The Secret of the Smoky Mountain | Dymník Resort

Have you ever relaxed in a place that you could see in great detail from a viewing tower? You’ll find one such spot above the town of Rumburk, on Dymník Hill. In the dark days of the Middle Ages, signal and warning fires were lit on this prominent hill, which is where it got its name – first Rauchberg, later Dymník.

The summit of this hill has something magical about it, something irresistibly alluring. It makes perfect sense that, nearly 125 years ago, a local entrepreneur had a watchtower built here – from it, you can see far across the region, over the entire Lusatian Mountains, the Czech Lowlands, as well as Upper Lusatia, the Czech Central Mountains, part of Bohemian Switzerland and even the Ore Mountains and the Giant Mountains. But anyone who looks straight down instead of towards the horizon will see something remarkable. They’ll see the Dymník Resort.

From above, it really is a very unusual place. A strange, regular cluster of stones, which from here look like ancient menhirs, and right next to it an artificially landscaped area – perhaps a golf course, but somehow different… Then some buildings… No, we’ll have to go down and take a closer look at the Dymník Resort.

Well, well, what looked like menhirs is actually the Tree of Life. And it’s not the work of ancient ancestors, but of our contemporaries! It is a remarkable structure comprising twenty-two slender obelisks, which together form a star, and a single stone standing nearby. The star is connected by dark paths symbolising the power of air and red paths expressing the power of fire. It is a place that symbolises our existence on the border between earth and sky, a place of strong energy and a powerful influence on everyone who passes through here or perhaps just stops to lean against one of the monoliths.

Hmm, and what’s that strange golf course nearby? Oh, I see – it’s a football golf course, which explains the size and the holes big enough to hold a whole bucket of golf balls… You’ve never played football golf before? It’s high time you gave it a go. It’s actually the very first certified football golf course in the Czech Republic – in fact, there are two 18-hole courses: one ‘Fun’ and the other ‘Profi’.

So there you have it – relaxation for both mind and body. And, of course, comfortable facilities to go with it. First and foremost, a cosy hotel. As soon as you step inside, you’ll realise that the magical Tree of Life seems to extend into the building too – every room is different, each bearing the name of a different sign of the zodiac. You’ll simply be pampered during your stay here. About a hundred metres further on, there’s also a former farmhouse, later renowned as a tourist restaurant, whose fame peaked before the Second World War.

Today, you’ll find a cosy guesthouse here and, of course, that very same restaurant, transformed in such a way that, whilst honouring tradition, it still provides the people of the third millennium with what they’re used to and what they need.

The food here is cooked in the traditional Old Bohemian style. If you happen to come across a large party or a wedding here, don’t be surprised. Weddings at Dymník are very popular and in high demand. One might think that the hotel and guesthouse offer a sufficiently varied range of accommodation – and yet at Dymník you have the option of choosing something else entirely. There is also a well-equipped campsite where you can park your caravan or pitch a tent.

You can look forward to basking in the rays of the setting sun, accompanied by roe deer and hares peering at you from a distance… A stay at the Dymník Resort is simply lovely. All the more so because it’s run by a family business, so you can expect a warm welcome and helpful service.

Wherever your gaze takes you from the viewing tower on the volcanic Dymník, you can set off in that direction. You certainly won’t get bored. The town of Rumburk alone is well worth a stroll to discover its beauties, some obvious, others hidden. Take, for example, the northernmost Loreto in the Czech Republic, surrounded by cloisters with chapels and the Holy Stairs; the Stations of the Cross on Strážný Hill; the unique architecture of the pre-war villas; the magnificent plague column in the square… This town has a soul, and anyone who discovers it will be enriched.

Dymník is also a marvellous starting point for exploring the entire Šluknov Hook, which has been known since time immemorial as the ‘Czech Netherlands’. You could, for example, visit Šluknov Castle, built in the Saxon Renaissance style, or discover other unique Stations of the Cross (there are no fewer than fourteen in the area!), Saxony and Upper Lusatia are literally just round the corner, with traditions so close to our hearts as Slavs… After all, Bohemian Switzerland isn’t far from here either.

A special kind of excursion is a tour of the surrounding observation towers – Jedlová, Vlčí hora, Tanečnice and the Saxon Weifberg will give you the feeling of a falcon soaring high above the landscape.