Melník

32km (20 miles) N of Prague

Bohemia isn't known as a winemaking region -- this is beer country. Except, that is, for the town of Melník, where the Vltava and Labe (Elbe) rivers meet. While it's not quite the Loire Valley, Melník has a decidedly French bent, as the vineyards are stocked with vines that originated in the Burgundy region.

Princess Ludmila began the tradition centuries before Bohemia passed through the hands of the Romans and eventually King Charles IV. The center of Melník winemaking is the Renaissance Lobkowicz Château, owned since 1739 by the family of the same name (except for a 40-year Communist-imposed interruption). The confluence of the rivers provides a stunning backdrop to the château, where another French pastime -- sitting on a terrace with a glass of Ludmila, Melník's finest, as the afternoon sun slowly fades -- can be an art.

If you get a chance to visit in mid-September, check out the harvest festival, Melnické Vinobraní, for the latest vintages. Even if wine isn't your cup of, well, wine, Melník's historic center is worth a look, with its Gothic church of St. Peter and St. Paul and its tower that provides a beautiful panorama of the area.

Getting There -- If you're driving from the north end of Prague, follow Highway 9, which leads straight into Melník. The trip takes 30 minutes.

Buses leave for Melník from Holesovice station in Prague every hour or so. The trip takes about 35 minutes and costs 40Kc ($1.90/95p).

Taking a boat to Melník is another option. This romantic and scenic tour on Vltava will take you to your destination in 6 hours (one-way); a round-trip ticket costs 490Kc ($23/£12) adults, 250Kc ($12/£5.95) students. More on www.paroplavba.cz.

Visitor Information -- The information center is at námestí Míru 11 (tel. 315-627-503; www.melnik.cz), and is open from May to September daily 9am to 5pm, October to April Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Touring the Chateau & Tasting the Wine

Melník's main attraction is the Renaissance Lobkowicz Château (tel. 315-622-108; www.lobkowicz-melnik.cz). The château is a mélange of styles, from its Renaissance balconies and sgrafitti (decoration made by cutting away parts of a surface layer -- like plaster or clay -- to expose a different-colored layer beneath) to its Gothic touches and baroque southern building. The tour showcases the Lobkowicz's fine taste; in the living quarters, you'll see a barrage of baroque furniture and 17th- and 18th-century paintings. A second tour lets you into the 13th-century wine cellar, where wine tastings regularly occur.

The château tour is 70Kc ($3.35/£1.65) for adults and 50Kc ($2.40/£1.20) for students, free for children under 6. The wine cellar tour is 25Kc ($1.20/60p), and wine tastings are 70Kc to 350Kc ($3.35-$17/£1.65-£8.35). The château is open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Where to Dine

Inside the château are two restaurants: a pricey wine bar (vinárna) and a more realistically priced restaurant, both with stunning views of the river. I prefer the ground-floor Zámecká Restaurace (tel. 315-622-108). The food in the vinárna isn't worth the extra money; buy an extra bottle of the house wine with the money you save. Main courses are 105Kc to 350Kc ($5-$17/£2.50-£8.35); credit cards are not accepted. The restaurant is open daily from 10am to 5pm.