Our tips for trips by bike or by car

Štěpánka observation tower

Štěpánka, located 959 meters above the sea level and less than 800 meters from our hotel, belongs to the most visited venues. Drive from the hotel in the direction to Sychrov restaurant, turn right and 150 m later reach the main road (there are wooden signposts at the crossway). You will see a straight small road leading to the top of Hvězda hill. 600 m later, in front of Pod Štěpánkou chalet, continue (the wooden statue of Krakonoš) to the left and the footpath through the forest will take you directly to the observation tower.

Jizerka mountain village

Jizerka mountain village is the highest-located settlement in Bohemia. You will feel like visiting times one hundred years ago. The local museum will introduce the difficult life of highlanders. The nature trail around Buková Mountain and peatlands will expand your knowledge about local nature. You can make a trip by bike or on foot, according to your strength (e.g. Promenádní cesta, Smědava, Předěl, Pytlácké kameny and back to Jizerka; approx. 25 km long).

Or, just a short walk directly from the parking lot along the road crossing the village of Jizerka. Drive from the hotel in direction to Sychrov restaurant, turn left and reach the main road 150 m later. Turn left and 2 km later reach the crossroad to the green roadhouse in Kořenov, turn right and then immediately to left in direction to Horní Polubný, where the signpost at the church will show you the direction to Jizerka village. You will reach the central parking lot where you can leave your car. Here you will find a large map of Izera Mountains and signposts (including distances in kilometres). The road from the guesthouse to Jizerka is 6 km long.

Harrachov

Drive from the hotel in direction to Sychrov restaurant, turn right and 150 m later reach the main road, turn left and about 2 km later get to the crossroad to the green roadhouse in Kořenov, turn right and continue straight to Mýto petrol station, turn left (see the signpost) and come to Harrachov. 400 m later you will see the glassworks on the left (possibility of tour), behind it Karolína hotel, turn right and come to the centre. (If you forget to turn right, you will find yourself crossing the state border with Poland just a few meters later…)

You will see ski jumps with cableway to the Devil’s Mountain (“Čertova hora”) on the right side. Parking is possible directly near the cableway. From the centre it is possible to take a tourist route to Mumlava Waterfalls (approx. 3 km). After driving through the centre, 300 m later you will reach the bus station (on the left). There is also a road to the Mining Museum on the right.

Harrachov – thanks to the local ski jumps, the most famous mountain resort in the Czech Republic is visited by tourists from the whole Europe. Its location and ski lift (operating 8:00 – 17:0 in the season) make it a starting point for the mountain hikes to the Giant Mountains National Park. Some might be disappointed that tourism development has changed the romantic town beyond recognition, but believe that the surrounding countryside is still beautiful. Also Mumlava Waterfalls are worth a visit. In case of bad weather, you can visit a glass exhibition, including tour of glassworks and see with your own eyes the blowing of glass there. The Mining Museum will take you to mine adits that have been operational until recently.

The most popular trips start on the Devil’s Mountain (“Čertova hora” – take a cableway to the top) and pass Ručičky to Dvoračky, where the local pub serves a delicious tripe soup (“držková”) with home-baked buns. From Dvoračky, you can return through Ručičky crossings and turn to Rýžoviště. Another variant is to continue the trip and reach the Garden of the Sleeping Beauty (“Růženčina zahrádka”) and the springs of Elbe river, by the Vosecká chateau and down to Krakonoš’s Breakfast (“Krakonošova snídaně”) and return to Harrachov through the valley of Mumlava river. There are many routes, just pick on the tourist map according to your strengths and mood.

Bozkov Dolomite Caves

This is one of the largest cave systems in northeastern Bohemia and the only one made up of calcareous dolomite. It was declared a national natural monument in 1999. Approximately 500 m of tunnels are accessible, the total length is 1040 m (the exact figure differs in different materials). The tour takes 40 minutes, internal temperature is permanently 7.6°C. Visitors go through the Chapel, Midnight Cave, Threshold Cave, after the crossroad corridor continue to the Parallel Passage, Pirate Cave, red-illuminated Hell, behind which Christmas Cave is situated. Around the Swan Lake pass to Robber’s Cave and return through Muddy Gallery to the crossroad. Visitors then continue through the artificial, 50 m long adit around Windy Cave and window overlooking the original entrance to the caves, to the Old Cave with Labyrinth and Cave of Surprises, November Gallery, Elephant Ears and tunnel decorated by the sinter waterfalls of Rococo Maiden, and return through an adit to the crossroad and on the steps to the Lake Dome where the tour ends.

Visitors can park on a large parking lot on the northern outskirts of Bozkov village.

Drive from the hotel in direction to Sychrov restaurant, turn right and 150 m later reach the main road, turn right and drive the next 10 km through Rejdice to Vysoké nad Jizerou. 3 km later turn right to Semily (Jesenný, Bozkov). Approximately 2 km before Semily turn right to Bozkov, Bozkov Dolomite Caves. In Bozkov, approximately 200 m behind the church, you will see a parking lot on the right side. Park your car there and walk (approx. 10 min.) to the caves. The total distance of the Caves from the hotel is 25 km.

Frýdlant Chateau

Frýdlant is the largest chateau complex in northern Bohemia, the tour takes 120 minutes and goes through 59 rooms.

Large collections of furniture, paintings, prints, children’s room, bathroom, chateau kitchen, gallery, collection of pipes, administrator’s office, armoury. The tour is long, but worth seeing.

Enjoy a one-day trip to Frýdlant Chateau and visit also Souš Dam and the Church of the Visitation of Virgin Mary in Hejnice. On the way back after visiting Frýdlant, stop at the Libverda Spa, where we recommend to taste the local spring of healing mineral water at the Small Colonnade. The restaurant is situated in a giant barrel. Drive from the hotel in direction to Sychrov restaurant, turn right and 150 m later reach the main road, turn left and 2 km later arrive at the crossroad to the green roadhouse in Kořenov, turn right and then to the left in direction to Horní Polubný, turn left at the church, 4 km later at the crossroad turn right in direction to Souš Dam, Bílý Potok, Raspenava. It is a nice road along Souš water reservoir and Smědava chalet to Bílý potok, then to Raspenava and Frýdlant, the chateau is visible from distance.

On the way back, we recommend to stop in Libverda Spa. From Frýdlant return to Hejnice (also the basilica is worth seeing), in Hejnice turn left to Libverda Spa, where you will find a small, but picturesque colonnade with one spring of healing mineral water. The water has a high content of iron and calms nerves! It is also possible to taste warm spa wafers at the colonnade. You can see the Obří sud (“Giant Barrel”) restaurant (however, we do not recommend eating there) situated 2 km behind Libverda village.