Ostrá: Riparian Forest, Castle Ruins and Paths along the Elbe

Ostrá combines natural landscapes, a river setting and history. In the village, the Libuše Tržická Stone Museum displays several dozen stones from the 19th and 20th centuries. There is also the Mydlovarský luh Nature Reserve, the ruins of Mydlovar Castle and marked paths along the right bank of the Elbe. When planning your stay, you can therefore choose between different focuses, including landscapes, cultural history and a route along the water.

Mydlovarský luh Natural Landscape

The Mydlovarský luh Nature Reserve lies partly within the cadastral area of Ostrá. It is one of the last remaining complexes of riparian forests in the Elbe region. The protected area includes riparian forests, former Elbe channels, wetlands, mown meadows and the naturally winding Farský potok. For your travel planning, this creates a nature theme with several distinct facets: forest, former river courses, open meadows and a naturally winding watercourse. If you would like to include nature observation in your days, you can consider this landscape as a separate focus alongside culture and history.

Mydlovar Castle Ruins and the Stone Museum

The ruins of Mydlovar Castle provide a historical highlight. It is a rare castle built entirely of bricks, with a curtain wall. What remains is an oval fortified area with several systems of water defences, as well as remnants of the masonry. The castle was founded around the second half of the 13th century and was already recorded as abandoned before 1561. For travel planning, this is where Ostrá’s landscape can be combined with medieval architectural history, while the Libuše Tržická Stone Museum, with its stones from the 19th and 20th centuries, provides a separate cultural focus.

Marked Paths by the Water and along the Elbe

Two marked hiking trails provide clear orientation. The blue-marked hiking trail runs through the southern part of Ostrá, goes around the bathing water on the eastern bank and continues via the Buda holiday settlement along the right bank of the Elbe through Mydlovarský luh. The yellow-marked hiking trail follows the right bank of the Elbe from the Buda holiday settlement to the bridge over the river in Lysá nad Labem. The two trails therefore differ mainly in their routes: the blue one connects Ostrá with the bathing water, Buda and the natural landscape, while the yellow one follows the right bank of the Elbe to Lysá nad Labem. These location references help you choose a route according to the landscape experience you want, without presupposing distances or walking times.

Getting There and Choosing Your Stay

Ostrá railway stop is located on the Prague–Lysá nad Labem–Kolín line and provides access to Botanicus. When choosing accommodation in Ostrá, you can therefore first decide which connection is most important to you: the natural landscape, the castle ruins, a marked hiking trail or the journey to Botanicus.

More Destinations

You can also consider Kněžice, Starý Vestec, Pátek, Kounice, Velenice, Dlouhopolsko, Dymokury and Podebrady when planning your trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Nymburk District.