Bohemian Paradise Hiking Tour

Depending on whether you start in Prague - you take a train in the morning, which will take you to the town of Mladá Boleslav.

Start your visit in Mladá Boleslav at the ŠKODA Museum, the city’s main tourist attraction. Then head to the Old Town Square to see the Town Hall and the Church of St. John of Nepomuk. You can also visit the Regional Museum or the Museum of the City nearby Castle. For a break, stop by the local parks like Štěpánka or Pod Hradbami. Mladá Boleslav offers a variety of cultural and historical sites worth exploring.

Our journey starts in Mladá Boleslav, known for its architecture, museums, and the main attraction—the ŠKODA Museum.
We continue along the Jizera River to the ruins of Michalovice Castle and cross through Debře toward Bakov nad Jizerou, passing Josefův Důl and seeing the ruins of Zvířetice Castle on the opposite bank. From Bakov, the route leads past the Rečkov nature monument and through Klokočka with its Chapel of St. Stapin. We then stop at the Hradiště nad Jizerou Monastery before reaching Mnichovo Hradiště, where you can visit the castle, museum, and nearby Chapel of St. Anne with the remains of Albrecht von Wallenstein.

From Mnichovo Hradiště, we follow the red trail to the ruins of Valečov Castle. Along the way, we pass former rock dwellings, originally used as Hussite winter shelters and inhabited until the late 19th century. After climbing to the castle plateau, we pass the remains of the Píč farmstead and a turnoff to Klamorna, a former rock castle. About 1 km further, we reach the Drábské světničky, where only carved sandstone rooms and timber slots remain. We continue through Studený průchod to a scenic viewpoint at the Příhrazské skály (this section includes stairs and ladders!), then head through Srbsko to the U Pomníků crossroads, marked by a memorial to the 1866 battle. Our final stop is Kost Castle, just 1 km away, and from there we walk through the Prokop Valley to Libošovice.

From Libošovice, the red trail leads down into the Žehrovka Valley. Following the stream past Podsemínský Mlýn, we reach Nebákov and then climb a stone path to the plateau beneath the iconic ruins of Trosky Castle. We pass the Svitačka campsite and continue up to the restaurant below the ruins. We then follow the red trail through the Podtrosecká valleys to the Vidlák pond, with the next major stop being Hrubá Skála Castle. The Golden Trail continues through the Bukovina Arboretum and several viewpoints over the Hruboskalsko rock city to Valdštejn Castle, finishing at the Hlavatice lookout tower on the edge of Turnov.

In Turnov, the trail passes below the state castle Hrubý Rohozec, which is accessible in summer via the Castle Educational Trail. Nearby in Dolánky stands the national cultural monument Dlaskův Statek. We continue through Bukovina to Drábovna — a small rock town reached by crossing a main road. The next highlight is the ruins of Frýdštejn Castle. From there, the route drops along the Vranov Ridge to the Pantheon. The trail ends at the Zahrádka viewpoint, offering views of Maloskalsko, before descending into the resort town of Malá Skála.

Alternative route: 23 km

From Malá Skála, we climb to Pánovo Pole and take the yellow trail to the Chléviště rock town, then continue via Modlitebna and the Besedické Rocks (blue trail with stairs) to Besedice. From there, the route leads through Koberovy and Hamštejn to Kozákov, the highest peak of Český ráj. Alternatively, you can descend from Besedice to Železný Brod, known for its glassmaking. From Železný Brod, we head to Podspálov and follow the Rieger Trail through the Jizera canyon to Semily-Bítouchov. In Semily-Řeky, we join the blue and then yellow trail to Krkavčí Skála, and finally follow the green trail up to Kozákov.

Alternative route: 36 km

From Kozákov, follow the red trail through Bačov to the Zelený Háj crossroads. Then descend through the Černá rokle valley and continue via Košov to Alain’s Cross and the hill Tábor. From here, you can head straight to the historic town of Železnice (museum) or take a small detour along the red trail through Klepanda. From Klepanda, the blue trail leads through Bradlec (castle ruins) to Železnice, where we rejoin the Golden Trail. The route continues around the Zebín hill to Valdštejn Lodge, then down a beautiful linden alley into Jičín. The fairytale town of Jičín, a protected heritage zone, offers many sights — the Museum of Play, Valdštejn Museum and Mint, the synagogue, Valdická Gate, Rumcajs’ house, and more.

Although the Prachov Rocks are no longer part of the official Golden Trail, we offer an alternative route to include them symbolically. From Jičín, follow the red trail to Prachov and continue to the tourist lodge. Several marked loops lead through the Prachov Rocks (expect stairs and narrow passages!). Return to Jičín via the blue or green trail through Brada and Kbelnice.

After breakfast, you take a train back to Prague, where you can prolong your stay for extra day or more.