Gardens and parks of the Czech Republic. National parks of the Czech Republic Rock town of Adrspach
Since ancient times, people have explored the forests, valleys and hilly areas located in the Czech Republic. However, to this day, this country has preserved many pristine, untouched by civilization corners with unique picturesque landscapes and landscapes. Rare species of trees and plants grow here, animals and birds are found, which in other European countries can only be met in zoos. Stalactite caves with rivers and lakes blue with minerals invite you to travel through their mysterious labyrinths, high cliffs overgrown with centuries-old fir trees rise from the ground, forests stretch for many kilometers, wide meadows intoxicate with the aromas of flowers...
Even the borders of the Czech Republic with neighboring countries are a product of nature itself. The Šumava Mountains, the so-called Bohemian Forest and the Ore Mountains separate the Czech Republic from neighboring Germany. The border with Poland is formed by the Krkonose Mountains, the highest in the Czech Republic. Very close to the Austrian border, in the north-eastern part of Bohemia, there is another natural wonder - the Trebońsko Nature Reserve: a beautiful valley with many clear ponds and lakes. The banks of the largest rivers in the Czech Republic, the Elbe (in Czech Laba) and Vltava, are also picturesque, as well as the huge Lipno reservoir.
One of the most amazing natural assets of the Czech Republic Rocky cities is the result of tectonic shifts, climate change and erosion, a unique combination of living and non-living elements of nature. The rocky towns are located on the territory of the Bohemian Paradise and Bohemian Switzerland nature reserves, as well as in the Adrspasko-Teplice Mountains, and are favorite holiday destinations for both climbers and ordinary travelers and cyclists.
Different parts of the Czech Republic are in amazing harmony with each other, as if complementing each other. The hilly landscapes of Bohemia contrast with the wide valleys of Northern Moravia, through which the Morava River flows. In the northern part of the Moravian Valley, the smooth horizon lines give way to the wooded hills of the White Carpathians, and even further to the north rise the majestic ridges of the now “real” mountains of the Morasco-Selesian Beskud and Jesenik, forming a natural border with Slovakia and Poland.
The natural resources of the Czech Republic are so unique and rich that as many as six parts of it have the honor of being included in the list of UNESCO biosphere reserves. These are the Palava region with huge grape valleys, Křivoklatsko the country's largest complex of deciduous and mixed forests, where rare species of animals and plants are found, Šumava National Park with virgin forests growing on the mountain slopes, lakes of glacial origin and delightfully beautiful heather valleys. This list also includes the Třeboň region, the Krkonose Mountains region with their unique diversity of flora, and the White Carpathians, famous for their rare orchid meadows.
The Czechs are characterized by a careful attitude towards nature, which is why in the relatively small territory of this country there are so many National Parks and protected areas, which, undoubtedly, are one of the most important decorations of the huge treasury of this country.
The unity and harmony of the natural and man-made landscape of the Czech Republic is, perhaps, one of the main features and at the same time the advantage of this country. Getting to know the cultural and historical heritage of its ancient cities can always be combined with relaxation in the lap of nature. Moreover, the latter contains a lot of options. Kayaking among the steep cliffs of the fast-moving Berounka River, climbing routes of varying difficulty in the Rocky Cities of the Czech Paradise or hang gliding in the same place, ski resorts of the Giant Mountains for those who are committed to an active lifestyle. Lying with a book on the beach of Macha Lake, horseback riding along forest paths or taking a mountain walk, visiting the unique karst caves of the Moravian Mountains is offered to those who prefer calm, peaceful admiration of the beauty of nature to powerful adrenaline rushes. Recently, cycling through various picturesque corners of the Czech Republic has become increasingly popular. Mountain, wine, “historical” trails this most environmentally friendly and romantic form of transport allows you to take many interesting routes. The choice is always yours!
The Czech Republic has very beautiful nature, in the west of the country there are the valleys of the Vltava and Laba rivers, which are adjacent to the Sudeten Mountains, however, the mountains are relatively low, the highest mountain in the Czech Republic Snezka is only 1602 meters high, it is located in the north of the country, and in the northwest are the Ore Mountains , we note a large plain in the east, which covers half of the entire territory of the Czech Republic. In the west of the Czech Republic lies the so-called Bohemia, a historical region in Central Europe, in the northeast it borders with Poland, in the north and southwest with Germany, in the south with Austria, in the east with Moravia, Bohemia is a hilly valley surrounded by mountains.
The Moravian Highlands are located in the extreme east of the Czech Republic on the border with Slovakia, in the north of Moravia there is Silesia, which consists of the Sudeten Mountains, where the Czech ski resorts are located; snow here remains from December to early April.
There are more than 1,350 protected areas in the Czech Republic with opportunities for hunters and fishermen.
National parks and reserves in the Czech Republic
Krkonose National Park
The park is located 130 kilometers from Prague, but only two-thirds of the park is open to tourists, including the highest mountain Snezka, Mount Studniczni 1554 meters, Mount Luční 1555 meters and Vysoke Kolo 1508 meters. Tourists have access to the picturesque lakes Mechove jezirko, Sniezne Stawki, Maly Staw and Wielki Staw, rivers and waterfalls Labský, Pančavske, Staw and Maly Staw. Many kilometers of hiking trails lead to various attractions, for example, you can visit the Trosky and Parez fortresses, the rock town of Adrspach, and the open-air museum cities of Harrachov, Vrchlabí, Paseky nad Jizerou and Jilemnice will be of interest.
Czech Switzerland or Bohemian Switzerland
The name of the park did not come from the similarity of the landscape with Switzerland or its natural diversity, but from Swiss artists Anton Graff and Adrian Zingng, who vacationed in this area and fell in love with it so much that they stayed to live here, declaring that it was so beautiful not inferior to their native lands.
Sumava National Park
The park is located on the border with Austria and Germany, the mountainous area is covered with forests, the highest mountain is Plechy 1378 meters, this nature reserve in the Czech Republic is included in the UNESCO list. This is perhaps the most interesting park for tourists and lovers of outdoor activities; activities such as mountaineering, trekking, river canoeing and alpine skiing are available here. There are also picturesque lakes Čertovo, Černé, Prášilské, Laka and Plešné.
White Carpathians Nature Reserve
On the border with Slovakia in the east of the Czech Republic there is a mountain reserve with the highest mountain, Velka Javorina, 970 meters. The White Carpathians are included in the UNESCO list of biosphere reserves.
This is a very small country, it’s hard to argue with that. Its size does not even reach 80,000 square kilometers. But despite this, in the magical land of castles there are as many as 1,350 state reserves and as many as 4 national parks. Just think, 12% of the entire territory of the republic is considered a protected area. And this is not a small figure at all for such a small country.
Although I visit the Czech Republic quite often now, of the four national parks I have so far only managed to visit one, which, it seems to me, is the most popular. And all because absolutely everyone will find something to their liking here. This park is called Krkonose.
Krkonoše National Park
This piece of paradise is located in the very north of the Czech Republic right along the border with Germany and Poland.
As you probably already guessed from the name and location, it includes the large Krkonoše mountain ranges and foothill areas.
Travel to Mount Sněžka
The purpose of our trip to the Krkonoše National Park was to climb Mount Sněžka ), which is the highest mountain in the Czech Republic. Its height is as much as 1,602 meters, which for some may seem like a small amount, but for me, a beginner in climbing, this is quite a lot.
There are several ways to get to the mountain; all roads start at different points in the Czech Republic. The most popular starting point is the town of Pec pod Sněžkou, where there are three trails of varying lengths and difficulty along which you can climb the mountain. Their length is 6.5, 8 and 11 kilometers. Here is an approximate plan of the shortest of them, along which we were going to climb Snezka.
In addition, for the especially lazy, there is a funicular, but this was not our option. The trip would cost 14 € (390 Kč) round-trip for an adult. You can also get to Snezka from the village of Horní Malá Úpa, walking about 8 kilometers, and from the resort town of Špindlerův Mlýn, the length of this route is about 11 kilometers.
Our choice fell on Pec pod Snezkou, since, to be honest, the routes are the shortest from there. We also decided to book a hotel in this city for one night. There are a lot of options and offers in this small town; it is quite possible to stay within the amount of 11–18 € (300–500 Kč) per person per night. There are also many guest houses, apartments and cozy mini-hotels here.
We booked the hotel through Booking.com, as we always use this site. We drove to the town of Pec pod Snezkou from Prague, the journey takes about 3 hours. You can travel with or without transfers. We decided that we didn't want to stop anywhere and would go straight.
Our bus left Prague metro station Černý Most at 7:20 and arrived at Pec p.Sněžkou station at 10:31. This is the main bus station of the town. Everything went without delays, we bought the ticket online for 7 € (188 Kč) here, paying by card.
There are other companies that can help you get there. You can find the most convenient transport connection on the website. You can also get there by train with several transfers, but this route is much more difficult and takes several hours longer. So a direct bus is the best option.
When we got there, the first thing we did was check in. Our hotel turned out to be very small, we were greeted by the hostess herself - a very smiling and friendly Czech lady. Despite the warm welcome, we didn’t want to vegetate in the hotel for a long time, so we changed our sneakers, bought provisions and set off on the long journey. It was a little scary, because we had to walk about 13 kilometers in a day, but we believed in our strength. In addition, the path promised to be very interesting and picturesque. And the weather turned out just right, it wasn’t very hot, but the sky in front of us was clean and clear.
The one way road is 6.5 kilometers. This is the shortest route of the three possible; it passes through the point of Růžohorky. We started our journey right from the bus station where we originally arrived. This is where all the trails begin. First you need to walk 250 meters down the highway, then turn left at the intersection, choosing the road marked in green on the tourist sign. By the way, all tourist routes in the Czech Republic are accompanied by colorful signs, and it is almost impossible to get lost in the forest.
Following the markings, we successfully reached the top without any problems along the way. All the way we couldn’t stop wondering how beautiful this Czech nature really is. So they hardly noticed that they had walked such a long distance. At the top we took many beautiful photos, organized a small picnic and happily went back down. We returned to the small hotel tired, but very happy!
In addition to Śnieżka Mountain, there are many other places in the Krkonose Park that also definitely deserve attention: Luční hora, Studniční hora and Vysoké kolo, numerous rivers with waterfalls (Pančavský, Labský, Mumlavský , Horní and Dolní Úpský), clear mountain lakes (Wielki Staw, Maly Staw, Sniezne Stawki, Mechove jezirko), about 1,200 species of plants, 250 species of animals and about 600 species of insects, as well as beautiful rock formations.
In total, there are 700 kilometers of hiking trails throughout the park. Every year this place is visited by about 10 million people from all over the world. And in winter, Krkonoše is a favorite place for skiers and snowboarders.
Bohemian Switzerland National Park
This reserve is located in the north-west of the Czech Republic near the border with Germany. The place is also sometimes called "Bohemian Switzerland" after the entire rocky region around the city of Děčín.
Interestingly, the name of the park has nothing to do with the country itself, but rather with two Swiss artists: Adrian Zing and Anton Graf. They worked on the reconstruction of the Dresden Gallery, and in their free time they traveled to small villages near the Saxon-Czech border. The artists fell in love with these places so much that after finishing their work they decided not to return home, finding here a small homeland far from their real one.
The main attraction of the park is the Pravčická brána or Pravčická brána. This is a large sandstone arch, its height reaches as much as 16 meters. Even an airplane could easily fly through such a gate, so, you know, the spectacle is simply unforgettable.
A great many climbers come to Czech Switzerland to conquer the local mountains. Other popular activities here are trekking and river rafting. In addition, Czech Switzerland has many walking paths of varying difficulty levels. As everywhere else, it is very easy to navigate using maps; all routes are colorfully marked. There are also trails for cycling with a rise of up to 300 meters.
Getting to the park is easy. From Prague you need to get to the city of Děčín. This is easy to do by train. In this case, the journey will take about two hours, and you will be amazed by the stunning views that will open from the window.
The ticket price is about 6 € (156 Kč), you can buy it at the main Prague train station (Praha hlavní nádraží).
On the territory of Czech Switzerland there are several hotels of different price levels. They all offer a full range of travel services, so you will always find something to do.
National Park Šumava
This park is located in the very southwest of southern Bohemia. Right next to the borders of Germany and Austria. It is there that the Šumava mountains stretch. They are completely low, abundantly covered with forest, which occupies about 80% of the territory. The beauty and diversity of nature in the park is literally amazing.
Locals come here to take long scenic walks, ride bicycles, and in winter it is an ideal place for skiers. All the trails, as always, are colorfully marked, so it’s almost impossible to get lost there.
By the way, in the park itself there are as many as 8 lakes, the water of which is crystal clear. These lakes lie at an altitude of 1,000–1,100 meters above sea level. And the wide meadows of Šumava are simply magnificent in their bloom.
There are many towns near the national park and they are very easy to reach from Prague. You can reach the towns of Srní, Kvidla, Prášil and Modrava. The journey by train or bus in this case will take from 3 to 5 hours. If you are coming from Prague, you will need to make one or two transfers.
Podyjí National Park
The smallest national park in the Czech Republic is located near the city of Znojmo, in South Moravia, near the border with Austria.
Directly adjacent to the Austrian Tayatal National Park. The Die River flows through the heart of this magical place. Interestingly, the maximum length of the park is only 15 kilometers, but the river meanders so much that its length in the territory is as much as 40 kilometers.
One of the most famous attractions of this place is Šobes - a huge vineyard with an area of 12 hectares. In addition, in the park there is the oldest and open to the public Vranov nad Dyjí castle. It was built back in 1100 or so. Those wishing to visit the place will be able to glean useful information about the castle.
Other famous objects of the national park include the Lusthaus hunting palace (Lovecký letohrádek Lusthaus). It was built in 1780 in the shape of an irregular hexagon in the late Baroque and partly Classicist style. From the palace, which was intended as an observation deck, it was previously possible to look at the castle. But now the beautiful view is obscured by trees.
This national park is easily accessible from the town of Znojmo, where you can stay overnight. You can get to the town by direct bus from Prague from the ÚAN Florenc bus station. The trip will take about 3–4 hours, the ticket price is about 7–9 € (200–250 Kč). I can assure you that you will not be able to take your eyes off the window the whole way; the views will be magnificent.
Finally
These are the four national parks in the Czech Republic. These are great places for those who like to enjoy long walks. If you are one of these travelers, feel free to travel to this country and appreciate its natural flavor. In this regard, it is truly unique!
