Hey you! Yeah you! Welcome to Prague in January. We know the holiday bliss has left us with a few extra pounds for the New Year.  We also know that there are many of you wondering how to stay in shape during the bitter cold months. If you’re enjoying the food and student life but wondering how you’re going to shed some of those holiday pounds during winter then we, at Prague College, have managed to find some of the best activities for you. From gyms, to parks, to indoor swimming pools!

Prague is a metropolis for sports. Seriously!

In fact, Prague was recently voted the 2016 European capital for sports by the ACES, and regularly hosts hockey competitions with the UEFA.

I hope that encourages you to take a break from writing essays, find something you enjoy, and get involved this winter semester!

Gyms

If you’re a gym person, then we at Prague College recommend the UnderGround Gym located in Prague 7 – Holesovice. They are equipped with weights, saunas, and a swimming pool. For you ladies, if you’re more interested in finding female only gyms then have a look at the Ladies Fit Club in Andel.
If you’re crazy about working out, you should check out CrossFit in Malá Štěpánská.  They do intensive training and competitions in addition to freeweights.

Walking

Prague is a walkable city with great parks for jogging or long strolls. So, if you’re looking for a walk in the park, then be sure to check out Stromovka, in Bubenec. Stromovka is the largest park in Prague with wooded areas, ponds, and long trails. Even in the winter it’s a great park to take a stunning walk in, just dress warm. If you’re looking for another park for a jog or stroll with stunning views be sure to check out Letna park, close to Namesti Republiky. In the Zizkov area you should check Vitkov park which also gives you great views of the city and plenty of room for a jog or long stroll, you can reach it by tram 9, 10, or 16 from Husinecka stop. It’s a great place for runners interested in inclined hills and challenging routes with great views. Another park with hills is Riegrovy Sady, close to metro Jiriho z Podebrad in the Vinohrady area of Prague with a few great views of the city as well.

Running

If you’re more into running with others check out the Nike+Run Club on Facebook, they organize community runs and some of them will participate this May in the Volkswagen Marathon 2017. It’s a great way to run and meet new people while checking out the city. There are also some tours such as Running Prague where they organize tours by running through the streets of Prague and in parks. You can find them on their website, Tripadvisor, or Facebook. Also check out some of the routes mentioned above in the walking parks for more places to run outdoors.

Yoga

If you’re into yoga there are plenty of centers in all of Pague featuring Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Pilates with professional teachers. The Yoga Zone in Prague 5 – Smichov is a privately owned yoga center. If you’re more into Pilates then check out True Pilates Prague, internationally recognized with a certificate of “Romana’s Pilates Teacher Trainer”, a degree held by only seven pilates teachers in Europe, taught by Joseph Pilates located in Prague 1 – Purkynova.

 

Swimming

If you like to swim, Prague has many indoor pools open year long. You simply pay for the amount of time you would like to swim in increments of 60-90 minute blocks. One of them is Podeli. Podeli is located next to the river and close to the stop Kublov, by trams 3 or 17 they are open from 7 – 9:30 pm. Hotel AXA is rated as one of the best in Prague City Center for affordability with both tourists and locals. You are charged 1 CZK for every minute, the nearest metro station is Florenc and the tram stop would be Bila Labut. Another indoor swimming pool is Prazacka Kryty Bazen which is closer to the Zizkov area. It’s roughly 65 CZK for every 60 minutes and is only open from 6-8 am and from 8-9 pm and it’s closed on weekends. The nearest tram stop is Vozovna Zizkov but make sure to check with the hours before going. Another pool is Plavecky bazen Hostivar which is part of the Charles University Sports Center. It is mainly used by Charles University Students but be sure to check with them for open slots if you’re looking for a swim.

Hockey and other popular sports in Czech Republic

If you’re interested in taking up one of the most popular sports in Czech Republic, hockey, then be sure to look at the website Czech International Hockey where they offer classes to all levels and some of Europe’s best camps. If hockey isn’t your thing, check out archery in Jiricanska, tennis in Hradcany, skiing, and rock climbing all available classes in Prague and taught in English.

So there you have it, if you are looking for a way to stay in shape over winter or even to get your mind off the books then check out some of these free and cheap options available. There are so many things to do in Prague, and lots of options for whatever you’re interested in. Don’t let winter catch you bored. Get active!

This article was written by Brittney Pilarcik.