This tremendously successful trip follows a corridor of countryside laced with castles and beautiful biking trails that pass through World Heritage Site towns, including medieval Cesky Krumlov.
During nearly 50 years of communist rule, the area was closed to travelers. The villages were charming but neglected. Now cafes are popping up and you can visit places like the Bohemian crystal glass factories, where old crafts are being revived. This adventure is organized in partnership with Czech planners, so you will have the benefit of their vast local knowledge and years of experience, as well as the service and attention you can expect from your Freewheeling guides.
The people-to-people part is what makes the experience especially memorable, and part of the trip fee goes toward restoration projects along the way. The rides are shorter than many Freewheeling adventures, making this trip accessible to most and allowing plenty of time to explore the sights along the way. This adventure also works well as a family trip.
2009 Guided Dates: Jun 27-Jul 4; Jul 12-19; Aug 9-16, 22-29; Sep 13-20, Sep 26-Oct 3; Oct 4-11, 17-24. Call to check for updates or to add a new date.
2009 Self-Guided Dates: You Choose!
Start: Breclav train station, 14:00 day one; accessible from Vienna or Prague.
Finish: Complimentary transfer to train station in Ceske Budujovice departs Cesky Krumlov 11:00 day eight.
Route Notes: A fairly leisurely ride with some challenging hills. 30 – 55 km/day with options.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: 5 - 10 km (3 – 6 mi.) walking tour. Meet at the Breclav train terminal at 14:00. Visit the first of two Liechtenstein Palaces. Learn about Valtice, its vineyards and wine cellars on a relaxed afternoon walking tour. 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. Ride on quiet roads into small town of Mikulov for the night, where you can visit the historic square and castle, and the synagogue and Jewish Cemetery, over 400 years old. Lodging: Hotel Templ.
Day 3: 45 km (28 mi.). Explore Mikulov, then transfer to the historical center of Znojmo. Ride along the border, through Podyji National Park, visting 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. Lodging: Hotel Zamecky, Vranov.
Day 4: 46 km (29mi.). Start the day with an invigorating climb towards the château, where you can re-gain your breath overlooking the beautiful valley. Ride through fields of poppies and sunflowers, seeing remnants of the iron curtain. Following the Austrian border, you can stop 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. Lodging: Hotel Cerny Orel.
Day 5: 45 km (28 mi.). A very quiet ride through the forests and fields of the Czech Moravian Highlands. At Kosteini Myslova, you can stop 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. Lodging: Hotel Concertino.
Day 6: 30 km (19 mi.). Ride through the woods and meadows of the southern Bohemia Lake District. There are ponds filled with carp and other species we recommend you taste at this evening’s meal. You will 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. Lodging: Hotel Zlata Hvezda.
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 dinner. Lodging: Hotel Arcadie.
Day 8: 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.
Testimonials:
"Lada was a huge part of the trip – knowledgeable, interesting, funny… It is as much about sightseeing and learning as it is about biking."
(L. Milkman, DC)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Guided Cost: $3245 pp. dbl. (includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners, luggage handling, van & guide support, maps, route notes & GPS*, and value added tax)
Self-Guided Cost: $2995 pp. dbl. (includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, luggage handling, maps, route notes, GPS*, cell phone, value added tax)
Bicycle Rental: Hybrid: $195.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Czech Republic
Austria
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Cultural Journey
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