Smíchov or Dejvice? The west-side districts compared

Prague's west is split in two by a hill. To the south-west lies Smíchov, a district of brewery, railway and river. To the north-west lies Dejvice, a district of boulevards, a university campus and villa streets. Both are easy to reach, both have metro stations, and both appear on the shortlist of people who want something less touristy than the centre and more connected than the outskirts.

Smíchov

Smíchov grew in the 19th century as an industrial suburb on the left bank, and the Staropramen brewery (founded 1869) is still part of its identity. Today the district is a transport and shopping hub: Anděl is where metro B, trams and buses meet, and the railway station Praha-Smíchov adds regional trains. There are offices, shopping centres and a riverside that has been redeveloped. The hill of Petřín rises behind, with Kinského zahrada on its slope. Mozart is said to have stayed at the Villa Bertramka in Smíchov during his visits to Prague. See our Smíchov guide.

Dejvice

Dejvice is largely a 20th-century creation, laid out on a planned grid with Vítězné náměstí at its heart. It has interwar functionalist buildings, the campus of the Czech Technical University and other institutions, embassies, and a good deal of green space: Stromovka is a short distance east, and the Šárka valley to the north-west. The villa areas of Hanspaulka and Baba lie nearby. Metro A runs under Evropská avenue, with stations at Dejvická and Hradčanská. See our Dejvice guide.

Getting around

Smíchov's strength is connections. From Anděl you can be on metro B to the centre, on trams across the river or on buses to the south-west. Regional trains from Praha-Smíchov reach the countryside. The downside: wide roads and traffic around the hub.

Dejvice's strength is a direct metro line: line A reaches Malostranská, Staroměstská and Můstek, and in the other direction goes out to Motol hospital. The airport bus runs from the western end of the line. See getting from the airport to the centre. Trams run to the castle area and beyond.

What the streets feel like

Walk out of Anděl and you are in the middle of it: trams, shopping centres, people with bags and a tangle of crossings. Turn into the older streets towards the river or up the Petřín side and the scale drops. Courtyards, small shops, schools and a pub on the corner appear, and the area starts to feel like a neighbourhood.

Dejvice is calmer from the start. The boulevard around Vítězné náměstí is wide and orderly, the pavements are generous and the blocks have the proportions of a district designed in one go. Side streets are quiet and tree-lined, and the villa areas on the hills feel almost suburban. On a weekday the campus fills the cafes with students, and in the evening the area empties out earlier than Smíchov.

Green space and weekends

Dejvice wins on parks and woodland. Stromovka, Šárka and the Hvězda game park are a tram or bus ride away. Smíchov has Petřín, an easy climb or funicular ride, and the riverside, but the immediate streets are more built-up. For a wider look, see Prague's greenest neighbourhoods.

Housing and daily life

Both districts offer a mix. Smíchov has older tenements, post-industrial conversions and new blocks near the river; Dejvice has interwar apartment buildings with large windows, houses with gardens in the villa areas, and new infill. Rents depend on the street and building; compare current listings.

For schools, Prague 6 has a long tradition of hosting foreign families, and international schools are found in the west and north-west of the city. See how to choose an international school. For everyday shopping, both districts have supermarkets, markets and pharmacies.

Nights and noise

Smíchov is livelier around Anděl and the river, with bars and restaurants and a late-night transport hub. Dejvice is quieter, and its evenings centre on a few pubs and cafes near the campus. Check the street in both cases. A courtyard flat in Smíchov can be quieter than a boulevard flat in Dejvice; see quiet neighbourhoods for light sleepers.

Trade-offs worth weighing

Smíchov gives you options. Several ways to get anywhere, many shops, a cinema and a riverfront where you can walk. The cost is traffic, a busy hub and some streets that never quite relax. Dejvice gives you calm and green space, but you accept an earlier bedtime from the neighbourhood and a smaller choice of late places to eat. If you often work late, return after midnight or like to have a choice of ten restaurants, check the transport and the street, not just the district.

Both are practical for a first year in Prague. Both have supermarkets, clinics and pharmacies close to the metro. If you are not sure, rent for twelve months, ride the line to work at the real hour and decide what you miss.

Who picks which

People who choose Smíchov tend to want energy, shops and transport options, and are happy with a busier street. People who choose Dejvice tend to want calm, green space and a campus or embassy neighbourhood feel.

Families often favour Dejvice for parks and schools, though Smíchov has family-friendly areas on the Petřín side. Students and academics gravitate to Dejvice. Young professionals who work in the centre or in the offices around Anděl lean to Smíchov.

Frequently asked questions

Which is closer to the centre?

Both are a short metro ride from the Old Town. Anděl to Můstek takes a few stops on line B; Dejvická to Můstek takes a few stops on line A.

Which is quieter?

Dejvice, generally, but check the exact street.

Which has better transport?

Smíchov has the bigger hub; Dejvice has a direct metro and airport links.

Which is better for expats?

Both are popular. Dejvice and Bubeneč have a long record of international families; Smíchov is liked by young professionals.