The Old Castle Stairs & Vineyard: The Red-Roofed Sea of Prague

Why is it significant?

Step out onto the upper observation terrace beside the ancient Black Tower and look out across the breathtaking panorama of Prague.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Step out onto the upper observation terrace beside the ancient Black Tower and look out across the breathtaking panorama of Prague. Below your feet stretches an endless ocean of red terracotta tiled roofs, punctuated by copper-green Baroque church domes, Gothic watchtowers, and the shimmering silver ribbon of the Vltava River looping gracefully beneath historic stone arches.

Just beside the stairs rests the Saint Wenceslas Vineyard, one of the oldest cultivated wine slopes in Central Europe. According to ancient chronicles, Prince Wenceslas personally tended vines and pressed sacramental grapes right here on these sunlit south-facing terraces more than a thousand years ago, long before becoming the beloved patron saint of the Bohemian kingdom.

As you begin descending the broad stone steps of the Old Castle Stairs, listen to the distant chime of church bells echoing across the valley. Generations of Czech poets and foreign travelers have walked these stairs at twilight, inspired by the city's legendary nickname: the City of a Hundred Spires.

At the bottom of the flight, cross the quiet street toward the high garden walls concealing the secret Baroque courtyards of Malá Strana.