Day 1)
Spindleruv Mlyn – Dvur Kralove (47 km / 30 miles)
The first day begins with a really beautiful ride from Spindleruv Mlyn to Dvur Kralove with
a height difference of 400 m. The first stop is the Renaissance chateau in the town of
Vrchlabi. The chateau is interesting because it is designed according to the year and
seasons. It has 4 towers, 12 entrances, 52 rooms and 365 windows (unfortunately some
of the windows and entrances have been filled in). The town is also known for its
Augustinian monastery in which the Krkonose museum is housed. The next break on the
route is Hostinne with its gallery of antique art. Todays route finishes in Dvur Kralove,
famous, not only for its well known zoo and safari, but also for other interesting monuments
(the Church of St. John Krtitel, castle fortification ruins).
Overnight in Dvur Kralove.

Day 2)
Dvur Kralove – Hradec Kralove (40 km / 25 miles)
Today's ride passes Kuks Chateau, which is well known for the statues of Matyas
Braun, the most famous depicting the 12 human virtues and 12 vices. The sculpture park,
Braun’s Betlehem, is one of the most important assets of Central European sculpture. It is a
national, cultural monument, which unfortunately belongs to the top 100 endangered
monuments in the world, as designated by the World Monument Fund. A walk through this
forested sculpture park is highly recommended. The last few miles take you to Hradec
Kralove, which was the seat of the Czech queens in the Middle Ages. At the beginning of
the 20th century, Hradec Kralove was changed by the best Czech architects into a
showcase of modern architecture. A building of European importance is the newly-
reconstructed museum of the architect Jan Kotera.
Overnight in Hradec Kralove.

Day 3)
Hradec Kralove – Kolin (68 km / 43 miles)
This stage of nearly 70 km is the most demanding part of the entire route going around
Kuneticka Hora with its Gothic castle ruins and through the other large town on the route
Pardubice. Pardubice is very cycle friendly with over 30 km of trails constructed for
cyclists. While in Pardubice you must try its traditional gingerbread. The Great Pardubice
Steeplechase is the most difficult horse race on the continent. The route finishes in Kolin, a
town known for its annual, brass music festival.
Overnight in Kolin.

Day 4)
Kolin – Stara Boleslav (65 km / 40 miles)
From Kolin you cycle to the town of Podebrady, whose spas are specialised in the treat-
ment of heart disease. Dominating the town is the chateau with its monument to king Jiri
of Podebrad. The next town en-route is Nymburk, The famous, Czech author Bohumil Hra-
bal lived in the town brewery as a child, his father was the brewer, and his book Postriziny
recounts brewery life. Today the route finishes in Stara Boleslav. Transfer by car to
Prague.
Overnight in Prague.

Day 5)
Praha – Melnik (54 km / 34 miles)
Prague is situated on the turn of the Labe trails, but today’s stage of our route to the
Labe goes along the river Vltava. At the confluence of the Labe and Vltava lies the town
of Melnik whose Renaissance chateau contains a pictures gallery of Czech lowland painters
and representatives of the Czech Baroque period - Petr Brandl and Karel Skreta. A superb
view of the Ceske Stredohori and the mountain Rip from the chateau balcony. Melnik lies
in the middle of the small wine-growing region in Bohemia and a trip to a wine cellar to
sample the excellent wine is recommended amongst other sightseeing.
Overnight in Melnik.

Day 6)
Melnik – Litomerice (45 km / 28 miles)
Today’s stage takes you from Melnik through Roudnice nad Labem and Libechov, with its
incredible palace. This place is famous in a small way for being the place where Kafka met
his wife in 1918. The next stop on the route is the fortress town of Terezin, famous in a
terrible way for being a transit camp and ghetto for Jews and other Nazi prisoners en rou-
te to extermination camps in the 2nd World War. The lesser fortress is maintained as a
monument to their memory. From here it is a short ride to Litomerice, which contains
superb architecture and is the main town of the region.
Overnight in Litomerice.

Day 7)
Litomerice – Decin (52 km / 33 miles)
During today’s ride will cycle past the ruins of Strekov Castle high above the river and on to
the town of Usti nad Labem. Today’s route finishes in Decin at the frontier with the
sandstone rock formations of the Bohemian Switzerland area.
Overnight in Decin.

Day 8)
Decin – Hrensko (52 km / 33 miles)
Bohemian Switzerland, a small island of sandstone rocks in the middle of Europe, was made
into a National Park on the 1st of January 2000. Take a short walking trip to see the
stunning Pravcicka Brana, the largest, natural rock arch in Europe and a protected
monument. The beauty of the sandstone relief of Czech Switzerland makes it a symbol of
the whole region.
Overnight in Hrensko.

Day 9)
Departure

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