Roudnice nad Labem
village · Polabí
An old Elbe town below Říp, dominated by the vast Baroque Lobkowicz chateau built over a Romanesque castle of the Prague bishops.
Roudnice is one of the oldest Czech towns, grown around an Elbe ford on the road from Prague to Lusatia. On a rock above the river the Prague bishops built a Romanesque castle in the 12th century; in the 17th century the Lobkowicz family rebuilt it (1652–1684) into one of the largest chateau complexes in the country, with over two hundred rooms. The family owns it again today and runs a winery in the chateau cellars — vines have been grown here since at least 1603.
For hikers the town is mainly a gateway: a rail junction on the Elbe with Říp an easy walk to the south and the western České středohoří beginning across the river.
Photos from my visits
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2026-01 · Forty Kilometres over Říp -
2021-04 · Hořidla to the Labe -
2021-04 · Hořidla to the Labe -
2021-04 · Hořidla to the Labe
Hikes passing here
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Forty Kilometres over Říp
A 40.6 km flat winter walk along the lower Ohře and over Říp to Roudnice — a distance day with one hill in the middle of it.
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Hazmburk the Long Way
A 49.7 km point-to-point marathon dayhike from Roudnice nad Labem over Hazmburk to Louny.
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Hořidla to the Labe
A 29.8 km point-to-point hike from Horní Řepčice over the Hořidla lookout and Sovice hill down to Roudnice nad Labem.
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Říp, the Lone Hill
The gentlest Říp that still counts as a hike — 12.2 km from Roudnice up the red waymark to the rotunda and down to the Vražkov train.
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Around the Foot of Říp
A 14.1 km hot-day finish of the summer čundr weekend — around the foot of Říp to Roudnice nad Labem and a night under the stars; second half of the pair.
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A Winter Pilgrimage to Říp
A short 19.2 km winter pilgrimage to Říp — red waymark from Mlčechvosty past the Jevín earthworks and village pubs, over the mountain, blue down to Roudnice.