Poděbrady
Poděbrady is a spa town in Nymburk District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.
It has about 15,000 inhabitants. The town is located on the Elbe River in the Central Elbe Table. It is known for its mineral spring called Poděbradka.
Getting to Poděbrady
Take a fast train (rychlík) from Prague (station Praha hl.n. or Praha-Vysočany) with destination Hradec Králové every hour during daytime. Travel time to Poděbrady is approx. 1 hour, basic fare 78 Kč single, 140 Kč return (March 2010).
Worth seeing
There is a large equestrian statue of King George in the town square, a medieval castle which now houses both a hotel school and the Charles University Czech for foreigners summer program, and the spa itself.
Things to do
"Take the waters" by bringing your own container to fill at one of the fountains around town. Becherovka gets its name from the mugs ("Becher", in German) traditionally used at these fountains, and for the most part, tastes much better than the mildly radioactive, heavy-mineral-content water! The water here is supposed to be good for heart conditions, hence the heart-shaped flowerbeds and statues.
- 01Libický
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.