It’s a short detour from EuroVelo 7, but a rewarding not to be missed climb to the heart of the small town of Mělník, high above the confluence of the Labe and Vltava rivers. Charles IV established Melnik’s fate when he brought vines from Burgundy to plant on its hillsides in the 15th century. Crossing Labe River off the EuroVelo 7 path, the impressive panorama of the Mělník Castle high above the river lures. Dating back to the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries, rebuilt following fires in the 16th century in the Renaissance style, the castle crowns the hilltop, its slopes covered with rows of vines.
While the medieval lanes of the town and the main plaza are inviting to soft-pedal around or for a stroll, it’s from the Gothic-Renaissance tower of the Church of Saint Peter and Paul that the panorama of the confluence of the two rivers will etch itself in your memory. On a clear day, you can see as far north as the mound of Mount Říp. Following the EuroVelo 7 route to Prague, it’s 60 pleasant kilometers to the north side of the Prague Castle, hence approximately 120 km round trip, all of it along Vltava until Mělník.
