This summer, I spent several months in the Czech Republic. The intention was to spend some time in a different culture and travel from time to time in a new part of Europe. Several times throughout my two months in the country, I found myself exploring Czech Paradise. I always had my camera and phone ready. So I thought I would share a little bit about that part of the Czech Republic.
What is the Czech Paradise?
Czech Paradise (or Bohemian Paradise as some might call it). Is located only an hour or two drive from Prague in the northern corner of the country. It sits near the border to Poland and also Germany. It is an area full of natural wonders and beauty. There are also lots of old castles and ruins to explore.
The borders of the actual area are not officially defined. However the town of Turnov is sort of the unofficial seat for this area.
How to get there
While you can get to the town of Turnov by bus from Prague, getting to some of these places from Turnov without a car could prove to be tricky. However renting a car could be a good way to go. I went with the people I lived with, so I had no need to rent a car myself. However if you are in need of renting a car, I would suggest finding one through Ebates. I used it to rent a car in the Azores Islands in Portugal and got money back! It was quite nice.
The Trosky Castle
This castle is often seen as the main attraction in Czech Paradise. You can see it from miles away. It’s basically the ruins of an old castle with two towers.
This castle is one of the most visited places in the Czech Republic, so I was very excited to explore it for myself. It was founded at the end of the 14th century by the Vartenberk family. The castle was built on cliffs of rocks, meaning that it was hard to conquer.
Now the property is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday. You can climb both towers, much like I did here. For more information, visit the castle website here.
The rock labyrinth
This was another fun place to explore. I love a good hike, so I was super excited to explore this place. Kalich – Chleviste is what the place is called and it’s basically a bunch of rock formations that you can hike through. This actually used to be a spot of refuge and gathering for non-catholics during the reformation.
Some of the rocks had things written on them. I love finding things like this. History is so cool!
You could also eat the blueberries that grow there. So from time to time, we stopped for a few blueberries!
Other points for exploring Czech Paradise
These two spots were just two of many places to explore in Czech Paradise. Here are a few other spots to be sure to check out.
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