Smíchov: the district where everything connects at Anděl

Come up from the metro at Anděl and you see why Smíchov works. Trams cross at street level, buses stop on every side, a shopping centre and offices sit beside the exit, and the river is a few minutes away. This is a district built around movement.

A hub

Anděl, on metro line B (yellow), is the centre of the district. Tram and bus routes meet here, and the metro reaches Národní třída and the centre in a few stops. The next station along, Smíchovské nádraží, sits by a railway station with regional trains. The tram network is dense enough that you can reach most of the city with one change at most, and PID covers it all on a single ticket.

That makes Smíchov handy if you commute across town or travel often. A friend who works in one corner of Prague and plays football in another can live here without regretting either leg.

Industry and shopping

Smíchov was industrial, and the Staropramen brewery, one of the best-known in Prague, still stands here. Around Anděl, newer developments add a large shopping centre, offices and apartments. Further out, older streets of tenement flats feel more settled and local.

Between the shopping centre and the main streets you rarely need to leave the district for supplies. For many residents that is the main selling point. It is also the main complaint, because the shopping centre area is busy and loud on Saturdays.

River and parks

The Smíchov embankment is a good place for a walk, with views across to the Old Town and the National Theatre. Behind the district, Kinského zahrada (Kinský Garden) climbs the Petřín slope, a big park with a wooden church and open lawns. The Petřín funicular is a short walk from the Újezd end. Klamovka park, to the south-west, is quieter still.

Culture

Bertramka, the villa linked to Mozart's visits to Prague, is in Smíchov and has housed a Mozart museum. Check opening before you go. The district also has a few theatres and small venues, though fewer than the centre.

Three Smíchovs

The district feels different depending on where you stand.

What the hub means day to day

Living near a transport hub changes daily habits in small ways. You skip the car because a tram is always about to arrive. You meet friends at Anděl because it is a place everyone can reach. You also learn which exits to avoid at rush hour and which stop has the shelter.

The flip side is anonymity. Smíchov is a place where many people are passing through, so the sense of a tight neighbourhood is weaker around the hub than in, say, Vršovice or Letná. If you want to know your baker, choose a side street a few minutes from Anděl and find one.

River life

The Smíchov bank is one of the best places in Prague for a walk after work. The embankment fills with runners, cyclists and people on benches when the weather turns warm, and the view across the water to the National Theatre and the Old Town is one of the city's classic angles. In some seasons the river can rise, so if you are looking at a ground-floor flat near the water, ask the landlord about the flood history.

A short walk takes you to the foot of Petřín, where the funicular and the hillside paths give a different mood within minutes. For a lot of residents, that is the real luxury: a major hub in front of the door and hills at the back.

Housing

The stock is very mixed: older tenements, interwar buildings, post-war blocks and new developments around Anděl. New buildings tend to have lifts, parking and modern fittings. Older streets are quieter, with family-sized flats. Rents are generally lower than in the very centre and Vinohrady, but the district has become pricier as development arrived. Check current listings for figures.

Common mistakes

Choosing a flat by the metro line alone. Smíchov's tram network is the real bargain, and a flat near a tram stop on a calm side street can beat one beside Anděl in both price and peace.

Forgetting the late hours. Trams and buses run into the night around the hub, and a bedroom on a main road will hear them.

Assuming the embankment is far from the metro. Parts of it are a ten-minute walk to Anděl, but others need a tram. Check the route home with a bag.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

People who want connections and services and can live with city noise. Families who want Kinský Garden and Petřín nearby. If you're after a quiet, small-town feel, look further out, in Břevnov for example. It is also a poor fit if you hate shopping-centre crowds on Saturdays.

Before you rent

Around Anděl, check street-side noise at night, because trams and buses run late. Streets uphill towards Košíře and Kinský Garden are quieter but steeper. Ask about parking, since residents' zones cover much of the district, and test your commute on the PID planner at rush hour. For the wider area, see our Prague 5 guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which metro station serves Smíchov?

Anděl and Smíchovské nádraží, both on line B (yellow).

Is Smíchov noisy?

Around Anděl, yes, because trams and buses run late. Side streets and the uphill areas are quieter.

What is in Kinský Garden?

A large park on the Petřín slope, with lawns and a wooden church.

Is the Staropramen brewery in Smíchov?

Yes, it stands in the district. Check the brewery's own site for visits.

Take the metro to Anděl, walk down to the river and follow the embankment south. Then turn back up through the older streets and notice how fast the feel changes.