A mystical landscape of pine forests and deep valleys, with majestic rock towers, gates, walls, ravines, rock cities and labyrinths rising up from them. The Bohemian Switzerland National Park is empire of rocks is home to the rarest of animals and also plays host to remarkable plants. A mystical landscape of pine forests and deep valleys, with majestic rock towers, gates, walls, ravines, rock cities and labyrinths rising up from them. This is a great attraction for travelers who live in harmony with nature and want to admire such fantastic views !
The best way to get to know Bohemian Switzerland is to walk through its fairytale countryside, mystical gorges, to enjoy the views far into the distance and to listen to the murmuring of the crystal clear Kamenice Stream. Only in this way will you appreciate the unique atmosphere of the national park.
How to get to the National Park ?
The national park is quite easy to reach as it is located close to the capitol Prague. Prague has plenty of international flights from all major European airports. The drive from Prague to the national park is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. This makes the national park suitable for day trips as well.
When to visit the National Park ?
A national park worth visiting at any time of the year. In summer, the weather is favorable, there are plenty of trails and paths along which you will experience breathtaking landscapes. Winter is cold, but you will still be able to go on beautiful hikes.
Where does the name of the Park come from?
It may be the newest national park in the Czech Republic, but Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Narodni Park Ceske Svycarsko) has long been a popular destination for traders and artists. The interesting name of the park was inspired by the work of two 19th-century Swiss artists who settled in this region because it reminded them of their homeland. Today, the park attracts hikers, cyclists, climbers and nature lovers from all over the world.
The best places to visit:
- Tiske Steny (Tisa Walls) This beautiful rock labyrinth belongs to the Protected Country region Labské pískovce (The Elbe Sandstone Rocks) and is a part of sandstone plateau that originated about 90 million years ago in the Cretaceous Mesozoic period. You can park your car at the indicated parking lot which is located below Tiske steny and then you have to hike on a really easy path for about 10 minutes.
- Decinsky Sneznik (Hoher Schneeberg) This is the highest mountain in Bohemian Switzerland and it’s located quite close to Tisa walls so you can visit both of them in one day. The hike starts at the indicated parking lot and you have to follow the signs up the road. It is an easy uphill 40 minutes walk until the lookout tower.
- Edmund’s Gorge (Edmundsklamm) This gorge is located right next to Hřensko, a really cute town that could be your place to stay when visiting the park. Edmund Gorge, which was previously named “Quiet” or “Lower” Gorge, is a rocky canyon of the Kamenice River. You will have to park at the indicated parking lot and then walk around 2 km on a flat and easy path to reach the place to take the boat. Then, you can enjoy the nice 20 minutes boat ride in the gorge and just take the time to appreciate the beauty of the place.
4. Mariina skala & Vyleminina skala: The starting point of the hike is from the small town of Jetrichovice. There are a couple of parking and then you can just follow the signs. It takes around 45 minutes of hiking up a quite steep path with a lot of stairs.
5. Pravcicka brana (Prebischtor) It is the largest sandstone arch in Europe and it is very picturesque up there! There are a couple of ways to get there: you can either walk from Hřensko or from Mezní Louka, either way takes about 90 minutes of hiking, or you can take a bus and there is a stop named Pravcicka brana. If you take the bus, it will take you around 45 minutes of quite steep hiking to reach the arch.
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