An easy 4 km + walk from Kralupy to Nelahozeves chateau along the Vltava

• Zámek Nelahozeves is an imposing Renaissance chateau which overlooks the Vltava just down the river from the industrial town of Karlupy. The 16th century building is one of the largest castles in Bohemia – it took sixty years to build. The chateau was acquired in the 17th century by the house of Lobkowicz, and remains in their ownership today. It is normally open for public tours – there is a well regarded exhibition of 19th life in a noble family, and the castle features many famous art works and antique furniture.
• The village of Nelahozeves was also the birthplace of the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, and the house where he lived until the age of 12 may be visited as part of the chateau tour. The house is located opposite the church and was run as an Inn and shop by Dvořák’s parents.
• There are direct trains from Prague to Nelahozeves zámek (as well as car parking areas), but a nicer way to visit the area is to take the train (or park in) Kralupy and walk along the Vltava for 4km to reach the the village (and catch the train back from the zámek railway station). This stretch of the Vltava is surprisingly attractive, and even has some dramatic sandstone cliffs which have been eroded over the millennia into interesting patterns and pseudo-caves.
• There is also an option to extend the walk beyond Nelahozeves for a further 6km to visit the unusual Italian designed Chateau Veltrusy. This masterpiece of high Baroque architecture was constructed in the 18th century and has a large English park with several romantic era monuments. A separate walk exploring the Veltrusy park area can be found here. If taking the extended walk to include Veltrusy, it is possible to catch the train back to Kralupy/Prague from Nelahozeves main station.
• The walk from Kralupy to Nelahozeves and then (optionally) on to Veltrusy is essentially flat (only 40m of height gained lost over the full 10 km route), partly on mud footpaths, partly on asphalt roads. It is manageable with a stroller. There are a couple of refreshment options in Nelahozeves, including the snack bar opposite the chateau and the information centre (which is next to the railway station). The latter serves good coffee and cupcakes! In Veltrusy there are a number of options – see the separate walk page for suggestions.

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Directions to Nelahozeves

• Start the walk in Kralupy town, following the Roads or BLUE hiking trail to reach the footbridge over the Vltava
• At the footbridge, turn left join the RED hiking trail which runs directly alongside the river Vltava
• Follow the trail for 2.7 km, past the interesting sandstone cliffs to reach the village of Nelahozeves (pass under the railway and circle back on the top road to reach the castle entrance)
• Return back to the main road, passing Dvořák’ s house on the left – the information center with its cafe area is a little further along the road on the right. If returning by train from Nelahozeves zámek station – the entrance is just next to the information centre

Extension to Veltrusy

• If continuing on the Veltrusy, take the RED trail back under the railway (as if heading back to Kralupy) but immediately after passing under the railway, turn left onto the small road that runs alongside the river and the railway line
• Follow this road – which is a marked cycle track – for 1.3 km until reaching the footbridge over the Vltava. Cross the river here
• On the left is the restaurant u Libuše, a popular stopping point for cyclists following the Vltava trail
• Continue on the cycle path beside the river for 500m passing under the main road to reach one of the car parks for Veltrusy chateau. There is an entrance to the park here – see the separate walk page for a suggested itinerary in the park
• After visiting the park/chateau return back to the car park next to the river and follow the BLUE trail to reach Nelahozeves train station after 1.2 km – the trail crosses the Vltava using the main road bridge