A Beautiful Holiday Rental Cottage Near Prague

A cute 3 bedroom holiday rental cottage in a quiet hamlet just half an hour from Charles Bridge, Prague, the Czech Republic. Sleeps 4 to 6.

Pretty fenced garden with fruit trees, 5 mins walk from a swimmable river and a great pub, lovely surroundings, train stop 3 mins walk, very good access to Prague.

Perfect for a family trip combining walking, cycling, swimming and canoeing in the river, castles, golf etc. with the historical sights of Prague. £250 to £350 per week.

Our country cottage is in a little village on the river Sázava called Zlenice. It is just outside Prague, to the southeast, in the direction of Brno. By car it takes exactly 30 minutes to reach Wenceslas Square, in the heart of Prague. For those without a car, the cottage can be reached very easily by train too, in just over an hour.

Although there are some permanent residents, this hamlet is mainly made up of weekend cottages for people living in Prague. They leave Prague on a Friday afternoon, when work finishes, and make their way to their cottages, cars piled high with food, bits and pieces for the garden and other goodies.

"Prague Cottage" is on a quiet country lane with other cottages. It stands in a gently sloping garden (500m2) overlooking fields and woodland. With the peace and quiet it is sometimes hard to believe that we are so close to Prague! In fact, deer are regular visitors and can be spotted on moonlit nights foraging by the fence in the fields behind the house.

Although we do spend time here ourselves in the snowy winter months, the best time to visit is between April and October, when the weather is warm enough to head off for long walks in the forests or bike rides to nearby castles.

This is a very attractive area, and the river Sázava draws many Czech holidaymakers down from Prague in the summer months and at weekends. The main activities are canoeing on the river, cycling and hiking.

The cottage is just 5 minutes walk from a river "beach" where locals head to on a hot summer day. Children spend the day splashing around in the water, or on the nearby swings, while parents look on from the grassy bank. There is a pub here serving food all day and with excellent beer. The river itself flows slowly and is rarely more than a metre deep- perfect for children and adults alike.

Canoes can be hired cheaply from a nearby town. The two or three-man canoes are brought to an agreed pick-up point in the morning where you collect them and head off gently floating downstream, occasionally paddling a little, observing the beautiful landscape and stopping for refreshments at riverside pubs along the way! The day ends with a short train ride home. Life jackets and paddles are provided, along with large plastic barrels to keep things dry should you (accidentally!) fall in. A perfect trip for families or groups of friends.

Another popular activity around these parts is cycling. There are literally dozens of cycle paths within a short ride of the cottage. With its gentle hills or riverside paths, the landscape is perfect for those looking for a little more from their holiday. We have two adults' bikes and two for children for the use of our guests. If there are more in the group, it is possible to hire more bikes locally. And taking them on the trains is no problem at all.

Then there's the castles! Cesky Sternberk and Konopiste, two of the most famous castles in the Czech Republic, are within a short train ride of the cottage (or they can be reached by bike). And if you have a car, then your options are much wider. Apart from the cycling, canoeing and castles, there are many other things to do in the area, from riding stables to go karts, and obscure museums to open air cinemas- in a two week stay it would be very difficult to get bored.

And this is without mentioning Prague itself! Just over an our away on a cute little train (or 30 minutes by car), those who are here for the first time will probably want to spend as much time as possible in the Golden City!

Downstairs there is a cosy living room, with large windows overlooking the garden and the countryside beyond. This room has a dining table seating six, a sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table. Also a TV, DVD player and a small collection of films. We offer plenty of games and activities for children, and a folder packed with maps, leaflets and ideas of things to do. In the corner there is a wood-burning stove to warm the room in the cooler months (electric radiators also provided).

Also downstairs is a well equipped kitchen with a gas oven and four-ring cooker, fridge with freezer compartment, microwave, toaster, food mixer and chrome kettle, plenty of pots, pans, utensils and cutlery. A few basic food items are provided (teabags, coffee, sugar etc.).
 
There is also a second living room/bedroom with a double sofa-bed, a table and a large wardrobe. There is another wood-burning stove in this room.

The bathroom and toilet are downstairs too. The bathroom has a washing machine and a bathtub incorporating a shower. There is a separate toilet with washbasin.

Upstairs are the two main bedrooms. One has a queen size double bed and two singles and the other has two single beds. Both have plenty of natural light and lovely views. The wooden floors and sloping wooden ceilings add to their character.

The garden is perfect for children, even young ones (of responsible parents!). It is completely fenced, the steps of the pool can be easily removed and there are no poisonous or prickly plants! We have a swing for the little ones, a barbecue and camp fire area for the slightly older ones, and four comfortable lounger chairs for all ages!

For outdoor dining there is a wood and stone table and benches that comfortably seats eight, as well as a round plastic table with four chairs and a sunshade in case the sun gets a bit hot.

If you fancy some exercise but don't feel like getting wet or going on the bikes, there's a badminton set with four rackets and a net.