Cycling tour: Prague to Krakow

Meet our guide in Prague, transfer to Mlada Boleslav. Start scenic cycling to the Detenice, a guided tour of the local medieval brewery. Lunch in a stylish medieval tavern. Continue through the rolling hills around the ruins of Velis Castle to the historic town of Jicin.

Overnight in hotel Jicin.

After breakfast set out right from the hotel in the direction of the Bohemian Paradise, majestic Trosky castle proudly perched atop two basalt rocks, continue to Hruba Skala with wonderful vistas of peculiar sandstone rocks, two more intriguing chateaus on the way. Downhill through Pekar Gate in the direction of the well-preserved mediaeval Kost castle, guided tour. Transfer to Jicin.

Overnight in Jicin

Leaving Jicin through the undulating landscape around Pecka castle, with nice views of the Giant Mountains in the distance. Pass by old-fashioned wooden cottages and a nicely preserved Baroque smithy in Kal, around Zvicina hill to the Nativity Scene chiseled by Matyas Braun into living rock. Continue the last few kilometers to Kuks to explore twelve vices and twelve virtues, the climax of Baroque sculpture in the Czech lands.

Overnight in a nice safari hotel in Dvur Kralove.

Transfer to Dobrosov with a lecture on the sophisticated Czechoslovak border fortification system built in expectation of the Nazi attack. A tour of an artillery blockhouse including a part of its extensive underground corridors. Enjoy a wonderful view of the Eagle Mountains from a watchtower at Jirasek Chalet, downhill to a funnel-shaped valley called The Hell and along the Metuje River to Nove Mesto. Enjoy enchanting castle gardens in Nove Mesto and continue around the Rozkos (Pleasure) reservoir, through the Grand Mother's Valley, the locale of the first Czech novel not only for children, along the Elbe River to Dvur Kralove.

Overnight in safari hotel in Drur Kralove.

Transfer to Luze, set out cycling through the Korunka and Novohradka River valley, passing by the imposing Boruvka watchtower, continue through the Mastale Rocks to Nove Hrady with a fancy High Baroque Chateau, and further on through the homeland of Smetana and Martinu, two prominent Czech composers, to Litomysl. Guided tour of the historic city and of the illustrious Renaissance chateau, Unesco site, and transfer to Olomouc.

Overnight in Olomouc.

A short transfer to Bouzov, set out from under the fairytale Bouzov castle, cycle through nicely undulating landscape to Mladec, visit to Mladec Caves, and to Litovel, nicknamed the Venice of the Hana region. From Litovel a perfectly flat cycling trail through fields and woods alongside the Morava River all the way to Olomouc. Enjoy a free afternoon in the historic city of Olomouc, explore its picture-perfect set of Baroque fountains, cathedrals, churches, remnants of mediaeval city walls, astronomical clock, and most importantly the Holy Trinity Column, a Unesco site.

Overnight in Olomouc

Transfer to Roznov pod Radhostem, visit to the open-air museum of Wallachian wooden town, drive uphill to Pustevny and enjoy lunch with a beautiful view of the Beskyd Mountains. Cycle downhill to Frenstat pod Radhostem, leaving the mountain massif behind us, continue to Hulvaldy, the birthplace of Leos Janacek, a world-renown Czech composer, to Koprivnice, optional visit to a museum of Tatra automotive company with over one-hundred year tradition, among other things producing representative cars for the communist bigshots. Arrival to Stramberk, nicknamed the Moravian Betlehem for its unique collection of timbered houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Overnight in Stramberk

After breakfast, leave the town of Stramberk northward, cross the borders to Poland and arrive at the infamous WWII concentration camp. After lunch at the spot, a guided tour of the museum in Auschwitz I and nearby Auschwitz II, the actual camp which once held up to 100 thousand inmates.

Guided tour of Krakow with a local guide, starting in the Kazimierz, the former Jewish district with a number synagogues and a Jewish cemetery, walk to the Wawel Castle, appreciate its Renaissance courtyard, basilica of Sts. Stanislaw and Vaclav, continue to the famous Jagiellonian University, and take the Royal Route to Rynek Glowny, the main square with Virgin Mary's, and the celebrated Cloth Hall. After lunch in a salad bar, enjoy free afternoon. Farewell dinner, end of the tour.

Overnight in Krakow.

GROUP SIZE: 4-14 participants
Departure Date: on request - for groups/private groups only

Price: on request, please contact us at info@etours.cz