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Disclaimer

If you want a day out in an awkward location, that puts together nature & hiking, history & architecture, food and in summer a swim too, then go to Bíliná kyselka.
I know you have never heard of this place, but I hope you won’t be disappointed.

Nature & hiking

At the foot of the western side of the České středohoří (the Central Bohemian Highlands) stands a 539m high rocky hill with a characteristic silhouette, Bořeň.

After crossing the main road via an underway passage, you start climbing the hill.
For the first section at the bottom of the hill the path is inside a forest, then it gets rockier and rockier as you reach the top – wear sturdy shoes!

The trail from Bíliná kyselka to the top is around 3.3km and it is marked in green.
You can also decide to start walking from Bíliná’s main square and end in Bíliná kyselka. Also this path is marked in green.

After the climb, you can sit down on the big stones and enjoy the panorama, have a picnic or simply rest. The 360° view from atop is very beautiful, especially on clear days.

In 1977 a small National Natural Reserve was created around Bořeň to help protecting and maintaining the area – so no fire and no camping is allowed.
Also, please, take the litter away with you, as there is no bar and no bin at the top.

Short history

From the end of the 19th century and during the 20th century Bíliná kyselka was a neo-Renaissance spa complex immersed in a beautiful park.
I used the past tense here, because in the 1990s the operation of the spa was discontinued.

Today all the buildings belonging to the old spa are still visible. Some have been restores, some others are waiting for better times.

The healing properties of the mineral water were already known during the previous centuries, and in fact bottling and shipping were already a steady business.
What gave the boost to the area were the professional publications of the geologist Frans Ambrosius Reuss and later of his son, August Emanuel Rudolph von Reuss, who was a professor of mineralogy at the universities of Prague and Vienna.

In their reports, the scientists wrote about the healing properties of the water, which was then used to treat respiratory diseases, rheumatism, kidney problems and disorders of the nervous system.

What to see in the area today

  • The building of the bottling plant (stáčírna), which still runs today. See the company website.
  • The spa main building (abandoned).
  • The monument to Reuss father and son.
  • The wooden gazebo behind the main building, together with a fountain and a permanently closed pavilion, that contains a mineral water spring in the inside.
  • The “Inhalatorium“, which is only partially open to the public and it features an interior fountain with mineral water. There is a faucet on the wall, where you can drink and taste the miraculous water from – use a glass from the dispenser that is usually onsite.
    The building also functions as a tiny tourist point: there are various leaflets about the spa and the town of Bíliná, and there is always someone looking after the spring.

By walking in the park around the spa, you reach the forest café “Kafáč“, built completely in wood and resembling a hunting lodge. Here you can get some food and refreshments.

Other activities

During the warmer season, the area gets more lively, with the swimming pool open, the adjacent camping area, beach volley fields, pétanque and tennis courts.
On the southern side of the spa complex there are a minigolf, some goats and a summer amphitheatre, that gets active with cultural events.
The popular restaurant “U Kádi” is at right at the corner and serves Czech classical dishes.

How to get there

You can reach Bíliná kyselka easily both by car or by train.
If you travel by car, remember that in season it can be hard to find a parking spot. The area is small and parking is limited.
If you opt for the train, then you will have to change either in Ústí nad Labem or in Bíliná main station and take a smaller train, that stops at the tiny places.

Did you enjoy the place, with the range of activities it offers? Let me know!