The best traffic-free bike rides around lake Poděbrady

A beautiful pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Elbe River in Nymburk. The Elbe Bridge, distinguished by its elegant, slanted arches (with a span of 103 meters), was named Structure of the Year 2022 along with nine other winners.

On the site of the present-day castle, there was originally a wooden fortress, which King Otakar II Přemysl had converted into a stone castle. It became the seat of the eponymous estate, which was pledged to Hynek of Lichtenburg in 1345 under King John of Bohemia. Through his daughter Elisabeth (Eliška z Lichtemburka), who married Boček of Poděbrady and Kunštát (died 1373) in 1350, the castle and estate passed to the Kunštát family. After Emperor Charles IV granted Poděbrady to Boček as a hereditary estate, he was the first to call himself Boček of Poděbrady, thus establishing the Kunštát branch of the Poděbrady family. The castle, where, according to tradition, the future King George of Poděbrady, a grandson of Boček, was born, was rebuilt several times. After George's death in 1471, the castle and estate passed to his son, Henry the Younger, in 1472, whose heirs were forced to cede both to King Vladislav II in 1495. After several pledgings, King Ferdinand I redeemed the castle and estate. Both remained in the possession of the royal chamber until 1839. From 1548 to around 1580, the castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance palace according to plans by Giovanni and Ulrico Aostalli and Hans Tirol. After the Thirty Years' War, the palace initially declined in importance. In 1723–1724, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style under the direction of the architect Franz Maximilian Kaňka. Further renovations took place after 1750. Maria Theresa, in her capacity as Queen of Bohemia, stayed at the palace several times. Under her son, Joseph II, the palace served as the residence of retired officers of the imperial army. In 1839, the castle and estate were acquired by the Viennese banker Georg Simon Sina (1783–1856). Through marriage, the castle passed to the Princes of Ypsilanti in 1884 and, before the First World War, to Philipp Ernst zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst. His brother and heir, Moritz zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst, was forced to sell the estate after the First World War.

With an area of approximately 58 hectares, Kmochův Ostrov is the larger of the two Elbe islands in Kolín. It is named in honor of František Kmoch, a Kolín native. The island is accessible to pedestrians and cyclists from both banks of the Elbe. A park occupies the entire area of the island. The island is used for various cultural events and has an open-air stage, completed in 2008. There is also a playground on the island and a pier for excursion boats on the shore.

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Bartholomew in Kolín is an important Gothic religious building. It was built between 1261 and 1300 in the early Gothic style as a three-aisled hall church with two towers. The High Gothic basilica choir with a ring of chapels was built between 1360 and 1378 by Peter Parler. A bell tower was added at the beginning of the 16th century. The church is located in the old town of Kolín on the right bank of the Elbe River. It is a national cultural monument.

Good place to view the city with its Gothic city walls.

The castle is now a restaurant, school, event venue and much more. Information about the history: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schloss_Poděbrady

In the charming spa town of Poděbrady on the right bank of the Elbe, there is a Renaissance castle whose history stretches back to the beginnings of the Czech state. Originally, a trade route from Prague to Kłodzko ran here, and a guard fortress was built there to protect the ford over the Elbe. Right next to the castle there is the Zámek restaurant and the "Charles Bar" in the castle cellar. A staircase gives direct access to the banks of the Elbe.

nice resting place delicious beer and bratwurst