If you combine the route from Poděbrady to Sadská with a section of the Lhotka cycle path and the bike trails along the Elbe, you’ll get a beautiful loop with minimal elevation gain. Add a swim or a few stops at playgrounds, and you’ve got the perfect family outing. The length of the route can be adjusted using the train (e.g., ending the trip in Nymburk).
From the train station in Poděbrady (parking available; nearby you'll find the castle and the Memorial of King George of Poděbrady), head through the spa park with its colonnade and fountains, then continue onto Lázeňská Street, which will bring you to Rieger Square. From there, turn left into Jiráskova Street, heading into the orchards. Take the first right (Rösslerova Street), cross the road, and pass by the church until you reach the lock chamber. Cross the Elbe and immediately turn right onto cycle route 0019, which runs along the river’s left bank. Ride under the bridge across from the castle, pass two river inlets, and shortly after leaving town, go under another bridge. Just after this bridge, turn left onto cycle route 0124.
Continue through the village of Chvalovice, carefully cross the main road, and keep following the route past a wooden bell tower. In Hořátev, near another bell tower, take a left turn onto route 0124 again. Ride between fields, passing the Výrovka spring. In Kostelní Lhota, turn right onto cycle path 8240, which leads comfortably to Sadská.
Continue along a local road to the Jezero sand quarry (swimming, grassy beaches), which you’ll circle on the right-hand side following route 8240. This will bring you to the Elbe River, where you’ll ride upstream on route 0019 to the village of Písty — from here, you can take a short detour via the red hiking trail to see the Písečný přesyp (a local sand dune). Continue on route 0019 to the railway bridge in Nymburk. Cross the river via the adjacent bridge and loop onto the Elbe Cycle Route (also routes 2 and EV4), staying on the right bank and heading upstream.
Ride past the town center (with the Church of St. Giles and brick city walls) and the historic hydroelectric plant (an architectural and technical landmark), and continue back toward Poděbrady. To skip the town center, you can turn off at Velké Zboží and follow route 8193 directly to the train station (as shown on the map). Otherwise, stay on the Elbe Cycle Route past the castle to the lock chamber and return to the station the same way you started.
Route map: https://mapy.cz/s/pebajocafu
