Discover Iconic Campsites and Cottage Getaways from Czech Films and TV Shows
And where are we headed? Picturesque cottage villages in the tranquil countryside and delightful campsites by rivers, lakes, and reservoirs often serve as the backdrop for detective stories. If detective series aren’t quite your style, you might prefer a cottage village or campsite featured in summer comedies, commercials, or documentaries. So let’s cheer for the forests, the waters, the campsites, and the cozy cabins!
Slapy Dam: TV Series Under the Water
The shores of the dam, secluded coves, campsites, charming cottage villages, houseboats, and the intriguing tales from the lives of police divers and river police are all explored in the Detective Series Underwater. Directed by Vojtěch Moravec, based on the script by Lucie Paulová, this series was filmed primarily around the Slapy dam, especially near Častobor and Štěchovice. Notable actors like Matěj Hájek, Marek Adamczyk, Filip Tomsa, and Sandra Nováková take center stage.
Nižbor u Berouna: TV Series Osada
The filming site of the series Osada is even noted on the map portal Mapy.com. There is indeed a place called Zagorje, but the cottage settlement was created specifically for this production. As explained by Josef Viewegh, a creative producer at Czech Television, it’s uncommon for cottagers in the Czech Republic to rent out their properties for the entire season, as that would take away their identity as cottagers. Consequently, the filmmakers constructed a small cottage village located south of Nižbor in the Křivoklát region along the Habrý brook. Nature here is stunning, with lovely meadows and forests, and the Berounka river flows nearby. Initially, the working title of the series by director Radek Bajgar, based on a script by Petr Koleček, was Cottagers, but this was likely to cause confusion with the popular show of the same name.
Pasohlávky and Novomlýnské Nádrže: Film Series Berry and Documentary Ztracený břeh
The Berry film trilogy, set in the wine region and featuring Tereza Ramba, Kryštof Hádek, Lukáš Langmajer, and Miroslav Taborsky, was produced between 2008 and 2020 with direction gradually transferring to Tomáš Bařina, Vlad Lanné, and Martin Kopp. In addition to scenes from the U Kapličky winery in Zaječí and the cellar alley in Moravská Nová Ves, the trilogy highlights the New Mill Reservoir (Novomlýnské nádrže), featuring Pasohlávky and the well-known Merkur camp.
The westernmost New Mill Lake is explored in the documentary film The Lost Bank, directed by Jiri Zykmund. In this film, Zykmund captures the lives of fishermen and those who have set up informal camps in caravans and makeshift huts across the water. The relaxed vibe and lifestyle of people simply looking for peace and fishing sharply contrast with the bustling entertainment hub at Pasohlávky, which boasts a campground, a large water park, and additional attractions.
Camp Suchý: An Advertisement for a Countryside Pond that Mocks a Water Park
One unexpected summer hit was an advertisement for Camp Suchý located near Boskovice. It started with a commercial for Aqualand Moravia in which overly excited kids can’t get enough of swimming in a typical pond, prompting their dads to take them to the aquapark in Pasohlávky for more fun.
Ignoring the undeniably excessive amount of beer visible next to the water in the ad, it’s noteworthy that those “too ordinary” rural scenes were filmed at the Suchý campsite for the aquapark advertisement. While the campsite wasn’t featured in the commercial, many locals recognized their pond, food stands, and cabins, leading to some irritation over the comparison.
In response to the Aqualand Moravia advertisement, a video was crafted that highlighted the advantages of the much more affordable campsite, showcasing its friendly atmosphere and budget-friendly prices. Despite this effort, according to Tomáš Kraus, who created the video and serves as program director for the Vesuf Festival (a celebration of small breweries), the Suchý camp really doesn’t require any advertising to attract visitors.
Poněšice u Vltavy: Film Wedding Journey to Jilje
The romantic comedy directed by Hynek Bočan in 1983, titled Wedding Journey to Jilj, featuring Josef Abrham and Libuša Šafránková, has previously been discussed in Kudy z nudy’s Film Hotel Review, and it’s time to revisit it. The Poněšice Recreation Centre, where the main character’s friend Radovan, played by Jiri Kodet, works as the caretaker, is a well-known spot for paddlers, cyclists, and hikers exploring the trails along the Vltava river and those who tackle the ferrata at Hluboká nad Vltavou. This centre is owned by the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. As for its history? Once upon a time, before dams were built on the Vltava, boaters could navigate all the way to Prague. There lay a secluded meadow by the riverbank known as Šindelář’s bank, surrounded by forests on three sides. Due to its enchanting atmosphere, it evolved into a camping spot for instructors and students from the academy, eventually transforming into a teaching and training centre—a cherished symbol for many graduates of DAMU, FAMU, and HAMU. It was constructed by the students themselves. In addition to hosting canoeing courses and leisure retreats, they visit for camps, to work on film projects, and to attend various professional workshops. Thanks to this unique connection, Poněšice has been featured in many student films, such as documentary films Genius loci I. and Genius loci II., created by actor and director Ondřej Kepka, as well as in the TV series Hop or Trope, starring Ivana Chylková.
Water Camps near Lužnice: TV Series Why We Wouldn’t Drown
Why We Shouldn’t Drown, or A Boating Guide for Ophelia is a book written by Zdeněk Šmíd. In 2007, he adapted it into a film, incorporating elements from several other novels by Šmíd. Petr Nikolaev also produced a ten-part TV series under the same title that centers on a group of water enthusiasts. Although the storyline doesn’t closely mirror Šmíd’s popular book and introduces new characters, it still showcases many famous paddling locations and campsites, particularly surrounding the Lužnice River, including Suchdol, Majdalena, Soběslav, Bechyně, and more well-loved sites.
