Petrin, Prague

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Petrin hill and tower are located in Mala Strana. This is where the locals come to relax and sunbathe. There's a funicular that takes you up the hill (requires public transportation ticket, 12 Kc). The tower has 299 steps with several observation decks on the way up (40 Kc). From the top you can see all of Prague (orange and green!), the river valley, and all the way to the mountains.

There is also a 'labyrinth' on Petrin Hill (40 Kc). It is a small mirror maze with a room of funny mirrors at the end. Not really much, but good for a laugh if you're up for it.

Don't lose your way in the mirror labyrinth! This is a maze created of trick mirrors to distort your body in all sorts of ways. There is also Petrin Lookout Tower which seems almost like the Eiffel Tower of Paris.

Visit Petrin Hill with its mini "Eiffel Tower" on top. You will be able to enjoy beautiful views of Prague, walk around the nice park, and take advantage of some fun activities, some of which are perfect for kids - in case you have yours with you and don't know how to keep them entertained.

Getting up and down the hill
A nice way to organize this outing is to take tram 6, 9, 12, 20, 22 or 23 to the stop called Ujezd, get off there and take the funicular that starts from Ujezd and goes up the hill. You will need to use a public transport ticket (the transfer one for 20 CZK), which you can buy at the funicular departure point. Get off at the very top (it's the second stop - the first one is halfway up the hill). Once you're done visiting the Petrin area, you can take the funicular back, but it is nicer and more interesting to follow one of the trails that lead to the Prague Castle or the Strahov Monastery (flat or downhill).

What to do on Petrin
These are some of the activities that you can do on Petrin hill:
- Climb the Petrin tower for beautiful views of Prague. Don't be mislead by its perceived hight - it only takes four minutes to climb the stairs to the observation point.
- Visit the rose garden
- Visit the observatory
- Visit the Jara Cimrman exhibition below the tower. Jara Cimrman is a celebrated Czech inventor who in fact never existed. Cimrman was recently voted by the Czechs as the largest Czech in the history of the nation. Not surprising if you are familiar with the Czech character... The vote was scratched and remained unofficial due to Cimrman's non-existence.
- Have a hot dog and beer in the buffet below the tower
For kids (and not only for them):
- Visit the mirror maze with its wildly entertaining distorting mirrors
- Take a ride around the park in a pony-drawn carriage. This is very cheap, very silly, and just one of those things that you'd only do when on vacation.
For kids only:
- Put your kid on a pony ride

Petrin is a small hill near the castle with a great view.
You can see Prague's important monuments like Vysehrad , Hradcany and more with a relaxing atmosphere.

To get to the top of the hill you can walk or use the Cable-railway (cost 12 Kc for a 60 Min ticket)

Towards the top of Petrin Hill is this 18th century wooden folk church which was moved here from a village in the Ukrraine. Just a pity there was building work or path maintenance going on as it made it difficult to get a proper look.

You can reach the top of the hill using the funicular railway, and if you pass by the most popular locations like the Hall of Mirrors and look-out tower, you are bound to find a romantic spot here. Following the paths here, you will find all sorts of corners with statues and memorials. One of the most popular is the memorial to St. Valentine, the patron saint of love, but also of travellers, beekeepers, young people and the plague of all things. There is also a memorial to the famous Czech 19th-century poet Karel Hynek Macha.
Along the ridge of Pertin is a Gothic castle "hunger wall" dating back to the times of Charles IV. This divides the park into two parts. Walking through the gate in the wall, we find ourselves in the Kinsky Gardens sloping down in the direction of the Prague quarter of Smichov. Here it is far less frequented and you will find streams and ponds hidden away here. You will also find the wooden Orthodox Church of St. Michael, which was brought to Prague in 1929 from Medvedovce, which was then part of the First Czechoslovak Republic and is now in the Ukraine. The Kinsky Empire-style villa in the lower part of the gardens was used for exhibitions already 100 years ago.

Petrin Hill is a favourite place to walk amongst the inhabitants of Prague and tourists alike. There was a church here as early as the Middle Ages.
The Funicular that runs alongside the hill was constructed for the Jubilee Exhibition in 1891. The service for passengers runs several times a day.
There is a small basic cafe both inside the tower and also outside.

The mirror labyrinth is situated in a building originally constructed by the Czech Tourist Board. It has a lovely entrance in the style of a Medieval Gate with a drawbridge. The labyrinth is a fascination for young and old. Be prepared for a laugh.
There was also an exhibition of children?s drawings when we were there.
It is next to The Petrin Tower

The top of Petrin Hill can be reached on foot or by funicular from Ujezb road ( a sunken lane). On the hill are the Petrin Tower, St Lawrence Church, the People's Observatory, the Mirror Maze and Hunger Wall.
The tower is 200ft high made of iron, and was built in 1891 and has served as a TV tower. From the upper gallery which is a climb of 299 steps,there are far ranging scenic views of Prague and central Bohemia. Open daily 09.30 - 18.00 April, May Oct. 09.30 -20.00 June - Sept and Sat.Sun only Nov- March

Ok guess this is a tips for the kids amongst us. Near the top of Petrin Hill is a mock gothic castle which houses a mirror maze. Its a relic from the 1891 Exhibition. Its not open to the public until 1st April so we had to give this a miss.