Chasing spring? 10 lush Czech greenhouses to explore now

If winter's long and relentless grip has left you starved for a glimpse of spring, there's good news on the horizon: historic greenhouses are reopening in Prague and beyond. We've chosen ten tropical escapes you can visit to stave off the mid-winter blues, encompassing grand Victorian-era palm houses and quiet urban oases.

From Victorian-era palm houses to contemporary architectural tributes to scientific pioneers, these ten Czech greenhouses are destinations in their own right, each with its own character and curious history. Six are currently open and can be enjoyed now, and four will open in spring.

Reopened Feb. 7 after weeks of winter care, these collection greenhouses at the Flora Olomouc Exhibition Grounds draw roughly 30,000 visitors annually. The palm greenhouse showcases towering ficus trees alongside blooming bird of paradise flowers and fruiting coffee plants, while reptiles including a yakaré caiman and monitor lizard take residence between the leaves.

The cactus house contains one of the Czech Republic's largest publicly accessible succulent collections, with some specimens of European significance. Perhaps most enticing in February is the subtropical citrus greenhouse, where oranges, mandarins, lemons, and grapefruits are still ripening.

Named for the optical illusion created by thermal inversions, this 130-meter S-shaped structure in Troja lives up to its mirage-like moniker. Built into a rocky hillside, it houses 5,000 tropical plant species across three climate zones, from arid desert to misty cloud forest.

A glass tunnel allows visitors to walk beneath a tropical pond teeming with 80 species of freshwater fish, while orchids and multi-colored butterflies create an immersive jungle experience mere minutes from central Prague. For a unique twist, look out for their "Jungle That Never Sleeps" evening tours running through March.

Part of the UNESCO-listed Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, this 92-meter-long technical monument dates to the 1840s and represents a pinnacle of Victorian-era engineering. The Liechtenstein family commissioned horticulturists to scour South America for exotic specimens, with one stipulation: something must always be in bloom. Today, visitors can encounter palm trees up to 400 years old within an elegant cast-iron structure that was revolutionary for its time.

This gem tucked near Charles Square in central Prague has been quietly cultivating botanical knowledge since 1898. Far smaller than its famous Troja counterpart, the Charles University Botanical Garden compensates with intimacy and accessibility by being practically in the city center. The interconnected greenhouse complex houses not just rare plants but also resident birds and hosts rotating exhibitions throughout the year, from cacti and succulents to the beloved annual Christmas decorations display.

Founded as the oldest botanical garden in the Czech Republic, Liberec Botanical Garden houses the most diverse collection of exotic plants in the country, including two European treasures: the oldest camellia in Europe and the longest-cultivated bonsai in Europe. The garden specializes in orchids, ferns, bromeliads, and carnivorous plants, with a renowned aquarium pavilion that pioneered marine aquatics in Czechia.

Built around 1820 in the Royal Garden and nicknamed "Zwinger" for its resemblance to Dresden's famous monument, this elegant greenhouse reopened to the public in 2013 with its annual Pre-Spring exhibition, drawing thousands of visitors each year to see where castle gardeners still cultivate their collections.

Currently, it houses an art exhibit, Early Spring: The Garden of Small Gestures, inspired by British filmmaker Derek Jarman’s book Modern Nature.

Also on the castle grounds, the Orangery (open from April), is a striking modern greenhouse designed by renowned Czech architect Eva Jiřičná, commissioned by Olga Havlová, wife of President Václav Havel.

The 100-meter-long tubular structure of glass and stainless steel stands on the site of Rudolf II's original 16th-century orangery and continues the centuries-old tradition of growing tropical flowers and citrus plants.

At the famous former residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, this greenhouse offers a more intimate horticultural experience. Palms, orchids, and yellow roses thrive within, while the surrounding parkland boasts more than 5,000 rose shrubs. It’s a perfect convergence of Habsburg history and botanical beauty for a weekend day trip from the capital.

A tranquil 11-hectare garden on Prague's outskirts that began as the private estate of a local businessman, later transformed into a Neo-Renaissance castle in the early 20th century. Following its use as a German military hospital during WWII, the property became home to a horticultural school in 1948, with students maintaining the grounds to this day. The garden retains its park-like character with winding paths through mature trees and plant collections, along with a stunning greenhouse.

Reconstructed on its original foundations in the monastery garden of St. Thomas Abbey, this greenhouse stands where Gregor Johann Mendel conducted his revolutionary pea plant experiments in the mid-19th century that laid the foundation for modern genetics. The garden tour includes the greenhouse site, Mendel's apiary (beekeeping area), and the tranquil monastery gardens where Mendel had views from his room.

A cast-iron greenhouse with a fascinating history dating back to 1875, when the Fürstenberg family purchased three private farms and built both a palm greenhouse and vegetable garden on the site. When President T.G. Masaryk took residence at Lány Castle in 1921, architect Josip Plečnik reimagined the neglected greenhouse, expanding it with a perpendicular wing ending in a handling house.

The winter garden and new wing were completed in 1923, transforming it into an elegant example of Plečnik's architectural vision. Today it houses exotic palms and serves as a peaceful retreat within the presidential summer residence grounds.