Cities
Gateways to Regions
New Edition 2019 Includes Maps
Guide
Praha 7 – Letnå
Czech cities have transformed over the last thirty years, and the innovative visions have became a reality. Experience this fascinating mix of tradition and modernity for yourself when you visit the Czech Republic.
Cities
Gateways to Regions
Travel to cities for exploration, fun and adventure, and even nightlife ............................................................................6–39 Praha "A never-ending happening"........................................................ 8 Brno "A Mecca of architecture and gastronomy. Young. Lively. Stylish.".................................................................................................. 12 Ostrava "Undiscovered raw beauty".................................................... 16 Kutná Hora "The Middle Ages in their purest form"............................ 20 Litomyšl "A magical spa of the spirit – rest for the soul"..................... 24 Olomouc "The religious capital of Moravia"........................................ 28 Karlovy Vary "Beneficial harmony for the body and soul".................. 32 Liberec "City surrounded by mountains"............................................. 36 Bicycle touring "Pleasant cycling" .....................................................40 Bečva Cycle Route “The queen of Moravian cycle paths”..................... 42 Central Bohemian Uplands “Travel through a country of extinct volcanoes on your bike”................................................................................ 46 South Bohemia “Active leisure by bicycle with excellent infrastructure”.............................................................................................. 50 The Crown Highlands (Vysočina) “Unspoiled scenic landscape”..... 54 Spas and wellness "Health and Relaxation" ...................................... 58 Janské Lázně “The only spa embraced by the Giant Mountains”.......... 60 Karlova Studánka “A mountain spa town with the cleanest air in the Czech Republic” .......................................................................... 62 Teplice “The oldest spa in Central Europe”.............................................. 64 Třeboň “Mud baths in a region with two kinds of sky”........................... 66 Velké Losiny “Thermal baths in a picturesque town”............................. 70 #VisitCzechRepublic 1
Brno, Náměstí Svobody (Svobody square)
2 Cities – Gateways to Regions
The guidebook you are now reading will lead you through
city gates to discover other regions with your family, partner, or friends.
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Dedicated to the cities and the Prague Art District, the opening section includes a wide range of adventures from historic and modern architectural sites through unusual expositions, amusement parks, events and festivals, attractive surroundings, regional gastronomy, to the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle of young and creative people in the Czech Republic.
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Take your bicycle beyond the city gates‌ The four regions will show you where to go to see interesting monuments, nature, water, taste regional food, and
where to have some adventure. For example, a trip to areas where the Iron Curtain once stood, or a walk in the footsteps of Forefather Czech. There are also places with very good infrastructure that will take good care of you, and from where you can set off on the international parts of the European cycling trails.
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Logically, the last chapter we offer focuses on relaxation in spas and medical tourism. There are five exceptional spas comprising the oldest in Central Europe, the one with the cleanest air, those featuring therapeutic sulphurous or peat mud spas, to a spa located in the highest Czech mountains. They all offer various tips for hiking, adventure and learning, either in the spas or in their surroundings, that await exploration after replenishing your strength. 3
Prague 8–11
Brno 12–15
Kutná Hora 20–23
Ostrava 16–19
Litomyšl 24–27
Olomouc 28–31
Liberec 36–39
Karlovy Vary 32–35
Bečva Cycle Route 42–45
South Bohemia 50–53
The Crown Highlands 54–57
Karlova Studánka 62–63
Třeboň 66–69
Central Bohemian Uplands 46–49
Janské Lázně 60–61
Teplice 64–65
Velké Losiny 70–71
Discover interesting Czech cities that have made many of their visions a reality in the past thirty years and have undergone a fundamental transformation. Heritage cities (Kutná Hora, Litomyšl, Olomouc) Visit cities with an old-world atmosphere in their squares, streets and alleys, abundant in historical and cultural sites, including those protected by UNESCO. You can look forward to authentic moments, intense impressions, unusual and often unspoiled places. Joyful cities (Liberec, Karlovy Vary) Take your family to cities that offer a multi-generational shared experience, varied activities, theme parks, attractive museums with interactive expositions. Happening cities (Brno, Ostrava, Art District Prague 7) If you are looking for a varied mix of social entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere, you will find cities where days and nights are filled with experiences and gumblings. Cities that are dynamically developing and that are young, creative and innovative. Discover original bars, novel interactive expositions, extreme impressions, alternative culture; explore cities that never sleep.
6 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Travel to cities for exploration, fun and adventure, and even nightlife
Ostrava – Dolní Vítkovice
7
Happening cities
Prague
A never-ending happening
8  Cities – Gateways to Regions
Airship Gulliver
DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Since time immemorial, Prague has been the biggest tourist magnet of the Czech Republic. Perhaps all of the architectural styles throughout history have left treasures of extraordinary beauty here. The ambience of the historic lanes, secluded areas around the Vltava River, as well as the wide city boulevards, is unique and can’t be found elsewhere. Prague even has its own bohemian quarter, ART DISTRICT 7,
dedicated to art and culture.
ART DISTRICT 7 – a diverse and pulsating area with galleries, museums, theatres, cafés, restaurants, music clubs, creative studios and hybrid cultural spaces that are interlinked – is just a few metro stations from the city centre. There’s a never-ending happening
that takes place here. The local atmosphere is most reminiscent of Berlin but the creativity that emerges from the streets and small squares is distinct and original. It wasn’t and isn’t important whether the culture that pulsates here originates from an independent art community or from official cultural institutions – only one law is in force here: show how you view the world and share it with others. Anyone can cooperate with anyone else here. After all – based on ratings by travel bloggers in The Independent in 2017, it’s the 15th best district in Europe. One of the natural centres is Veletržní palác (Trade Fair Palace), a gem of Czech functionalist architecture, which holds the National Gallery’s modern art collections. A unique collection of Czech and foreign modern and contemporary art, also 9
Happening cities
Vnitroblock
represented by the works of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, August Renoir, Vincent van Gogh and Gustav Klimt, is installed over an area of 13,500 square metres there. The DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, a multifunctional gallery, which in fact is a converted industrial building, or former factory, introduces another unique experience. Although it, again, displays contemporary art, both the selection of exhibitions and their installations are markedly different. It looks as if the forty-two metre long airship, named Gulliver, landed on the roof of the building. It’s actually a separate architectural element, which creatively complements the gallery with an unconventional space, in which live art and literature mingle.
10 Cities – Gateways to Regions
The Vnitroblock Centre is a very lively organism. It’s actually a street that has been adapted for cultural experiments. You can find an unusual café, the smallest cinema in Prague, a dance studio, theatre and cabaret areas, as well as an unconventional gallery there. Prague residents have long known that traders and stallholders are just one of the many elements of the Prague Market with theatres, clubs and alternative cultural spaces that has long became a natural community centre. Holešovice Port begins a few steps from there. It’s a remarkable place with an utterly unique atmosphere, where Art Nouveau buildings, old port docks, a former port with boats at anchor and modern housing developments blend with one another.
Prague
9
6
Vltava
1 2
Vnitroblock
3
4
Veletržní palác (Trade Fair Palace)
10
Mán e Bridgsův e Karlův Bridge
Vltava
v Štefániků Bridge
Malá Strana (Lesser Town)
hův Čecidge Br
Metronome
Hlávkův Bridge
National Technical Museum
Letná
Prague Castle
DOX
Art District 7
7 1
5
Holešovice
8
Prague Market
Staré Město (Old Town) Staroměstské Square
Bio Oko is a cinema that doesn’t leave cinematic art out of its programme. Its atmosphere is unconventional. The austerity and sort of depersonalised atmosphere of a cinema auditorium is substituted by diversity and informality. Do you feel like watching a film from a deckchair or a double armchair? In addition, classic screenings are combined with pop-up events during which, for example, culture is combined with gastronomy.
0
500
1 000 m
Experiences Letná Park has an original kinetic sculpture of a giant metronome, installed in 1991 on a slope above Čechův Bridge, where a monstrous Stalin memorial used to stand in the 1950s. It is a site where nature itself becomes a setting for cultural and community life. What’s more, it’s a place that offers one of the most beautiful views of Prague. www.prague.eu Art District 7: www.facebook.com/artdistrictpraha7 Trade Fair Palace: www.ngprague.cz Vnitroblock: vnitroblock.cz DOX Centre for Contemporary Art: www.dox.cz National Technical Museum: www.ntm.cz Academy of Arts: www.avu.cz Pragulic: www.pragulic.cz
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Happening cities
Brno
A Mecca of architecture and gastronomy. Young. Lively. Stylish.
12  Cities – Gateways to Regions
There’s apparently no other city in the Czech Republic that is developing as fast as Brno. The capital of Moravia has found a unique style in recent years; it’s a young and vibrant city that has a rhythm and incredible drive. The stories that you’ll experience here will be real. Authentic. Unforgettable. You can best familiarise yourselves with the city’s gastronomy offers by reading the Gourmet Brno independent guide. You’ll find top restaurants (for example, one of the best fusion establishments in the country), distinctive pubs, historic beer houses, fashionable bistros, trendy cafés, original pastry shops and, of course, many wine bars. In recent years, Brno has witnessed the rapid development of bars that are completely unique to one another and a becoming more and more popular every day. For instance, one of the bars is a mysterious gateway to the world of a psychedelic circus with innovative and original cocktails. While other bars mix premium cocktails with homemade ingredients, in another, you’ll relish originally blended drinks or, if you prefer, 250 kinds of rum and a Caribbean atmosphere. Brno bartenders and baristas are extremely top level. After all, many of them hold prestigious European awards. Brno is also a city of modern architecture. One of its latest
Era café
magnets is the Brno Quartet of Villas, which includes, in addition to the most famous Villa Tugendhat, the Villa Löw-Beer, Villa Stiassni and Jurkovič Villa. Villa Tugendhat is one of the most valuable functionalist gems on the planet, created by architect Mies van der Rohe and protected by UNESCO. The villa, which is said to be the most beautiful in the world, is a genial combination of purpose and ingenuity. The Villa LöwBeer is a perfect example of Art Nouveau aesthetics. Its interior houses an exhibition called The World of Brno Bourgeoisie Between Löw-Beer and Tugendhat. The third is the functionalist Villa Stiassni, built based on the design by architect Ernst Wiesner. 13
Happening cities
you’ll have a feeling that Toyen is drinking coffee at a nearby table.
Villa Tugendhat
The Jurkovič Villa completes the quartet. It was originally built by architect Dušan Jurkovič for himself. It bears all the features of his peculiar concept of the Art Nouveau style with folklore elements, and is as important to Art Nouveau architecture in Brno as Villa Tugendhat is to Brno’s functionalism… There are few places in the world with so many functionalist buildings in one location. The Brno Architectural Manual will guide you through 383 buildings by 211 architects! There are public buildings, churches, villas, cafés and even trade-fair exhibitions grounds – which makes for an extraordinary experience. For example, a visit to functionalist cafés, where the spirit of the 1930s is perfectly preserved in architecturally exquisite interiors, is exceptional – 14 Cities – Gateways to Regions
A Tip for a Trip In addition, Brno is an ideal starting point for trips to UNESCO heritage sites – there are no less than seven sites in the surrounding areas. Starting with Villa Tugendhat via the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, Třebíč with its Jewish quarter and St Procopius Basilica, the Plague Column in Olomouc, the gardens and castle in Kroměříž, the Church of St John of Nepomuk in Žďár nad Sázavou, and ending with the historic centre of Telč. Trips to the Moravian Karst caves and abysses, the famous Napoleon battlefield near Slavkov, the fairy tale Pernštejn Castle, the Renaissance chateau in Bučovice or the Rosa Coeli monastery in Dolní Kounice are enthralling as well. What’s more, a trip to the Pálava Vineyard with the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, along a network of cycle paths and hiking trails, through Baroque wine cellars and a protected landscape area is a wonderful journey into another world.
Experiences Those who want to experience the typical and authentic, relaxed atmosphere of Brno’s centre must visit St James’ Square (Jakubské náměstí). The remarkable Church of St James takes almost all of its entire area up, and most afternoon and evening visitors are interested in the events that take place around it. There is an unofficial chillout zone, with a cosmopolitan and pulsating atmosphere, and an array of pubs, restaurants, café and bars there. Most of the square is literally overfilled with people from all over the world lounging around, and still everybody understands each other in this Babylon. It’s because of the laidback or leisurely atmosphere.
Žďár nad Sázavou
Brno
Třebíč
Telč
Dolní Kounice
Bučovice Slavkov u Brna
Pálava Lednickovaltický areál
20 km UNESCO
2:25 Praha
Brno
208 km
2:00
Brno
2:30
400 m
www.gotobrno.cz ticbrno.cz Brno Architecture Manual: www.bam.brno.cz Villa Tugendhat: www.tugendhat.eu Špilberk Castle: www.spilberk.cz Veveří Castle: www.hrad-veveri.cz Brno´s Underground: ticbrno.cz/cs/podzemi Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape: www.unesco-czech.cz/lednicko-valticky-areal Moravian Karst: www.moravskykras.net Pernštejn Castle: www.hrad-pernstejn.eu Bučovice Castle: www.zamek-bucovice.cz Gourmet Brno: www.gotobrno.cz/en/taste-brno/
Olomouc Pernštejn Moravian karst Kroměříž
KRÁLOVO POLE
42
PONAVA
42 E461
Villa Tugendhat
ŽABOVŘESKY Jurkovič Villa
STRÁNICE
Villa Löw-Beer
VEVEŘÍ
ZÁBRDOVICE BRNO-STŘED Jakubské náměstí
Villa Stiassni
STARÉ BRNO
Špilberk 0,7 km 15 min
TRNITÁ
42
a atk Svr
ŠTÝŘICE
1,5 km 25 min
Happening cities
Ostrava
Undiscovered raw beauty
Dolní Vítkovice
16 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Ostrava, a remarkable and enthralling open-air gallery, is a city encourages you to discover it. At the same time, it’s a city full of surprises and unexpected experiences. Beauty takes many forms, including those that are raw and unromantic. Nevertheless, it isn’t any open-air technical museum because Ostrava lives and pulsates. And its surroundings are simply beautiful. In Ostrava, visitors can see the highest concentration of technical heritage sites in the Czech Republic. The local technical monuments are even of paramount importance throughout all of Europe. Let’s start in Lower (Dolní) Vítkovice, one of the most visited tourist destination in Czechia and, except for Prague, the most attractive one. Why? Because it’s the largest freely accessible industrial complex in our country, where you can get to know, in detail, the whole technological process of producing raw iron through a guided tour. The astonishing Bolt Tower, the highest construction in the city, is nearly 80 metres high and offers an absolute rarity besides the architectural spectacle – in the experiential café at the very top of a blast furnace, you can savour coffee like nowhere else. In the Michal Mine, you can follow the tracks of miners on their daily shifts.
A visit to Landek Park, combines the national, natural monument, Landek Hill, and a unique geological section with 250 million year old coal layers protruding to the surface, and an exposition of a black-coal mine in which you can really go down the shaft deep underground in an original mine cage. Here you’ll experience the life of a miner, starting in the historic chain dressing rooms to a journey to distant mine workplaces in original carts drawn by a mine locomotive. The most prominent phenomenon of Ostrava nightlife is its legendary Stodolní Street, which is absolutely unique to the Czech Republic. You can find an entangled network of ten dance clubs, six music venues and thirteen pubs and restaurants on every single street! Entertainment is in full swing here all night long and you’d better not expect it to be quiet.
A Tip for a Trip Even though Ostrava represents the former steel heart of the republic and a city brimming with technical rarities and unparalleled monuments, it literally lies in a paradisiacal garden, in an undulating landscape interwoven by rivers, at the edge of the Moravian Gate, and at the foot of the idyllic Beskydy Mountain Range. The Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mountains are formed by nature but also by humans. In no 17
Travel to cities Happening cities for Entertainment and Nightlife
Colours of Ostrava
other ranges around the Czech Republic have people influenced the character of the mountains so long ago and so significantly. They are cultural mountains, full of clearings, hamlets, solitary houses and lovely wooden houses, shepherd’s huts, groves, solitary trees, avenues, as well as distinctive towns in the arms of mountains. Lysá Hora is their queen. It’s the highest peak that is reachable from many directions all year round, welcoming hikers, cyclists, nature lovers and skiers. The heart of the mountains is at Pustevny, which was given an unmistakable character by architect Dušan Jurkovič by creating his group of tourist lodging houses. Their string 18 Cities – Gateways to Regions
of mountains is at Hukvaldy, where distinctive music by Leoš Janáček, to this day, still resonates around one of the most extensive castles in our country. By contrast, in the foothills of the Jeseník Mountains, you can go for a very romantic ride through a charming landscape in an excursion coach drawn by a steam locomotive along the Třemešná–Osoblaha NarrowGauge Railway Line. The Tatra Kopřivnice Technical Museum, with the most comprehensive collection of cars and trucks of this world-famous brand, is in the nearby town of Kopřivnice. But that’s by far not all – Hradec nad Moravicí is embellished by
a beautiful chateau complex in an Empire and Neo-Gothic style, with the famous White Tower (Bílá věž), where Beethoven’s Hradec music festival is held periodically. Another wellknown tower – the legendary “Trúba” – rises high above Štramberk, while Nový Jičín, with its remarkable urban conservation area in the spirit of Renaissance and Baroque, is still a bit undiscovered. The Raduň Chateau in the Empire style is surrounded by a vast forest park, whereas the picturesque small historic town of Příbor cherishes the native house of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. Experiences Ostrava is a city devoted to music, not only in clubs, though. Two biggest music festivals in Czechia take place here, the Colours of Ostrava and Beats for Love, to which visitors from all around Europe come. The first of them is a multi-genre festival and, besides concerts, it also includes films, theatrical performances and workshops, whereas, the latter is dedicated to electronic dance music. What’s more, you’ll experience both festivals in the attractive industrial setting of the Lower Vítkovice technical heritage site, which guarantees a unique ambience.
www.visitostrava.eu Area Dolní Vítkovice and Landek: www.dolnivitkovice.cz Michal Mine: www.dul-michal.cz Technotrasa: www.technotrasa.cz Stodolni: www.stodolni.cz Technical Museum Tatra: www.tatramuseum.cz Gallery of Fine Arts: www.gvuo.cz Hukvaldy Castle: www.hradhukvaldy.eu Hradec nad Moravicí Chateau: www.zamek-hradec.cz Birth house of Sigmund Freud: www.freudmuseum.cz Raduň Chateau: www.zamek-radun.cz
Praha
3:01 2:20
Ostrava
3:30 1:40
375 km 169 km Brno
5:15 ×
20 km Opava Raduň Hradec nad Moravicí Ostrava Příbor
Hukvaldy
Kopřivnice Nový Jičín Štramberk Lysá hora Pustevny
Heritage cities The Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist
Kutná Hora The Middle Ages in their purest form
20 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Kutná Hora, a beautiful town with a medieval spirit and more than seven centuries of silver mining history, is located around one hour (a convenient drive) from Prague. It’s a historic gem almost literally brimming over with historic sights and remarkable edifices. There are imposing town houses and palaces, Gothic cathedrals and charming narrow lanes that have retained their medieval character to this day. UNESCO decided to include the medieval character of the historic heart of Kutná Hora on its World Heritage List as well as two cathedrals of extraordinary value. One of them is the St Barbara Church, a five-naved cathedral, a pearl of Late Gothic architecture with world significance. When you stand in front of it, try to imagine the fact that the original plans were by far bolder; the cathedral should have been double the size! The most famous architects of the time, including Benedikt Rejt and Petr Parléř, took part in its construction. Where, exactly, did the need of Kutná Hora’s townspeople for the biggest and most richly decorated cathedral possible originate? They wanted to surpass the beauty and dominance of another cathedral that was already standing within view. This particular cathedral was in Sedlec, which nowadays forms a municipal district of Kutná Hora.
St Barbara Church
Monumental ruins of the oldest cathedral in Central Europe, burnt down by the Hussites stood there in the Baroque period. However, an up and coming genius, Jan Blažej Santini, was then called upon and he built on the ruins to create one of the most impressive cathedrals in Europe in a style that he formulated himself: Baroque Gothic. His filigree spiral staircases and cobweb vault will keep any beauty lover dazzled. The Italian Court (Vlašský dvůr), a Gothic castle rebuilt in Renaissance style was founded by King Wenceslas II circa 1300 as a royal palace with a mint. It is another pearl of the town. The king invited minters and coiners from Florence to Kutná Hora – and it’s for these visitors that this national cultural monument of panEuropean significance is named. Today, you can walk through the 21
Heritage cities
stone fountain… However, the Middle Ages are adapted here to contemporary seekers of beauty; the town is full of various exhibitions, including the Tobacco Museum and the Chocolate Museum and contains monastic wine cellars where you can not only have a look but also sample the wares.
Italian Court
royal chambers and view a minting exhibition there. The urban conservation area in Kutná Hora boasts a number of well-preserved medieval town houses. One of the most valuable is Dačický House, which you can view literally from cellar to roof. In addition, it houses an interactive exhibition on Kutná Hora and UNESCO. The patrician Hrádek palace with an exhibition of the Czech Museum of Silver and Medieval Mine is utterly unique, too. There are few towns in the world that offer walks through places that so strongly exude the spirit of the Middle Ages. Tortuous and narrow lanes – for instance, the most famous, Ruthardská, running along the erstwhile town walls – churches, the beautiful Corpus Christi Chapel, a very precious Gothic dodecagonal 22 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Experiences There’s another place right opposite Santini’s cathedral that attracts curious people from all around the world – an ossuary beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints. It was Santini himself who began to design it. However, his idea was only implemented in the 19th century as it was then that master builder František Rint literally conjured up a chandelier, monstrances, candlesticks, vases and coats of arms out of the bones of victims of the plague and Hussite wars, and using these bones and skulls he created entire walls as well. In this way, one of the most impressive ossuaries in Europe was built. A Tip for a Trip The environs of the town offer a broad range of attractive destinations. First of all, there are several remarkable chateaux. The chateau in Kačina, where in addition to going on tours you can view the exhibitions of the Czech Countryside Museum, is an
extraordinarily pure example of Empire architecture. In turn, Kácov offers you a meeting with Baroque architecture. The rustic chateau in Třebešice, built in Renaissance style is small yet lovely and, finally, the chateau in Žleby surrounded by a picturesque park is genuinely romantic. And it isn’t only the chateaux that are worth visiting – in Kladruby nad Labem, for example, you can visit one of the oldest stud farms in the world, where rare Old Kladruber horses, the oldest Czech breed (which arose in the Baroque period), are bred. In Tasice, you can enjoy an experience that you won’t easily have anywhere else, in a glassmaking open-air museum and glassworks – the oldest surviving glassmaking facility in Central Europe.
Žleby Chateau
www.nhkladruby.cz Glasswork Tasice: www.sklarnatasice.cz
1:00 2:40
Kutná Praha Hora 86 km 153 km
1:15 1:50 1:40 ×
Brno
destinace.kutnahora.cz/d
Ossuary
Kutná Hora
1,2 km 18 min
Palackého náměstí
čířs
ká
2
Vr ch lic e
Ma
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va
500 m
Hrn
St. Barbara’s Church: www.kutnahora.cz Church of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist: www.ossuary.eu Italian Court: www.vlassky-dvur.cz Czech Museum of Silver: www.cms-kh.cz House of Dačický: www.dacickehodum.cz GASK – Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region: www.gask.cz Kácov Chateau: www.zamek-kacov.cz Kačina Chateau: www.nzm.cz Žleby Chateau: www.zamek-zleby.cz Třebešice Chateau: www.trebesice.com National Stud at Kladruby nad Labem:
St Barbara 126
Sedlec
Assumption of Our Lady
Heritage cities
Litomyšl
A magical spa of the spirit – rest for the soul
24 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Litomyšl Chateau
Litomyšl has a remarkable charm. Its soothing and curative atmosphere makes anyone slow down, calm down. The soul will relax and cheer up here – maybe that’s why the town is referred to as a spa that heals the soul. The square is so beautiful that it almost makes one’s heart stop. And the local castle? A gem protected by UNESCO. And it is as if music constantly resonates here.
beauty. Based on an Italian model, it’s encircled on three sides by lofty and slender arcades. It looks as if sunny Italy had come to life north of the Alps. Enchanted visitors can view both the representative and the guest rooms, the castle chapel as well as an utterly unique Baroque theatre with surviving and functional equipment and with a globally unique item – a collection of beautifully preserved scenes and stage sets that are in use to this day!
Litomyšl is, simply, graceful. Its most prominent landmark is the chateau-type castle – a glittering pearl, a national cultural monument protected by UNESCO and one of the most notable Renaissance monuments in the Czech Republic. The facades of the castle buildings are adorned by more than eight thousand sgraffito “letters” and the inner courtyard will take your breath away with its filigree perfection and
However, the castle grounds as a whole hide many more treasures – a baroque Riding Hall that serves as a gallery; a one-time Carriage Shed (Kočárovna), which today houses a modern café; the Empire style Panský dům; the Renaissance Castle Brewery rebuilt in Baroque style, where composer Bedřich Smetana was born in 1824, in whose name one of the most significant European opera festivals is held 25
Heritage cities
Baroque theatre Litomyšl
every year in Litomyšl; a Baroque Piarist College with the Temple of the Discovery of the Holy Cross built by Giovanni Battista Alliprandi. A tour of the spacious underground of the castle and adjacent buildings is unforgettable as well. High ceilings with a brick vault, mysterious nooks, all provide an unrepeatable atmosphere and an extraordinary experience. The castle grounds are linked to the monastery gardens, which were used in the past by the Piarists as a place for growing fruits and vegetables. Today, they serve as a popular promenade and a fountain murmurs in the centre, accompanied by music and by a group of five remarkable statues by Olbram Zoubek. A square tends to be the heart of a town. The one in Litomyšl is an exceptionally beautiful, valuable 26 Cities – Gateways to Regions
as well as long – it is nearly half a kilometre in length. This square, Smetana Square is lined by town houses of great value with Baroque, Classicist and Empire facades and charming arcades. The square is dominated by the Gothic building of the townhall with an astronomical clock (dating from 1907) in Art Nouveau style by clockmaker Karel Adamec of Čáslav. A Baroque plague column designed by the builder of the Piarist temple, Alliprandi, is splendid as well.
Experiences The Portmoneum – Josef Váchal Museum offers an entirely exceptional experience on the entire European continent. Váchal, an absolute maverick, painter, graphic artist and philosopher, decorated the ceilings and walls of the house of his friend Portman with paintings in the 1920s and designed the furniture there. Walls decorated with fantastic figures of devils, imps and ghosts in deep colours with typical Christian motifs and references to Far East theological teaching on the other side, all show the fascinating image of Váchal’s personality, which is unparalleled in history. Tips for Trips The environs of Litomyšl are picturesque and hide a great many attractive destinations. For example, hardly anybody would expect a Czech version of Versailles there, yet Nové Hrady
Chateau resembles it strongly. One of the few Rococo building monuments in the Czech lands, it is extremely attractive and photogenic, and the ornamental grounds and Rococo garden that will enthral you with the symmetry and ornamentation of its vegetable decorations are unique as well. The knoll behind the chateau is covered with an English landscape park with Stations of the Cross leading to the ruins of Boží Dům Castle.
www.litomysl.cz Litomyšl Chateau: www.zamek-litomysl.cz Church of Discovery of the Holy Cross: zamecke-navrsi.cz Portmoneum – the Museum of Josef Váchal: www.rml.cz/en/portmoneum.html Košumberk Castle: www.kosumberk.cz Nové Hrady Chateau: www.nove-hrady.cz Svojanov Castle: www.svojanov.cz Spa of the Spirit: www.lazneducha.cz
Litomyšl Praha 172 km 90 km
2:00 1:30 × 1:50
Brno
Litomyšl 200 m
Ha
vlíč
kov a
Za h
ájsk
á
Chateau 1,4 km 24 min Portmoneum
Kpt.
m. ná vo no eta Sm oše
Jar
čná Lou
When wandering through the environs of Litomyšl, a visit to the Toulovcovy maštale natural reserve with a hidden sandstone rock town interwoven with corridors, caves and holes, towers and picturesque rock formations is definitely a great idea. A trip to the picturesque ruins of Košumberk Castle, which provide astonishing views, a well-preserved burgrave’s seat offering an exhibition on the history of the castle and a lapidarium is very romantic, too. Svojanov Castle, one of the oldest royal castles in our country, is easy to reach as well. The harmonic complex unites Gothic and Empire styles and offers a very interesting exhibition, including a trip to an underground torture chamber and into a unique armour-bearers’ house. Růžový palouček is a reverential place associated with the troubled history of Czech evangelicals
who were forced to flee into exile; this is where they said goodbye to their homeland.
Lidická
Moravská
Heritage cities
Olomouc
The religious capital of Moravia
St . Wenceslas Cathedral
28 Cities – Gateways to Regions
A beautiful city almost literally overflowing with amazing monuments, especially churches – that’s Olomouc. The past has left gems virtually everywhere in the city. After all, it was the medieval centre of Moravia and the third biggest city of the Czech Crown. It was here that Czech participation in the UNESCO World Heritage List started. If the number of churches and chapels were converted into the number of inhabitants, Olomouc would be one of the leading cities in Europe – and still you can view its sights in peace and won’t be immersed in crowds of tourists. Even the prestigious Lonely Planet guide has placed Olomouc on its list of the most beautiful less known European destinations. The first ever Czech heritage site included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – the fascinating Holy Trinity Column in Baroque style – is the imaginary lighthouse of the sacral gems in Olomouc. It is 35 metres high and is the largest sculptural group in the entire Czech Republic. It also incorporates a small chapel with six small windows. If you want to walk through Olomouc based on the significance of its historic church buildings, you should start at the Archbishop’s Palace, one of the most precious Baroque edifices in the Czech Republic. It’s the official seat of the
Holy Trinity Plague Column
Olomouc archbishops, the place where Franz Joseph I acceded to the imperial throne. The large construction is composed of seven two-storey wings that encircle two inner courtyards, and the interior bears all the signs of a representative palace, starting with a monumental staircase up to the well-preserved original Baroque stucco ornaments. The Archdiocesan Museum is next in the order of significance. It’s the first museum in the Czech Republic focusing on ecclesiastical culture. The Romanesque palace of the Moravian bishops near the St Wenceslas Cathedral at Olomouc’s Přemyslid Castle and a part of the former castle have become a part of it. Here, you’ll be intrigued by exceptionally attractive and rare exhibits from religious history – books, coins, paintings, ritual tools and vessels, jewels and 29
Heritage cities
unique as well. Also, Hradisko is a Baroque gem and the first ever independent monastery in Moravia. Olomouc is also a city with thriving gastronomy. It’s no wonder, as it is home to the famous Olomoucké tvarůžky, a delicious ripened cheese, which can be best sampled in some of the Olomouc craft breweries.
Svatý Kopeček
reliquaries, and even an exquisitely decorated bishop’s carriage from the 18th century. In Olomouc you’ll get the feeling very quickly that there are churches or chapels virtually everywhere you go, in every other street. In the Gothic Cathedral of St Maurice, you’ll be astonished by the sound of the largest organ in Central Europe. St Wenceslas’ Cathedral is also in Gothic style and has a two-tower front and the second highest church tower in the Czech Republic. St Michael’s Church is an example of Baroque opulence with rich sculptural and painting decorations. An ensemble of six Baroque fountains in various places of the city, which are truly brilliant works of art, is 30 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Experiences When we speak of the religious capital, we have to add this site immediately: Svatý Kopeček, for the Baroque pilgrimage Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary at Svatý Kopeček high above the city is one of the most sacred places throughout the country. It’s a cathedral which was promoted by Pope John Paul II to a minor basilica. In fact, it’s a tabernacle for the relief of the Virgin Mary of Svatý Kopeček surrounded by many legends, to which many miracles have been attributed. It’s a masterpiece of Moravian Baroque architecture, a church with a two-tower front with side wings, a parapet with sculptures, cloister and chapel based on the design by Giovanni Pietro Tencalla. However, the fact that it’s an entirely live place of pilgrimage, not only a reminder of bygone times, is of the same value as the grounds themselves.
tourism.olomouc.eu Archbishop’s Palace: www.arcibiskupskypalac.cz Archdiocesan Museum: www.muo.cz St. Wenceslas Cathedral: www.katedralaolomouc.cz St. Michael’s Church: www.svatymichal.cz/cs Svatý Kopeček: www.svatykopecek.cz ZOO garden: www.zoo-olomouc.cz Velké Losiny Chateau: www.zamek-velkelosiny.cz Plumlov Chateau: www.plumlov-zamek.cz Museum of historical carriages: www.historickekocary.cz 2:08 1:34
Praha 285 km Olomouc 80 km
2:45 0:55 4:00 1:05
Brno
10 km 35 min
Svatý Kopeček
Olomouc 500 m
Mo ra va
Holy Trinity Plague Column
Horní náměstí
3,6 km 58 min
Masa
Bystřice
r ykov
a tř.
2,7 km 12 min
á Tov
M or av a
A Tip for a Trip When you plan to make trips to the city’s environs, you should definitely include the Renaissance chateau in Velké Losiny with its amazing knights’ hall, which is located in a place that is historically connected with notorious witch trials. There’s an utterly exceptional Museum of Paper near the chateau as well. A trip to the Javoříčko Caves, which boast the richest dripstone decoration in the Czech Republic, is really lovely, as well. The Baroque chateau in Plumlov, rising above the level of a dam is spectacular; the Baroque chateau in Náměšť na Hané, with an amazing exhibition of carriages of Olomouc bishops is surrounded by a park, and the exposition in the hunting and forestry museum in the chateau in Úsov is notable as well. It is good to visit the Hanakian Open-Air Museum in Příkazy with an original Hanakian pub to learn about folk architecture. A magical experience is waiting for visitors to Dlouhé Stráně: the lake of a pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant, one of the wonders of the Czech Republic, shines here at the very top of a hill.
rní
Joyful cities
Karlovy Vary
Beneficial harmony for the body and soul
32  Cities – Gateways to Regions
Sadová Colonnade
A town hidden in the lovely valleys of the Teplá and Ohře rivers. This town looks like a dream, an idyll, the essence of peace. The harmony between the environment and the natural healing springs of the most famous Czech spa town is beneficial not only to the body but also to the soul. It’s a place for strolls along decorative colonnades and on paths in the pristine landscape nearby, a town that is made for family trips. Karlovy Vary provides enough entertainment for everyone. The Fabrik Tour – an experiential tour through three worldrenowned production plants along the Moser-Becher-Thun route – is an increasingly popular attraction year after year. In the Moser glassworks, the tour
weaves its way through the Glass Museum and through the brand’s famous glassmaking workshops; you can experience the process of glassmaking here. The Jan Becher Museum will give you some details about the secret of production of the ‘thirteenth spring’, the worldfamous Becherovka liqueur, as well as an up-close look into the lofty Becher Villa, which hosts exhibitions in the Gallery of Arts. In the Thun 1794 porcelain factory you can go on a tour through the modern facility of the Czech Republic’s biggest porcelain producer, and in Thun Studio 1901 you can go through a prestigious development laboratory with demonstrations of this fine craft. The town’s surroundings offer unexpected natural gems. The popular stone Diana Lookout 33
Joyful cities
Loket
Tower offers an uninterrupted view of the forested hills that rise around the town, and you can also glimpse the town’s oldest observation point, Jelení skok, with its statue of a chamois and hidden wooden gazebo. Whether on foot, on a bike, or in a boat you can set out on a trip to the granite formation of the Svatoš Rocks. It’s here that the Ohře becomes a real paradise for paddlers. The Soos National Nature Reserve, a vast peat bog and moorland situated at the bottom of a dried lake bed, is absolutely sensational. In addition, the Kladské rašeliny educational trail near Kladská will take you to both peat lakes and the House of Nature of the Slavkov Forest, which hosts an exhibition on natural and cultural places of interest and valuable aspects of the Slavkov Forest Protected Landscape Area. 34 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Experiences Those who want to experience a Karlovy Vary full of film lovers from around the world must not miss out on the town’s most famous event. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, held each year at the end of June and the beginning of July, is where you’ll have the chance to run into the biggest celebrities of world film and take in hundreds of screenings of films that create a stir in world cinema. Sport lovers, especially golfers will find a paradise here as well. The fact that Karlovy Vary is a spa of international significance is known to everyone in the Czech Republic. Yet hardly anyone knows that the number of local healing springs is unique given the size of the territory. Simply put, you won’t find such a high concentration
3:13 ×
127 km
Praha Karlovy Brno Vary 336 km
1:50 3:30 2:15 ×
Karlovy Vary
500 m
zn
á
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Be
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A Tip for a Trip The Karlovy Vary vicinity is also rich in historic places: the massive medieval royal castle in Loket nad Ohří, the restored Teplá Monastery and the earlyBaroque former monastery Posvátný okrsek in Ostrov, the majestic castle and chateau in Bečov nad Teplou with the unique St Maurus reliquary, the Kynžvart Chateau formerly owned by the Metternich family, a Baroque gem of the Valeč Chateau, or the picturesque ruins of the Gothic Andělská hora Castle.
www.karlovyvary.cz Karlovy Vary Region: www.zivykraj.cz/en/ Karlovy Vary Museum: kvmuz.cz Jan Becher Museum: becherplatz.cz/cs/muzeum Museum Moser: www.moser-glass.com The Slavkovsky les House of Nature: www.dumprirody.cz/en/the-slavkovskyles-house-of-nature/ Teplá Monastery: www.klastertepla.cz Bečov nad Teplou Chateau: www.zamek-becov.cz Castle Loket: www.hradloket.cz Kynžvart Chateau: www.zamek-kynzvart.eu Valeč Chateau: www.zamek-valec.cz
Vít ě
of curative mineral hot springs anywhere else on the planet. No fewer than fifteen of them have been developed as sources of drinking cures and other spa treatments. A spa goes hand in hand with colonnades, and Karlovy Vary has seven, the largest and best-known of which is the Mill Colonnade, a hall of columns embellished with twelve statues, below which six healing springs issue. It was not long ago that the Hot Spring Colonnade in the middle of the spa zone covered the Karlovy Vary Hot Spring geyser. Today, following the renovation of the colonnade, the geyser now erupts in the open air. The carved wooden Market Colonnade, built based on a Swiss model, is perhaps the most picturesque, and the cast-iron and decorative Park Colonnade shelters the frequented Snake Spring.
z ru
č ov
a 1,5 km 4 min Mill Colonnade
1,4 km 23 min
Jelení skok plá Te
Diana Lookout
Joyful cities
Liberec
Ještěd
Transmitter and Hotel Ještěd © Karel Hubáček – heirs 1963
City surrounded by mountains
36 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Liberec, sheltered by the Jizera Mountains on one
side and by the Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge on the other, is a city with remarkable architectural gems. The typical attribute of Liberec is Ještěd Mountain, crowned by one of the most beautiful modern constructions in our country, and traces of glass beauty are scattered everywhere in the surroundings. The mountain hotel on the very peak of Ještěd Mountain, the inseparable landmark of Liberec, is the best Czech construction of the 20th century. Karel Hubáček was the only Czech architect to be awarded the prestigious Perret Prize by the International Union of Architects for his design of a unique construction work from the mid1960s. In this way, Liberec joined those cities that are unmistakeable when viewed from a great distance. The forested Ještěd Natural Park extends around it, offering countless options for various activities. In addition to hikers who make use of the dense network of marked trails, cyclists head here, first because of the varied and well-marked cycle paths, which are easily accessible courtesy of the cable car and, second, to enjoy some of the downhill tracks of the local bike park. They can make use of downhill scooters and an Indian archery shooting range – there really are a lot of possibilities here. In winter, several ski areas offer their services for both downhill and
cross-country skiing. What’s more, cross-country skiers have another option to make use of the modern complex in nearby Vesec. Liberec is generally a city dedicated to actively spending leisure time and entertainment. Several amusement centres that are incomparable anywhere else in the Czech Republic are based here, for example, iQLANDIA, a super modern science centre with a Planetarium, ten originally conceived exhibitions on six storeys and hundreds of interactive exhibits, providing entertainment literally from cellar to roof. The Babylon Centre, the biggest indoor entertainment, social and hotel complex in the Czech Republic with the Luna park; 4D cinema; the Labyrint, which is the largest mirror maze in Europe; the iQPark and the Aquapark is extraordinary as well. At the Liberec Zoo you’ll find several real rarities, the greatest of which is the longterm successful breeding of white tigers (by the way, Liberec Zoo is the only zoo in Europe that breeds them). However, you’ll also admire the unique and very large collection of birds of prey there. Situated in the close vicinity of the zoo is a botanical garden, the oldest in the Czech Republic, which cares for the most diverse groups of exotic plants in our country. The magnificent Jizera Mountains with their vast plains, sapphire streams and ridges and 37
Joyful cities
City Hall
peaks crowned by no less than sixteen lookout towers are the green ‘lungs’ of Liberec. They have been a well-known and sought-after paradise for hikers, cyclists and skiers for a long time as these sport lovers are tempted to take a journey along dozens of kilometres of snow trails. After all, it was here that the most famous cross-country skiing race in our country, Jizerská 50, was born and is held to this day.
A Tip for a Trip The environs of Liberec also offer sites that are unusual in the region, such as the Bozkov Dolomite Caves with rich dripstone decoration. These are the only caves in the north of Bohemia accessible to the public. In addition to the truly extraordinarily beautiful dripstones, they also boast the largest underground lake in Bohemia, a cascade 38 Cities – Gateways to Regions
of small greenish lakes and the huge Cave Dome. For their uniqueness, these caves have been declared a national natural heritage site. In addition to caves, you can also find Lemberk Castle and the Basilica Minor of St Lawrence and St Zdislava in the vicinity of the town, where Zdislava of Lemberk, beatified in 1955, is buried. The massive complex of the Frýdlant medieval castle and Renaissance chateau towers on a rock above the Smědá River. In addition, Sychrov Castle in neo-Gothic style evokes a film fairy tale. Lázně Libverda, with its impressive Classicist and Empire style colonnade and imposing pavilions is picturesque and poetic as well. Liberec is also the imaginary centre of the unique project called Křišťálové údolí (Crystal
www.visitliberec.eu
iQLANDIA
Experiences The oldest operational Czech aerial cableway (dating from 1933) with a cabin for 35 passengers leads to the typical cone atop Ještěd.
Liberec region: www.liberecky-kraj.cz/en/ Regional Gallery: www.ogl.cz Ještěd: www.visitliberec.eu/en/vse-oliberci/horsky-hotel-jested-stavba-stoleti/ Ferdinand Porsche´s birth house: museum.skoda-auto.cz/porsche-house Lemberk Chateau: www.zamek-lemberk.cz Basilica Minor: www.zdislava.cz Frýdlant Chateau: www.zamek-frydlant.cz Sychrov Chateau: www.zamek-sychrov.cz Lázně Libverda (Libverda Spa): www.laznelibverda.cz/en/
Liberec Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše
200 m
Town Hall ká žic Lu sa Ni
Pražská
Valley). It’s an area where beautiful nature has been united with the glassmaking craft and tradition for nearly five hundred years now. It was here that Bohemian crystal was born, where the first crystal chandelier, crystal jewel and crystal pearl were made. The area includes an ongoing series of glassmaking workshops and glassworks involving visitors, exhibitions, events, and symposia. There are an endless number of experiences associated with the glassmaking area that is unique on a global scale, for example, a visit to the AJETO glass factory in Lindava provides highly interactive all-day entertainment for the whole family.
310 km Brno
1:15 2:55 1:15 × 6,3 km 20 min Ještěd
Dr Hor. Milad áko y vé
Praha
Liberec
1.
115 km
Má
je
Náměstí Soukenné
iQLANDIA Babylon
Bicycle touring Pleasant cycling
Discover Czech cycling trails. Find more tips here
40 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Litoměřice
Accept our invitation to locations and regions ideal for active tourism. Bicycle tourists will feel like they’re in paradise! In addition, they’ll have the opportunity, at any time, to complement their rides with trips on foot that won’t easily present themselves elsewhere. Fascinating natural sceneries, history and sights, swimming, adrenalinerushing experiences, as well as enjoyable tours – there’s simply a broad range of memorable activities to take part in. 41
Pleasant cycling
Bečva Cycle Route
The queen of Moravian cycle paths
42 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Bečva Cycle Route
East Moravia, the region through which the Bečva River flows, is beautiful, extremely diverse and soothingly picturesque. From the
Moravian Wallachian Hills to the flat lands of Haná,
from its springs to the mouth of the Morava River, the river is lined throughout the Bečva Cycle Path – offering plenty of memorable experiences and entertainment. Over the course of its 160 kilometres, the path offers, perhaps, everything that recreational cyclists could ask for. The path begins in the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area, a picturesque and noticeably undulating country, and ends in the flat lands of Haná, a fertile region of the Upper Morava Vale (Hornomoravský úval). As you ride, you’ll journey through
historic towns, spas, castles, chateaux, churches, open-air museums, dams and lookout towers, beads of folk architecture, countless natural beauties, as well as peculiar regional food, drinks and folk customs. Perhaps the biggest advantages of the path is the fact that it runs near one of the most famous and oldest European open-air museums of folk architecture in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm – Wallachian Open-Air Museum – with more than one hundred listed buildings. Other gems on the route include the spa town of Teplice nad Bečvou, with its riverfront colonnade and two natural rarities in the close vicinity of the spa – the Zbrašov Aragonite Caves, adorned with a unique karst decorations and the Hranice Abyss, the deepest flooded fresh-water cave in the world. 43
Pleasant cycling Vizovické vrchy
44 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Hranice, with its Renaissance chateau rebuilt in the Baroque style, historic square and notable Jewish monuments is also close by.
cyklostezkabecva.com Wallachian open-air museum: www.vmp.cz Hukvaldy Castle: www.hradhukvaldy.eu Helfštýn Castle: www.helfstyn.cz Štramberk Castle: www.stramberska-truba.info
Pustevny
Praha Brno
Bečva Cycle Route 153 km Ostrava
20 km
Olomouc
Tovačov Kroměříž
raFrýdek-Místek Od Rožnov pod Radhoštěm Horní a Bečva Bečv Valašské Bečva Meziříčí Přerov Velké Vsetín Karlovice Zlín
M or av a
The nearby town of Vsetín has a Renaissance chateau and Baroque townhall, while Valašské Meziříčí has two chateaux, a historic square and a Moravian Gobelin Manufactory. Přerov and Lipník nad Bečvou are also towns full of history. In addition, Bečva will take bikers to the Bystřička and Škrabalka reservoirs, around the beads of folk architecture, and wooden churches, and allow them to rest in some of the local restaurants that offer typical Moravian Wallachian hospitality and cuisine, such as Wallachian kyselica soup, famous Wallachian frgál pie and/or the renowned local slivovice – it’s simply a must.
Uherské Hradiště
Pleasant cycling
Central Bohemian Uplands
Travel through a country of extinct volcanoes on your bike
46 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Terezín
The Central Bohemian Uplands (České středohoří) landscape is unparalleled, worldwide. There, hundreds
of solitary peaks and hills
were formed by Mother Earth’s volcanic forces during the Tertiary Period. The Elbe River, which creates magical sceneries, zigzags among them with dignity. When you set out on a bike ride along it, you’ll seem to ride against the flow of time. Tranquil and picturesque is the flatland skirting the meanders of the mighty Elbe, from which hills of the most bizarre shapes rise as if by magic. People built proud historic settlements, remarkable towns, magnificent palaces, sumptuous
churches and monasteries, and military fortresses there. The hillsides are covered with vineyards. This unique landscape can be explored, courtesy of the Elbe Cycle Path. Its length within the Central Bohemian Uplands territory is 96 kilometres, measured from the legendary Říp Mountain up to the border with Germany in Hřensko. The path offers a lot of options, as there are many bridges over the river and ferries to connect the banks. So, you can turn off the path whenever you please to discover nearby places. Bicycle tourists will encounter noteworthy places on the Elbe banks: Děčín, with its Thun castle, beautiful gardens and vantage points offering views of the Elbe 47
Pleasant cycling
can’t be left out either. Still, there are other virtually undiscovered monuments waiting for you, such as the chateau in Velké Březno, built by Count Chotek, and the Gallery of Painted Easter Eggs in Libotenice.
www.ceskestredohori.info
Litoměřice
Brno
Elbe Cycle Path 96 km 10 km
Hřensko Děčín Česká Lípa
Ústí nad Labem Labe Litoměřice Terezín
Ohře
Roudnice nad Labem Říp
Mělník
a Vltav
be La
48 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Praha
be La
valley, Ústí nad Labem, with its cableway leading to the small chateau Větruše (also suitable for outings), the romantic Střekov castle, famous leaning tower, as well as the unique Masaryk Locks. This also includes the historical pearl Litoměřice, with its town walls, moats, museums, galleries and sacral monuments, including St Stephen’s Cathedral and tower, and Roudnice nad Labem, with its castle, gallery, churches and chapels and lookout tower, and, above all, the route to nearby Říp. You definitely shouldn’t miss the fortress town of Terezín, which has been undergoing restoration in recent years and opens its fortress buildings, including underground corridors, and fills them with unusual exhibitions concerning the town’s military history. The ghetto and Small Fortress, from which Jews were sent to extermination camps
Elbe trail: www.labska-stezka.cz Střekov Castle: www.lobkowicz.com Terezín Memorial: www.pamatnik-terezin.cz Velké Březno Chateau: www.zamek-vbrezno.cz Easter Egg Gallery: www.galeriekraslic.cz Házmburk Castle: www.hrad-hazmburk.cz Open-air museum Zubrnice: www.zubrnice.cz The National Park Bohemian Switzerland: www.npcs.cz
Říp Mountain
49
Pleasant cycling
South Bohemia
Active leisure by bicycle with excellent infrastructure
50 Cities – Gateways to Regions
When someone describes the typical Czech landscape, they most likely refer to the slightly undulating terrain that glistens with countless eyes, created by the ponds and dams, very long winding avenues, small churches crowning the not-toohigh hillocks, castles, chateaux and towns – it’s simply South Bohemia. And it’s here you’ll find excellent conditions for bicycle touring. South Bohemia boasts the densest network of marked cycle routes in all of the Czech Republic. Historical sights alternate between lovely natural stretches, and roads offer the opportunity to discover local distinctive gastronomy and ample cultural events. By biking, you’ll get the opportunity to see the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) National Park, ponds interlinked with one another in such a way that they form chains, ribbons of rivers but also a broad range of architectural monuments, such as the water castles in Červená Lhota and Blatná, a monumental Baroque palace in Staré Hobzí, unique rural Baroque buildings – not only in the UNESCO-protected area of Holašovice, but also in the Tábor, famous for its Hussite history, with tortuous narrow streets and mysterious underground – as well as the valuable and picturesque Renaissance historical centre of the small town of Slavonice.
Šumava
The Vltava Cycle Path is the local longest cycle route. Its section in South Bohemia is 265 km long and begins in the Šumava Mountains at Kvilda and ends near the Gothic Zvíkov Castle. It passes through the two of the biggest tourist magnets of the region. You’ll ride through Český Krumlov, included on UNESCO’s list, around the monastery in Vyšší Brod, Rožmberk Castle and Zlatá Koruna Monastery, through České Budějovice and around the fairy tale Gothic Revival chateau in Hluboká nad Vltavou. In addition, termed “Na kole krajinou jihočeského baroka” (through the country of South Bohemian Baroque on a bike), the surroundings include dozens of routes running through towns and a pond-filled landscape. Cyclists can discover the České Budějovice area, Bohemian Canada, Doudlebsko and Novohradsko, 51
Pleasant cycling
Lipno
Rožmberk Castle: www.hrad-rozmberk.cz Zlatá Koruna Monastery: www.klaster-zlatakoruna.cz Hluboká nad Vltavou Castle: www.zamek-hluboka.eu Šumava National Park: www.npsumava.cz
Praha Brno
Vltava Cycle Path
EuroVelo 13/ The Iron Curtain Trail: www.greenways.cz/EuroVelo/ EuroVelo-v-CR/EuroVelo-13.aspx Červená Lhota Chateau: www.zamek-cervenalhota.cz Blatná Chateau: www.zamek-blatna.cz Zvíkov Castle: www.hrad-zvikov.cz Český Krumlov Chateau: www.zamek-ceskykrumlov.cz Vyšší Brod Monastery: www.klastervyssibrod.cz
265 km Písek
Tábor
Strakonice
Prachatice
Třeboň České Budějovice
Český Krumlov
va Vlta
20 km
Vltava
Kvilda
o pn Li
52 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Zvíkov
a av Vlt
www.jiznicechy.cz/en/chill-out www.jiznicechy.cz
Lu žni ce
Vlachovo Březí, Prácheňsko, Soběslavsko, Zbudovská Blata (marshland), Třeboňsko, as well as the Lipno area. There’s also a popular Lipno lake cycling & inline skating route near the largest Czech body of water, which leads along the shores of the lake, part of which is even illuminated. The popular EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail runs along the borders with Bavaria and Upper Austria.
ฤ ervenรก Lhota
53
Pleasant cycling
The Crown Highlands (Vysočina) Unspoiled scenic landscape
54 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora
An undulating region, with the relief of mingling hills and hillocks, deep forests, creeping meadows, generously spread gems of both sacral and secular architecture – all surrounded by a gorgeous landscape that offers all forms of sports and physical activities. There are nearly 2,500 km of marked cycle routes in the entire Vysočina region. It’s a cycling paradise with its crux in two notable locations. The first of them is the Vysočina Arena sports grounds, a venue for summer and winter sporting events of both national and international significance. Cyclists can use the newly built pump track and Cyklo Aréna Vysočina, which includes 30 km of paths divided into five difficulty levels and is interconnected with the modern sports complex
facilities. In addition, single tracks, a test centre, MTB circuits, road circuits, educational bike paths, and a biathlon shooting range are available. The other cycling paradise option in Vysočina is the most popular cycle path from Žďár nad Sázavou to Přibyslav. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is built on a defunct railway line, which gives the route an absolutely unique atmosphere. Cyclists can easily visit Vysočina’s cultural and natural wealth. In Žďár nad Sázavou, there is a UNESCO heritage site, the amazing Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk by Jan Blažej Santini Aichel on Zelená hora, as well as a monastery and castle complex with the completely original New Generation Museum. There’s a line of castles on the Bobrůvka and Svratka rivers, and additional 55
Pleasant cycling
Žďárské vrchy
Praha Brno 10 km Žďárské vrchy Nové Město na Moravě
Přibyslav
Sázava Žďár nad Sázavou
Velké Meziříčí
Bystřice pod Pernštejnem Sv ra tk a ka ův br Bo
56 Cities – Gateways to Regions
www.korunavysociny.cz Pilgrimage Church: www.zelena-hora.cz New Generation Museum: www.zamekzdar.cz Vysočina Arena: www.vysocina-arena.cz Cyklo Arena Vysočina: www.vysocina.bike Eurovelo 4: www.eurovelo.com
atka Svr
castles, chateaux and forts in Velké Meziříčí, Nové Město na Moravě, Zubštejn, Stránecká Zhoř, Kněževes and Velká Bíteš waiting for cyclists as well. The range of natural beauties is identically broad. Eighty-five local areas have been included in the NATURA 2000 network of sites that are important to the community! The Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area is referred to as “the green heart of Czechia”. The area around Bystřice nad Pernštejnem can be best explored by riding along Zubří stezky (Wisent’s Paths), an elaborated system of thematical circuits. What’s more, there are numerous lookout towers, vantage points, recreational ponds, restaurants and pubs for you to discover. It’s simply paradise.
PernĹĄtejn Castle
57
Karlova Studánka
Spas and wellness Health and Relaxation
Discover more in Spas and health resorts brochure.
58 Cities – Gateways to Regions
You won’t find a region in the Czech Republic without spas. Natural healing springs are simply one of the country’s greatest national treasures. On top of that, spa care is complemented every year by a more varied and dynamic range of tourist activities, active relaxation, wellness treatments, cultural events, as well as amazing gastronomy options.
59
Health and Relaxation Colonnade
Thermal water that contains beneficial effects rises at the
forested base of Černá hora, in a place with clean mountain air. Since the 17th century a sought-after spa has been there, and its surroundings are an oasis of peace and intact natural beauty.
Janské Lázně The only spa embraced by the Giant Mountains
60 Cities – Gateways to Regions
There are around thirty healing springs that surface here, two of which – Janův and Černý – are the most important. They supply water for hydrotherapy treatments and pools throughout the town. In the early twentieth century, a splendid Art Nouveau colonnade was built here and it became the heart of the spa. Neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, metabolic, oncological and respiratory diseases and disorders are treated here. Excellent care is provided here to patients with backaches, nerve inflammations, those recovering from brain inflammations and meningitis, palsy, joint replacement implants, spinal operations, etc. One of the dominant edifices is the Church of St John the Baptist in Neo-Gothic style, which gives the impression of the English countryside in the Czech mountains. A great advantage of Janské Lázně is the fact that physical activities can be pursued all year round here. Visitors will find an endless number of opportunities for unusual experiences. In winter, Černá hora is one of the liveliest Krkonoše ski resorts with excellent conditions for both downhill skiers and those who love cross-country skiing. A 3.5 km long sledge track is available at Černá hora. Walks along wooden pathways to Černohorské rašeliniště (Černá hora peat bog), up to the lookout tower
that crowns Černá hora, are traditionally popular in summer. More recently, there is also a breathtaking spectacle when you walk along the Tree Top Trail (Stezka korunami stromů). The options for trips and hikes are very diverse and broad. The Střední hřeben educational trail through Rudolfové údolí (Rudolph Valley) to Hofmanova bouda (chalet) with a turn to the abovementioned lookout tower on Zlatá vyhlídka or a walk to the Muchomůrka gazebo are lovely. The top destinations in the Krkonoše – the highest Czech mountain (Sněžka), the Spring of the Elbe, Pančava Waterfall and the Mumlava Waterfalls are also easy to reach. The chateau in Vrchlabí, surrounded by a beautiful park is remarkable as well. In addition, the grounds of the Mladé Buky golf club are situated nearby.
www.janske-lazne.cz Giant Mountains: www.krkonose.eu www.podkrkonosi.eu Tree Top Trail: www.stezkakrkonose.cz
147 km Praha
Janské Lázně 203 km Brno
2:07 3:11 2:22 ×
61
Health and Relaxation
Karlova Studánka A mountain spa town with the cleanest air in the Czech Republic
Situated below a high mountain, in a heavenly valley fed by a wild mountain stream, is a mountain oasis lost in plenty of deep forests, with wooden architecture that will take your breath away. No other spa in Central Europe has cleaner air and no other Czech spa is located at such a high altitude. A small, lovely paradise where people receive treatment merely by being there. 62 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Because it’s a wonderful experience just to arrive here. Wooden houses that combine elements of folk architecture and both Classicist and Empire style architecture. The complex of seven spa houses is harmonious and perfectly set in intact nature. The mineral springs, utilised since the 18th century and the crystal-clear air treat not only respiratory diseases but also oncological diseases, diseases of the blood circulation, diabetes and other metabolic disorders, nervous diseases including Parkinson’s disease, skin diseases and mental disorders. You can make use of a rehabilitation wellness complex of pools with an unusual attraction called a tepidarium, which allows you to relax in both dry and humid heat, with a Finnish sauna, hydrotherapy and thermotherapy as well as a fitness gym, tennis courts, skating rink, ski slope and more. And the environs? The Bílá Opava Waterfall educational nature trail leads through the wild, featuring a lot of rapids, waterfalls and cascades, and it is only possible to walk through it from start to finish by means of small bridges and ladders. The twenty-metre-high Karlova Studánka waterfall is astonishing. The seasonal ice jet and geological exhibition in the middle of the village are extraordinary as well. In terms of sacral monuments, there are the Empire style Church of the Virgin Mary Healing the Sick
Rešovské vodopády
and the wooden St Hubertus Chapel. It’s definitely worth going on longer hikes – for example, climbing the vantage point atop Rolandův kámen (rock) or even further – up to Ovčí vrch (hill), to the Hvězda saddle, up to Hřeben or the highest mountain in Moravia, Praděd. The educational trail in Rešovské vodopády (Rešov Waterfalls) National Nature Reserve is remarkable whereas Sovinec Castle, the largest castle complex in Moravia, is romantic and monumental.
kstudanka.cz Visit Jeseníky: www.navstivtejeseniky.cz Sovinec Castle: www.hradsovinec.cz
Praha
Karlova Studánka 260 km
3:50 2:05
145 km
Brno
63
Health and Relaxation
Teplice
The oldest spa in Central Europe
A town endowed with a powerful spring called Pravřídlo, which has gushed from deep within the Earth for eighteen thousand years and still brings relief and health to this day, lies below the ridge of the Ore Mountains. In the late 18th century, it was one of the most notable spas on the European continent.
64 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Famous history meets with entirely modern spa facilities here, though. The latest of them is Thermalium, something of a cathedral for aching backs, joints and souls. Beethoven is the oldest spa house in the town with a large pool filled 100 per cent with thermal water from Pravřídlo. Other significant spa houses in the town which are, simultaneously, exquisite historic buildings include the Imperial Spa (Císařské lázně) and Stone Spa (Kamenné lázně). Water that was once used for the treatment of Romans and Celts still cures musculoskeletal diseases including rheumatism, osteoporosis and arthrosis, neurovascular diseases, backache and headache, multiple sclerosis and inflammations of the central nervous system. The treatment of diabetes is very efficacious as well.
House of Porcelain with Blue Blood in nearby Dubí. In addition, you can admire the northernmost Venetian church in the world there. In addition, visitors to the neighbouring town of Osek will be astonished by a Cistercian monastery with a Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, featuring one of the most impressive Baroque sacral interiors in the Czech Republic. The town of Duchcov is just a short way past Osek. The local castle is associated forever with Giacomo Casanova, who lived there for the last thirteen years of his life. On top of that, the Ore Mountains are interlaced with both hiking and biking trails and there are historic mining galleries in Krupka, Mikulov and Kopisty. There are also three golf courses near the town.
Every walk through this sevenhundred-year-old town inevitably leads through Castle Square (Zámecké náměstí), which is adorned by two remarkable churches. One of them conceals a place of pilgrimage that was established not long ago, and the other offers a lookout tower complemented by an unconventional exhibition of disasters in Teplice. Furthermore, Teplice Castle, possessing collections from the Regional Museum and boasting large castle gardens, leads to the square. An exquisite Baroque plague column created by Matthias Bernard Braun is the focal point of the square. A fragile exhibition is installed in the
The Regional Museum: www.muzeum-teplice.cz Cistercian Monastery in Osek: www.osek.cz/klaster-osek/d-2378/ p1=8953 Duchcov Castle: www.zamek-duchcov.cz The House of Porcelain with Blue Blood: www.cesky.porcelan.cz/en/about-company/the-house-of-porcelain-with-blue-blood
visitteplice.com
Teplice 90 km 300 km Praha Brno
1:31 × 1:00 2:55 1:08 ×
65
Health and Relaxation
Třeboň
Mud baths in a region with two kinds of sky A landscape dotted with ponds, quiet and picturesque,
hatched by hundreds of dams, lined with avenues of hundredyear-old trees, a landscape of mirrors in which majestic clouds regard themselves as if in paintings by Baroque masters – such are the features that characterise the environs of the spa in Třeboň, a beautiful historical town.
66 Cities – Gateways to Regions
Třeboň
Třeboň’s residents began to use the local mud with a high content of peat for curative purposes as early as 1883. Nowadays, you’ll find two spa complexes there; one is historical and the other is modern. Berta Spa (Bertiny lázně) was established for Berta by her loving father in the 19th century, Aurora Sanatorium was completed in 1975 and, in addition to classic balneotherapy, it presently offers relaxation programmes and wellness treatments in an Aqua viva centre featuring salt water as well. Locomotor system disorders, rheumatic diseases, conditions following injuries and operations, arthrosis, rheumatism, osteoporosis and gout are treated in Třeboň.
Visitors to the Třeboň spa have countless opportunities for various experiences and trips. The town is dominated by a splendid Renaissance castle, one of the largest castle complexes in our country. In Třeboň you’ll never feel that you can’t do anything at all. There are plenty of possibilities for various experiences and trips there. Whether you set off to the square surrounded by Renaissance and Baroque houses, walk through airy arcades, view an erstwhile Augustinian monastery with a remarkable Gothic Church of the Virgin Mary Queen and St Giles, go around Svět Pond that reflects a weak light in the middle of the town or go 67
Health and Relaxation
Mysterious Catches
through a park to the monumental Schwarzenberg tomb. Třeboň is a town of fishers, and thus of fish cuisine as well. If you don’t have some of the carp specialities and wash them down with the local beer that has been brewed in the town since 1379, you will have committed an unforgivable sin. Those who love culture, theatre, concerts, film, festivals and marketplaces will get a good deal, as well. The harvest of Svět Pond is another unforgettable experience. On top of that, hiking and cycle routes attract you to take trips to nearby places, e.g. to the chateaux in Hluboká nad Vltavou and Jemčina, the Augustinian monastery in Borovany or the blacksmith’s shop and museum of puppets in Záluží as well as to several golf courses nearby. 68 Cities – Gateways to Regions
www.mesto-trebon.cz Třeboň Chateau: www.zamek-trebon.cz/cs Regent Brewery: www.pivovar-regent.cz/ en/regent-brewery Monastery Borovany: www.borovansko.cz/turistika/trip-detail/ 2-klaster-borovany Jemčina Chateau: www.jemcinazamek.cz Hluboká nad Vltavou Chateau: www.zamek-hluboka.eu/cs The Trebonsko House of Nature: www.dumprirody.cz/en/the-trebonskohouse-of-nature/
Praha 145 km
195 km Třeboň Brno
1:45 2:10 2:50 3:29
Hlubokรก nad Vltavou
69
Health and Relaxation
Situated in a wide-open expanse of meadows and fields is a medium-sized town adorned with groves and woods, beyond which the pensive bluish
ridges of the Jeseníky Mountains rise to a majestic
height. This town in the valley of the Losinka River is filled with remarkable sights but, above all, it has sought-after sulphur thermal baths.
Velké Losiny
Thermal baths in a picturesque town
70 Cities – Gateways to Regions
The most valuable aspects of the local springs are their composition and temperature. The concentration of healing elements is so strong here that they are one of sulphurous waters of the highest quality in the Czech Republic. The water has roughly the temperature of the human body – you won’t find any hotter springs in Moravia. Neurological diseases, primarily musculoskeletal diseases as well as skin diseases including psoriasis, atopic eczema and acne are treated here. The spa also includes a unique thermal park called Termály Losiny with nine pools, a sauna world and water attractions, with the main spa building being the Eliška Pavilion. One great advantage is the location of the spa in a town full of greenery and historic architecture as well as powerful stories. A Renaissance chateau with famous threestorey arcades, around which there is a spacious chateau park, constitutes the centre of the town. A connection with notorious trials against women and men accused of witchcraft is evident everywhere – you can even travel along a Witchcraft Educational Cycle Path (Čarodějnická naučná cyklotrasa). The Late Renaissance Church of St John the Baptist is one of the most distinctive sacral monuments of Moravia. However, Velké Losiny also boasts another distinct tradition – the production of
handmade paper. It is documented by the Museum of Paper, a part of an accessible Handmade Paper Mill, a manufactory founded in the late 16th century. The local brewery offers marvellous beer and tours of the plant. The environs are irresistible – an attractive hiking trail up to Červenohorské sedlo, a nature reserve on Šerák (Peak), the waterfalls on the Bílá Opava, the ascent to Praděd, the Petrovské studánky educational trail (featuring natural springs), the peat bog at Rejvíz, climbing in Rabštejn, skiing in the Červenohorské sedlo, Kouty and Šindelná ski areas, angling, a mineralogical educational trail – whatever one may think of.
www.losiny.cz Velké Losiny Chateau: www.zamek-velkelosiny.cz Paper Manufacture: www.rucnipapirna.cz Vist Jeseníky: www.navstivtejeseniky.cz
Praha
Velké Losiny
242 km
144 km
Brno
3:15 1:40 × 2:56
71
Cities
Bicycle touring
Spas
Germany
Teplice 64–65
Karlovy Vary
Lázně Kynžvart
Lázně Frýdlant Libverda
32–35
Andělská hora Valeč Loket Bečov nad Teplou
Velké 36–39 Hřensko Lemberk Březno Děčín Ještěd Liberec Litoměřice Ústí nad Sychrov Labem Central Bohemian Uplands Terezín 46–49 Roudnice nad Labem
PRAHA 8–11
Teplá
Kladruby nad Labem Kutná Kačina Hora 20–23 Žleby Tasice
Plzeň
Blatná
Zvíkov
Tábor
South Bohemia 50–53
Červená Lhota
Vlachovo Telč Hluboká Březí nad Vltavou Cities, Gateways to Regions 66–69 Published by CzechTourism, Kvilda Třeboň Slavonice Prague 2018 © Holašovice České Vinohradská 46, 120 41 Praha 2 Budějovice Šumava london@czechtourism.com Český Krumlov newyork@czechtourism.com Lipno Rožmberk Text: Rostislav Křivánek; CzechTourism; Translation: Skřivánek Photo: Libor Sváček, Ladislav Renner, Milan Drahoňovský, UPVISION, Petr Slavík, Pavel Gabzdyl, Petr Toman, Petr Polák, Pavel Radosta, Aleš Motejl, Jiří Jiroušek, Jaroslav Horák, Studio Petrohrad Production: CzechTourism, Vydavatelství MCU, www.mcumedia.cz Year: 2018, 1st edition The previous issue of the www.czechtourism.com Guide came 1st place in 2017 ISBN: 978-80-7513-211-6 Turist Propag competition. The data given cannot be guaranteed in spite of meticulous research. The official tourist presentation of the Czech Republic.
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