The Jizera is wild river. We can read this in many boating periodicals. The river is quite demanding for paddlers in its upper, mountainous part, followed by the calm middle of the river, which starts in Podspálov above Železný Brod and ends in the valley of the Polabská lowland in a pleasant calm, unlike the Vltava or Lužnice full of paddlers. The tourist cruise on the Lower Jizera can be divided into several natural sections, of course, skilled paddlers can do more than that in a day if they think of the cruise purely as a sport paddle without contact with the surroundings. Paddlers and tourists make the most of the sections in the Bohemian Paradise. There are also several rental agencies and outdoor travel agencies.
The town got its name from the iron ore that was worked here, mined from small deposits around the town until the middle of the 17th century. Later, glass-making developed here; this tradition continues to this day. Roofi ng slate was also quarried in the neighbourhood; it is still visible on several old wooden cottages. (Refreshments, shops, cultural and historical sights.)
Dolánky and its rustic houses are part of the town of Turnov and this is where boat trips usually end. The Dlask Farmstead (Dlaskův statek), a national cultural heritage with its ethnographic exhibition, and the former school, now the House of Nature with its interactive exhibition on the Protected Landscape Area of the Bohemian Paradise are worth visiting. There are campsites on the left bank of the river by the Zrcadlová koza restaurant as well as on the right bank at the Dlask Farmstead. (Refreshments, camping.)
Hrubý Rohozec Chateau, a prominent heritage site of the town Turnov, can be seen on the right bank of the Jizera. There is an outdoor swimming pool on the left bank in front of the railway bridge. In the Late Stone Age this was the site of a settlement with a workshop producing stone axes, which spread as far as to what is now Italy and France. (Refreshments, shops, cultural and historical sights.)
These two villages, situated on the river fl oodplain, are known for the numerous Urnfi eld culture burial sites discovered here. They contain farmhouses preserved from the 19th century. On the right bank, close to the river, there are some ponds, known as the Příšovice Sand Ponds. (Refreshments, camping.)
The Perner Mill, which used to harness the power of the river, and the famous Svijany Brewery, founded in 1564, are the main buildings in the village. The chateau next to the brewery was opened to the public after extensive refurbishment in 2016. In 1866, during the Austro-Prussian War, a battle was fought here for the river crossing. (Refreshments, shops.)
The main landmark in the village is the church, which stand on the right bank of the river. Situated below the church is the crypt of the Rohan Family, the owners of Sychrov Chateau. Some buildings in the village as listed as national heritage sites.
The Church of St. Lawrence from the turn of the 13th and 14th century is the main attraction in Březina. You can only really get to the village from the mouth of the Žehrovka River, as the left river bank is lined with rocks as well as the fenced-off mill complex. Below the weir on the left bank there is a long rocky defi le with overhangs and hanging drapes of ivy.
This village is home to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, built in the second half of the 12th century. You can fi nish your cruise at the bridge over the Jizera.
Near the river stands the Baroque Mnichovo Hradiště Chateau. Originally, it was the residence of Václav Budovec of Budov, one of the lords of Bohemia executed after the Battle of the White Mountain (1620). The chateau was acquired by Albrecht of Wallenstein and the Wallenstein family owned it until 1946. After the abolition of the monastery in Valdice, Albrecht’s remains were moved to St. Anne’s Chapel, where they still rest to this day. (Refreshments, shops, cultural and historical sights.)
The original Cistercian Monastery, which was destroyed by the Hussites, is an interesting feature of the village. The monastery was converted into a chateau and later a brewery, which is still in operation. (Refreshments available.)
This town has become famous for reed and cattail products such as slippers, bags, holubovky (tropical helmets named after the explorer Emil Holub) and mats. The ruins of the castle and chateau of Zvířetice rise above the village of Podhradí on the right bank of the river. (Refreshments, shops.)
Mladá Boleslav is the centre of the automotive industry and the river fl ows near some parts of Škoda AUTO. Historical sights include the ruins of Michalovice Castle with its broken tower on the right bank, and the Old Town with its castle on the left bank, which was formerly used as a barracks and now contains a museum. (Shops, refreshments, cultural and historical sights.)
Rising over the village of Krnsko is one of the most massive reinforced concrete viaducts in Bohemia – 152 metres long and 27 metres high. Stránov Chateau lies in the valley behind it.
The ruins of this castle from the mid-13th century are situated on the right bank of the Jizera.
The dominant landmark in the town is the chateau, from the fi rst half of the 16th century, which now houses the Museum of the Mladá Boleslav Region and the Toy Museum. The Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe lived in the chateau in 1599-1600. In Benátky you can hire boats to cruise down the lower stretch of the Jizera. There are training rapids on the bottom ruptured weir. (Refreshments, shops.)
The village of Káraný is an important source of quality drinking water for Prague; it has been drawn from the local wells for more than 100 years. Artifi cial infi ltration is used to increase yield, and water is supplied from the weir in Otradovice. It is considered one of the most dangerous weirs in Bohemia! When the fl ow is high it can be very diffi cult to stand on the bottom, and a dangerous cylinder forms. (Refreshments, shops.)
This small town situated where the Jizera and Elbe rivers meet has been settled for 5,000 years. The local spa was based on a powerful ferric water spring. As far as transport is concerned, this is the most convenient place to end your cruise, although you can continue to Brandýs nad Labem - Stará Boleslav. (Refreshments, shops.)
