Botanicus Medieval Village, Ostra
Guest Report by Ali
PLEASE NOTE: The Medieval Village is closed over Winter and re-opens on 1st May through till 30 September 2010. The Botanicus store at Ostra is still open every day from 10am till 4pm until 23 December, it will then re-open on 1st April.
Take a short drive out of Prague and transport your family back in time. Adults and kids can partake in making traditional crafts and goods in a recreated Medieval Village surrounded by large gardens growing organic plants and herbs.
If you are familiar with Czech Republic’s shopping scene then you’re probably aware of the locally owned Botanicus stores crammed full of organic, natural soaps and shampoos, body oils, candles, teas and dried herbs. Amazing for this day and age, Botanicus grow most of their own plants and herbs which make up their products.
It’s at Botanicus’ farm (approx. 30kms from Prague) where you can see the actual raw products being grown and most interestingly visit a recreated Medieval Village complete with craftspeople in traditional dress selling goods and demonstrating medieval trades such as candle, soap, paper, basket, pottery and rope making.
When you arrive at Botanicus you pay for your entrance and then exchange CZK for the village currency which enables you to pay for food and activities. We exchanged 1000CZK which was more then enough! There’s no time limit so you can always use your village currency at your next visit!
Our family had a fab time, as you can see the village is built to look authentic. My 4 year old son Dylan made soap, paper, rope and a candle which he was very proud of. The kids can also have a go at making a pottery bowl using a potter’s wheel.
Available to purchase are other soaps, honey and stones which you can have polished, mounted and put into a necklace or ring. The potter can also make you your own mug, bowl, candlestick or beer mug from pottery clay on the potter’s wheel. More recently there is the opportunity to buy organic herbs, fruit and vegetables straight from the farm.
Lunch is served in a big wooden dining hall; you take a plate (a slice of tree trunk!) and go to the front where they serve an arrangement of bbq meat, potatoes and other authentic food. In summer it may be advisable to take your own packed lunch as it can get busy which means a long queue and disappointment when you find there’s no chicken left!
Over the bridge and through the big wooden doors are the beautiful botanical gardens, plenty of room for you to have a picnic and room for the kids to run around. There are also goats, chickens and bee hives!
Botanicus Farm is open all year round and organises special events throughout the year including activities during the fast approaching Advent weekends.
OPEN: Every day except Mondays from 10am till 4pm or until 5pm in July and August
ADDRESS: Ostra 8, Lysa nad Labem
FURTHER INFORMATION: in Czech only http://www.botanicus.cz
DIRECTIONS: Take the E67 in the direction of Hradec Kralove. Take exit 18 (Bristvi) towards Lysa nad Labem. Turn right at road 331 to Ostra, Botanicus is on the left.
Sarah on 21 November 2009 @ 02:25 PM
We went to Botanicus Ostra today and it was CLOSED. It is closed from 26th Sep until next May, although the shop remains open until December.
Larissa on 22 November 2009 @ 09:51 PM
Sarah, I’m sorry to hear this, I hope the shop and the drive out there was ok. Botanicus did not have any information on opening hours when this story was put together so we were unaware of this. They have now revamped their website and sure enough they are closed for Winter until 1st May. I have now updated the article so that people aware. Thank you for letting us know about this!