Explore 2025 Year of the Vltava River: Culture & Activities

The Vltava is the longest river in Czechia, measuring approximately 430 kilometres and flowing through historically significant towns such as Český Krumlov and Prague, before joining the Elbe River at Mělník. The year 2025 has been officially declared the Year of the Vltava River. With this, Czechia commemorates 150 years since the first performance of the world-renowned symphonic poem Vltava by composer Bedřich Smetana.

Set Off Along The Vltava: From The Šumava Mountains To Prague

The project VLTAVA Famous & Navigable brings concerts by the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Philharmonic Choir to castles and châteaux, themed tours, lectures, and a summer timber rafting journey that will be on display along the route from South Bohemia all the way to the capital city of Prague.

Bedřich Smetana is one of the most important Czech composers, whose music significantly influenced both Czech national culture and global classical music. Together with Antonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů, he ranks among the most frequently performed Czech composers. One of his most iconic works is the symphonic poem Vltava. It is part of the cycle My Country and tells the story of the Czech river from its source through its journey across the landscape.

The Vltava flows through Prague for about 30 kilometres and forms a symbolic backbone of the city. There are 18 bridges spanning the river, the most famous of which is Charles Bridge. Sightseeing boats cruise along the Vltava in Prague, and some of them offer culinary experiences as well.

On Timber Rafts On The Vltava

As part of the accompanying programme, visitors will have the opportunity to see a special timber raft float, which will travel along the Vltava from Štěchovice to Prague’s Výtoň at the end of August 2025. This will be one of the stages of the so-called Vltava Relay, which will carry water from the source of the Vltava to the exhibition VLTAVA Famous & Navigable in the Riding Hall of Prague Castle.

The exhibition will be the highlight of the celebrations (September to December 2025). For the first time, it will present original works of art, historical documents, and technical heritage items connected to the Vltava – from paintings by Josef Mánes and Egon Schiele to bridges, dams, and old boats.

Interesting Facts About The Vltava River:

Source: It rises in the Šumava National Park, specifically in the area of the Černá and Teplá Vltava, which merge near Český Krumlov.
Mouth: The Vltava flows into the Elbe River (German: Elbe) near Mělník. A great cycle route passes through this area.
Reservoirs: There are several major dams and hydroelectric power stations on the Vltava, such as Lipno, Orlík and Slapy.
Natural And Historical Beauty: Along the Vltava there are several national parks, protected landscape areas, and historic towns, such as Český Krumlov or Prague.
Water Transport: The river is mainly used for recreational boating, fishing, and tourism.