The most beautiful scenic views

The best views of the Vltava River 

The Vltava – Czechia’s longest river, which rises in Šumava and flows all the way down through Prague. And also a river whose winding meanders are a joy to behold. Such as from the Máj viewpoint near the village of Teletín in Central Bohemia. There, the river runs through a deep rocky canyon, where it bends in a horseshoe shape and creates a fascinating natural spectacle. You can find another “horseshoe” a bit further away from Prague, at the Orlík Reservoir, in the forest between the villages of Zduchovice and Solenice. It's known as the Solenice Meander or the Solenice Horseshoe and offers views from a height of around 150 metres above the water.


 

A view of the green heart of Europe 

The viewpoint on Černá hora, not far from the source of the Vltava, amidst the unspoiled countryside of the Šumava National Park, offers breathtaking views of the central part of the largest protected landscape area in Czechia. And in good weather, especially in autumn and winter, you can see the peaks of the Alps rising 150 km away! Some ten to twenty years ago the forests around Černá hora were devastated by the bark beetle, but that certainly did nothing to detract from the charm and unique mystical atmosphere of Šumava. It’s also fascinating to see how nature is restoring itself to become more beautiful than ever before, without any form of human intervention. Visit Šumava, a stunning wilderness rightly known as the green heart of Europe.

A petrified town

The village of Jetřichovice in Bohemian Switzerland is surrounded by Jetřichovické stěny, a rock town that offers some gorgeous views. This region, with its impressive sandstone rocks, walls and rock towers, is said to be the most beautiful rock town area in Czechia. And where are the best viewpoints? There are countless places to admire these rock kingdoms from. However, you definitely shouldn’t miss Rudolph's Stone, which offers spectacular views on all sides. It’s a bit of a challenge to get up to the top, but it’s well worth it. Another very popular spot is the nearby Mariina Viewpoint with its gazebo and views of pretty much the whole of the national park!


 

Moravian Tuscany, and not just for photographers 

Beautiful rolling fields criss-crossed with various lines, copses and little islands, dotted here and there with a solitary chapel or wayside shrine, not to mention an endless haven of peace and quiet… That's Moravian Tuscany, one of the most appealing areas in Czechia, which attracts people to “hunt down” the most beautiful photos, whatever the season. After all, the region around Kyjov in South Moravia is one of the most photogenic places you can find, not only in this country, but on the whole planet! The only places you’d find scenery to match this is in Tuscany, Italy, or around the town of Palouse in the United States.
 
And where are the best places to take pictures of this romantic landscape? Try around Šardice, where you’ll find some beautiful green corridors separating the swathes of fields, by the little chapel dedicated to St. Barbara in the fields near Kyjov, which is a particularly lovely spot in autumn, when the leaves of the trees are bursting with warm colours, or head a little way outside Strážovice to the place known as the Three Mirabelle Plum Trees, which are in glorious bloom in late March and early April. Our tip? Come here from Svatobořice before sunset and see the rolling slopes above the plum trees. The lower down you go, the clearer it will be that you need to spend a bit of time finding the right spot.


 

Vineyards in the palm of your hand

South Moravia is famous for its flat countryside filled with vineyards. And so Pálava, or we should say the Pálava Hills, as Czechia’s smallest mountain range, is the unmistakable landmark that can be seen from far and wide, and offers wonderful views for miles. Try walking up to the ruined Děvičky Castle and savour the beauty of the countryside below you as the sun goes down!


 

A viewpoint for aristocrats 

Rising above Valtice in South Moravia you’ll find a monumental Classicist building, the Reistna Colonnade. The Colonnade is a memorial to the House of Liechtenstein, originally from Moravia, but nowadays you can visit it anytime you want. The terrace offers views on all points of the compass. You have a stunning vista of romantic Valtice surrounded by vineyards, the Lednice park, the silhouette of the nearby picturesque little town of Mikulov, and the Little Carpathians in Slovakia.


 

The burning mountain 

The EMA Slag Heap in the wider centre of the city of Ostrava was formed next to a black coal mining pit. The slag heap was supposed to have been removed, but it is now a heritage site and offers wonderful views of the city, formerly a heartland of industry. The Ostrava volcano, as the heap is known, is interesting in that it has been burning inside for more than 100 years, and so the surface is warmer than the surrounding area. This means that in places it is green all year round, as grass grows there even in winter, and snow never remains on it for long.


 

Prague as you’ve never seen it before

There can’t be many visitors to Prague that don’t admire the panoramic vista of the city from Prague Castle or Petřín. However, few people know that they can get sweeping views of the Czech capital from a completely different angle – from the roof of the National Museum of Agriculture at Letná as part of the Views of Life exhibition on the viewing terrace. The view from the museum roof is considered one of the most beautiful and impressive in the city, as you can take in all of the most significant sites from Prague’s past and present at once.



You can enjoy a brand “new” view of Prague from the re-opened Máj Department Store on Národní třída. The ninth floor contains the 360-degree Fly Vista viewing terrace with a rooftop restaurant and bar, from which there are breathtaking views of the whole of Prague – Prague Castle, Strahov Monastery, Petřín Lookout Tower, the National Theatre and Žižkov Television Tower.