St. Ludmila's Lookout : Visiting ancient viewpoints on the Vltava

View of the Vltava River from Řivnáč

Some of the most beautiful views of the Vltava River are at the river’s turn near Úholičky, an area linked to the rulers of the Přemyslid dynasty - Prince Bořivoj and his wife Ludmila.

St. Ludmila's Lookout in Levý Hradec | Photo: Miloš Turek,  Radio Prague International

This trail is ideal for day trip for cyclists and hikers. All you need to do is hop on a train from Prague to Úholičky, get off at Sedlec and you will find yourself surrounded by nature  and history. The lookout at Stříbrník is a wonderful photo location from which the trail will lead you to the Řivnáč settlement site dating 2,000 years ago.

One of the highlights on this tour is St. Ludmila’s Lookout built on a historic site used by the rulers of the Přemyslid dynasty - Prince Bořivoj and his wife Ludmila. St. Clement's Church, in its close vicinity, was built on the foundations of a rotunda dating back to those days.

The church has early Gothic and Baroque features and will impress visitors with its well preserved frescoes. They date back to the beginning of the reign of Vaclav IV, i.e. the last quarter of the 14th century.

Church of St. Clement in Levý Hradec | Photo: Miloš Turek,  Radio Prague International

From the church leads a path down to the valley and Roztoky-Žalov from which you can get on a train back to Prague.

For those who can bike further, the rocks at Klecany and Větrušice are the last places where you can see the Vltava from at least a partial bird's eye view.

Beyond Nelahozeves, the river enters flat landscape when it joins the Elbe below Mělník Castle. There are good views of the confluence, for example from the Vráz lookout or a little higher up from the castle.

Route of Úholičky-Podmoráň-Roztoky trail | Source:  Seznam.cz
Author: Miloš Turek
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