Central Vltava — castles above the reservoirs
The Central Vltava region links Orlík Chateau, Zvíkov Castle and two reservoirs into a three-day loop where you can swim after each tour. Between Slapy and Zvíkov the Vltava has turned into a lake that reaches almost up to the castle walls, and because the stops lie close together, plenty of time is left for the water and the shore. We take the way home past Konopiště so that the last day is not just a drive back.
Before you set off, check the opening hours: Orlík, Zvíkov and Konopiště are all closed on Mondays, Orlík and Konopiště can only be visited with a guide, and outside July and August Orlík opens mainly at weekends — so arrange your tour in advance. From Prague you then drive upstream along the Vltava through Zbraslav and Štěchovice, where the road hugs the water and there are more bends than straights. Beyond the dam the Slapy Reservoir opens up and the rest of the day belongs to the water: coves with a gentle entry, the beach and a walk along the wooded shore.
You continue south along the shore of the reservoir. Kamýk nad Vltavou is worth a stop on the way, with the remains of the medieval castle Vrškamýk above the little town. Orlík Chateau once stood high above the river, but after the reservoir was filled the water rose almost to its walls; there is a single tour route and it takes roughly an hour. The afternoon belongs to Zvíkov above the confluence of the Vltava and the Otava — it is called the king of Czech castles, and you walk through the Royal Palace at your own pace.
In the morning you turn east from the reservoir towards Benešov. Of the three, Konopiště is the most chateau-like: an English park with a rose garden, an armoury and the hunting collections of Franz Ferdinand d'Este, who brought trophies here from all over the world. Allow half a day for the tour and a walk in the park; in the afternoon you head back to Prague on the I/3 road to Mirošovice and then on the D1 motorway.
Up to 3.5 t, which covers most motorhomes, Czech motorways require an electronic vignette. From 1 January 2026 it costs CZK 230 for a day, CZK 300 for 10 days, CZK 480 for 30 days and CZK 2,570 for a year; you buy it at edalnice.gov.cz. Most of this loop, however, runs on second- and third-class roads where no vignette is needed — on the route described here only the final stretch of the D1 motorway from Mirošovice to Prague is charged, while the I/3 road from Benešov needs none. If you would rather skip the winding valley road above Štěchovice on the way to Orlík, you can take the D4 motorway, which requires a vignette as well. Above 3.5 t the vignette does not apply; instead electronic tolling (myto.gov.cz) with an on-board unit applies on motorways and selected first-class roads, and the rate is calculated from the emission class and the number of axles. No bridge, tunnel or ferry on the route has a toll of its own, so budget only for admission to the monuments.
Autokemp Žďáň, Slapy nad Vltavou (the Ždáň district) — a campsite above the Slapy Reservoir with its own beach; the price list has a separate item for a motorhome and for an electric hook-up. · Nový kemp Roviště, Svatý Jan u Krásné Hory nad Vltavou — a fenced, guarded campsite by the Orlík Reservoir with eight pitches for caravans and motorhomes and hook-ups for water, electricity and waste. · Kemp Trhovky, Milešov by the Orlík Reservoir — a large municipal campsite on the shore of the Orlík Reservoir with a long beach; the main season runs from 1 May to 30 September, outside it you have to call ahead.
You spend the nights at campsites. The car parks at Zvíkov and at Orlík Chateau are designed more for cars and the access roads are narrow, so with a vehicle longer than seven metres call ahead to check both the approach and the parking. Motor vehicles may not stand outside marked places, and especially not in the forest, which also applies to much of the shoreline of both reservoirs. In high season the campsites by the water are full, so book your pitch well in advance.
Nový kemp Roviště is the best equipped: its caravan pitches have hook-ups for water, electricity and waste, so you can refill and empty in one place. At Autokemp Žďáň electricity for a caravan pitch is paid separately (CZK 100) and there are washrooms and a shared kitchen on the site. Do not expect a separate motorhome service point between the stops — plan your servicing at Roviště, and at the other campsites check when you book whether they have a chemical-toilet disposal point and a drinking-water supply.
Adria Compact
The Adria Compact is a semi-integrated motorhome 6,790 to 6,990 mm long and 2,120 mm wide — a size that copes easily with the winding road above Štěchovice and with the narrow lanes along the shores of both reservoirs. At the same time it has a full bathroom, which on a three-day trip spent between swimming and sightseeing is worth more than an extra metre of length.
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