Unveil Enchanting Spots Where Butterflies Dance Around You

Here’s a quick tip to begin with: butterflies can be quite the performers and might land near you, sometimes even on your arm, shoulder, or bag. Enjoy watching them and appreciating their beauty, but please, keep your hands to yourself! Touching them can damage their delicate wings by removing the tiny scales essential for their flight, which could lead to them dying earlier than they would naturally.

Exotic Butterfly Exhibition in Troja

This year’s butterfly exhibition at the Fata Morgana Greenhouse invites visitors to marvel at the stunning beauty of butterfly wings, their graceful flights, and the fascinating process of how a chrysalis transforms into an adult butterfly. Running from April 11 to May 25, this year’s exhibition carries the theme “The Magic of Attraction“, showcasing the connection between plants and these amazing pollinators. Butterflies are particularly skilled at pollinating flowers that are challenging to access. Thanks to their long proboscises, they can reach tubular flowers and orchids with extended spurs, making them essential allies for nature. You’ll be able to see tropical beauties like the Morpho peleides and Morpho achilles with their striking sky-blue wings, as well as translucent baboons (Methona confusa), migratory monarchs, colourful otacaras, and large owl butterflies from the genus Caligo. The exhibition runs daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and an entrance fee of 180 CZK is required. The best way to reach the Botanical Garden is to take bus number 112 and disembark at the “Botanical Garden Prague” or “Zoological Garden” stops. If you’re traveling by car, you can find parking available on K Pazderkám Street or in the Zoo parking lot.

Papilonia Butterfly House in Liberec

All enthusiasts of unique experiences are welcome at the Papilonia butterfly houses. One of the newest attractions is the Papilonia Butterfly House in Liberec. This specially designed ecosystem replicates the natural environment that exotic butterflies need to thrive and stay active. Visitors can enjoy an unforgettable experience as the tour is entirely engaging, allowing you to closely observe butterfly species from South America, Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa in a setting without barriers. While each Papilonia location shares a similar theme, each has a unique storyline; for Liberec, it’s centered around the mystery of an airplane that crashed deep in the jungle. Interestingly, butterflies are not stressed out by the presence of people, as they do not fear humans. In fact, they often engage with visitors through direct interactions, particularly drawn to bright colors in clothing or fruity scents. Visitors are welcome to take photos or selfies with these beautiful creatures. The Papilonia Forum Shopping Centre in Liberec is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with an entry fee of 180 CZK.

Butterfly Rainforest in the Center of Prague

Imagine a deserted temple, nestled deep in the rainforest, gradually being enveloped by the encroaching vegetation. Trees grow into its walls, and vines wrap around statues that seem to surrender to nature… Now envision an environment where countless butterflies live and joyfully flutter about. These are none other than the most breathtaking butterfly species on our planet! You won’t need to trek through the jungles in South America or distant Asia to find such a place; it can be found right in the heart of Prague. Welcome to the Papilonia – Butterfly House Prague. Located on the first floor of The Playground, a children’s entertainment center in the bustling area of Na Příkopě Street, the butterflies here are gathered from various parts of the world, but they all thrive in rainforest-like environments. The goal is to have around 600 butterflies from 40 different countries at any given time. Expect butterflies to fly freely around you—invite one to land on your shoulder or even your nose! Rather than bringing a butterfly net, you can simply bring your camera and enjoy capturing these incredible moments. They are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with tickets costing 180 CZK.

Butterfly House in Karlovy Vary

There’s a saying that if you haven’t been to Diana, you haven’t truly experienced Karlovy Vary. The central feature of Diana has long been its restaurant located in a tower, accessible via a cable car from the city center. Recently, its offerings have expanded to include a mini-zoo and a Butterfly House, which serves as a year-round tropical garden showcasing live exotic butterflies from around the globe. Visitors can admire stunning butterflies with wingspans reaching up to 20 cm, and of course, you’re welcome to take photos and stay as long as you desire. During the peak season (from May to September), the Butterfly House welcomes visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for an admission fee of 140 CZK. Don’t miss the hatching area—if you’re lucky, you might witness a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis and taking its first flight of life!

The World of Butterflies in Lipno nad Vltavou

In the Šumava region, specifically in Lipno, you can encounter butterflies in a unique setting. Papilonia Lipno is a butterfly house illuminated by artificial lighting, making it one-of-a-kind globally. The controlled climate here mimics the natural habitats where these butterflies thrive, resembling a tropical jungle. If you’re fortunate, you might catch a glimpse of a chrysalis shedding its outer layer to reveal a newly emerged butterfly. The butterflies in this house are quite friendly and often land on visitors, especially drawn to those wearing brightly colored clothes. We recommend wearing a cheerful yellow T-shirt to increase your chances! This butterfly haven is open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (with shortened hours in April and October until 6:00 p.m.), and admission is 170 crowns.

Jungle Overflowing with Butterflies in the Center of Brno

In the tropical garden located in Papilonia at the Rozkvět arcade in Brno, you can witness hundreds of butterflies from the Amazon, Oceania, Central America, and Africa. A highlight of their collection is the Morpho peleides, known for its stunning dance in the air where it shifts different shades of blue depending on how the light hits its wings. Come and see these magnificent creatures; they are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the entry fee is 180 crowns. The nearest parking is available at OC Velký Špalíček, and visitors can arrive via trams 1, 4, and 9.

Butterfly Paradise in Ždánice

Our next suggestion for a wonderful experience is located in South Moravia, near the town of Ždánice. This unique spot has no walls or ceilings, and there’s no set opening time or fee. It is called the Butterfly Paradise nature trail, which winds through the valleys of Šraňka and Habrůvka, nestled at the northern edge of the town amidst the slopes of the Ždánický les Nature Park. The name was inspired by English volunteers who regularly visit to help preserve natural areas. They were accustomed to encountering several dozen butterfly species back home and found the variety in the Ždánik valleys, especially the butterflies there, to be truly remarkable. If you visit on a summer day, you can marvel at the aerial displays from nearly a hundred species of butterflies, which range from small ones like thrips and yellowhammers to stunning bluebirds, brownhammers, and fireflies.

A Trip to See the Death’s-head Hawkmoth

Within the charming town of Příbram, you can explore a house dedicated to butterflies, home to one of the world’s largest collections of death’s-head hawkmoths. This impressive display resides in the Natura house, featuring the second largest collection of the lichen family (Sphingidae) globally. In addition to the famous death’s-head hawkmoth found at the Night Butterfly Museum, you will encounter thousands of others—covering around 95 percent of all known species worldwide. While only a portion of the collection is typically on view, most of it is reserved for scientific research and can be accessed for viewing upon request. Besides the hawkmoths, visitors can also enjoy an exhibition featuring living Czech reptiles and amphibians. The house is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the entry fee is 80 CZK.

Butterfly Paradise at the Former Mašovice Shooting Range in Podyjí

Not too long ago, this former Mašovice military training ground was filled with soldiers and the sound of gunfire. Fast forward to today, this area has transformed into a habitat for dozens of species of rare butterflies. Covering an expanse of about 80 hectares, you will find woods, fallow fields, and extensive grassy plains dotted with bushes. During fall’s warm days, this area becomes vibrant with the red hues of ripe rosehips and the purple blossoms of thorns. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to observe various species of butterflies, including several types of bluebells, robins, and spindleworts, some of which are quite rare to find in the wider region. This area also serves as a sanctuary for a variety of orchid species.

Butterfly Exhibitions & Attractions

Explore five fantastic venues across the Czech Republic—each offering up‑close encounters with exotic butterflies and unforgettable natural displays.

1. Prague Botanical Garden Exhibition

• Dates & Hours: April 11 – May 25, 2025 • daily 9 AM – 7 PM

• Highlights:

  • Morpho peleides & Morpho achilles (vibrant blue morphos)

  • Translucent “baboons” (Methona confusa)

  • Migratory monarchs

• Getting There:

  • Bus 112 → “Botanical Garden Prague” or “Zoological Garden”

2. Papilonia Butterfly House (Liberec)

• Location: Forum Liberec shopping centre

• Experience: Interactive tour allowing free, personal engagement with dozens of butterfly species

3. Butterfly House Lipno

• Climate: Artificial lighting replicates a tropical jungle

• Specimens: Butterflies with wingspans up to 20 cm, including several rare species

4. Papilonia Butterfly House (Prague)

• Address: The Playground (children’s entertainment centre), Na Příkopě Street, 1st level

• Features: Indoor tropical habitat with a wide variety of free‑flying butterflies

5. Forest‑Steppe Butterfly Trail

• Overview: Walk a curated trail where nearly 100 species thrive in a recreated forest‑steppe environment

• Note: Perfect for nature lovers and photographers seeking authentic butterfly behavior

6. Butterfly House (Karlovy Vary)

• Entry Fee: 140 CZK per person

• Bonus: Combines regional butterfly species with tropical exotics in spacious greenhouses