Rural Prague: Pond, Wine Cellar and No Tourists

Rural Prague: taste the countryside and stay within Prague’s city boundaries. This is not a contradiction because there are many green gems dotted all over Prague. Hamerský rybník, Hammer pond, is such a gem. Rolling countryside, a small lake and a wine cellar are an attractive alternative to busy Old Town Square, the mass of people on Charles Bridge and the tourists at Prague Castle. Hamer Pond with an island in the middle is located in the valley between Spořilov and Záběhli, south-east of Prague centre. Spořilov may ring a bell. You will have seen this because it is the terminus station of trams 11 and 14.

Rural Prague: away from the hustle and bustle

A trip to the Hamer Pond is a different experience from walking around Prague’s historic centre. Rural Prague is serene and tranquil. No enterainment or vibrant nightlife, outdoor life in the Czech Republic can be quite boring. What you will find is green countryside, a welcoming wine cellar with outdoor seating and a choice of good wines.

Hamer Pond, named after an iron mill (hamr in Czech) that produced steel plates and domes for church roofs, is fed by the Botič, a winding river. Follow it to the east and you will see Zabelice Chateau and Práč Chateau, two large country houses that you can admire from the outside. Continue to Toulcuv Dvur, an ecological centre with baroque buildings, farmland and livestock, a flower meadow, a forest, small lake and also a charming restaurant.

A walk around the Hamer Pond will take you to a chapel and a fourteenth-century church. There are two dining options along the lakeshore. On the north side Restaurant Hamr and on the south side Hamersky Sklipek.

Hamer Pond: a peaceful oasis

The shores of the pond are the ideal place to relax. You are right in the countryside but still in Prague and surrounded by greenery, ducks, herons and coots. Come back in winter when the pond is frozen over and a layer of snow completes this magical world. It is as if you are in the ‘middle of nowhere’. (unless you look a little to the right, behind the church are prefab residential tower blocks). Rural Prague is truly within the city boundaries.

Refreshments with Pond View in Rural Prague

Restaurant Hamr and Hamerský sklípek offer both refreshments and meals. Restaurant Hamr is the simpler of the two. The outdoor terrace offers a view of the pond or the tennis courts depending where you sit. In addition to alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and coffee, a selection of grilled dishes is served. The poledni menu (fixed-price lunch menu) offers a choice of two soups and at least eight main courses.

The bonus is that prices here are much more affordable than near Charles Bridge and Old Town Square.
Hamerský sklípek is Czech for Hamer Wine Cellar. Cellar is not entirely correct because there is also an attractive outside terrace with lake view. It goes without saying that you drink wine, white, red or rosé, but you can also order craft beer and beer snacks. If you go for a full meal, try one of the typical Czech dishes or stay safe and order pizza.

Hamersky Sklipek: open 2 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon
Restaurace Hamr: open daily 7 am-11.30pm

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photos: Marianne Crone