in Europe
National Museum Prague – the biggest, best Museum in the Czech Republic
Prague by Area
Old Town Prague – one of the most captivating old towns in Europe
New Town Prague – the modern heart of the Czech capital – but a taste of the old is never far away
Malá Strana Prague – the enchanting Baroque ‘Lesser Quarter’ below Prague Castle
Kampa Island Prague– the most beautiful and intriguing of Prague’s islands
Vltava River in Prague– everything there is to see along the river in the Czech capital
Žižkov Prague – the former working class renegade and artists’ hangout, as quirky as ever, with some of the best pubs in Prague
Holešovice Prague – Prague 7, one of the best modern areas to explore in the city
Themed Articles On Prague
Churches in Prague – 20 wondrous churches from St Vitus Cathedral to a modernist masterpiece in Vinohrady
Communist Prague – 18 Fascinating Places To Explore
Sunsets In Prague – the 10 best places to see them
Prague Streets – the city’s most beautiful streets
Prague World War 2 Sites – including the Heydrich Assassination Site and more
Parks and Gardens In Prague
Prague Parks – green escapes, riverside walks, beer gardens and more
Letna Park – one of the largest city parks, with superb views over the city
Stromovka Park – former royal hunting grounds in Holešovice
Petřin Hill – outstanding hillside park with some of the best walks in Prague
Prague Gardens – the stunning formal gardens of Prague
Vrtba Garden – glorious early Baroque terraced garden in Mala Strana
Petřin Hill – outstanding hillside park with some of the best walks in Prague
Looking for more places to visit in the Czech Republic?
- Prague in Snow
- Brno Christmas Markets
- Things to do in Cesky Krumlov
- Cesky Krumlov in Winter
- Lednice Castle – stunning World Heritage chateau near the Austrian border
- Kutná Hora Bone Church – the amazing art of the Sedlec Ossuary
- Best Places To Visit On The River Elbe
- Visiting Terezin Concentration Camp
- Prague in Springtime
- Regions of Czech Republic
- Czech Republic Travel Guide
- Europe Travel Guide
Looking for more places to visit in the Czech Republic?
- Prague in Snow
- Brno Christmas Markets
- Things to do in Cesky Krumlov
- Cesky Krumlov in Winter
- Lednice Castle – stunning World Heritage chateau near the Austrian border
- Kutná Hora Bone Church – the amazing art of the Sedlec Ossuary
- Best Places To Visit On The River Elbe
- Visiting Terezin Concentration Camp
- Prague in Springtime
- Regions of Czech Republic
- Czech Republic Travel Guide
- Europe Travel Guide