Tips for day trips

Water sports adventures in dreamy Benátky nad Jizerou

The character of Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav is definitely given by the Elbe River. However, it is much better to set out on a different river for water sports adventures: the nearby Jizera River. The lowest portion of the river is suitable even for beginning water sportspeople and thanks to the low level of difficulty, it is ideal also for families with children.

Thanks to the local canoe rental Benátky nad Jizerou, they are also a good starting point. Sometimes you can spend the whole day visiting them - local attractions are definitely worth attention and can be discovered even in bad weather. On the one hand, the local chateau offers a beautiful view of the river valley, but above all it houses an extensive toy museum, where children and adults can enjoy themselves.

The Benátky castle hosted a number of famous personalities in the past, including the Danish astronomist Tycho de Brahe and Bedřich Smetana. You will understand why they liked to remember Benátky on your walk in the beautifully groomed castle gardens.

In the Museum of Toys, there is a variety of toys coming from the period between 1860 and 1945. The museum is especially proud of the plentiful Japanese collection, which is said to be admired even by the Japanese coming to Benátky for such purposes.

You can set out on the river right behind the town. However, we recommend that you agree with the rental to take you a little bit further below Kačovský Weir. Further on, there are two weirs where it is necessary to carry your canoes. Otherwise, the voyage is peaceful and not difficult. The Jizera River ripples through a tranquil countryside along meadows, fields and floodplain forests, which form the natural monument of Černý orel.

You will have to paddle a little bit in the last portion near the junction with the Elbe River, where you will be accompanied also by other water sports lovers and top rowers or canoeists who like to train here. Most of the water sportspeople end on the left bank of the Elbe River near the refreshment point called pertinently Oddechoff, where you can peacefully take pleasure in the magical view of the river. However, you can easily come as far as the floodgate in Brandýs.

So see you at the Jizera River!