Kampa sits at the foot of Charles Bridge, on the Malá Strana side. It’s a real gem that most travelers walk right past, which is a shame: it’s a green, very quiet spot with things to do all year round. Here’s everything worth seeing on Prague’s “little Venice,” and how to find it.
The history of Kampa
Kampa is one of the most romantic parts of Prague — there’s a reason it’s called the little Venice, with the backs of its houses dropping straight to the water of the Čertovka. It wasn’t always an island: the canal that separates it from Malá Strana, the Čertovka, was dug in the Middle Ages by the Knights of Malta, to create a steady, strong flow of water to drive the mills built later.
For centuries this was home to humble folk — an agrarian patch of gardens and wooden mills. Two old mills survive today, kept as a kind of exhibit, to remember Kampa’s origins. The first stone houses on the island belonged to the artisans, masons, and carpenters who maintained Charles Bridge; tied to those trades, the island’s main square held a crafts and ceramics market for centuries. After the great Malá Strana fire of the 16th century, the island changed face: the ground level was raised and some palaces and grand buildings went up. That’s when it took on the Renaissance, and later Baroque, look you see today.
A patch of calm inside the city
It’s one of our favorites, and the reason is simple: you’re two minutes from Charles Bridge and all its crush, and the moment you come down the steps to Kampa the noise drops away. People stretch out on the grass, read in the shade, or have a beer in the sun in summer. For how central it is, the quiet is a surprise. Give yourself time to get lost in the little lanes: from the bank you get one of the prettiest views of old Prague across the Vltava, with Charles Bridge to one side. It’s no accident that it’s a favorite of Czech artists and celebrities — several have ended up moving here.
The legends of Kampa
One widespread legend says the name Kampa was born in the 17th century, when Spanish troops — the tercios of Flanders — came to Prague to help Ferdinand II in the Thirty Years’ War against the Protestants. The Battle of White Mountain (Bílá hora) was fought nearby in 1620, a decisive Catholic victory, and those soldiers are said to have camped on the island, leaving it the name: campus, camp, Kampa. It’s a nice story, but it doesn’t add up: the first mention of the name Kampa is from 1169, when the Knights of Malta church was raised, long before any Spanish soldier set foot here.
Another famous tale gives the “devil’s stream” its name. The story goes that a washerwoman lived in the House of the Seven Devils and worked on the canal. She had such a foul temper, and treated passersby so badly, that neighbors came to believe she was a creature from hell — and the memory of that woman stuck to the place.
And one note that isn’t legend but recent history: in August 2002, all of Kampa vanished under the Vltava. Torrential rain didn’t stop for hours and the river couldn’t clear the water fast enough; the level rose more than 4.5 m (15 ft). You’ll still see marks from that flood on some walls today, the most famous one beside the John Lennon Wall.
The Grand Priory Mill
The island was once known for the mills the canal drove. That’s changed, though you can still see the wheel, 8 m across — you could call it the one “original” mill that survived. If you step inside, beyond the mill machinery you’ll find the Kavárna Mlýnská, a curious café decorated by David Černý, with objects on the walls and even on the tables. The standout is the bar: clear polycarbonate, with bits and pieces from the Malá Strana neighbors sealed inside it.
What to see on Kampa
- Museum Kampa: the island’s modern-art museum, in the old Sova Mills, founded by Meda Mládková and opened in 2003. Its permanent collection holds the country’s largest collection of the abstract painter František Kupka, plus cubist sculptures by Otto Gutfreund, and the temporary shows are usually worth it. Adult admission is around 250 CZK ($11) — worth checking on the museum’s site before you go.
- The Giant Babies (Miminka): another of David Černý’s offbeat sculptures around Prague. Three bronze babies, about 3.5 m long and 800 kg each, faceless — in place of a face they carry a stamped barcode. The Kampa ones have been here since 2008 (others climb the Žižkov TV Tower), and, as with almost everything of Černý’s, the meaning is yours to supply: dehumanization, technology, identity.
- The yellow penguins: a flock of 34 yellow penguins by the Italian collective Cracking Art, made from recycled plastic bottles. Lined up by the river, they’re a nudge about climate change and pollution, and they glow especially at dusk.
- Kampa gardens: at the far end of the island there’s a big green space of trees and benches, formed by merging several gardens that belonged to the neighboring aristocratic palaces. It’s one of the best places in Prague to lie down for a while.
- The “lovers’ lock” footbridge: a small walkway between Kampa and the square with the John Lennon Wall. Please don’t add locks to the bridges.
Right by the island, off one of the lanes, is also the narrowest “street” in Prague — the Vinárna Čertovka alley, barely 70 cm wide, with a pedestrian traffic light so people don’t meet head-on. And on the island stands the Werich Villa, once home to the actor and playwright Jan Werich, now a cultural space.
How to get to Kampa Island
The best way to reach Kampa is to walk across Charles Bridge toward Malá Strana: just before the end, on the left, you’ll see stairs that drop straight down to the island. You can also enter from the Malá Strana lanes, by the John Lennon Wall square. While you’re in the neighborhood, the Infant Jesus of Prague church is a short walk up Karmelitská.
And if you’d like to walk Kampa, Charles Bridge, and all of Malá Strana with someone who knows it inside out, join our free Castle, Malá Strana and Charles Bridge tour.
See you in Prague.
Our experience
Kampa is one of the spots we love most on the Castle walk, precisely because it's the antidote to the bridge. We bring travelers down the steps off Charles Bridge and the noise just drops away — suddenly it's grass, the old mill wheel, the babies, the river. We'll point out where the 2002 flood line still marks the walls, why the canal is called the "Devil's Stream," and the photo angle back across the Vltava that most people miss. After 8+ years walking this island daily — and 70,000+ reviews at a 4.96 average — it's the kind of place we send people to slow down.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kampa Island?
A small island in Malá Strana, beside Charles Bridge, separated from the mainland by the Čertovka canal — which Praguers call the "Venice of Prague." Today it's one of the calmest, most romantic corners of the center, with a park, old mills, and contemporary art.
How do you get to Kampa Island?
The easiest way is to walk across Charles Bridge toward Malá Strana; just before the end, on the left, a set of stairs drops straight down to the island. You can also reach it through the Malá Strana lanes, by the square with the John Lennon Wall. It's free and open all the time.
What is there to see on Kampa Island?
David Černý's giant babies, the yellow penguins on the riverbank, Museum Kampa (modern art in the old Sova Mills), the Grand Priory Mill with its big water wheel, the Kampa gardens, and the view back across the Vltava to the Old Town. The John Lennon Wall is a two-minute walk away.
What are the giant babies on Kampa Island?
Three faceless bronze babies by Czech sculptor David Černý, about 3.5 m long and 800 kg each, with a barcode where the face should be. They've been on Kampa since 2008 (others climb the Žižkov TV Tower). As with most of Černý's work, the meaning is yours to decide — dehumanization, technology, identity.
Why is the Čertovka called the "Devil's Stream"?
Legend says a washerwoman with a terrible temper lived in the House of the Seven Devils on the canal; she treated passersby so badly that neighbors decided she must be a creature from hell, and the name stuck. The canal was actually dug in the Middle Ages by the Knights of Malta to power the island's mills.
Does it cost money to visit Kampa Island?
No. The island, the park, the babies, and the penguins are all free and open at any time. You only pay if you go into Museum Kampa, where adult admission is around 250 CZK ($11) — worth checking on the museum's site before you go.
Where are the yellow penguins in Prague?
On the Vltava riverbank by Museum Kampa, on the island. There are 34 of them, made of recycled plastic by the Italian collective Cracking Art as a message about pollution and climate change. They glow at dusk, which is the best time to see them.
Is the John Lennon Wall on Kampa Island?
No, but it's right next door. The wall is at Velkopřevorské náměstí (Grand Priory Square), about a two-minute walk from the island across a small footbridge. People often lump them together because you visit them in one go, but they're separate spots.
