Central Bohemia: Nature, Culture and Special Routes

Central Bohemia combines tranquil landscapes, historic towns and varied routes to create a destination with many different facets. You can discover medieval townscapes and castles, hike through protected forests, follow cycling routes along rivers or explore the region’s wine- and beer-making traditions. When choosing your accommodation, the key consideration is therefore which type of experience should shape your trip.

Brdy: tranquil landscapes and themed trails

The Brdy Protected Landscape Area is characterised by untouched, wild-looking forests, streams and open clearings. There are generally no refreshment stands, toilets or rubbish bins within the area itself; visitor facilities are usually found in the municipalities that serve as starting or ending points for the routes. This is an important difference to bear in mind when planning a day trip compared with more developed excursion destinations.

Several educational trails make the landscape accessible in different ways. The 10 km “Through the Mysterious Forests of the Archbishopric of Prague to Třemšín” trail uses interactive elements to explore nature and history on the slopes of Třemšín. A 13 km trail leads around the Padrťské Ponds through one of the most remarkable open landscapes in the Brdy. The 8 km Tok educational trail focuses on life on the slopes of Tok, which, at 865 metres, is considered the highest hill in Central Bohemia. Other themes are covered by the 7 km Klobouček Forest Educational Trail, with its focus on forestry and regional history; the 10 km Komárov Educational Trail, which explores the history of ironworking from the Middle Ages to the present day; and the 5 km Petráčkova hora trail, devoted to gold and mining.

Culture between town, castle and river

Kutná Hora developed through silver mining, became a royal town in the 14th century and still preserves a medieval urban structure with Gothic and Baroque buildings. St Barbara’s Church is a Gothic landmark; its frescoes also depict scenes from the secular life of the medieval mining town. The former Cistercian cathedral in Sedlec was restored in the Baroque style.

The castles, too, tell unusual stories: Veltrusy Chateau was the setting for the Great Fair of Goods of the Kingdom of Bohemia, held in the 18th century and considered the world’s first trade fair with catalogues. Lány Chateau has been the official summer residence of the Czech head of state since 1921.

Routes for active and varied days

The Jordán Educational Trail can be started at any point: the stops can be visited in any order, allowing you to decide for yourself where to join the route and how many stops you want to see. In favourable weather, the sparsely developed route offers views of the Ore Mountains, Milešovka, Říp, Křivoklátsko, the Bohemian Karst, southern Prague and Ještěd.

For cyclists, the Greenway Jizera Route connects Central Bohemian sights with the history of the automotive and sugar industries. It runs from Nižbor to Karlštejn through the Bohemian Karst, via Beroun and Tetín. The Dvořák–Veltrusy Route is a gentle, flat route featuring two castles, nature, technical sights and a possible crossing at Marina Vltava. It begins next to Nelahozeves railway station; marked paths, a footbridge and a river crossing form part of the route described.

Wine, water and regional history

The almost 40 km Posázaví Route follows the Sázava and the local railway through hilly landscapes. Along the way, it connects three castles, an old fortress, Sázava Monastery and traditional glassworks. At the beginning of the cycle path along the Berounka, stand-up paddling and swimming are also available. The Mělník wine-growing region includes vineyards around Mělník as well as smaller wine-growing areas near Kutná Hora, Benátky nad Jizerou, Kralupy nad Vltavou, Čáslav, Beroun and Slaný. At the Mělník Regional Museum, you can taste wine in the cellars and see exhibits on local wine production, which has been popular in the region for more than 1,000 years.

Other subregions of Central Bohemia

For further orientation, here are the direct subregions: Prague-West District, Rakovník District, Mělník District, Příbram District, Kolín District, Kutná Hora District, Beroun District, Benešov District, Mladá Boleslav District, Kladno District, Nymburk District and Prague-East District.