Discover Central Bohemia: History, Culture and Hiking Trails

Silver mining, historic architecture and themed trails give Central Bohemia a variety of travel highlights. For planning your trip, consider some specific options: the history of Kutná Hora, hikes in the Brdy landscape, and routes that combine nature with industrial or wine history.

Culture and history

Kutná Hora developed through silver mining and became a royal town in the 14th century. The town preserves a medieval layout with Gothic and Baroque buildings. The Gothic Church of St. Barbara features frescoes depicting scenes from everyday life in the medieval mining town. The former Cistercian cathedral in Sedlec was restored in the Baroque style. The two churches thus represent distinct chapters in architectural history: Gothic architecture and frescoes in one, and the Baroque transformation of an earlier church building in the other.

Veltrusy Chateau is also linked to a distinctive chapter in economic history. In the 18th century, it hosted the Great Fair of Goods of the Kingdom of Bohemia, considered the world’s first trade fair to use catalogues. Since 1921, Lány Chateau has been the official summer residence of the Czech head of state. These historical connections add trade fairs and state tradition to the town and mining history.

Hiking trails in the Brdy landscape

The trails in the Brdy region offer different themes and distances. The 10 km Tajuplnými lesy Arcibiskupství pražského ke Třemšínu trail uses interactive features to introduce nature and history on the slopes of Třemšín. A 13 km trail around the Padrťské ponds passes through one of the most distinctive open landscapes in the Brdy Protected Landscape Area. The 8 km Tok Trail focuses on life on the slopes of Tok, which, at 865 metres, is considered the highest hill in Central Bohemia.

Other trails offer different themes: the 7 km Klobouček educational trail covers modern forestry, its history, the nature of Brdy and regional history. The 10 km Komárov educational trail traces the history of iron smelting from the Middle Ages to the present day. The 5 km Petráčkova hora trail explores gold, its properties and the history of mining. This lets you match a route’s length to its particular theme.

The Brdy landscape is characterised by forests, streams and open clearings, and is considered largely undeveloped and wild. The protected area generally has no snack stands, toilets or waste bins; visitor facilities are usually found in the communities that serve as trailheads or endpoints. Take this into account when planning. On the Jordán Trail, you can visit the stops in any order and choose where to join the trail and how many stops to see. The landscape there is sparsely developed and peaceful; in good weather, views extend towards the Ore Mountains, Milešovka, Říp, Křivoklátsko, the Bohemian Karst, southern Prague and Ještěd, among other places.

Routes, water and wine

The Dvořák–Veltrusy Route is gently graded and flat, linking two chateaus with natural and engineering sights. It starts beside Nelahozeves railway station and follows marked trails and a footbridge. A crossing at Marina Vltava is an option. As the route and crossing arrangements may change, check them before your trip. The Greenway Jizera cycling route connects Central Bohemian sights with the history of the automotive and sugar industries.

The nearly 40 km Posázaví Route follows the Sázava River and the local railway through hilly countryside. Stops include three castles, an old fortress, Sázava Monastery and traditional glassworks. The start of the cycling route on the Berounka is also used for stand-up paddleboarding and swimming; these water activities are seasonal. For a hike, the nearly 8 km Drbákov–Albertovy skály trail is particularly suitable for people who enjoy hiking at higher elevations. Check trail conditions and safety notices before setting out.

The Mělník wine subregion includes vineyards around Mělník as well as smaller vineyards near Kutná Hora, Benátky nad Jizerou, Kralupy nad Vltavou, Čáslav, Beroun and Slaný. The wider Bohemian wine region is associated with medieval vineyard terraces, cellars, wine presses and harvest traditions. The Regional Museum in Mělník offers wine tastings in its cellars and displays objects related to local winemaking, which has been popular in the region for more than 1,000 years. Museum offerings and tastings may vary seasonally.

Discover more destinations: Rakovník District, Mělník District, Příbram District, Kolín District, Kutná Hora District, Beroun District, Benešov District, Mladá Boleslav District, Kladno District, Nymburk District, Prague-East District, Prague-West District.

Go to the main travel overview: Czechia.