Short walks in historic Kolín (and the immediate area along the river Labe): 4 km to 8 km

• Kolín is a Central Bohemian town situated on the Labe river (the Elbe in Germany) some 60km east of Prague. Today, Kolín has an industrial character, but its historical center reflects its importance on the Labe trading route in earlier centuries.
• The medieval town of Kolín was established in the middle of the 13th century, but the area previously had significant prehistoric settlement activity as well as some early Slavic (potentially 6th century) sites. Shortly after the foundation of Kolín the striking Church of St Bartholomew was constructed. Today, the church remains one of the most important and impressive Gothic monuments in Central Europe.
• For scenic longer walks incorporating a visit to Kolín, consider either a one way (19 km) or circular (39 km) walk along the Labe river between Kolín and Poděbrady. Both sides of the river have nice walking paths that, for the most part, are not also cycle routes (which is unusual for routes along the Labe).
• However, if wanting just a short exploratory walk around Kolín, try the route shown in the map below, which starts in the main square in the town (Karlovo náměstí) which is attractively lined with Baroque and Renaissance buildings.
• The suggested route then visits the hill on which St Bartholomew Church was constructed, a small park area behind the church named after the 17th century philosopher Jan Amos Comenius before crossing the Labe for a small section along the river. The route passes one of the few remaining elements of the Kolín medieval fortification system – the late Gothic Práchovna watch tower.
• The 4 km route is pretty flat, apart from the slight incline to the church, and can be managed with a stroller. There are many refreshment options in Kolín, but a good option is the stylish café and bistro Tradice 1894, just off the main square (map point 2 below).
• To extend the walk for a further 4 km, consider taking the Borky Nature Trail, which is a marked trail (green-white diagonal markers) in the forest area north of Kolín, with a section beside the river. The trail, which starts at map point 10, has 11 information boards (only in Czech) describing the nature in the ecosystem.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• Kolín is on a main train line, with frequent connections to-from Prague. If taking the train, get off at the Kolín zastávka (one stop before the main stationé as this is directly on the suggested route. If driving, there are various parking areas around town, but the Parkoviště pošta on Mlýnská (map point 8) is free and usually has spots empty
• The route can be taken in any direction and order, but visits to the Church area, the main square, the Comenius park and a section along the Labe (bu crossing the river twice using the road bridge and then the pedestrian bridge should be incorporated in the route
• There are various town signposts highlighting the main points – these are easier to follow than hiking trail markers, or simply follow the route on line the mapy.cz phone application
• If taking the Borky nature trail, this starts (and finishes) at map point 10