Czech Mountains

Skiing and Fun for Your Whole Family

Czech Tourism

Written by Czech Tourism Published on 10.01.2011 16:45:53 (updated on 10.01.2011) Reading time: 8 minutes


 

Winter in the Czech Republic has a number of pros, even though the Czech peaks do not reach such altitudes as, for instance, in the Alps. Nevertheless, the Czech mountains are a perfect destination for your family holiday, offering a vast range of activities, from skiing to tobogganing and skating. Plus a big advantage: everywhere is within easy reach!


450 kilometres of pistes equipped with modern technology

The Czech Republic is bordered by mountains, an ideal place for sports. More than 200 ski resorts and centres in the whole of the Czech Republic offer ski and snowboard runs. You can test your skiing skills on more than 450 kilometres of pistes. Moreover, Czech ski centres are under constant modernisation: before this winter season alone, owners´ investments amounted to 1.5 billion crowns (60 million EUR). 25 resorts obtained four or five stars, i.e. the highest score, under the certification of the Czech Union of Ski Lift and Tow Operators. The largest ski resort in the Czech Republic, “

Skiareál Špindlerův Mlýn

” (www.skiareal.cz), is situated in the highest Czech mountain range, the

Giant Mountains

(Krkonoše)(www.hory-krkonose.cz), about two hours from Prague by car.This region offers 5 ski lifts and 11 drag lifts in Špindlerův Mlýn and Horní Mísečky, and 25 pistes covered with artificial snow in 95 percent of them.This year, however, you can look forward to the latest innovations: three brand new ski resorts were established in the Czech mountains before this winter season. In 

Kouty nad Desnou in Jeseníky

mountains (www.kouty.cz), for instance, a new resort was created,  which has become the largest ski resort in Moravia, with a total area of 25 hectares. A six-seat chair lift and two modern drag lifts will take you to the top of the hill. “

Skipark Červená Voda

Orlické Mountains

is still shining new, offering, among other things, a piste two kilometres long and sixty metres wide and heated chairs on the lift. “

Sněžník Dolní Morava

” ski centre near Králický Sněžník (www.dolnimorava.cz) has undergone large-scale renovation, amounting to several million crowns. No need to worry about long queues – the centre offers two four-seat chair lifts! What´s more, a new piste was created there this year, and all of the pistes have recently been equipped with safety features.

 

Czech Mountains: Fun for Your Whole Family

Ski centre operators have been paying more attention to skiing for children, and parks for children´s courses equipped with “magic carpet” lifts, children´s ski carousels and teaching aids have become part and parcel of skiing in the Czech mountains, as well as family ski passes at a reduced price. The largest ski park for children is located in the Lipno Ski Resort in Šumava (www.lipnoservis.cz). New parks will be created this winter at the “Snowhill” in the Kašperk Mountains (www.snowhill.cz/kasperky/) and Herlíkovice (www.snowhill.cz/herlikovice/), in Harrachov Sport Centre (www.skiareal.com) or in the “Skiareál” in Špindlerův Mlýn (www.skiareal.cz), for instance. And snowboard fans will enjoy the Czech mountains, too: new snow parks with terrain features and snow barriers have been prepared for this season, and a number of resorts offer its skiers slalom courses with professional time measurement. The advantage of Czech skiing is its value for money: although a wide range of resorts and centres have gradually undergone renovation and energy prices have risen, ski pass prices have remained almost unchanged since last year. In larger ski resorts and centres you can buy a one-day ski pass for one person for 500 crowns, i.e. approximately 20 EUR. Family ski passes vary in price: “Ski areál Špičák” in Šumava (www.lyzovani.spicak.cz), for instance, offers a one-day family ski pass for 840 crowns, regardless of the number of children.


3,000 Kilometres of Cross-country Ski Routes with Excellent Markings

Lovers of snowy plains and spectacular panoramas will definitely enjoy themselves in the Czech mountains! The Czech Republic has more than 3,000 kilometres of maintained cross-country ski routes. Thanks to sophisticated markings made by the Czech Hiking Club (Klub českých turistů), you do not have to worry about getting lost. In

Boží Dar

in the

Krušné

Mountains

(http://www.bozidar.cz/cz/bezecke-lyzovani)you can enjoy cross-country skiing and follow the trail of “Christ Child”, who brings presents to Czechs on Christmas Eve every year. Even the youngest cross-country skiers will enjoy this several-kilometres-long fairytale route.Cross-country connoisseurs will certainly appreciate the “Krušnohorská magistrála”: This route, totalling 242 kilometres, is used by cross-country skiers in winter and by cyclists in summer, starts at “Skalka” reservoir in Cheb, going through the famous towns of

Františkovy Lázně

and

Kraslice

, well-known for the production of musical instruments, and gradually brings you to the

Krušné Mountains

(www.krusnohorsky.cz), with the highest point of Klínovec (1,244 m). The real cross-country skiers´ paradise is, however, the mountain range of Šumava. Situated in Western and Southern Bohemia on the German border, it offers tens to hundreds of kilometres of cross-country ski runs as well as its unspoilt nature. For an incredible 40 years some of the now accessible places could not be visited by common people as the border was closely guarded by the communist regime. An important strategic point with a number of ski runs is a tiny village called

Kvilda

(http://www.sumava.net/kvilda/)or a village that is slightly further from there,

Modrava

(www.sumavanet.cz/modrava/), nowadays the richest village in the Czech Republic. Many beautiful ski runs can be found near the village of

Prášily

(

)

or around Lipno dam, the largest dam in the Czech Republic. An amazing experience is waiting for you near the border town called

Železná Ruda

)

, with two magnificent glacial lakes nearby: both Černé (Black) and Čertovo (Devil´s) lakes are accessible for cross-country skiers. After a day full of sport, you can warm up and recharge yourself at

Charlotte

café and sweetshop (www.cafe-charlotte.cz/

)

, well-known throughout Šumava for its delicious desserts.  The

Beskydy

range of mountains (www.beskydy.cz), situated in Eastern Moravia, also offers maintained routes for cross-country skiers, totalling more than a hundred kilometres. Many Czech cross-country skiing fans simply love the Czech Moravian Highlands and many locals like ski routes around the hills of

Žďárské vrchy

(www.kr-vysocina.cz). And of course, the =

Giant Mountains

(Krkonoše) is a suitable destination for cross-country skiers, offering ridge runs, among others. The neighbouring

Jizerské

Mountains

also have nice routes to offer, and the most famous Czech cross-country skiing competition called

“Jizerska 50”

http://bezky.jiz50.cz/ takes place here every year. In 2011 the Jizerské Mountains will host the competition for the 44

th

year. 

 

Something for Pros and Fans

 Several competitions of world importance with an international presence are organised in the Czech Republic every year. Apart from the abovementioned

“Jizerska 50”

, which will take place in January, you should definitely not miss the legendary cross-country skiing competition called the

“Golden Ski”

(www.zlatalyze.cz), which will take place in February 2011 for the 73

rd

time. The competition is a part of the continental FIS Slavic Cup. Another skiers´ feast will take place on 15

th

and 16

th

January in the town of Liberec, which will host the

“SKI SPRINT LIBEREC 2011”

(www.skisprint.cz) competition, under the “Tour de Ski” cross-country skiing World Cup series (www.tour-de-ski.com). Come to

Harrachov

at the beginning of January next year: the Giant Mountains´ winter resort will host the

Ski Flying World Cup

(www.skiflying.cz) as usual. At the end of January the Nordic combined competition, also one of the World Cup competitions, will take place here as well.Additionally, Harrachov will host the Ski-Flying World Championship in 2014.Downhill skiing competitions will not lag behind either: the

Women´s World Cup in Alpine skiing

will take place on 11

th

and 12

th

March in

Špindlerův Mlýn

The Longest Skating Track in the World

The winter season in the Czech Republic is not about skiing only – there are many more activities you can enjoy here! If you prefer two sharp blades to skis, a visit to

Lipno

in Šumava (http://lipno.ceskehory.cz/) will certainly not disappoint you as it offers an eleven-kilometre skating track, the longest natural skating track in the world.You will also enjoy lots of fun at one of the toboggan runs, slowly emerging in the Czech Republic. Bring your own toboggan or borrow it on the spot. The longest run (4 kilometres) awaits you in

Špindlerův Mlýn

(

. In 

Janské Lázně

(www.cerna-hora.cz) you will ride 3.6 kilometres downhill. A natural, 600-metre long toboggan run is located near the

Klíny “Skiareál”

in the town of

Litvínov

. In this case, it is for free and accessible 24/7. You can also enjoy an adrenaline experience and lots of fun at one of the Czech bobsleigh tracks. In the Giant Mountains, in the resorts of

Špindlerův Mlýn

and

Harrachov,

(www.bobovka.cz) you can reach a speed of up to 65 kilometres per hour. You can also bobsleigh in the centre of

Pec pod Sněžkou

(www.relaxpark.cz), where some of the points of the track are located up to eight metres above ground, and a similar track was built in 

Tošovice

in the foothills of

Oderské vrchy

 

Warm up in a Spa!

After your active relaxation, your body will deserve a well-earned rest in one of the 36 spas the Czech Republic can offer. You can arrive at a number of them directly from the ski slope. A typical example is the picturesque town of

Mariánské Lázně

(www.marianskelazne.cz), located in Western Bohemia and offering a number of cross-country ski routes and a ski resort. You will definitely enjoy good relaxation in 

Janské Lázně

, the only spa in the Czech part of the Giant Mountains (www.janske-lazne.cz), or in

Lázně Jáchymov

(www.laznejachymov.cz) in the Krušné Mountains. Indulge in relaxation, wellness activities and many other services in

in the town of Liberec!  

 

Some Useful Information…

Most Czech ski resorts and centres publish their updated information at a single portal called www.holidayinfo.cz. Information on open pistes, weather conditions and mountain rescue service contact information can be found here as well as other useful details. A summary of information on Czech spas is available at www.ceskelazenstvi.cz or www.CzechTourism.com. A list of all current events and tips for trips around mountain resorts, centres and spas is available at www.tipsfortrips.cz.  

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