Mountain adventures for everyone

The winter landscape tempts visitors to go on outings or walking. There are many options for you to enjoy some fun outdoors: you can go walking, sledging on the local hills, ice-skating, try some elegant cross-country skiing or take some snowshoes into the wild winter landscape. And then you can enjoy a reward at one of many restaurants and rest your body in a spa or wellness centre.

Lipno in all weather

Lipno in southern Bohemia is not just a destination for skiing. When it is sunny, try a trip to the Treetop Walk, from which even the Austrian Alps are well visible. Climb to a height of 45 meters and enjoy a fun programme for young and old. In winter, they are open daily from 10 am to 4 pm, you can park for free in the central car park of the Lipno Ski Resort and you can get up either on foot or by local bus. Or would you rather seek some warmth? Try the hot tubs and the wild river in Aquaworld Lipno!


When the weather is not forthcoming, a great option for families with children is the indoor Hopsárium playground or the bobsled tracks - both a mountain bobsleigh, which leads in the air, as well as a roller coaster with twisted turns intertwine on a single slope. Just a short walk away is the Wellness Hotel Frymburk, where you can explore the underwater world in aquariums and enjoy water fun in the outdoor and indoor water parks. And finally, if you are in the mood for some tropical fun, you should not miss the tropical butterfly house Papilonia!

If the conditions are good and ice forms on the water in Lipno, you will have the unique opportunity to ice skate on the enormous Lipno Lake. Ice skating is a popular winter activity, which attracts thousands of visitors from Czechia and abroad. Lipno Lake is the largest body of water in Czechia and freezes from December to March. As soon as the ice reaches a safe thickness of approximately 18 cm, a regularly groomed ice skating track is created between the towns of Lipno nad Vltavou and Frymburk and is nearly 11 km long. The similar Hornoplanská route is also created and is 15 km long. Both routes together create a record-breaking ice skating trail of 38 km from Lipno nad Vltavou all the way to Pernek (this route is not groomed regularly).

 

Ještěd without skis

You can easily head to Ještěd mountain peak in northern Bohemia even without hauling your skis along. You are sure to enjoy it here! Visit Liberec, a city at the foot of this mountain. There are many attractions that are not dependant on favourable weather. Families with small children can head to the zoo, the indoor DinoPark or the Babylon entertainment complex. There, you will discover an amusement park and water park, as well as the iQpark science centre with hundreds of interactive exhibits and a mirror maze. With older children or alone, head to another iQlandie science centre complete with planetarium, go-karts and bowling, or head out on your own without children to the wellness centre in the Babylon complex for some true relaxation.

 

Jeseníky: visiting the swimming pool and paper mill

The rugged Jeseníky Mountains are located in the north of Moravia. There is usually snow here, and even skiing on Praděd, the highest mountain peak, is possible up until Easter. But even so, you may not be in the mood for skiing, or the weather might not be all that great for skiing. What then? Try, for example, the Velké Losiny Thermal Park, which skiers from all over the Jeseníky Mountains have fallen in love with. In winter, one of the last European manual paper mills in Velké Losiny is open here. And even if the winter in the Jeseníky Mountains was to be more of a muddy experience, here, at an altitude of over 1,300 metres above sea level, you might still find some snow, just enough for some cross-country skiing. Add to that the beautiful views of the majestic Praděd. The Praděd lookout tower is open all year round.

Beskydy without your snow cap

The Beskydy Mountains can be found in the east of the Czech Republic in Moravia and Silesia. When the snow conditions aren’t all that favourable or your family members make up their mind and refuse to spend another day on the slope, you can discover this easternmost corner of the country. Take a romantic walk to the picturesque town of Štramberk, which boasts unique wooden houses, or try the local beer baths. All fans of motorised vehicles will get their money's worth in Kopřivnice. Here, you will find an exhibition of Tatra cars, the Tatra Truck Museum and the newly restored Slovenská strela train motor car from the 1930s. And if you like sports, you can also go on foot to Lysá Hora mountain, the Velký Javorník and Tetřev lookout towers, or for the beauty of wooden architecture to Pustevny, where there is a nice exhibition of ice sculptures held annually. Last but not least, you must not miss the Wallachian Open-Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, with some of its sightseeing tours open even in winter.

Winter paradise in Dolní Morava

The winter and summer sports resort in Dolní Morava on the border of eastern Bohemia and Moravia attracts visitors all year round. The year-round Sky Walk offers unique views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Here, you can walk along the longest pedestrian footbridge in the world and have a real blast on the second longest bobsled track of its kind in Europe! It’s open all year round. If you would rather relax, visit the wellness and sauna world of the Vista Wellness Hotel. You will also find a number of attractions in nearby Králíky and their surrounding area. The Military Museum and other attractions are open all year round, as well as an exhibition that will acquaint you with the life of customs officers and smugglers of whom there were many here in the past. Winter tours are also offered by the Hůrka artillery fortress, which you will find on the outskirts of the city in the direction of Dolní Morava.

 

Mushing is not just for dog lovers

So-called mushing can be an extraordinarily entertaining experience for both groups and individuals. But what is it? Riding a sled pulled by a team of dogs, who will take you to the peaks of the highest mountains in Czechia. You will learn about various northern breeds, try harnessing the dogs and preparing the sled. And you will also take home photographs as well as an unforgettable experience. Riding a sled pulled by dogs is not physically demanding and even children can manage it, but you have to dress very warmly and possibly take a hot drink with you to keep warm, because you will be out in the fresh air all the time. Adrenalin junkies can try a ride at night.

Foto Oto Kelemen

You can also try Skicentrum Šafář (in the village of Svoboda nad Úpou) or riding with a team of malamutes (Špindlerův Mlýn, contact info: oto.kelemen@seznam.cz).

Wonderful snowshoes

Those who love the mountains, the snow-covered plains and the peace and quiet, when the only sound is the quiet crunch of the snow beneath your feet, are sure to be familiar with snowshoes. The concept of snowshoes is nearly 6,000 years old and they are brilliant for helping you walk in the deep snow. They distribute your weight over a larger area, which prevents you from sinking into the snow. In other words, snowshoes will make it much easier for you to walk through a landscape that would not be accessible without them.


We can recommend some trails in the Krušné Mountains. For instance you can walk up to the top of Klínovec Mountain from the centre of Boží Dar. This route is not long and is also suitable for complete beginners. If you have some experience with snowshoes, you can plan a two-day trip. Your first steps could lead up Božidarský Špičák from where you will have a beautiful view of the landscape. You can then continue across Myslivny in the direction of the Rýžovna nature reservation. We recommend you have lunch here at the local organic farm, and the village of Abertamy also offers plenty of accommodation. The more adventurous among you can even sleep outside or in one of the Krušné Mountain huts.

But be careful and don’t overextend yourself! Don’t go on a trip like this by yourself and always take the proper equipment! It may be very cold outside.

Sledging

If the snow conditions are satisfactory, you should try sledging down the oldest sledge route in the Krkonoše Mountains. It’s 3.5 km long and leads from the peak of beautiful Černá hora to Janské Lázně. A cable car will take you to the start of the route. You can also try sledging at night with headlamps and a guide. However, this is definitely not something for children. The route is quite steep and the sledge travels quite fast, so even adults have a hard time steering. An outing in the fresh air deserves a proper reward, swimming for instance. You can have fun at one of the local aquaparks, wellness centres or spas (Janské Lázně, Wellness Resort sv. František, Wellness Grund Resort, Friesovy boudy, Aparthotel sv. Vavřinec).