Bohemian Saxon Switzerland is a national park in the Czech Republic. Czech Switzerland What is the best route to take in Czech Switzerland?

Even 2 weeks before the trip to the Czech Republic, I began to plan some kind of 2-day trip to nature. After some information gathering, I chose the option of Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland.
Czech and Saxon Switzerland, in fact, a single natural complex of sandstone rocks and gorges, located in two neighboring countries: the Czech Republic and Germany (Saxony). Those. Czech Switzerland turns out to be the gateway to another Switzerland, even more picturesque: Saxon, i.e. to Germany.
First of all, I booked rooms at the Labe Hotel on the website http://www.labehotel.cz/gb/
This hotel is located in the town of Hrensko.
You can also choose other hotels there. You can see the list here-
Czech Switzerland Hotels, pensions:
http://www.cztour.cz/ru/hotels-pansion.php
My friend and I traveled from Prague first by train to Decin.
You can, for example, take the EuroCity 178 Johannes Brahms train at 6:31 and be there at 8 am
in Decin, and from there by bus about 20-25 minutes and on the spot in Grzensko
And the whole day is ahead!
For reference, the train to Decin costs 165 CZK (if you book in advance, as I understand it
it will cost even less) The exchange rate at that time was 1 euro = 25 crowns.
All information on trains and buses can and should be found on the website -
http://jizdnirady.idnes.cz/vlakyautobusymhd/spojeni/

Here is the Labe Hotel. The bus stops almost 40 meters from the hotel.

In general, we checked into a hotel. I took 2 numbers. I really liked the layout - there was access from 2 rooms to one balcony.

A couple of panoramic shots

In Grzhensko there is practically one road and along it there are guesthouses, restaurants, many shops and a lot of shops where the Vietnamese sell their goods.
In general, the Czech Republic is overrun with Vietnamese. They sell all sorts of cheap consumer goods in all
Czech cities. And the Vietnamese turned out to be quite impudent. When I was walking around Grzhensko, one Vietnamese lady, furious that I was not reacting to her product, hit me on the legs with a stick.

Here you can see the Praha Hotel - probably the most expensive hotel in this place

Such a small square in this Grzensko

Houses are located under rocks - but when it rains heavily, there may be a rock collapse

Country idyll

Road along the Elbe. Germany is on the other side

On the other side is the German side (train station). On the Czech side you can see part of the ferry on which we will cross to the other side tomorrow.

On the road along which we arrived by bus there are Duty Free shops.
The border is with Germany after all. Prices are really lower than, for example, in Prague.

We ate and drank beer in one of the many restaurants and then continued on our way
lay in the Pravčicka brane.

Read the continuation.

There are places from where this amazing piece of earth looks like a region hidden from humanity and preserved in its pristine beauty.

Download guide and brochure

This exceptional natural treasure even ranks alongside Yosemite National Park and South America's Galapagos Islands on the list of tourist destinations. wildlife"Must-visit 501 - Wild places."

However, a closer acquaintance will allow us to be convinced that this region is by no means as uninhabited and pristine as it seems at first glance. Moving through its territory, you will learn that among the deep gorges and high cliffs there are many surprises hidden. The local cliffs are surrounded by steep steps, and on the tops you can see lonely ruins, covered in legends about robber knights, fairies and giants. With all this, the road to this quiet, fabulous land from the noisy capital of Prague takes no more than two hours.

Walk on the seabed

The Bohemian Switzerland National Park is the youngest of the four national parks of the Czech Republic. You will find it on the border with Germany, which separates “Czech Switzerland” from its twin, “Saxon Switzerland”. Millions of years ago the sea stretched here. Having subsided, it left behind unique edge, which, being the lowest point Czech Republic, resembles mountains. This land of high sandstone cliffs and towers, rock arches, ravines and mountains with truncated peaks served as a refuge for ancient people more than 10,000 years ago. In the 13-14 centuries, German settlers began to build villages and entire future cities here; fortresses of knights grew on the rocks, who often engaged in robbery. In troubled times, local residents hid here from the armies marching through this region during wars, of which there was never a shortage near the historical border between the Czech and German lands. To this day, you will find here many reminders of these distant events - inscriptions carved on the rocks by the villagers themselves, reconciliatory crosses, rock chapels and abandoned church paths.

Photos: (Martin Rak,Václav Sojka)

Artists, poets and early travelers

The wild nature and hitherto hidden beauty of the region, which developed for a long time without human intervention, were discovered at the end of the 18th century by two Swiss artists of the Romantic era - Adrian Zingg and Anton Graf. Depicting this region in engravings and describing it in poetry, they spread its rapidly growing fame throughout Europe. The sites along the Elbe Canyon have become the cradle of modern tourism, becoming one of the first actively visited tourist attractions in Europe. More and more visitors flocked to the beauty and mystery of Czech Switzerland. One of the most famous landscape painters of all time, Caspar David Friedrich, also came here to obtain the motives for his paintings. The owners of the local estates understood the attractiveness of the local dense forests, as well as the romantic contours of the cliffs, and made a lot of efforts to make them as accessible as possible by building roads and bridges. On Mariana Rock, Welhelm's Wall and Rudolph's Stone, steps were made, benches were placed, and gazebos were placed on the tops. New taverns and places to stay overnight were opened for tourists along the roads, walking paths appeared, and the wild Kamenice River began to be used for movement between gorges.

Not only artists, but also famous poets, writers, and composers came to these virgin lands for their stories and legends. The fortresses of the robber knights, rocky places, legends about gnomes and fairies influenced celebrities, including the storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, the poet R.M. Rilke, composers K.M. von Weber, Richard Wagner and others.

Czech Switzerland in the memoirs of G.H. Andersen and R.M. Rilke

The poet R.M. Rilke visited Jetřichovice in 1892 and recalls his visit this way: “I want, dear reader, to take you to a land where mighty giant rocks reveal their gray giant crowns from a dark fir forest, and meadows strewn with flowers dreamily stretch along a babbling brook. …. Throughout the area, thousands of roads lead you deep into mysterious wilderness. Everything here craves for sweets, carefree holiday- and already today. Long hollows with cushions of moss and a carpet of heather resemble purple feather beds, the trees look like a majestic canopy, and the tall fans of ferns are filled with blissful freshness.”

The passionate traveler Hans Christian Andersen even captured his impressions of the road from his native Copenhagen to the Czech Republic in the book “ Shadow paintings of a journey through the Harz and Saxon Switzerland". Emotionally and romantically, in the spirit of his era, he perceives both the country and the people he met along the way. He spent only a few hours in the Czech Republic, comparing it with the well-known tune that sounds inside us, full of life: “In my memories, this beautiful land spreads out, flooded with sunlight. I clearly see every detail of it, in my soul it is like a beautiful melody, despite the fact that I do not know how to express it in individual tones and motifs.

I see this large clearing in the forest with huge spruce trees, where we were told that we had just crossed the border, I see heavily tanned Czech girls with white scarves on their heads and bare feet, who we met in the dark spruce forest, and, finally, the pristine a section of the Pravchitsky Gate rocks, where we stood under a stone arch thrown over our heads by a mighty genius of nature. I see the vast dark forests somewhere below us are distant mountains with snow shimmering in the sun.”

Photo: (Václav Sojka)

And today the Pravchitsky Gate captivates artists, including the creators of fairy tales. Film director "The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" found the ideal backdrop for his interpretation of this story in the snowy Quiet Rocks. Andrew Adamson chose Tisza because of the richness of the snow cover and the incredibly beautiful terrain with a natural labyrinth of rocks, which few people dared to enter without a guide back in the 19th century. Thus, he wanted to get as close as possible to the world that S.K. Lewis created with his imagination on the pages of books. It was here that Lucy visited the cave of the faun Tumnus, and all four siblings crossed the rock bridge for the first time and looked at the endless forests of Narnia.

The rock town of Til Walls and, in general, the whole of Czech Switzerland today are a real paradise for tourists and climbers. The first sporting forays to the tops of rocks took place already at the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, many climbing routes have appeared here. Climbing is possible to various mountain towers of the rock town with poetic names “Baldur’s Needle”, “Golem”, “Forest Drop”, “Stone of the Wise”, “Rudolfinum”.

The once quite extensive fortress of the 13th century two centuries later became the residence of Mikel Blekta from Utěchovice, who with his retinue carried out predatory raids on the surrounding area. At the end of the 15th century, the fortress fell into decay, from the 19th century this place became available to the public.

Sometimes also called the Robber's Fortress, it is one of the most beautiful rock fortifications in Czech Switzerland. Starting from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, it guarded the so-called “Czech Highway” - an important trade route connecting the Czech Republic and Lausitz. The owners of the fortress, the Berkovs from Dube, earned themselves an unflattering reputation as robbers, and the fortification itself served them as a refuge for carrying out robber attacks around. At the end of the 15th century, the site was abandoned and gradually fell into disrepair.
It's definitely worth climbing to the top of the fortress, not only to see the ruins of the fortifications, but also for the magnificent view that opens up at the top.

At the top of the rock, many thousands of years ago there was a cave of ancient hunters. The fortress that originally stood here was built in the 13th century and gradually changed several owners, among whom was a robber knight, and was surrounded and burned several times. In the 17th century, hermits settled here and lived on the top of the rock for more than a hundred years. Later, Count Kinsky rebuilt the fortress into a place countryside holiday your guests. Among the visitors, the names of the Archdukes Franz Karl and Stephen of Habsburg, the Saxon king Frederick Augustus, and the future Emperor Franz Joseph I visited here with his brothers in 1847.

Over the centuries, the once Gothic fortress became both the residence of a noble family and the refuge of robber knights. The current ruins are still covered with many stories and legends. Here, supposedly, the ghosts of the White Lady and a large black dog appear, the dungeon is riddled with a labyrinth of secret passages, and in front of the fortress there is a spring, with the water of which particles of gold scatter; in the stream you can find rare and precious stones.

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On a boat to the very end of the world

One of the main attractions of Czech Switzerland, which, according to the authors of the book 501 Wildplaces, should in no case be ignored along with the Pravcicka Gate, is also a romantic boat trip along the Quiet and Wild canyons on the Kamenice River. It's a short but spectacular boat ride with a gondolier between two sheer cliffs - so deep in places that there is very little direct sunlight.

In Czech Switzerland there is the first observation deck in the creation of which man had a hand. From here there is a stunning view of the deep canyon of the Elbe River, as well as the Zirkelstein and Kaiserkrone mesas located in Germany. Once upon a time, concerts in the lap of nature were held at this site in Clari-Aldringen. By their order, a “terrena” hall was built, a small estate nearby and, somewhat later, a 4-kilometer path for carriages, then leading to their palace in the village of Bynovets. Nowadays this route is marked with tourist markers.

One of the largest natural rock arches on our continent, without a doubt, the most beautiful natural formation of Czech Switzerland and a recognizable symbol of the entire region at first sight. Since 1881, the summer estate “Falcon's Nest”, originally used to accommodate honored guests of the Kläri-Aldringen family, has been inseparably connected with the Pravčicka Gate. Today the Museum is located on the second floor of the building. national park, and on the first floor there is a preserved stylish restaurant with its original design.

Maze length underground passages is 4,500 meters. At the end of World War II, they were laid by prisoners of the Flossenbürg and Rabstein concentration camps. The underground factory produced parts for aircraft, cannons, machine guns and aircraft missiles. Several dozen prisoners died during the construction of the underground factory. Today, the Concentration Camp Museum is located here.

A treasure of Northern Bohemia from the Baroque era, designed by the architect Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt. At the place of pilgrimage in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is already three hundred years old, liturgies and services are held in honor of the Procession of the Cross and the Holy Staircase.

With its expressive outlines and, above all, its elevation of up to 300 m compared to the rest of the terrain, it creates a bright dominant feature of the area. With an altitude of 619 m above sea level, the so-called Bohemian Fuji is the highest point of the Czech Switzerland National Park, and in the region of Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland it is the second highest mountain after Dečín Sneznik. It is likely that at one time pagan rituals were performed here, and there was also a place of pilgrimage. German tribes allegedly worshiped Ružov Hill as the abode of the gods. The motif of this mountain is noticeable in many paintings - for example, “Traveler over the Sea of Fogs” (Poutník nad mořem mlh) (1818) by the German artist Gaspar David Friedrich.

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This was once a serious obstacle that residents of local villages on the right bank had to somehow overcome when they wanted to get to the church on the other side of the river in the village of Růžová. At the same time, wood has been floated along the majestic river routes since time immemorial, and in winter, when the local waters were abundant with trout and salmon, they became a paradise for fishermen. Once in 1877, in the tavern “At the Green Tree” (U Zeleného stromu) in the town of Hřensko, five daredevils made a bet that they would sail on rafts from the Dolskaya mill to the place that was then called “the end of the world.” On floating structures 4 meters long, they actually safely reached Grzhensk, in fact, becoming the founders of the tourist use of these waterways. Prince Clari-Aldringen invited specialists from Italy, under whose leadership, with the help of over two hundred workers, these areas became accessible to the public. Suspended walkways and bridges were laid here, and tunnels were built with the help of explosives. On May 4, 1890, the opening of the “Quiet” (“Edmond”) canyon took place in a solemn ceremony. Since then, “at the very end of the world,” in fact, nothing much has changed, the beauty of nature remains untouched, and the carriers, as more than 130 years ago, push and guide their boats with poles.

Photo: (Jerzy Strzelecki, Václav Sojka)

“České Švýcarsko”, and this is exactly what the name of the reserve, which is located in the north-west of the country, near the border with Germany, sounds like in Czech. On the other side of the border, Switzerland becomes Saxon.

But since the borders in Schengen are conditional, and even more so inside the park, we will consider both halves of the reserve together, like Czech-Saxon Switzerland.

Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland in all its glory.

Where did Switzerland come from in the Czech Republic?

According to legend, in the 19th century, two Swiss went to restore the Dresden Gallery at the invitation of the Elector himself, and were very surprised to find sandstone mountains nearby, very reminiscent of their native ones. And of course, the friends spent all their free time on the slopes, as a result they christened this place with the name of their homeland. This name stuck because the landscape really is very reminiscent of Switzerland. By that time, these mountains already had the status of a natural reserve, and since the beginning of 2000 they have been national reserve"Czech Switzerland".

True, it’s difficult to call these places mountains, since the most high point park - Děčínský Sněžník - is located at an altitude of 723 meters. But, nevertheless, it is the rock formations and canyons in them that fascinate many visiting tourists, and the Pravčická brána, which is considered the symbol of the park, is also the largest naturally occurring mountain arch in Europe. Currently it is impossible to get to the arch due to the danger of its possible collapse, but there are several organized in the area observation platforms, in the most interesting viewing places.

The ancient stone observation tower at the top has the same name as the mountain itself - Děčínský Sněžník. Best view The view of Czech Switzerland opens from this tower.

How to get there on your own?

The easiest way is to purchase a tour in advance via the Internet or directly in Prague and forget about the need to invent and develop your own leisure time. approximate cost excursions at the travel agency office in 2019 - 40 €, when booking online - about 32 €.

Here are excerpts from Lydia’s review:

“Perhaps the most unforgettable event of our trip was the excursion to Czech Switzerland...
The great Danish storyteller G.H. Andersen visited this place and drew inspiration from contemplating the local beauty...
We boarded a boat that looked more like a Venetian gondola...
Every now and then our eyes would see funny figures carved out of wood, obviously for the amusement of tourists, and in one place our cheerful gondolier pulled a string, bringing down a real waterfall in front of us...”

Olga writes in her review:

“There is beauty all around! And you don't know where to look. If in the Czech part nature reserve seemed quiet, peaceful, calm, then the Saxon part of it, on the contrary, is full of majesty, grandeur, you feel helpless in front of all the power of nature...
Amazing landscapes open up from the heights of the Bastei Mountains. And here it is famous bridge Bastei. It is built of sandstone, that is, the same mountains served as the material for it...”

But many travelers prefer to act independently, gaining additional freedom.

How to get to Czech Switzerland yourself?

So, the shortest way to the park is by train, from Prague Mosarikov station to Děčín, a city near the reserve. The journey takes about two hours. If accommodation near the park has been booked in advance, then most likely the hotel’s services include meeting guests at the station and transfer to the hotel. Or you can get to Hřensko on your own, by bus or taxi. It's already very close.

By the way, you can take a boat from Decin to the park, to the pier in the village of Shmilka, and from there it’s about a kilometer to Hřensko.

Chug-chug. Here we come main station city of Děčín. We should go out.

But the most interesting way to get to Czech Switzerland is, of course, highway(see photo above), running along the Elbe channel and saturated with additional natural beauties. This is what tourists write in reviews after visiting the park: “It is along the Labe (Elbe) that the beautiful landscapes: now thickets of water lilies, now a lonely boat on the river bank, now cute houses with brown roofs along the shore, now a castle..."

The journey by car from Dresden will take about 45 minutes, from Prague - about an hour and a half.

Accommodation

In Czech Switzerland there are several hotels of various levels offering a full range of tourism services. Among mid-level hotels, we can recommend “Labe”, located in Hřensko, at the intersection of many hiking trails, with parking and cozy rooms.

Hotel Labe means Elbe in Czech.

Also interesting is the Belveder Hotel, located on the top of a cliff overlooking the Elbe River canyon.

Here you can see a piece of the Belveder Hotel with an observation deck. High... Very high... If you are planning to climb there, take a diaper with you, just in case.

Automobile travelers can stay in campsites also available in the park.

For passionate lovers of outdoor recreation, there is another one in the Czech Republic. Fabulous sunsets for lyricists, around - for gothic lovers, playgrounds, waterslides and attractions - for children, bicycles and boats - for fatties and athletes, and, of course, royal fishing - for those who cannot imagine themselves without a fishing rod in their hands.

The main attraction of the park is the already mentioned Pravčická brána, a huge sandstone arch, the largest in Europe. Its height is 16 meters and width is 26 meters. Not only a train, but also an airplane can pass through such gates. You can get an unforgettable sight by walking through the arch and enjoying the grandeur and power of nature.

Near Brannoy, built into the rock is the ancient hunting house “Falcon's Nest”, built in the 19th century and which was the summer castle of the Clari-Aldringen family. The castle now houses a reserve museum and a restaurant with original woodwork and ceiling paintings from the nineteenth century.

What to do in the park?

Czech swiss mountains although not big, they are still mountains. And the activities here are predominantly mountain - mountaineering, trekking and rafting, but naturally in the simplest form, for unprepared participants.

By the way, sandstone rocks are easily subjected to atmospheric treatment and over time acquire surprisingly unusual features, like piles of individual huge boulders with rounded edges, inexplicably held on top of each other. Due to the soft nature of the rock, mountaineering is not particularly difficult; ascents often occur without additional equipment. But this is only permissible for people with training. U ordinary tourists There is an opportunity to feel like rock climbers only in safety equipment and under the supervision of an instructor.

The entire Czech-Saxon Switzerland is dotted with many specially equipped walking paths of varying levels of difficulty and length. A schematic diagram of their location can be found in travel brochures and on the map, and navigate by signs posted on the routes. This type of outdoor recreation energizes you with vigor and muscle tone for a long time.

There are also specially laid routes for cycling with a rise of up to 300 meters. Several categories of difficulty and length, from 20 to 44 kilometers, with visits to the main attractions, with a picnic or lunch along the way. You can rent a bicycle in the park or at hotels. You can also start the cycling route from Decin.

And there is everything for cycling.

In hot weather, it is very pleasant to go on a short rafting trip through narrow canyons, refreshing yourself with the spray of waterfalls cascading down close to the boat. This kind of entertainment is absolutely safe, the tributaries of the Elbe are light and calm.

Czech - amazing country, full of interesting things, with a mentality of the inhabitants and culture that is kindred and close to the Russian people. But if the time of satiety begins and once again the question arises - where to go in the Czech Republic, then go to Switzerland. In the Czech Republic it is also there, and it’s the real one.

There is in the north-west of the Czech Republic in the Usti region, on the very border with Germany, an amazingly beautiful protected place, which is called only Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland. This is a corner of almost untouched wild nature, a magical protected park that simultaneously covers the territory of two countries - the Czech Republic and Germany.

Many tourists from all over the country and beyond come here every day to enjoy the cleanest air, wild beauty reserve, which is called: Czech Switzerland Park. It is interesting that part of the protected lands that ended up on the territory of neighboring Germany is called Saxon Switzerland.

Why are these places so attractive for those who are tired of civilization?

Czech Switzerland - brief description

It all started many thousands of years ago - it was then that amazingly beautiful canyons, crevices, gorges, sandstone rocks unusual in their shape and structure, as if endowed with a human soul, were formed from volcanic rocks on the lands of the current national park...

Dozens of centuries passed, and by 2000, beer and dumplings appeared on the map of the country. national park with an area of 80 sq. km. — Czech paradise or Czech Switzerland. But long before that small village urban type – Grzhensk – became real tourist center, a berth for everyone who wanted to relax away from noisy cities. It is well developed here tourism infrastructure and, despite its modest size, in this town, always filled with tourists, there is always a place to stay for the night or just have an inexpensive and tasty snack.

Most often, guests come from the capital to admire the protected paradise, and the trip can take only one day. But if you want to have a full and quality rest, it is best to book accommodation in a boarding house or a hotel room for at least 2-3 days, since there is really something to catch the eye of even a very experienced traveler.

Attention! In Grzhensk you can buy cute souvenirs in the form of gnomes and other fairy-tale characters for children or just as a good memory.

Sights of Czech Switzerland

So, you are eager to see with your own eyes what other guests of this magical place are enthusiastically talking about. Then let's together make a list of attractions in the reserve that are simply prohibited by the law of conscience and honor to miss!

Advice! If you want to fully enjoy the bright colors of the luxurious nature of these places, go to Czech Switzerland in the fall, in September or October.

Thanks to numerous signs scattered throughout the protected park, you can choose for your company both more complex, longer, 15-25 km long, and simple routes in Czech Switzerland, 8-12 km long.

Pravcicka Gate

There is a special rock in Czech Switzerland, which is proudly called the symbol of the entire reserve. This is “Pravchitsky brana”, which in Russian sounds like “Pravchitsky gate”. The unique rock is the highest in all of Europe and looks like a monumental sandstone arch created by Mother Nature, 16 meters high and as much as 26 meters long. The width of the rock structure is more than 4 meters

Getting to the Gate will not be difficult - from Grzhensk, where you can leave your car, there is a walking trail about 4 km long. to get closer to the attraction, you will have to pay entrance tickets for 75 CZK and although you are not allowed to climb the Gate, it is worth admiring it up close. Entrance ticket for children costs 25 CZK.

From the grandiose Pravchitsky Gate you can easily reach its smaller copy with a height of only 2 meters - this is the so-called Small Pravchitsky Gate. There is a fairly wide path leading to them, suitable for cycling.

Advice! Do not confuse this trail with the narrow path marked in red on the maps of the area, otherwise you will have to wander through the mountains for about an hour, although in the end you will still be able to reach the Small Pravchitsky Gate.

Schaunstein Castle

Near the Small Gate you can see a sign leading to the rock castle - this is the robber castle of Shunstein, shrouded in secrets. The road to it is quite difficult, about a kilometer long, you will have to climb steep steps and even squeeze through tunnels between the rocks. But, believe me, the views of extraordinary beauty and scale that open from the observation deck of the castle are worth the effort!

Castle "Falcon's Nest"

Very close to the Pravchitsky Gate, right in the rock in 1882, a castle with the romantic name “Falcon's Nest” was built, more reminiscent of a large hunting lodge. It has been surprisingly well preserved to this day, and today within the walls ancient castle– the Clary-Aldringen family estate, you can enjoy dinner in a superbly decorated restaurant overlooking the whole of Bohemian Switzerland. Also in the Falcon's Nest it is worth visiting a museum dedicated to this region.

Mill "Dolsky Mlyn"

This once very popular mill has now turned into ruins, but even today residents of these areas remember how many years ago the fairy tale “The Arrogant Princess” was filmed here. It’s hard to believe that the building, lost in the green forests, was once a very busy place and a crossroads center for several centuries in a row.

Village "Hrzypska"

The colorful authentic village was loved by guests of this region because it was where an ancient glass workshop once functioned, whose glassblowers produced “Bohemian glass” back in the 15th century. It seems incredible, but the workshop still cordially opens its doors to tourists today: here you can intelligently read account books of past centuries, see live how the most famous glass in the Czech Republic is blown, and at the same time buy your favorite glasses, vases or figurines made of crystal or Bohemian glass

Abandoned silver mines

Arranged in Czech Switzerland and very interesting excursions to ancient mines where silver was once mined. You can personally feel like a real miner by putting on a safety helmet and descending into the depths of the mine under the supervision of a guide.

Falkenstein Castle

Those tourists who take the time to climb higher into the mountains will be amazed by an unforgettable sight - the unusual Falkenstein Castle, located right among the rocks. The views from here, especially if you climb higher, are fabulous!

Panska Skala

This geological phenomenon is a huge 12-meter cliff, which was skillfully assembled by nature from polygonal basalt slabs. There is a similar giant in Northern Ireland, however, the Czech stone relative is quite accessible to tourists and is located 500 meters south of highway No. 13, the landmark is the village of Prachen, located 18 km from Decin.

Kamenice Gorge

To visit this picturesque gorge, you need to follow the hiking trail, marked in green on the map, from the village of Mezna to the canyon of the Kamenice river. In these marvelous lands, you will cross a wooden bridge across a 30-meter-long gorge, and then you can go down to the piers, from where gondola excursions along the Dikoe and Quiet gorges are held. If tourists follow the path marked in blue on the map, they will come to the authentic village of Mezni-Luka.

Gorges Wild and Quiet

Let's take a closer look at these gorges. Once on the steep canyon of the Kamenitsa River, travelers find themselves in places where the river is blocked by dams. Between these dams you can raft on a flat-bottomed boat led by a local gondolier. First, guests of the reserve will sail through the Wild Gorge (“Divoka Souteska”), 250 meters long, romantic and calm. But then the Quiet Gorge (“Tikha Souteska”), almost 500 meters long and “decorated” with a picturesque waterfall, the waters of which noisily flow out of the rock, awaits them.

Suha Kamenica

In early spring and autumn months, the canyon of a small stream flowing into the Laba (arm of the Elbe) fills with water and dozens of miniature waterfalls gurgle merrily between the rocks over a scattering of huge boulders. In summer, the waters dry up, and Suha Kamenica is filled with mystery and cozy silence.

Gazebo

It was once possible to reach the spectacular Belvedere observation deck, hanging over the Elbe River canyon, along a perfectly straight road coming from the castle in the town of Binovce. Tourists at the Belvedere are treated to amazing views of the curving river and bizarre sandstone rocks reminiscent of petrified giants.

Ružovsky Vrh

For those who are not afraid of steep climbs, something awaits! In the thickets of the beech forest that densely covers Mount Ruzovsky Vrch, there are many unique viewing platforms. And although there are no special attractions here, the views are worth the effort spent on climbing.

Wolf board

Having passed along the road through the canyon of the Krinitsa River, called Kiyovske Udoli and known for its unbridled beauty, tourists will come to another attraction. This is a stone slab; in the 17th century, a story was carved on it about a hunter who was able to kill two wolves at once.

From Prague to Czech Switzerland: what tourists need to know

It is worth noting that the excursion from Prague to Czech Switzerland is very popular, since the journey does not take very much time, but the pleasure received is worth it!

The reserve is open to visitors all year round: from April to October you can be on its territory from 10-00 to 18-00, and from November to March - only on weekends from 10-00 to 16-00.

How to get from Prague to Czech Switzerland

Let's consider all the options:

Public transport: in Prague itself we take the train to the town of Decin. Here we change to shuttle bus No. 434, which will take us to Khrzhensko.
Own or rented car: we drive along the intercity highway to the town of Decin, then from there we go to Khrzhensko. Here you can leave your car in paid parking lots and continue exploring the reserve on foot.
Steamboat: first you have to take a train to Decin, from Decin you will need to walk about a kilometer to the pier, and from there, on a steamboat plying along the Labe River (aka Elbe), swim to the final stop, which is also located about 800 meters from Grzhenska.

Where to stay

Despite the fact that Grzhensk is a rather small town, there are no problems with accommodation here.

Relatively affordable hotels are:

Hotel “Labe”, where bus number 434 stops. The cost of daily accommodation in a room starts from 660 CZK, and in the season (from April to the end of October) - from 730 CZK (breakfast is included in the price). Hotel website: www.labehotel.cz
Hotel U Lipy offers accommodation in double or triple rooms, which cost 1,100 and 1,650 CZK per night respectively. Hotel website:www.hotelulipy.zaridi.to/lipa.htm

Cost of entrance ticket and excursions

The entrance ticket to the territory of the Czech Switzerland Nature Reserve costs 50 CZK. Excursions are paid separately. For example, the favorite excursion of all tourists - canoeing along the Edmund's Gorge - lasts about 15-20 minutes and costs 80 crowns for adults and half as much for children.

Other excursions vary in price and number of attractions visited. In principle, you can get a map of the territory at the entrance to the reserve and walk around those areas yourself. interesting places that attract you most.

We learned about Saxon Switzerland quite by accident; Pasha came across an article describing a trip to Saxon Switzerland with impressive photos. I decided to see what it was and where. It turned out that the Saxon Switzerland National Park is located near Dresden, right on the border with the Czech Republic. And on the Czech side the park is called Czech Switzerland.

The park is not very large, but it has many trekking routes and you can easily spend at least a whole week. But thinking that a week of vacation is an unaffordable luxury, we decided that we would go to Saxon Switzerland one day just for a long weekend.

How to get to Saxon Switzerland?

The easiest way is by car. In this case, moving between routes and attractions in the park will be easy and convenient. The only downside is that the routes need to be planned either there/back or circular to get back to the car.

Getting there and moving around by public transport is also possible. On the German side the closest Big City- Dresden, from Czech - Prague. From both of them you can easily reach the park. But on the spot, in order to get to the beginning of routes from surrounding towns and villages, you will have to find out the schedule of local buses and trains.

Where to stay near Saxon Switzerland?

If you are by car, then this issue is not so pressing. From any village you can easily get where you need to go.

If you are traveling public transport, then on the Czech side a good choice would be Děčín or Hřensko. Decin is larger, but from it you have to go to the park. But several routes start directly from Grzensko, including one of the most famous to Pravčická brána.

On the German side there are several options. If you want to visit the Bastei Bridge and take a walk in its surroundings, then best choice will be Rathen or Bad Schandau. If you want to walk along other routes in the park, then you need to choose one of the villages close to the route. Almost all of them have small family hotels where you will feel like a real German.

We had to stay for two nights, on a holiday weekend, plus we were by car and not tied to buses. Having looked at the options on Booking.com and Airbnb (we wrote more about what airbnb is in the article Airbnb - what is it? How to use it and how to book accommodation in any city?), we chose accommodation on airbnb in Decin, but for now we were thinking about this apartment already passed. Therefore, the next suitable room in terms of price, comfort and location was family hotel in the village of Ceska Kamenice.

What to do in Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland?

1 full day - Czech Switzerland

The route starts in the village of Mezni Louka and gradually gains altitude and goes towards Pravcicka Brana. Along the way there is a beautiful forest, rock walls, individual rock outcrops - in general, very beautiful!

Next is Pravcicka Bran and the 19th century building - Falcon's Nest. Login to observation platforms 75 CZK. On the official website you can check opening hours and current prices www.pbrana.cz. Most of it can be viewed for free, so it's up to you to decide whether to go to the paid part.

After this trail, you can go to Mezni Louki through the forest, or you can, like us, continue along the canyon. There is a second route Divoká soutěska and a second crossing - it will cost 60 CZK. We really liked the trail, it goes almost above the mountain river itself, sometimes overhanging it. There are beautiful rocks around. On the first section there is a waterfall attraction - they take you to a wet wall, tell you some fairy tales, it depends on the boat manager, and then... suddenly a powerful stream of water falls from the waterfall like a fountain. Nobody expected this...

During the boat ride you will see not only a waterfall, but also beautiful wooden figures, each with its own story, you will be shown interesting rock formations that look like something or someone. The second part is less interesting, simply because it repeats the first. Although... Can nature repeat itself in such unusual forms - controversial issue. From the end of the second trail, another 20 minutes and we go out to Mezni Louki, straight to the central parking lot. By the way, parking is the most expensive “entertainment” - 100 CZK / 1 day.

This route can also be taken from Grzensko. You can go in the opposite direction, but I don’t recommend this since the climb from Grzensko is long and monotonous, it’s much better to quickly descend there.

2 day or half day Saxon Switzerland and the famous Bastei Bridge

Most often, the route to the Bastei Bridge starts either at Basteistraße - in this case, parking will cost 3 €/day plus 1.5 €/person shuttle bus to the beginning of the route. The second option is the village of Rathen, almost all large parking lots are located in most of the village on the other side of the Elbe and you will have to take a ferry to get to the beginning of the route.

Only residents and hotel clients are allowed to enter the part of the Rathen village, which is located on the same bank as the Bastei Bridge. However, you can leave your car in private parking lots just before reaching the village. Cost 3€/day.

Before the start of the route, 15-20 minutes through a pleasant forest. At first, the signs took us to Basteistrasse; after looking at the prices, we returned to the idea that we would leave the car in the village itself. But... we saw a sign prohibiting passage to non-residents. There was a private parking nearby for 3€, but it was almost all occupied. There were cars parked nearby on the side of the road; there was no sign prohibiting parking. Of course we parked and headed to the Bastei Bridge.

Bastei is a group of sandstone rocks that, under the influence of time and nature, have taken on very beautiful and unusual shapes. Bastei is also famous for the Bastei Bridge. The Bastei Bridge was built in 1824 and was originally made of wood. In 1851 the Bastei Bridge was replaced by a sandstone bridge and it has remained that way to this day.

If you have at least 3-4 hours, then it’s worth visiting not only the Bastei Bridge, but also walking along the route further, going down to the Elbe and returning along the bike path to Rathen.

We were unlucky on the first evening, the weather was not very good, and as soon as we began to climb to the bridge it started to rain... Without thinking twice, we took a quick look at the bridge and went to our overnight stay. The second attempt was in the morning before going home. The sun was shining and the weather was just perfect. But we had very little time, so we limited ourselves to going to the Bastei Bridge and all the observation platforms and back. This route took us about 2-2.5 hours of a leisurely walk from the car. There is an optional paid section on the route, the cost is 2€/person. The route runs along footbridges between the rocks. There is a description of several historical details, although little remains of them. But beautiful views to the Bastei Bridge and surrounding rocks.

By the way, the most famous photos of the Bastei Bridge are taken from free viewing platforms. True, fog or beautiful sunset/dawn rays must be specially waited for. Although maybe you'll be lucky?!

As a result, I would like to say that if you are in the area and have 1-2 days free, then you should definitely stop by Czech and Saxon Switzerland!