Holany combines a landscape of ponds with marked hiking trails and historic cultural heritage. The town lies on the shore of Holanský rybník; at the same time, the southern edge of the Kokořínsko Protected Landscape Area borders Holany. If you are looking for hotels in Holany, you can first decide whether to focus your stay on the water, hiking routes with a specific destination, or historic buildings.

Ponds and protected nature

Holanský rybník is part of the Holanské rybníky complex. The Holanské rybníky, located near Holany, comprise 23 medieval ponds and are used for recreation. The name Holanský rybník refers to the pond on the town’s shore; Holanské rybníky denotes the wider complex.

Another body of water in the area is Milčanský rybník. It covers 29 hectares, is used for recreation, and has a small campsite on its shore. The island in the pond is a protected nesting site for waterbirds. This pond thus combines recreational use with a specific nature conservation feature relating to the island.

Hiking trails and cycling routes

There are two hiking routes of different lengths and with different destinations: the blue-marked trail from Holany to Dubá is 22 km long; the green-marked trail to Česká Lípa is 9 km long. The route to Dubá is therefore 13 km longer. When choosing, you can take into account both the route length and the destination.

For cycling, routes 3086 and 211 lead from Holany to Milčanský rybník. Their destination differs from the endpoints of the two hiking trails: those lead to Dubá and Česká Lípa, while the cycling routes lead to the pond. The route numbers and place names provide a clear basis for distinguishing the routes by activity and destination.

Wooden buildings and historic traces

The log houses in Holany date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Several notable examples of traditional wooden folk architecture have been preserved, including houses nos. 3, 33, and 77. The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Holany is also a protected cultural monument. Together, these buildings illustrate different aspects of the local cultural heritage: traditional wooden architecture and a protected church. Sádky is also an important technical monument: the complex comprises four rectangular ponds dating from the 16th century.

Vítkovec was built in 1455 as a Late Gothic castle. At Vítkovec, seven-metre-high corner masonry, remnants of the palace walls, and ramparts have been preserved. The year of construction and architectural style place the castle in its historical context; the surviving masonry remnants identify the structural features that further characterize the site.

Discover more destinations: Dubá, Novy Bor, Slunečná, Böhmisch Leipa, Dubnice Pod Ralskem, Sosnová U České Lípy, Brniště, Kamenický Šenov.

For the overview of the wider area: Okres Česká Lípa.