St. Ludmila’s Trail

When you set out on the Trail of St. Ludmila, you will visit the places where the early medieval Czech state was founded more than a thousand years ago. The route begins in Mělník, where Ludmila is said to have come from.

You will see the Budeč hillfort, where the Přemyslids decided on the political organization of the country and where the young Prince Wenceslas was educated. Through Levý Hradec, Prague and Beroun you will reach Tetín, where the trail ends, symbolically at the place where St. Ludmila died. You will travel through the landscape where Czech history literally walked.

• Interesting fact: Princess Ludmila, the wife of the first known Přemyslid Bořivoj at the end of the 9th century, came from the Pšov tribe – she was probably the daughter of Prince Slavibor from the Pšov fort (today’s Mělník). After the marriage, she and her husband were baptised by St. Methodius and together they directed the development of Czech statehood towards European Christianity, written culture and a medieval state. After her husband’s death, she worked to maintain the power of the Přemyslids and also became the tutor of his grandson Wenceslas – a Czech prince and saint. Later, due to political and religious disagreements with her daughter-in-law Drahomíra, she left the princely court and settled in the Tetín hillfort near Beroun, where hired assassins strangled her. Princess Ludmila was canonized in the 12th century and became the first female patron saint of the Czech land. She is considered the protector of mothers and grandmothers, family, educators and teachers, as well as wine and winemakers.

The St. Ludmila Trail is 132 kilometres long and is divided into 11 stages. It is up to you whether you walk it in its entirety or choose only certain sections. In addition to the main route, you can also take side circuits, for example, the Prague Circuit will take you to the Basilica of St.  Ludmila in Prague 2.

• Tip for you: You can record your journey in the Credential using stamps at individual locations. You can get this small notebook, as well as a map of the entire route, for example at the Central Bohemia Information Centre on Husova Street in Prague or at the information centre at the Old Town Hall in Prague.

Overview of stages
stage

1. Stage: From Mělník to Lužec nad Vltavou, length 10.1 km.
2. Stage: From Lužec to Nelahozeves, length 13.5 km.
3. Stage: From Nelahozeves to Budeč, length 13.9 km.
4. Stage: From Budeč to Levý Hradec, length 15.8 km.
5. Stage: From Levý Hradec to Prague Castle, length 15.9 km.
6. Stage: From Prague Castle to Barrandov, length 11.4 km.
7. Stage: From Barrandov to Ořech, length 7.5 km.
8. Stage: From Ořech to Třebotov (via Choteč), length 8.7 km.
9. Stage: From Třebotov to Karlštejn, length 12.3 km.
10. Stage: From Karlštejn to Svatý Jan pod Skalou, length 11.4 km.
11. Stage: From Svatý Jan pod Skalou to Tetín, length 10.8 km.

You can download a map and detailed information about the St. Ludmila Trail on the website of the Svatá Ludmila association, which created the entire trail.