Things to do
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Church of Saints Peter and Paul
Next to the château, this Gothic church keeps an ossuary in its crypt, where the bones of some 15,000 dead are stacked into patterns and inscriptions. Its tower can be climbed for a view over the vineyards and the river confluence. Crypt and tower are ticketed separately, and the tower stairs are steep and narrow. Hours are shorter from November to March.
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Kokořín Castle
Rebuilt as a romantic ruin in the early 20th century, this castle stands on a sandstone crag above a wooded valley north of Mělník. A tall round keep looks over the Kokořínsko landscape of pine forest and rock towers. Visits run in the warmer months only. Footpaths from the valley floor reach the gate in about 20 minutes.
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Mělník Château
Owned by the Lobkowicz family, this château stands on the edge of the bluff over the meeting of the Vltava and the Elbe. Painted rooms hold family portraits and old maps, and the cellars below offer tastings of wine from the vines on the slope beneath. Interiors and cellars are closed on Mondays in the main season. A terrace beside the restaurant gives the clearest view of the confluence below Mělník.
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Nelahozeves Castle
Sgraffito covers the walls of this Renaissance château above the Vltava, which shows part of the Lobkowicz collections of paintings, armour and furniture. The birthplace of the composer Antonín Dvořák stands below it in the village, a small museum near the railway. Trains from Prague stop at Nelahozeves zámek station. Interiors open Tuesday to Sunday from late March, by audio guide or guided route.
