In Dobrovice, sugar traditions and local history come together. The museums there are dedicated to sugar production and distilling, sugar beet cultivation, and the history of Dobrovice. The area is considered the birthplace of sugar beet cultivation in the Czech Republic; sugar has been produced there since 1831. If you are interested in regional culture and technology, you will find both here in one place: the history of an agricultural product and the development of its processing.

Sugar, technology and regional history

The Škoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav tells a different industrial story. It is housed in original production halls where cars were manufactured until 1928. An interactive multimedia presentation traces the history of the brand across 1,800 square metres of exhibition space. The collection comprises around 360 items: production vehicles, rally cars and prototypes, as well as engines, motorcycles and a bicycle. The historic halls and varied collection offer different perspectives, from the site of former production to the vehicles and other exhibits.

The origins of Mladá Boleslav Castle date back to the second half of the 10th century; today it houses the Regional Museum. Its exhibition uses animation, sound and lighting effects and also appeals to children. A visit to Mladá Boleslav thus offers two different ways to explore history: the Regional Museum in the castle and the industrial development presented at the Škoda Museum.

Nature trails, landscapes and nature

At Chlum, nature and archaeology come together. The area is a protected nature park and a European Site of Community Importance; it is also known for its archaeological significance. The Chlum Nature Trail passes ten information boards covering natural history and archaeology. Parts of the trail are suitable for cycling and run along a cycle path.

The landscape at Chlum includes oak-hornbeam woods, flowering beech forests, wet meadows, orchards and white slopes. These habitats give the area a variety of natural features, while the information boards also draw attention to its history and archaeology. If you enjoy discovering nature and culture together, the trail offers more than just a route through the landscape.

Rečkov, too, has a distinctive mix of habitats: it is home to mires and purple moor-grass meadows, as well as natural wet alder forests. The area also supports populations of Siberian ligularia and the narrow-mouthed whorl snail. Its natural features differ from those at Chlum, where the trail explicitly brings together natural history and archaeology.

Another way to explore the region on foot is the Golden Trail of the Bohemian Paradise. It begins in Mladá Boleslav, passes through Mnichovo Hradiště and continues towards Jičín. Unlike the Chlum Nature Trail, whose information boards explain specific topics, this route is guided by its course and the places it passes through. In the Příhrazské skály, these include Drábské světničky, a rock castle on the Hrada plateau.

Castles, buildings and cultural connections

The historic sites each have their own focus. In Kosmonosy, Loreta is an architectural monument built between 1702 and 1708 to a design by Giovanni Alliprandi. Bělá pod Bezdězem preserves sections of 14th-century fortifications and has a Renaissance castle. Astronomer Tycho Brahe stayed at Benátky nad Jizerou Castle. These places offer different points of interest: a building with a documented date, preserved sections of fortifications and the story of a well-known figure.

At Loučeň Castle, the focus is on its English park, with twelve mazes and labyrinths. In Jabkenice, the memorial museum is housed in a forester’s lodge associated with Bedřich Smetana. The region’s attractions thus range from architecture and castle history to a museum commemorating the composer.

Getting to Mladá Boleslav

Mladá Boleslav can be reached from Prague by car, bus, train or bicycle via marked cycle routes. Direct trains depart from Prague Main Railway Station; buses leave from the Černý Most and Letňany stations. As timetables may change, it is best to check connections before departure. You can plan your discoveries around different interests: sugar and industrial history, buildings and museums, or the landscapes and nature trails at Chlum and Rečkov.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Belá Pod Bezdezem, Bezno, Dolni Bousov, Josefuv Dul, Loukovec, Rohatsko, Zakopaná, Branzez, Skokovy, Muzsky, Bakov Nad Jizerou, Brezina, Knezmost, Kosmonosy, Dobsin, Jungbunzlau, Kobylnice, Březovice, Chotětov, Dalovice, Dlouhá Lhota, Dobrovice, Dolní Slivno, Domousnice, Čachovice, Hrdlořezy, Jabkenice, Katusice, Klášter Hradiště Nad Jizerou, Krnsko, Kropáčova Vrutice, Ledce U Mladé Boleslavi, Luštěnice, Mečeříž, Mnichovo Hradiště, Mohelnice Nad Jizerou, Obrubce, Předměřice Nad Jizerou, Semčice, Tuřice, Sojovice, Sukorady, Všejany, Vlkava, Mukařov U Jiviny, Boseň, Smilovice, Brodce, Žďár, Chocnějovice, Bukovno, Ctiměřice, Ptýrov, Petkovy, Horní Bukovina, Niměřice, Doubravička, Řitonice, Horky Nad Jizerou, Rokytá, Horní Slivno, Hrušov, Husí Lhota, Charvatce, Chudíř, Jizerní Vtelno, Kochánky, Kolomuty, Koryta, Kosořice, Košátky, Kováň, Kovanec, Strážiště, Krásná Ves, Velké Všelisy, Lipník, Loukov, Rokytovec, Nemyslovice, Nepřevázka, Neveklovice, Nová Telib, Nová Ves U Bakova, Obruby, Skorkov, Pětikozly, Písková Lhota, Plazy, Plužná, Prodašice, Přepeře, Rabakov, Řepov, Sezemice U Mnichova Hradiště, Skalsko, Sovínky, Strašnov, Strenice, Sudoměř, Ujkovice, Veselice, Vinec, Vrátno, Zdětín, Žerčice, Židněves, Bradlec, Malé Horky, Hradec, Žehrov, Střehom, Srbsko, Benátky nad Jizerou, Ledce.

For the broader travel overview: Central Bohemia.