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The district of Smichov is located on the left bank of the River Moldave, to the south of the centre of Prague, and a unique choice for visitors in this beautiful city since as a residential area that has amazing nightlife and fabulous connections to the historical centre.
During the Middle Ages the area was covered by vineyards, hop fields and gardens belonging to the church, windmills all along the banks of the river, and the villas of the nobles and rich tradesmen.
In the industrial era the factories located in this area were the city’s main driving force whilst in later more modern times production was substituted by commerce.
A walk around the district will lead visitors to numerous shops, restaurants, bars and shopping centres such as Novy Smichov with a pleasant day’s shopping on offer.
At the very heart of the district is the area of Andel (literally means angel) which owes its name to the former pub that was once situated there. A metro stop and various tram lines provide services all over Prague and it is considered a real central city hub.
After the destruction and conversion of former factories to modern apartments, the area is now an ideal choice for travelers to the city both for business and leisure purposes.
One of the factories still in operation is the Staropramen – the second largest beer factory in the Czech Republic. Built in 1869 it organizes guided tours for any tourists interested in discovering more about the past and present of this establishment.
Despite the re-urbanization of this area there were a number of XVII villas that were not destroyed including the Bertramka. This beautiful villa is famous for having accommodated the famous composer Wolfganga Amadeus Mozart on several occasions, and he apparently finished his prime work Don Giovanni here in 1787. Surrounded by fields and vineyards, this villa belonged to the Dusek; a Bourgeosie family who were lovers of music during the summer and organized concerts for their exclusive guests.
The villa currently houses the Mozart museum and during the summer months open-air concerts are still held in his honour.