Our tour starts in the city, which has attracted and charmed many excellent artists and used to be the centre for the national revival movement in the Podřipsko region. The rich history of Roudnice nad Labem is demonstrated by many well-preserved monuments, protected by the urban heritage protection zone The major landmark on the square is the chateau, reconstructed from the original bishop's castle. The massive four-winged Baroque building today serves as the Military School of Music. In its neighbourhood we will find a former Capuchin Monastery, the Church of St. Václav (St. Wenceslas) and a horseback riding facility, where we may also visit a gallery of Czech modern art. The square consist of many bourgeois houses with Baroque cores which turn around the town fountain with the sculpture of St. Vavřinec (Lawrence). The typical and dominating sight of the city is the bell tower built in the 15th century and belonging to the proboštský temple of the Birth of the Virgin Mary.
We shall now obey the instructions of the crossroad sign near the square and take the red tourist sign towards "Říp Mountain" (6.5 km). First, we go around a chateau behind the town where we join a field road. After a while we leave this road and take a left turn and head for the woods. After walking for about 500 m, we come out of the woods on the right side, cross the road and then continue along the gardens until we reach the foothills of Hostěraz Hill – a forest path crossroad. Here, we must pay close attention and watch for the red sign and turn sharply to the right. During a short climb we will get a change to enjoy a nice view of the city, slowly shrinking in the distance. From the other side of the slope we will soon be surprised with our first glance of Říp Mountain. For a while we pass by gardens but soon after we enter Krabčický Park, until we come out of the woods and to the beginning of the village.
The village of Krabčice is mostly known for its role in the period of the counter-Reformation movement, when this village was the most important brotherhood village in the heavily evangelical Podřipsko area (a region under Říp Mountain). We walk through the village and around the evangelic church and after a while we reach Rovná. Along our way we see the typical and dominant Říp Mountain shaped like a bell. Its steep slopes were barren for centuries, but in the 19th century they were forested. From Rovná we take a small climb through a lime tree alley, which takes us to the parking lot below Říp. Here, we may replenish our energy at mobile refreshment kiosks, before taking another demanding climb.
We now have to undergo a 1 km long and a very steep climb. We are climbing on a paved road, and especially during hot summer days will appreciate the dense forest around us, which protects us from the hot sun. During our arduous journey we will certainly appreciate an opportunity to take a short break and sit on the nearby benches. We should not miss the turn which goes to the Mělnická viewing post/terrace. At the top of Říp Mountain (456 m) we will find one of the oldest buildings in the Czech Republic – the Rotund of St. George. The ancient chapel was added with a tower and consecrated again in 1126 in commemoration of the victory of Prince Soběslav I over the German King Lothar III of Saxony in the famous Chlumec battle. As Říp Mountain became more and more important it also became a popular pilgrimage site and a public gathering site. Besides the annual svatojiřská pouť (svatojiřská funfair), we may (during hot summer months) take a guided tour and examine the interior of the rotunda, where we will also find the Memorial of the Czech State. It is interesting to mention, that the rock that makes up Říp Mountain, causes the compass pointer to deviate slightly. Behind the Rotunda you may take a path that will bring you to the Roudnická viewing post, offering magnificent views of the Czech Central Mountains. Next, and perhaps the most appreciated satisfaction for some of us, will be a visit to the restaurant offering a wide range of drinks and meals.
From the top down we will also follow the red signs, but we travel in the opposite direction towards "Ctiněves“ (2.5 km). We are walking through the Pražská viewing post and after about 0.5 km we take a steep downhill walk on a rocky path. In a dense forest south of Říp Mountain, we will encounter a crossroad, where the red sign separates from the yellow. We continue along the forest path following the Říp contour line (you may walk around the entire Říp Mountain if you follow the contour line), from which we deviate after while, and begin decending and passing through fields and meadows to the village of Ctiněves. In the village we will find the Church of St. Matouš (Matthew) where, according to legend, the Forefather of Bohemia (Praotec Čech) is buried. If there is no bus at this moment to take us to Roudnice we take a turn near the village square and join a road that will take us to Krabčice. The road goes around Říp Mountain on its east side and because there are many fields around us, we are able to see this dominant feature of this landscape as if at our fingertips. In Krabčice there should be more buses available to take to Roudnice but orthodox tourists will certainly decide to walk on foot and go back to Roudnice nad Labem using the same road that we took to get here.
Total length 15.5 km.
