Boating adventures: A paddle steamer or a cabin boat

The ‘Pustit k vodě’ tourism portal offers a wide range of ways to enjoy your free time on or around the water. This is a direct response to the excellent conditions for water-based tourism in this area. The region boasts 501 kilometres of navigable rivers and waterways for you to explore. The Slapy and Orlík reservoirs offer a wide range of activities for multi-day holidays, including water sports and swimming. The sand pits in the Polabí region are just as varied. A special tradition in the Czech Republic is the water sports lifestyle combined with hiking. In the Central Bohemia region, the Sázava and Berounka rivers are ideal, offering plenty of opportunities for camping and boat hire.

Recreational cruises and new marinas

In recent years, water tourism on the rivers of Central Bohemia has become more enjoyable thanks to newly opened public marinas. With a small motorboat, you can visit towns such as Kolín, Nymburk or Brandýs nad Labem, where you can moor your boat completely free of charge for up to 48 hours. In Brandýs nad Labem, up to 12 boats can moor at six floating buoys at any one time. All landing stages also offer facilities for refilling water and electricity.

The marinas in Čelákovice and Poděbrady are used for recreational boating on the Elbe. On the Vltava, a marina has been built in Davle within the Central Bohemian Region, where up to 10 recreational vessels can moor.

Tips on how to spend your holiday on the water and in the surrounding area

You can set off from Mělník on a cabin boat along the Vraňany–Hořín Canal, where you’ll feel as though you’re in the Netherlands. Your destination will be Nelahozeves, where you’ll dock at Marina Vltava, which, among other things, offers a stylish restaurant and accommodation. There are a number of tourist attractions in the area – the local Renaissance chateau, the birthplace of Antonín Dvořák, and on the opposite bank of the Vltava, Veltrusy Chateau with its large English-style park, which you can explore on a hire bike thanks to an unusual cycling tour.

By paddle steamer to Slapy

From Rašínovo nábřeží in the centre of Prague, a paddle steamer sets sail for Slapy Reservoir from May to September. This restaurant steamer, the Vltava, is the last of two historic steamers still operating on the Vltava. After setting sail from the capital, it arrives at the Vrané reservoir, home to some of the most beautiful spots, such as the confluence of the Vltava and Sázava rivers and Davle Island, known for the remains of a Benedictine monastery. During the second part of the cruise, the steamboat passes through the Štěchovice lock, where the difference in water levels is almost twenty metres. The Štěchovice Dam, surrounded by rocky slopes, provides a splendid conclusion to the entire journey. The final landing stage is located in Třebenice, below the Slap Dam.

Boating romance

The valley between Zvíkovec and Roztoky is one of the most picturesque spots on the River Berounka. You can set off from Zvíkovec and take a stroll past the ruined weir at Kočkov’s Mill. At the next weir in Čilá, take a two-kilometre walk to the Skryje Lakes. On the other side of the river below the weir, you can visit the Elektroskanzen. But your journey continues; you are approaching the territory of Ota Pavel. In this section, the river cuts into a deep valley and you pass the ruins of Týřov Castle, rock formations, and the Kouřim log cabin, which will give your trip an almost fairy-tale feel. Continue towards Luh pod Branovem, where you’ll find the Ota Pavel Memorial Hall, housed in the old house where the writer lived before the Second World War.

Adrenaline on the waves

At Wakesurf Obříství, just half an hour’s drive from Prague, you can enjoy some of the best wakesurfing in Central Bohemia. Once you’ve got yourself ready on the shore, it’s time to give it a go. You’ll attach your board to the boat and enjoy the amazing waves. As well as wakesurfing, you can also try your hand at wakeboarding and waterskiing here.

And don’t forget that in Prague you can surf on the Štvanice Wave. The city centre is home to the first river surfing wave, meaning you can ride here not only in a kayak but also on a surfboard. As well as riding the “river wave” for riversurfers, there is also a whitewater channel, ideal for kayakers and paddleboarders, as it connects to the Vlnka. At certain times, lessons with an instructor are also available for surfers.

The assurance of clean water, not just at Lhota

Lake Lhota, located near Brandýs nad Labem, is a great place to visit. It offers sandy beaches, a nudist beach, refreshments, and also a children’s playground and a beach volleyball court. Interestingly, you’ll find a sauna here with a beautiful view of the lake. In summer, open-air cultural events are held here, and paddle yoga takes place every Saturday. Although this lake has no natural inflows or outflows, you need not worry about the quality of its beautiful blue water. Thanks to special ultrasonic cleaning processes, no algae grow here.

As well as Lhota, it’s also worth visiting other sand pits in the area with beautifully clear water. You can swim, for example, in Lake Křenek, in Sadská, in Konětopy, in the Kojetice quarry, or the Dobřín sand pit and other local spots.