Kokořínsko, Máchův kraj and Podřipsko
Kokořínsko and Máchův kraj combine sandstone gorges, three medieval castles and swimming in Mácha Lake into a loop you can cover in three days. On the way there you stop at Mělník Château, whose terrace looks out over the confluence of the Elbe and the Vltava, and on the way back you climb Říp. The hops between stops are short, so there is time at every place even with children. Do bear in mind, though, that in April and October Kokořín and Houska are open only at weekends, and Bezděz from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.
Start at Mělník Château, which belongs to the Lobkowicz family: guided tours set off every hour on the hour and the terrace looks out over the confluence of the Elbe and the Vltava. The château is closed on Mondays, so in the main season set out from Tuesday onwards; in April and October it is better to start on a Friday instead, because the castles on day two are only open at the weekend. In the afternoon you drop down into Kokořínský důl, a valley hemmed in by sandstone walls, and spend the evening at a campsite among the cliffs.
Kokořín Castle opens at nine in the morning and the separate viewing platform on the tower is one of the most rewarding things the valley has to offer; in the main season the closing day is Monday. A short way north stands Houska, a castle rebuilt into a Renaissance residence, made famous by a chapel that legend says was raised over a hole into hell. The afternoon belongs to Bezděz — the stone path to the summit takes about half an hour on foot, but the whole of Máchův kraj opens up from the top. In the evening you carry on to Mácha Lake, where you can swim after a hot day.
The morning belongs to the lake, founded in the 14th century by Charles IV — hire a pedal boat, or simply stay on the beach. Then you cross into the fertile Podřipsko region and climb Říp to the Romanesque rotunda of St George; the viewpoints just below the summit look far out across the countryside. In the afternoon you turn back towards Prague, so you will be home while it is still light.
For vehicles up to 3.5 t an electronic motorway vignette is enough: under the price list valid from 1 January 2026 it costs CZK 300 for ten days, CZK 480 for thirty days and CZK 2,570 for a year, and you buy it at edalnice.gov.cz. Vehicles over 3.5 t do not use a vignette at all — they fall under the electronic toll system and need a registered on-board unit. The loop itself runs mostly on minor roads where you pay nothing; among the paid items, count on the car park below Bezděz Castle (run by the village of Bezděz, CZK 100 a day) and the town fee for driving into the recreation zone at Mácha Lake.
Autokemp Kokořín, Kokořínský důl 60, Kokořín — four areas for motorhomes, caravans and tents with electric hook-ups, open from April to the end of October · Kemp Harasov, Kokořínský Důl, village of Kokořín — thirty 10×10 m pitches with a 6 A hook-up, open all year round · Camp Borný, Staré Splavy by Mácha Lake — motorhomes stand on designated pitches only and reception is open from May to September; note that dogs are not allowed on the site · Autocamp Mělník, Klášterní 3906, Mělník — grass pitches with electric hook-ups close to the historic centre
The Kokořínsko–Máchův kraj protected landscape area bans camping outside designated places, so you sleep exclusively at campsites. The car parks at Kokořín and Houska are small and the valley road through Kokořínský důl is narrow, so with a longer vehicle expect some careful reversing and it is better to arrive in the morning. At Bezděz you do not park at the castle itself — the vehicle stays in the car park in the village and you walk up.
The most dependable service point is Autocamp Mělník: the central sanitary block is open around the clock and has a chemical toilet disposal point as well as a drinking water tap. Kemp Harasov in Kokořínský důl includes drinking water and a disposal point in the price of the pitch, which helps with an April or October date. Autokemp Kokořín, by contrast, does not fill tanks at all, because the whole site is supplied from its own well.
Adria Compact
Kokořínský důl squeezes between sandstone walls and the car parks at Kokořín, Houska and in the village of Bezděz are all small, so the compact Adria Compact fits into them far more easily than a long A-class motorhome. At the same time it stays in the up-to-3.5 t category, so an ordinary motorway vignette is all you need for the drive out of Prague.
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