Mrzínov is a small nature reserve near the village of Vysoká in the Mělník district, protecting a rare patch of forest-steppe landscape scattered with old fruit trees. It's a quiet, unassuming spot that rewards visitors with a surprising diversity of rare plants and butterflies.

The reserve covers a steep east-facing slope above a short valley, covered in dry, warmth-loving grasslands dotted with juniper bushes and remnants of an old orchard - plums, apricots, apples and pears. In summer the slope bursts into bloom with meadow sage, oregano, and other steppe wildflowers, while bees from nearby hives hum among the grasses. It's a peaceful place, framed by farmland and small forest fragments, offering a glimpse of a landscape that has largely vanished from the surrounding countryside.

How to get there

• From Lhotka u Mělníka train station - follow the local road branching onto cycle route 8169, easy walk of about 20-30 minutes

Practical information

• Protected area - picking plants or disturbing habitats of protected species is prohibited
• The site lies off the main hiking trails, with no marked educational path
• Best visited between June and August, when the cross gentian is in bloom

The reserve is home to the critically endangered Alcon blue butterfly, whose survival depends entirely on the cross gentian growing on these slopes - a small but fascinating story of nature's fragile balance, tucked away near the Lhotka reservoir.