Czech Castles and Country Walks

The Czech Republic is the ultimate destination for a journey built around country walks, and many of ours begin and end at fairytale castles that reign over the sylvan countryside. The medieval heritage of this vibrant nation is enchanting and beautifully intact in wonderful towns like Mikulov, a quintessential Moravian town of pale yellow Renaissance houses, and tiny Telc, one of the best preserved 16th century towns in all Europe, which we first glimpse as we walk right through the town gates at the end of a lovely hike. Three unforgettable days in beguiling Cesky Krumlov, one of Europe’s Baroque treasures, and magical Prague crown our journey.

Itinerary at a Glance

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

Days 1-2
Vienna, Austria / Moravia, Czech Republic / Palava

Meeting in Vienna, we drive to the Czech border and cross it on foot with a hike into the Czech Republic’s Moravian wine country, a bucolic landscape of woodlands interspersed with orchards and vineyards. Gothic castles and grand Renaissance mansions—more than 2,000 of them—dot the countryside here, and our first castle-to-castle hike brings us from the tower of a 10th century castle perched on a limestone crag through the Palava Highlands Nature Reserve to Divci Hrad, a haunting crag-top castle ruin. We finish the day with a taste of sparkling wines in the cellar of Mikulov Castle.

Day 3
Castle Rostejn / Telc Castle

Rostejn is a Gothic apparition that seems to rise straight up from a dramatic rock outcrop. We hike cross-country from this striking castle through fields brightened with poppies and finish by walking through the arched gates of medieval Telc, a World Heritage Site. The town’s wedge-shaped main square is so perfect it looks like a stage set for one of Mozart’s operas, with Renaissance-era arcades and Gothic houses of subtle pastel colors.

Day 4
Telc / Slavonice

Starting at Telc’s castle, we hike through pine forests where mushrooms grow (we may meet some mushroom gatherers as we go) to Slavonice, a gem of a town with an intact medieval urban design. Its Renaissance main square, with its unusual biblical paintings on the exteriors of houses, has been carefully restored.

Days 5-7
Cesky Krumlov / Sumava / Rozmberk

We hike in the foothills of the Sumava (Bohemian) Forest, one of the last wilderness regions in central Europe, and from Vyssi Brod, a serene 13th century Cistercian monastery, to the castle town of Rozmberk, built around the serpentine curves of the Vltava River. Overnights are in the stunning World Heritage town of Cesky Krumlov, with its dreamy pink and green castle towering above 15th century Renaissance and Baroque mansions.

Days 8-9
Prague

One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Prague, the jewel of Bohemia, abounds with delights. We enjoy a walking tour through the stunning Old Town, where 600 years of glorious architecture, from Renaissance to Cubist, is on display. Depart on Day 9, or extend your stay in this enchanting city.

For a more complete description, Download Full Detailed Itinerary

What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 2+, Easy to Moderate. Most days include 2.5 to three hours of hiking, while some days involve a half day or more of exploring one of the towns on foot. Our luggage is transported for us by van, so it is always possible to ride in the van if you want to opt out of a day's hiking.

Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the U.S. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 p.m. Although hotel rooms in Europe are not always of uniform or international size, our leaders try their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole.

Explanation of Trip Levels