BICYCLE TOURS & MOUNTAIN BIKING

Czech Republic: From Vienna to Prague

During nearly 50 years of communist rule, the area was closed to travelers. The villages were charming but neglected. Now cafés are popping up and you can visit places like the Bohemian crystal glass factories, where old crafts are being revived. This trip follows a corridor of countryside laced with castles and beautiful biking trails that pass through several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Telc, and medieval Cesky Krumlov.

Freewheeling Adventures has organized a partnership with Czech planners, so you will have the benefit of vast local knowledge and years of experience, as well as the service and attention you’ve come to expect from your Freewheeling guides. The people-to-people part is what makes the experience especially memorable, and a percentage of the trip fee goes toward restoration projects along the way. The rides are shorter, making this trip accessible to most and allowing plenty of time to explore the many sights along the way. This adventure also works well as a family trip.

Tour Details

Day 1: 5 - 10 km (3 – 6 mi.) walking tour
Meet at the Breclav train terminal at 2:00pm. Visit the first of two Liechtenstein Palaces. Learn about Valtice, its vineyards and wine cellars on a relaxed afternoon walking tour. D

Lodging: Penzion Prinz, Valtice

Day 2: 30 km (19 mi.)
A pleasant ride along quiet pathways through forests and fields. Visit two extravagant châteaux and several ‘follies’ scattered over what was once the expansive Liechtenstein Estate, reaching from their winter home in Valtice to their newer summer palace in Lednice. The estate is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. On quiet roads, you will then cycle into the small town of Mikulov, your resting spot for the night. In Mikulov, you will visit the historic square and castle, as well as the synagogue and Jewish Cemetery which has tombstones that are more than 400 years old. BLD

Lodging: Hotel Templ, or or Hotel Reva Lux or Hotel Eliska, Mikulov

Day 3: 45 km (28 mi.)
Spend the morning exploring Mikulov before a vehicle transfer to the historical center of Znojmo. Following the border closely, you will cycle through Podyji National Park and visit villages like Cizov where you will hear stories of people slipping past the Iron Curtain during communist rule. Today’s ride offers some climbing, and you may choose to descend into Austria to visit the tiny town and ruined castle of Novy Hradek. The descent into Vranov, with its castle perched above the river is an exhilarating finish to the ride. BD

Lodging: Hotel Zamecky, Vranov

Day 4: 46 km (29mi.)
Start the day with an invigorating climb towards the château, where you will have the chance to regain your breath while overlooking the beautiful valley. You will ride through fields of poppies and sunflower occasionally punctuated with remnants of the iron curtain. Following the Austrian border, you will have the opportunity to visit the Jewish Cemetery at Safov, and the pottery workshop and Renaissance château at Uhercice before boarding a train at Slavonice bound for Telc and your hotel for the night. Telc is a picturesque renaissance town painted in elegant pastels and recognized as a UNECSCO World Heritage site. B

Lodging: Hotel Cerny Orel or Hotel Celerin, Telc

Day 5: 45 km (28 mi.)
Today offers a very quiet ride through the forests and fields of the Czech Moravian Highlands. At Kosteini Myslova, you will stop briefly to visit the simple yet poignant memorial to the Jewish painter Frantisek Moritz Nagl who died in the extermination camps at Auschwitz. The castle at Jindrichuv Hradec is the third largest in the Czech Republic (only Cesky Krumlov and Prague are larger). In the spring, you may see storks nesting on the chimneys above the palace. BLD

Lodging: Hotel Concertino, Jindrichuv Hradec or Hotel Bila Pani, Jindrichuv Hradec

Day 6: 30 km (19 mi.)
You will ride through the woods and meadows of the southern Bohemia Lake District. The ponds you will cycle past are filled with carp and other species of aquaculture. It is recommended that you try some of this delicious fish at this evening’s meal. You’ll cycle through the gate and across the moat into the medieval city of Trebon, home to yet another fascinating castle, the Regent Brewery and the largest lake in the region. BL

Lodging: Hotel Zlata Hvezda or Hotel Galerie, Trebon

Day 7: 56 km (35 mi.)
There are a few hills on your ride towards the UNESCO Heritage site of Ceský Krumlov, the largest and best known of the ancient towns on your route. Spend the afternoon exploring the narrow cobblestone streets, the looming castle and its Baroque theatre before gathering for your final group dinner. BLD

Lodging: Hotel Arcadie or Hotel Konvice, Cesky Krumlov

Day 8: Departure
This morning allows for extra time to explore Ceský Krumlov. A complementary transfer to the train terminal in Cesky Budejovice departs at 11:00. From Ceský Budejovice you can catch train connections to Prague or Vienna.B

Call to find out about newly scheduled trips. Custom groups and self-guided trips can be scheduled any time. Contact Freewheeling Adventures for further information.