On the last weekend of September, Prague hosted the very first edition of the Discover the Vltava festival, which offered a rich programme on the river's banks and on its waters. Thousands of visitors flocked to the city, joined as ever by hundreds of scouts who took part in the legendary water sports event Across Three Weirs. The sunny weather underlined the unique atmosphere of the entire event.
The Vyšehrad steamer at the heart of the action
Our historic boat Vyšehrad became one of the festival's main attractions. Visitors could tour the Steamboat Museum, listen to guided talks about the history of boat transport in Prague, and try out their own creativity by building models from the legendary Merkur construction set. Interest was huge and the steamer was packed all day long.
A celebration of the river and its history
The festival also offered a chance to peek into technical spaces that are normally closed to the public, such as the navigation lock at Smíchov and the hydroelectric plant at Štvanice. There were puppet shows, exhibitions and interactive workshops for children and adults. The whole event showed the Vltava not only as an important transport route and source of energy, but also as a place that brings together Praguers, tourists and everyone who loves the river.
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