Craft Centre Botanicus

Can you imagine what life was like for our ancestors when traditional crafts were essential to everyday living? While their importance has waned in recent years, from April to October, you can step back into the medieval era—the golden age of crafts—at the Botanicus Centre of Crafts and Herb Gardens in Ostrá.

You can experience a wide range of activities, from printing and woodworking to gold panning, candle making, coin minting, basket weaving, archery, handmade paper crafting, rope making, herbal soap creation, wire working, leather crafting, gingerbread decorating, pottery, and puppet making.

• Interesting fact: In the entire area, payments are made with groschen. You can easily exchange your money at the entrance or at the local exchange during your visit.

Be sure to visit the adjacent herb gardens, featuring the Dagmar and Václav Havel Arboretum, which you can access from the medieval village via a charming covered wooden bridge. You can unwind in the Cloister Garden, Oriental Garden, Relaxation Garden, Vegetable Garden, and many others. Kids will enjoy the large maze and the friendly farm animals. The expansive gardens invite you to picnic, especially when in bloom—the scents and tranquility offer a true balm for the body and soul.

The herbs and flowers cultivated in the gardens are used to create Botanicus’s natural organic cosmetics, which are available in several European and Asian countries. You can also find teas, jams, and chutneys made from these garden products at the local shop.

• Tip for you: You can easily reach Ostrá by car from Nymburk along the scenic road by the Elbe River, which takes about ten minutes. It’s also accessible by train from Prague’s Masaryk Station or from Poděbrady and Kolín. From the Ostrá stop, it’s just a 15-minute walk to the Centre of Crafts. If you prefer cycling, Ostrá is conveniently located along three long-distance cycling routes: EuroVelo 4, Greenway Jizera, and Elbe cycle route. 

At the Botanicus Centre, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep you entertained all day long. No need to pack a snack—refuel at the on-site Hodovna, where you can pay with groschen. Treat yourself to dishes like Celtic pancakes, potato cakes, soups, pastries, and other traditional meals.

If you have some time to spare, take a short trip to nearby Kersko, a favorite spot of the writer Bohumil Hrabal. Located on the opposite bank of the Elbe, it’s just a 30-minute drive from Ostrá. You can visit the newly renovated Hrabal’s cottage, now a museum, by making a reservation in advance.

You can soak in the atmosphere of the movie The Snowdrop Festival at the iconic Hájenka Kersko nearby. Not only do they brew Postřižinské beer here (the very brewery where the famous writer grew up), but you also won’t have to face the eternal dilemma of choosing between boar with rose hip sauce or with sauerkraut. Simply order the Hájenka plate, which comes with half of each!

• Tip for you: After enjoying a delicious meal, head over to the nearby atelier Kuba, where you’ll find a ceramics workshop featuring an exhibition centered on The Snowdrop Festival. In the attic, there’s a shop offering ceramics and other handcrafted goods, and they regularly host themed sales exhibitions around Easter and Christmas. Be sure to check out Hrabal’s poetry machine in the garden, which features audio excerpts from his works.

What’s next?

Nearby, you can explore the open-air museum in Přerov nad Labem, one of the oldest regional museums in Europe. Alternatively, head to Mirakulum, the largest amusement park in the Czech Republic for families with children. With its slides, mazes, and interactive center featuring domestic and farm animals, it guarantees a day of fun!