Natural beauties of the Czech Republic

Number of beauties of nature, unforgettable scenery with attractions for all age and hobby groups - that is the Czech Republic. We have tips for perfect places for all who like to discover the natural beauties, whether on foot or by bike.

Czech Switzerland National Park
Measuring 79km2, the most recently established National Park in the Czech Republic is the Czech Switzerland, which gained park status on 1.1.2000. It’s located in the Ústecký region and stretches along the border with Saxon Switzerland (Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz) on the other side. The park is largely surrounded with Labské pískovce Protected Landscape Area, which together with the national park on the czech and saxon part forms single orographic unit called Czech-Saxon Switzerland. Rocky ridges, canyons, sandstone towers and mesas are typical for this region. The country is enriched with Tertiary igneous rocks, among them is the highest mountain of the National Park - Ruzovsky Hill (619 m above sea level, a national nature reserve) with virgin forest ecosystems. The canyon of the Elbe River in Hrensko is the lowest place in the Czech Republic (114 m). Since the second half of the19th century, the territory became very popular thanks to then owners of the estate, Kinský family and Clary Aldringen family, who made accessible the most interesting tourist places such as canyons of Kamenice, view points of Jetrichovice or natural rock bridge - Pravčická gate, which is now a major tourist attraction and a symbol of Czech Switzerland.

Rock towns of the Hrubá skála
Between Valdštejn Castle and the chateau at Hrubá Skála near Turnov (all in the Czech Paradise area) you will find the so-called Hrubá skála ‘rock towns’. These rock formations wreathed in legend offer great rock climbing on over 400 rock towers, some reaching as high as 50m. Canyons and gorges create romantic corners. In one of them the so-called Adam's bed has been shaped. Bukovina arboretum and rocky vistas belong to frequented places. Here you can find the Devil's hand massive with rich archaeological sites of prehistoric settlement. Wandering through these rocks is often linked with a visit of Valštejn Castle, Hrubá Skála Chateau and Sedmihorky Spa.

Pančavský Waterfall in the Krkonoše Mountains
The highest waterfall in the Czech Republic descends in several steps from the edge of the Pančavská meadow to the bottom of the Elbe Valley. The waterfall is accessible along a marked hiking trail 1 km from Labská bouda. There is the so-called Ambrose´s vista with a nice view of Elbe Valley and Lysá Hill.

Úpská Peat Bog Nature Reserve in the Krkonoše Mountains
The bog lies between Luční bouda, the border, Obří bouda and Mount Studniční at an elevation of 1,400m. The northern part lies over the border in Poland. This largest upland peat bog of the Krkonoše Mountains is a reminder of subarctic tundra, which reached here in the Ice Age. Due to inclement local climate many species of flora and fauna of the Ice Age have preserved here. The Úpa and Bílé Labe rivers all rise here. The nature reserve has an area of 73ha.

Trail across the Tříjezerní peat bog in Šumava
A small peat bog called Tříjezerní slať lies to the southeast of a hill called Oblík around 3km from Modrava within the boundaries of the Šumava National Park. The peat bog gets its name (meaning Three Lakes) from nearby lakes and is best accessed from the Geopark and National Park Information Centre in Rokyta. A short nature trail with 11 information boards leads through the peat bog and inform visitors with local vegetation, surface formation of the peat bog, its creation and composition.

Through the Šumava on the Spirit of the Forest trail
In the southern reaches of the Šumava you can hike along a marked hiking trail called the ‘Spirit of the Forest’. The trail has existed since 2006 and runs near the borders with Austria and Germany. It gives visitors the chance to experience the Šumava’s virgin forest up close. The trail begins at the Plešný Lake and ends at the memorial of Adalbert Stifter and takes approximately 40 minutes. The trail is a part of the Trojmezná Mountain Nature Reserve, which became a part of the Šumava National Park in 1991.

The “Goblin Cliffs” near Carlsbad
Now a protected natural monument, this extremely rare geological formation is around 3km southwest from the town of Kyselka. In the high Schwedelberg cliff there are around sixty cylindrical hollows with diameters from a few centimetres up to 1.5m. The depth of the openings can reach up to 5 metres. According to legend there lived sprites. A number of scientific hypotheses arisen on the origin of the unusual vugs. Today, most geologists believe that the mysterious vugs were formed from weathering of displaced tree trunks in volcanic sediments.

The mysterious Kounov standing stones in Central Bohemia
The Kounov standing stones, often dubbed one of the most mysterious locations in the country, consist of stone rows up to 100m long on the top of Rovina Hill. For the past 70 years experts have not been able to agree what they were for.

Czech Grand Canyon – Great America
Location of filming of Lemonade Joe and Accumulator, but also former targeted station of uncomfortable political prisoners. It is a limestone quarry - the Great America. The quarry is 800 m long, 200 m wide and 100 m deep with a quarry lake. Come and get to know the beauty of the Czech Karst Protected Landscape Area, Karlštejn castle and the environs.

A journey to the source of the River Morava
The Králický Sněžník, which divides one half of the European watershed from the other, is rightly called the ‘roof of Europe’. Beneath the summit at 1,380m you can find the source of the River Morava, now fashioned to look like a well. It is renowned and frequently visited tourist destination.