The Giant Mountains (Krkonoše) with a Čapek theme

1.^st Day

Vrchlabí

How to get there

Prague Vrchlabí

Train

The easiest train route is provided by direct connection to Trutnov (the same connection as to Svatoňovice). There you can change trains and continue to Vrchlabí. This way it is possible to combine visits to both cities, Svatoňovice and Trutnov. A trip from Trutnov to Vrchlabí takes approximately 40 minutes.

Prague → Vrchlabí
Prague → Trutnov → Vrchlabí

Bus

A connection for this route is relatively complicated with transfers – mainly in Trutnov, Hradec Králové or Jilemnice.

Prague → Vrchlabí

Car

The distance from Prague to Vrchlabí is 130 kilometers. The fastest route is by using the D10 Freeway and continuing on Highway E65 towards Mladá Boleslav, and then by passing through the cities of Jičín and Nová Paka to Vrchlabí.

Bicycle

The Labská Trail (Labská stezka), which we recommend using, passes through Lysá nad Labem, Nymburk, Poděbrady, Pardubice and Hradec Králové and continues all the way to Vrchlabí. A map of the trail can be found here: http://www.labskastezka.cz/ladmin/soubory/labskastezka/File/mapy/Trhaci_mapa_LS_2015.pdf

Vrchlabí became the second home of Josef Čapek during the years of 1901–1903. There he spent time as a student at the German weaving school. Nowadays, you can find the school building at 265 Krkonošská Street. Josef is memorialized by a commemorative plaque right here.

In the city you can visit a part of a renaissance castle from the 16^th Century. You can also see pictures of the last captured bears. Only the entry hallway is accessible; the city office is located in the other areas. However, you can visit the surrounding castle park.

An interesting tour is offered by the Krkonoše Museum, which is housed in four wooden houses reconstructed to the appearance of the original urban development. The Neo-Gothic castle of St. Laurence (sv. Vavřinec) located in the city is also available for a visit, where you can find, among other things, a valuable copper baptismal font.

2.^nd Day

Špindlerův Mlýn and Sněžka

How to get there

Prague Špindlerův Mlýn

Train

A train connection to Špindlerův Mlýn is not an option.

Bus

The best way to get to Špindlerův Mlýn is by bus. A direct connection is available all the way from Prague. An ideal option for true lovers of cycle tourism is to look for a cycle-bus connection.

Prague → Špindlerův Mlýn

Car

Take the route from Prague in the direction towards Mladá Boleslav, Jičín and Vrchlabí, and from there continue to Špindlerův Mlýn. The distance is 144 kilometers in total.

Bicycle

Especially true mountain biking fans will appreciate the cycle trails of the Giant (Krkonoše) Mountains. The trails are easily accessible on the web pages http://www.hory-krkonose.cz/cyklotrasy/ or http://www.krnap.cz/cyklotrasy-krnap/. In the event that your bicycle isn’t the best for these kinds of trails, appropriate bicycles can also be rented at the local rental shops where they will be happy to assist you. The adrenalin experience will be welcomed by true lovers of downhill runs.

If you arrive at the city of Špindlerův Mlýn, you should surely visit the Savoy Hotel where Karel Čapek and Olga Scheinpflug used to stay and spend time together. But what is the biggest precedence of Špindlerův Mlýn? Certainly the nature – in summer it entices hiking as well as cycling. In winter, the city lives by skiing and snowboarding.

From Špindlerův Mlýn you can continue a mere 50 km to the city Pec pod Sněžkou, where you can climb up the highest mountain in the Czech Republic – Sněžka.

Its peak reaches the elevation of 1603 meters. You can conquer the mountain by hiking or help yourself with a lift that is available during favorable weather. The climb takes approximately two and a half hours.

At the top you can use the services of the highest located Czech postal office from the architects Hoffman and Rajniš who gave it the name Anežka. The meteorological station of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute is also located on the top of Sněžka.

After descending, you will surely appreciate the option of getting some refreshments in Pec pod Sněžkou.

3.^rd Day

Žacléř

How to get there

Prague Žacléř

Train

For the best route to Žacléř, use a train going to Trutnov and then switch to a bus traveling to Žacléř. The bus to Žacléř departs from the Trutnov, Trutnov-Poříčí and Voletinská overpass bus stops (Voletinská-přejezd).

Prague → Trutnov
Trutnov → Žacléř

Bus

For the best route to Žacléř, use a train going to Trutnov and then switch to a bus traveling to Žacléř. The bus to Žacléř departs from the Trutnov, Trutnov-Poříčí and Voletinská overpass bus stops (Voletinská-přejezd).

Prague → Žacléř

Car

The distance from Prague to Žacléř is over 170 kilometers. The easiest route goes through Hradec Králové, Jaroměř and Trutnov. A suggestion is the D11 Freeway or Highway E65 which are toll-free routes.

Bicycle

From Vrchlabí to Žacléř you can choose from trails with lengths of 32 or 36 kilometers, depending on whether you would rather use a paved route or not. Either way, it is necessary to be prepared for an incline because you will be traveling around Black Mountain (Černá hora) and through Janské Lázně and Svoboda nad Úpou. The trail goes throughout the Krkonoše National Park.

After the climb to Sněžka, you might want to give your legs some relief and take a walk to the city Žacléř. Before he began to attend school in Vrchlabí, Josef Čapek studied at a burgeois school in Žacléř with the aim to improve his German language knowledge. He lived in the tavern of Johannes Ziszka (Žižka) – in the dance hall. Above all, he loved excursions around the area of Žacléř.

The tavern and the school can be easily found – currently it serves as a public library and a local preschool. You can even find a commemorative plaque of Josef Čapek in the square. Worthwhile of a visit is also the City Museum of Žacléř and the Žacléř Outdoor Mining Museum, where you can look through the engine rooms, mine shaft buildings, preserved portions and air ventilation ducts of the pit called Julie.

If you still have some time left, visit Rýchory – the place where it is rumored that Josef loved going the most.