A short visit to Přelouč, on the Santiago de Compostela trail, with a section along the Labe: 4 km
- There are several branches of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage trail (Way of St James) which cross Bohemia and Moravia before continuing their journey towards Spain. A full inventory of the Czech options for this popular long distance walk is included in the well-constructed ultreia site.
- The East Bohemian branch is one of the nicest and passes through many historic locations, following the course of the Labe river for nearly half the trail. One of the most famous churches on this branch is the Church of St James the Elder in Přelouč. Originally a Romanesque construction dating from the 12th century, the church was rebuilt in a Gothic form in the 13th century, with later Baroque additions. There are picturesque tombstones embedded in the exterior walls. Inside, there are some valuable 14th century frescoes, dating from the time of Charles IV.
- If passing the area, a stop in Přelouč is worthwhile. A visit to the main square and church can be combined with a pleasant short (4 km) circuit, which includes a picturesque stretch along the Labe. This is a flat walk that can be done with a stroller, although the path beside the Labe is unpaved and can get muddy. Přelouč has a few places for refreshment, but do try the new café ‘Kardamom’ for excellent coffee and cakes (map point 2).
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
- Starting at Přelouč train-bus station join the RED trail to head into town and visit the church – reached after 1.3 km
- From there, continue on the RED trail to cross the Labe on the footbridge.Immediately after crossing, turn right to join the riverside footpath (unmarked) heading upstream
- After 1.1 km join the GREEN trail and cross the Labe again on the road bridge
- Return back to the station on the GREEN trail, reached after 900m
