Discover the Czech Republic on bike

The Czech Republic offers a dense network of cycling routes. If you plan a trip with your children, you will definitely appreciate undemanding routes around attractions for kids. If you like to discover cultural monuments, you will be excited about the Lednice-Valtice estate where you can discover them in the great outdoors. Mountain bike fans will enjoy special routes which will test their technical skills. And if you are an avid cyclist who spends several days biking, you can travel in the Czech Republic on the long-distance routes EuroVelo.

Four routes of EuroVelo international cycling routes intersect in the Czech Republic. You can visit it as a part of a longer European cycling trip or you can select only a specific part you want to see. EuroVelo 4, 7, 9 and 11 routes are situated in the Czech Republic. If you do not want to plan your own trip, you can use services of special agencies which will provide you a guide and facilities along the route.

EuroVelo 4 route is very popular and it will guide you from Prague to the German border and to the Czech Switzerland National Park. You will visit historical towns of Litoměřice and Mělník or you can taste wine in Velké Žernoseky. The Terezín Memorial is near Litomeřice in the area of a former concentration camp. From Czech Switzerland, you can continue along the Elbe to Dresden, Sachsen.

If you want to discover the Czech Republic on bike but you do not feel like being on the road for several days, you can borrow a bike for one day only.

South Moravia is popular with cyclists because of the nice climate and moderate terrain. Your cycling trip will be even more pleasant if you add a wine experience. Moravian wine trails will guide you among vineyards and wine cellars; moreover you can taste the results of local winemakers at numerous stops. The Lednice-Valtice estate is quite close. The mighty Lichtenstein family conquered this land and enriched it with numerous monuments for their pleasure and pastime. You can enjoy the romantic atmosphere, even if you are not in a horse carriage.

In Moravian Slovakia, you can find live traditions, industrial monuments and a unique cycling route along Baťa Canal. This water canal is now used for recreation. You can enjoy 80 kms of the route between Hodonín and Kroměříž. If you are tired of pedalling, you can change to one of the cruise boats or interconnect cycling and a stay at a houseboat.

The system of interconnected routes along the biggest Czech lake of Lipno has more than one hundred kilometres and you can find here moderate terrain suitable for children as well. You can try many water sports like yachting, windsurfing or kiteboarding. The Šumava cycling routes offer a bit more difficult parts of a challenge and beautiful sceneries.

In Western Bohemia, you can set off from the historical town of Cheb and continue along the Ohře river to Karlovy Vary. On your way, you will see chateaux in Sokolov and Mostov as well as the romantic town of Loket with the Svatošské Rocks which inspired J. W. Goethe, for instance. 

If you expect more adrenalin and prefer mountain bikes, you can enjoy a single-track. Routes for tech-savvy riders, those who do this sport at an amateur level and children can use the areas Pod Smrkem and Rychleby Trails.

Cyclists can use cycle-buses on many places where they will be transported to attractive localities with their bikes. A helmet is obligatory for people under 18 years of age. A website www.cykloserver.cz can help you with planning of your trips thanks to a list of hotels, restaurants or shops where they offer special services for cyclists. You can order one-day or longer trips with these operators: Czech Bike Tours, Praha Bike, Top Bicycle.

CzechTourism is a state-funded agency of the Ministry for Regional Development. Its main activity is to promote the Czech Republic as an attractive tourist destination. More information is available at http://scandinavia.czechtourism.com.