Letna Hill

I'd been waiting all day to spend the evening on top of Letná Hill on May 31st, 2023. It's one of those elevated spots that gives you the whole city in one panoramic view—and when the sun starts to drop during golden hour, everything kind of has this romantic vibe to it. Letná Park sits about 260 feet above the Vltava River on a plateau overlooking central Prague, and it's been a favorite viewpoint since the 19th century when these gardens were first laid out.

From up here you can see everything—the bridges crossing the Vltava (there are 18 bridges in total across Prague, connecting the left and right banks), the copper and terracotta rooftops of the Old Town that have turned green with patina over centuries, and the river winding through the middle of the Czech capital. You can see the layers of Prague's history flowing in parallel to the river, from the Gothic spires of Týn Church to the baroque domes of St. Nicholas Church, blending with the soft shapes of the trees in Letná Park's foreground.

I used my Canon R5 with the 24-105mm lens at 33mm, capturing this at 1/160 second, f/8, and ISO 100—fast enough to freeze the gentle movement of the trees but slow enough to capture that warm golden hour glow spreading across the city's rooftops. It's not dramatic. It's just quietly beautiful. There's something really peaceful about watching a city of 1.3 million people wind down like this. There's no rush or chaos—just a moment of serenity with the light, the textures, and time doing their thing.

This one's not just about Prague. It's about slowing down and seeing things from a wider angle—literally and figuratively. From Letná Hill, you're seeing what photographers and visitors have seen for over a century: Prague laid out in all its Gothic, baroque, and Art Nouveau glory, connected by bridges that have spanned the Vltava for centuries, from Charles Bridge (1402) to the modern Mánesův Bridge (1914).

Shot from Letná Hill during golden hour, this photo captures Prague in one of its most peaceful, flattering lights. The rooftops, the bridges, and the warmth of the colours bring out the city's charm without overstating it. The elevated perspective shows how the Vltava shapes the city, dividing and connecting Prague's historic districts.

When you look at this photograph, I want you to feel that perspective—standing in Letná Park 260 feet above the Vltava River, watching golden hour light spread across Prague's copper rooftops and 18 bridges, where Gothic spires and baroque domes blend into one of Europe's most romantic cities in the heart of the Czech Republic.