Sport is an excellent way to increase your effectiveness at CERGE-EI. Do not trust me? Run your own experiment 😉 With the guidelines prepared for you, experimenting will be easy. This series of blog posts informs you about the possibilities to relax your mind that Czech Republic offers. The whole story is divided into three big pieces: Summer sports in Prague, Summer sports outside Prague, and Winter sports. Remember that CERGE-EI wants to keep you fit not only intellectually but also physically, and reimburses up to 300 CZK per semester for your sport activities.
Summer Sports in Prague and Its Surroundings
Prague is a great place that offers many sport activities during the summer time.
- Cycling belongs to one of the most popular summer activities in Prague, as well as in the whole Czech Republic, even though in-line skating is getting more and more popular.
- Water-lovers can go for kayaking, canoeing and even rafting, or simply paddling on Vltava river. Swimming is an integral part of the sport life in Prague.
- Those who want to experience a team spirit, are encouraged to join our softball practices that are organized on a weekly basis. They can also play beach volleyball or football.
- Rock climbing in Prague forests, boulder as well as rope climbing, meets with a high interest.
- Racquet players can enjoy indoor and outdoor tennis, table tennis, badminton, and squash.
- Picnic-lovers can enjoy freesbee, outdoor chess or petanque.
Sport life does not stop even if it is raining. You can always join our regular indoor volleyball practices or some regular classes of dancing, fitness, or yoga.
This is just a fraction of what you can do in Prague. In this post, I will provide you with more detailed information on the team sports. Other activities will be described in the future posts of this series. All places mentioned in these posts are marked on the interactive map, which you can zoom. You can use dpp.cz to find the most convenient way how to get to a specific place.
View Sports in Prague in a larger map
Beach Volleyball
Each summer, students switch from regular indoor volleyball practices (Thursdays from 6pm at Akademicke Gymnazium, Stepanska 22, Prague) to beach volleyball. Playing on the beach volleyball court is associated with a lot of fun and sun. Don’t forget to bring sunscreens.
Where to play:
- Zlute Lazne, Podolské nábřeží 3/1184, Prague 4
- Strahov Beach Volleyball Club, Sportovni areal Strahov c.p.1230, Prague 6
- Pankrac Beach Volleyball, Horáčkova ulice, Prague 4
Zlute Lazne offers four outdoor beach volleyball courts opened from 9am until midnight. The price ranges from 350CZK to 490CZK per hour. To make a reservation, call them +420244462193 (between 9am until 6pm) or write an email sportcentrum@zlutelazne.cz. Online reservation system is not working yet (but coming soon).
How to get there: Take tram no. 16, 17, 21, 3 to the tram stop “Dvorce”.
Beach Club Strahov offers four outdoor and three indoor beach volleyball courts that are opened from 8am until midnight. The price ranges from 180CZK (last minute reservation) to 350CZK per hour per person. Reservation can be made online (you need to register first) or dial +420724888708.
How to get there: Take subway (green line) to “Dejvicka” and then bus no. 217, 149, 143 to the bus stop “Koleje Strahov” and then walk about 5min.
Pankrac Beach volleyball club offers eight courts and it is opened from 8am until 10pm. The price ranges from 200CZK to 400CZK per hour. Reservation can be made via phone +420724337967 or online (you need to register first).
How to get there: Take subway (red line) to “Pankrac” and walk towards Horackova street.
Tournament: Coming soon! Follow us on Facebook and sign up to participate, or check your emails.
Football
Among CERGE-EI students we have few who love playing football. Regular trainings help them to relax and to forget about burden of studies for a while. Being a part of a team means also participation in tournaments and sharing the excitement of the winners. A football pitch is not easy to find, at least the one that is opened for public. Usually you have to subscribe to some football club or pay high renting fees. It is more often that we play football in grass areas in Prague parks.
Where to play:
- Football pitch of a primary school close to Kajetanka
The pitch is open to public and is just across the street from the dormitory. The problem with this pitch is that you cannot be sure that it will be available for you when you decide to play, as it is also popular among other people.
How to get there: You need to get to the bus stop “Kajetanka”. It is possible by bus no. 180 from “Dejvicka”, or by bus no. 174, 108 from “Hradcanska”. Both are on the green subway line. Alternatively, you can take tram no. 22, 36 to the tram stop “Marjanka”.
Tournament: Coming soon! Follow us on Facebook and sign up to participate, or check your emails.
Football “In the Cage”
Football in the cage is a special version of football. The main difference is that you play at a sandy court that is bordered by ropes. The size of the court is 16 x 8 meters, so it is the most suitable if two players play against two or three against three.
Where to play:
- Zlute Lazne, Podolské nábřeží 3/1184, Prague 4
Zlute Lazne offers one (or two) football “cages”, as they call them, and they are available from 9am until midnight. The price ranges from 350CZK to 490CZK per hour. To make a reservation, call them +420244462193 (between 9am until 6pm) or write an email sportcentrum@zlutelazne.cz. Online reservation system is not working yet (but coming soon).
How to get there: Take tram no. 3, 16, 17, 21 to the tram stop “Dvorce”.
Softball
Softball has a great tradition at CERGE-EI, so we should try to keep it. The softball season is crowned by the Softball charity Tournament. Softball is more than sport, it is a social event where you can meet people and have fun together. As it is not that popular in Europe as it is in the USA, you definitely have to take a chance to try it! Rules are as easy as hit the ball and run, or catch the ball and throw. Are you interested? Join us for regular weekly practices.
Where to play:
- Softball Club TEMPO Prague, Zelenkova 3, Prague 12
- Vypich – free place to play
- Podbelohorska – abandoned pitch
This softball club was established in 1963 and is very active since then. Besides their active program they usually find a free field for you. The price is 500CZK per hour.
How to get there: Take subway (red line) to “Opatov” and then bus no. 117 or 165 to the bus stop “Observator Libus”.
If you do not want to pay for the softball field, you simply organize a group of players and go to the area “Obora Hvezda” where you can play softball for free. This place is nothing else than a nice, spacious green field fully available for you.
How to get there: You need to get to the bus stop “Vypich”. It is possible by bus no. 180 from “Dejvicka”, or by bus no. 174, 108 from “Hradcanska”. Both are on the green subway line. Alternatively, you can take tram no. 22 to the tram stop “Vypich”.
How to get there: You need to get to the bus stop “Podbelohorska”. It is possible by bus no. 191, 217 from the yellow line subway station “Andel”, or by bus no. 217 from the green line subway station “Dejvicka”.
Tournament: June 11-12. Follow us on Facebook and sign up to participate, or check your emails.
If you miss any information, let me know and I will do my best to fill that gap. Also feel free to send me any suggestions, constructive comments or further ideas. I am looking forward to receiving any reviews from you, especially pictures. Next time, I will tell you more about cycling and in-line skating in Prague and its surroundings.
To be continued …
Dasa Katreniakova, CERGE-EI Sport Representative
