May Adventure: Top 5 Spots in Bohemian Switzerland

Choosing just five locations is a tough nut to crack. Bohemian Switzerland is like a treasure trove filled with hidden gems, breathtaking viewpoints, and places that will simply capture your heart. Whether you are visiting for the very first time or love returning here, this top five list is guaranteed to inspire you this May. Do not view it merely as a strict ranking of our absolute favourites, but rather as an open invitation to explore. After all, each day brings a different mood, different light, and perhaps a completely different “most beautiful” spot. There are truly so many wonderful places in Bohemian Switzerland, and our hearts (of the North) beat for every single one of them.

Pravčická Gate

Pravčická brána is a sandstone rock arch that looks as if it were taken straight out of an American national park. It wasn’t moved here by aliens, nor was it left behind in the woods by the filmmakers of the famous Chronicles of Narnia fantasy saga. It stands here as a monument to geological and weathering phenomena, and also somewhat as a timepiece. Every year, this national monument, with its impressive span of 26.5 metres, becomes a fraction thinner. Consequently, while visitors could walk directly across the top of it a century ago, today the Bohemian Switzerland National Park protects it like the apple of its eye, enforcing stricter rules to prevent unnatural erosion caused by human hands—or rather, human feet.

One of the most photogenic places in Europe, and especially the path leading up to it, transformed significantly following the extensive forest fire that hit the national park in 2022. The massive spruce monoculture was engulfed by flames, and the rocks and large sandstone boulders situated at the epicentre of the fire were scorched; in some places, they still face the risk of cracking and falling. For this reason, Pravčická brána is currently accessible via a single route (2.5 km), climbing along the red-marked trail from Hřensko. A truly unique spectacle awaits you here—witnessing nature regenerate with surprising speed after such a brutal event.

According to local geologists, the first green signs of new life began sprouting from the ashes while the fire was still smouldering in some areas. The location possesses a distinctive atmosphere that, surprisingly, is not somber at all. Gazing at a new generation of forest bravely pushing its way out from beneath the ash, or at literally baked sandstone boulders with their top layers peeling away, is both fascinating and unique.

Gorges of the Kamenice River (Soutěsky na řece Kamenici)

Inseparably linked to Pravčická brána are the river gorges on the Kamenice river and their iconic boat rides. Although Edmundova soutěska (Edmund’s Gorge) remains closed following the fire, you can fully enjoy a boat ride through Divoká soutěska (Wild Gorge) during the spring and summer season.

Given that trips to both Pravčická brána and the gorges now start from Hřensko, the perspective on accommodation options is shifting slightly. Do not hesitate to look for guesthouses right in Hřensko. The cozy Penzion Pod Skalou or the four-star Hotel Praha offer highly attractive pricing. Furthermore, they have stood here since the beginning of the last century, when they ranked among the most sought-after establishments in the area. Just a short distance above Hřensko, at Mezní Louka, you will find Resort U Fořta—a unique accommodation option offering top-tier gastronomy and flawless service.

Jedlová

Let us now move to the complete opposite end of Bohemian Switzerland, right to its border with the Lužické hory (Lusatian Mountains)—a region shaped by a massive tectonic fault. When the earth’s surface cracked and fractured the local landscape during the Tertiary period, it opened the way for later, intense volcanic activity. This is most likely how Jedlová hill was formed. It offers a beautiful view of all these geological treasures, especially if you climb up its lookout tower.

Tolštejn

We likely owe a nearby phonolite peak to a sudden eruption of magma, upon which a guard castle has stood since the Middle Ages. Today, we call its ruins Tolštejn, and people come to admire it on foot in the summer or on cross-country skis in the winter. In any case, a trip always includes a stop at the local restaurant, beautifully built in a Swiss architectural style. Those who linger too long and miss their train can enjoy a seat (or even a bed) at the famous and recently renovated Nádražka station pub near the Jedlová train stop.

Děčínský Sněžník

The concept of table mountains (stolové hory) is inherently linked to Bohemian Switzerland. While neighbouring Saxon Switzerland boasts significantly more of them, we possess the largest one of all. It rises directly above the town of Děčín, and its summit plateau measures an incredible 1600×600 metres! You can set your table on this giant “desk” accompanied by one of the most magnificent views around. The best spot for a picnic is the Dresden Viewpoint (Drážďanská vyhlídka), which even features a real wooden table and benches.

You can easily walk off your picnic right after; simply ascend to the peak of Sněžník and buy tickets at the refreshment kiosk for the lookout tower. This structure was built out of so-called cyclopean masonry in 1864 by a local patron of tourism, Count František Antonín Thun, as an extension of a trigonometric tower.

Článek vznikl v rámci projektu „Marketingové aktivity na podporu turismu v Českém Švýcarsku“ realizovaného za přispění prostředků státního rozpočtu České republiky z programu Ministerstva pro místní rozvoj.