We call this E-bike ride “Around Hell” because it will lead you around natural preserve called Peklo, which in Czech means Hell. If you will have more time, you can walk through that narrow valley following the red mark as we did earlier. The best time to visit this location is during March when itContinue reading “Peklo, Zahrádky u České Lípy”
Tag Archives: Czech Republic
Nový Knín
Not much went according to the plan on this E-bike trip. Not even one km into the trip Polly tore the tire and punctured the inner tube. Fortunately we had a spare and luckily the tire held for the rest of the trip. Then we got lost and had to walk along a freshly plowedContinue reading “Nový Knín”
Varvažov – Orlík dam
We arrived at Varvažov in the late afternoon, so we did have time for only a short ride around. The goal was to see the castle Zvíkov from across the Orlík reservoir, the largest hydroelectric dam in Czechia. The plan to follow the red tourist mark, called Sedláčkova stezka, was not realistic. At point 4Continue reading “Varvažov – Orlík dam”
Kralupy – Klecany Loop
Let’s start this trip in Kralupy at the place of a very unusual statue. Yes, it is the statue of a fictional character, Czech national hero, The good soldier Švejk, and no, it is not an unusual part of the display. The unusual part you may miss is on the ground next to the benchContinue reading “Kralupy – Klecany Loop”
Zámky and Bohnice, Winter Walk
We decided to explore the area between Bohnické and Drahanské valley in detail. And going through some of the natural features required to leave the bikes at home. This time we started at the tiny parking lot next to the pet cemetery in Bohnice. A visit to the pet cemetery is definitely worth the trip.Continue reading “Zámky and Bohnice, Winter Walk”
Davle – Jílové circle
We like this area and we started a couple of our hikes in Davle before we were completely turned into E-bikers. We had our regular bikes before, but this area seemed too challenging for us. However with E-MTB nothing seems out of reach anymore. However, for this particular ride we would not recommend a regularContinue reading “Davle – Jílové circle”
Around Lhota Lake
We have been to this area several times in summer and in the winter. It is especially rewarding in the summer hot days. We discovered the recreational Lhota lake where you can swim and lay in the sand. We always carried (although not necessary) our bathing suits and towels on the summer rides just inContinue reading “Around Lhota Lake”
Liběchov Kokořín Houska
This was one of our longer summer rides through Kokořínsko, a very scenic area with a lot of sandstone formations. Sandstone was an ideal material for the local artist Václav Levý, who created many sculptures while he worked on the castle Liběchov. We started the route at the castle and followed part of the circleContinue reading “Liběchov Kokořín Houska”
Brdy, Jince and Plešivec
Our goal on this ride from the last year was to get to the top of Plešivec peak (hill) in the Brdy Mountain range just about an hour drive from Prague. Most of the Brdy range is covered by forests, and it is one of the largest contiguously forested areas in the interior of theContinue reading “Brdy, Jince and Plešivec”
Příchovice – Jizera Mountains
This area is near and dear to Michal’s heart and is where the family mountain cottage is located. In the middle of a ski slope in the protected area of Paseky is where we stayed for a few days to really get a feel for our new electric bikes. The goal of this ride wasContinue reading “Příchovice – Jizera Mountains”
Mšeno – Mácha’s Path
This is the ride from the July last year and it can serve as an example that just following GPX file is not a good idea. Do not try this route without reading our comments. You can easily ride similar circle around Mšeno without getting into troubles we experienced. But it is our motto: “RatherContinue reading “Mšeno – Mácha’s Path”
Ski slope Chotouň
You may not know that there is a ski slope in Chotouň only 10 km from the Prague border. Even though it was about 10 degrees C, the slope was still in good shape with packed snow. However, no skiers were allowed due to the quarantine. And that was the reason why the parking lotContinue reading “Ski slope Chotouň”
Třeboň
As the snow melts, we are looking forward to warmer biking, hiking, canoeing and maybe you are too. A little less than 2 hours from Prague you can reach the city of Třeboň. This area is flat and full of ponds famous for the production of carp. Most of those ponds were built in theContinue reading “Třeboň”
Kunžak – Česká Kanada
This ride we did quite a while ago, but since this week was pretty lousy weather with up to -15 C and we did not feel like riding. This just means we have time to write about some historical rides. One of them was in the area around Kunžak which is called Česká Kanada. TheContinue reading “Kunžak – Česká Kanada”
Veltrusy – Říp – Mělník Circle
This was one of the longer trips of the summer of 2020. We started from the parking lot in Veltrusy and planned to visit the castle (national cultural heritage site) on the way back. The plan was to follow the red tourist mark “Poutní cesta Blaník – Říp“. This pilgrimage route is connecting two ofContinue reading “Veltrusy – Říp – Mělník Circle”
Lužec – Mělník Circle
We returned to this area to check the new bridge for bikers over Vltava river in the village of Lužec. Last year we took the boat across the river at the same place and the operator told us that we are almost the last people going by boat since the bridge will be opening soon.Continue reading “Lužec – Mělník Circle”
Benátky nad Jizerou
This would be a nice ride if the path would be covered with snow or just mud. However, combination with icy patches made this trip a little treacherous. We had been involuntarily “debiked” several times and came back to the car with a lot of extra mud everywhere. Starting point we found at the villageContinue reading “Benátky nad Jizerou”
Brdy in Winter
We started from the same parking lot as our ride in the summer. It was a nice day, but still pretty cold, so we did just a little loop. It was also quite icy, with fresh snow on several stretches, we did not take any steep slopes, but rather stayed on the top of theContinue reading “Brdy in Winter”
Klánovice
A very quick decision this morning to go for a short ride in the neighborhood led us to the town of Klánovice with its well-known natural park. Even though we did just a quick ride through this nice forest, we realized that this area may provide an opportunity for a long ride without actually repeatingContinue reading “Klánovice”
Lázně Toušeň and Káraný
Nice ride to test our new winter gear – gloves, hoods, and shoe covers (see above). And we like to say – yes, they were needed! Parking close to the town center is convenient and not very crowded even in the summer when we did our ride from here the first time. As there isContinue reading “Lázně Toušeň and Káraný”
Amerika Kanada and Mexiko
In the cold and wet weather, this was only for dedicated e-bikers like us. The problem was wet mud from the start up to point 5. At point 4 you will have to climb down a very short but steep and slippery part and another one a little bit further. After point 5 it wasContinue reading “Amerika Kanada and Mexiko”
Dolní Břežany
Dolní Břežany is a village just next to the city limits of Prague. It seems to be an up and coming prosperous area with a lot of very modern and comfortable neighborhoods. Dolní Břežany is the location of world importance due to two super modern laser centers (HiLASE and ELI beamlines) which were funded byContinue reading “Dolní Břežany”
Liblice
On this very cold day (3°C) in November, we started our ride from a small parking lot next to Liblice castle. This castle hotel, owned by the Czech Academy of Sciences, is an absolute winner of the Hotel of the Year competition for 2020. It was recently renovated into the original splendor and it isContinue reading “Liblice”
Vítkov
This very comfortable Prague city ride is for any type of weather, however, clear skies will allow you to enjoy several nice viewpoints. I remember ten years ago biking in Prague was considered quite dangerous, but this route really shows how you can stay on dedicated bike paths without interacting with city traffic. After startingContinue reading “Vítkov”
Stará Boleslav – Hlavenec – Lhota
Although this trip is still unique in the actual mapped route, we have been to this area several times in summer. Especially when we discovered the recreational Lhota lake to swim and lay in the sand during the hot days. We always carried (although not necessary) our bathing suits and towels on the summer ridesContinue reading “Stará Boleslav – Hlavenec – Lhota”
Mníšek pod Brdy
This ride starts from the parking lot in front of Mníšek castle. Occasionally medieval battle reenactments are played here… Mníšek is a great starting point to go into the Brdy mountain range for hiking or biking. However, we started in the opposite direction to visit the crossing at St. Venceslas under Pleš mountain where weContinue reading “Mníšek pod Brdy”
Letná to Šárka
From our house to one of our favorite parks in Prague, Šárka. A comfortable ride which can be done either as one trip, or it can be split into two pieces. It will guide you through the map via figure eight, so if you are not sure whether you want to do the whole thing,Continue reading “Letná to Šárka”
Radotín Circle
A warm November day seemed ideal for just an easy afternoon ride through the autumn forest. It went through the forest, but it was not easy. The first difficult part was a straight uphill trudge on a path used by horseback riders just where the red tourist mark turns to the right from the road.Continue reading “Radotín Circle”
Modřany Prague- Točná
Modřany is a suburb of Prague, south of the city center. The area is full of history and has a few educational trails to hike and read along the way. One such educational trail is called Stezka Svobody (Freedom Trail) which starts and ends in Točná and has 22 stops over 12.5 kilometers. Although weContinue reading “Modřany Prague- Točná”
Bohnice – Pet cemetery
All Saints Day is a perfect time to bike through the Bohnice area and visit the Pet Cemetery or Pietní Park. It is not accepting new “customers” because it has been full for years. Even so, there were lit candles and fresh flowers on pet’s graves that had deceased years ago. The pet owners wereContinue reading “Bohnice – Pet cemetery”
Zbiroh, Křivoklátsko
Zbiroh is a small town in the Plzen region about an hour from Prague. Even though Zbiroh castle is not on our Top 88 Castles in Czech Republic book it does stand out prominently on the hill above the town. The famous painter, Alfons Mucha, lived in the East Wing with his family from 1912-28. Continue reading “Zbiroh, Křivoklátsko”
Jílové to Týnec
A blue sky in Autumn should never be wasted, especially to see the changing colors of the leaves. I’ve never been to the US, East Coast to in fall, but can imagine the beauty may compare to what we rode through in this area. Due to its picturesque setting, the village of Jílové is aContinue reading “Jílové to Týnec”
Obecnice – Brdy
With daylight savings and cooler autumn weather, we are going back to shorter trips from Prague and into the Brdy mountains as there are still so many different routes to explore. Most of the Brdy mountains is covered by forest, and it is one of the largest contiguously forested areas in the interior of theContinue reading “Obecnice – Brdy”
Štěchovice and Slapy
We started this ride in the village of Štěchovice about 30 km from Prague. This area is very pretty as Vltava river cuts through the hillside taking plenty of sharp turns and we highly recommend this for hikers as well. Our trip included views of two major dams (Štěchovicka and Slapska) which are quite impressive.Continue reading “Štěchovice and Slapy”
Kladno
Not far from Prague is Kladno which is somewhat of a commuter town for those who do not live in Prague. Kladno is known as the historical birthplace of heavy industry (steel and mining) and for the past 20 years, Kladno is one of the world’s four Lego manufacturing sites. Its also the birthplace ofContinue reading “Kladno”
Central Bohemia Nature Park
The Central Bohemia Nature Park has an area of 4,575 hectare and starts at the southern edge of Prague (near Zbraslav) and goes through forest areas through Závist, Zvolská homola and Zahořanské údolí to Petrov. Through the Zahrádka forest, it reaches the right bank of the Sázava River and continues through Medníky around Krňany along theContinue reading “Central Bohemia Nature Park”
Loučeň and Dětenice
Although we didn’t visit the Loučeň Chateau in the village of Loučeň, it seems we need to go back to see the chateau which is surrounded by a large English park and has recently been enriched by a unique European feature – a set of 12 labyrinths and mazes. However, we did find a perfectContinue reading “Loučeň and Dětenice”
Jetřichovice – Czech Switzerland
This was one of the top ten rides this year! This area is one of the four national parks in Czech Republic and borders with Germany. It is known as Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Národní park České Švýcarsko) on the Czech side and Saxon Switzerland National Park on the German side. This is a greatContinue reading “Jetřichovice – Czech Switzerland”
Manětín
Grateful for another autumn day we decided we should explore more of the interior regions of Czech Republic. The drive itself was worth it as it went through more agricultural areas than urban. The region is covered with hops fields and you can stop in the town of Krušovice (https://krusovice.cz/en/historie) to try their beer whichContinue reading “Manětín”
Zbečno – Central Bohemia
One of the more well known castles to visit not far from Prague is Křivoklát, but if you don’t make a lot more time for some hiking or biking you will miss the beautiful Křivoklátsko, a landscape protected area. Because it was the hunting grounds for the kings and princes since the Middle Ages itContinue reading “Zbečno – Central Bohemia”
Adršpach, Eastern Bohemia
Adršpach is a small village in the North Eastern part of Czech Republic bordering with Poland. We parked at the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks Nature preserve and paid to walk among these very unusual sandstone rocks. It did not disappoint us with the massive stones. You don’t need more than two hours to visit the park and youContinue reading “Adršpach, Eastern Bohemia”
Beskydy – Šance Dam
The Beskydy Mountains are also known as the Beskid Mountain or Beskids for short. This is a massive mountain range (outer part of the Carpathians) that covers 600 km in length and crosses from Poland to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Ukraine. The area we wanted to explore is about a 6 hour driveContinue reading “Beskydy – Šance Dam”
Šumava – Nová Pec
Šumava National Park is one of the four national parks of Czech Republic. The other three are Krkonoše, Podyjí, and Česke Švýcarsko. Characteristics of the natural environment: almost 85% of the area is forested in the central part. At higher altitude locations, there are remnants of primeval forests, abundant wetlands and raised bogs and glacialContinue reading “Šumava – Nová Pec”
Šumava – Kvilda
The Bohemian Forest, known as Šumava is a low mountain range that creates a natural border with Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. This region has a complicated history as part of the Iron Curtain large areas were stripped of human settlement. The unique circumstances led to preservation of this region making it a beautiful placeContinue reading “Šumava – Kvilda”
Nižbor
Nižbor became one of our favorite ride starting points. Not only because the area around Berounka is magical and full of bike routes, but also because we found an ideal spot for regaining our strength after a long trip – a restaurant Zastávka Nižbor. This establishment has the atmosphere of the beginning of the lastContinue reading “Nižbor”
Doksy, Máchovo Jezero
This is a good ride for a nice summer day. If possible avoid the weekend since Máchovo jezero is a popular destination for all kinds of water sports. This lake was created on the order of Karel IV in 1366. It was only named in 1961 after Karel Hynek Mácha, the famous and controversial Czech poet.Continue reading “Doksy, Máchovo Jezero”
Nymburk to Lysá nad Labem
The town of Nymburk, 28 miles east of Prague is worth a visit and a walk around. The main feature of the town is the Gothic brick Saint Giles Church. This church, together with the preserved buildings of the Nymburk fortification, is a unique example of brick Gothic architecture in the Czech lands. The dominantContinue reading “Nymburk to Lysá nad Labem”