Rakousy lies in the Jizera Valley between Turnov and Malá Skála. The Bučiny u Rakous Nature Reserve, trails through Rakousy and local architectural and cultural history offer different ways to shape a stay. You can plan nature, river activities and culture separately or combine individual themes. If a water trip is the deciding factor for your journey, take seasonal changes in water conditions and the arrangements for getting on the river into account.
Beech Forest and Ecological Context
The Bučiny u Rakous Nature Reserve protects a natural forest community dominated by beech trees. The beeches are 80 to 115 years old and grow on marl sandstone. The combination of tree age and underlying rock gives the forest a distinct natural-history character. Bučiny u Rakous is also an ecologically significant biocentre of regional importance along a supraregional biocorridor in the Jizera Valley. The perspective thus extends from the individual beech stand to its role in a broader ecological context.
Trails and Water Trips on the Jizera
Tourist and cycling trails pass through Rakousy. Routes include the Greenway Jizera and the Průlom Jizery educational trail. The educational trail follows the Jizera from Malá Skála to Turnov. For a specific outing, check the route and local conditions. This lets you choose a route to suit your planned activity without assuming a particular walking time or difficulty level.
The municipality of Rakousy recommends that water-trippers paddle down the Jizera from Malá Skála to Zrcadlová koza. Water conditions and arrangements for getting on the river can vary seasonally; check both before planning a trip. This means there are different considerations to plan for: choose a tourist or cycling route for the trails, and for a water trip also take river conditions and the access point into account.
Architectural Heritage and Local History
Rakousy has eight timber-framed cottages of the Turnov type. They are a local architectural feature alongside the natural attractions of the Jizera Valley. The first official mention of Rakousy dates from 1540, providing an early reference point for the village’s history.
The Jizeran theatre group contributes to cultural life in Rakousy. It was founded in 1924 and re-established in 1998; the two dates mark different stages in its history. The group takes part in various showcases with theatre performances. Its other activities include balls, children’s carnivals, children’s days, Shrovetide processions, Easter customs, Christmas carol singing at the nativity scene and excursions. If an event is important to your trip, check in advance whether a specific date falls during your stay.
The site of Rakousy’s iron cross is on the left-hand side of the dead-end road from Turnov to Rakousy (Zátoň), near the municipal office. The cross probably dates from around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its physical condition had changed by the end of 2024, so the site should be regarded as a historical marker.
Zbirohy Castle Ruins Nearby
The ruins of Zbirohy Castle are very close to Rakousy. They are freely accessible. The remains of the original structure include cellars, a water cistern and, most notably, a palace wall up to ten metres high. The ruins add the remains of a castle to the local architectural and historical themes. As conditions at the site may change, check them before your visit.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Mrklov, Dolni Stepanice, Rochlitz An Der Iser, Horka U Staré Paky, Vítkovice V Krkonoších, Mirova Pod Kozakovem, Burany, Štěpanická Lhota.
Go to the overview of the wider area: Okres Semily.
