Soon, it may be possible to walk across Prague from one end of the city to the other along the Vltava River embankments. Improvements are planned for the Rašín Embankment, Braník, Císařská louka, and Children’s Island. The embankments in central Prague are already open to pedestrians, but barriers in some outlying areas still make it difficult to access the river. This is expected to change in the near future. The city has allocated CZK 25 million for improvements to riverside areas next year.
The funds will be used to install new benches and public toilets, reconstruct sidewalks, and make other improvements. Eleven new benches are expected to be installed next year, while the city’s longer-term plan includes around two hundred new benches to encourage more people to spend their leisure time along the river.
At present, it is not possible to walk continuously along the Vltava embankment throughout Prague. In Braník, access is interrupted by an inlet near an industrial site, and the city plans to build a bridge across it. Experts say the proposed solution could be too expensive and impractical. Whether the project will ultimately be implemented remains to be seen.
More changes are expected on the left bank of the Vltava. Additional cultural and recreational areas are planned in Prague 5. In the future, the city intends to create a continuous walking and cycling route along the embankments from Barrandov to the area below Petřín Hill. The route is then expected to continue toward Císařský Island, within easy reach of Prague Zoo.