When Praguers can't be bothered to get out of the city to cross-country ski, Hvežda and neighbouring Ladronka park are usually where they head. Hvežda, meaning star, owes its name to a hexagram shaped building in its confines. Once used as a summer palace, the lawn encircling it makes for a perfect spot to picnic and reconnoitre. Flying over this, would be real treat. Three tree-studded avenues lead to it and there are plenty of other paths that meander their way though the groves of deciduous trees. There is certainly a regal feeling about the park, which tallies with how it was once used as a game reserve for royalty. The park covers 84 hectares and lies almost equidistant from the city centre and Vaclav Havel Airport. Numerous trams and buses drop you off at various points around the park. #crosscountryskiing #photography #history #architecture #park #trees