7 Things You Need to Know About Cycling in the Czech Republic
Cycling in the Czech Republic is a cyclist’s dream come to true. Here’s how to make the most of your Czech Republic cycling experience.
There are only a few travel experiences in my life that I enjoyed more than cycling in the Czech Republic. If you’ve been following my site for the last decade, you’ll understand the gravity of that statement.
Not all that long ago, I played pro hockey in Turkey, and ended up busting up my knee. I was limited to what I could do from an activity perspective, and ended up falling in love with low impact sports like swimming and cycling.
However, I quickly realized that the reverence I felt for cycling was something a little different. There’s a magic to being on the seat of your bike and just watching the world unfold before your eyes. Often times, I don’t even realize that I’m in motion on a bike because it just feels so natural.
I alluded to some of this in my article on Hluboká Castle (arguably the most beautiful castle in the Czech Republic), but didn’t get as in-depth into what you might expect from a biking trip in the Czech Republic, or what you might need to know.
In this article, I’ll aim to showcase some of the destinations in South Bohemia that you should have on your biking radar, showcase the culture of the region and, as always, have a little fun with it in the process.
The truth is, when I think back on my trip, essentially cycling across South Bohemia, those memories still breathe such a pronounced happiness into my being that I feel like I need to communicate some of that joy out loud.
Also, I’m not going to aim to fit everything into this article, but I’ll do my best to cover as much as I can.
Let’s get to it.
This post contains affiliate links. Simply put, this means we may receive a small commission for some of our heartfelt and honest recommendations at absolutely zero additional cost to you.
Top Tips for Making the Most of Your Czech Republic Cycling Trip
Our cycling trip was well planned, and that’s thanks in large part to the fact that Czech Tourism was part of the planning process and, as you imagine, they’ve got a knack for showcasing their own nation. Below, I want to impart the lessons I took to heart about planning future cycling trips in the Czech Republic. It should help you, and I’m sure it’ll also remind me that I need to get back and do something like this all over again!
Having the Right Guide or Tour Company Can Make a Big Difference
Throughout our trip in South Bohemia, we were guided by two different companies.
We started by basing ourselves at Bed & Bike Prachatice, a spot I’d wholly recommend. The place was built with cyclists in mind, and you won’t find a better starting point if you’re looking to explore the famed Šumava National Park. Bed & Bike Prachatice is geared for cyclists (no pun intended).
However, it’s also a perfect accommodation for pretty much anybody considering it’s quite luxurious, centrally located, and they wake you up by bringing fresh pastries to your room. If you bring me fresh pastries, my heart is pretty much yours.
We chose to use their high-end electric bikes which were equipped with a Garmin GPS, so that we could cover as much ground as possible in the region. Along with a guide, we covered a circular 37km route which allowed us to pop into local businesses, spend some time in the forest, and get a legitimate feel for the area. I’ll be talking more in-depth about some of the highlights down below, but you can see the overview of our 37km biking route here.
———
The following day, we got off the electric bikes (often simply called e-bikes) and got down to business.
Our guide was Lukas Svarovsky, the owner of Europe Bike Tours. In my life, I try to ensure that I’m bringing some positivity, light, and laughter into this world, and I can only imagine Lukas is of the same mindset. He’s just the kind of guy you want to be around as much as possible, and his sarcasm game is on another level. Needless to say, we hit it off.
But more than that, I firmly believe that Europe Bike Tours is creating trips and itineraries that do an excellent job of highlighting the joys of cycling, but balance that with allowing you to experience the region in which you’re travelling (which, in our case, was South Bohemia in the Czech Republic.)
Not only would I recommend this company with my whole heart, but I’m quite sure that Bri and I will come back and do another trip with Lukas again at some point.
They currently offer 13 tours, but, as far as I understand, you’re also welcome to work with them to create a custom private tour, which is what what we ended up doing.
You’ll get a good feel for what a tour is like by reading this article.
You Won’t Need to Sacrifice Good Food
If you plan your trip well (or choose a tour company to aid you in planning/plan it for you), there’s no reason that you can’t eat extraordinarily well on your trip. People sometimes forget just how far you can travel on a bike each day, so it’s not a big deal to travel an extra 5km in one direction to go to a restaurant you’d love to try, as opposed to settling for something you find randomly along the way.
You’ll also find that after 20km or so of biking, you’re going to be ready to eat, and Czech food tends to be nice, hearty, and filling. It suited me rather well, I must admit.
If you’re aiming to cycle in or near Šumava National Park or near the Lipno Dam, then you may want to consider stopping at Wellness Hotel Marlin. It’s located in the town of Nové Chalupy. It’s simple South Bohemian food done well.
I had the soup of the day, which was essentially a Czech style goulash soup, then followed that up with some pan seared trout and potatoes. After a long bike ride, that really hit the spot. If you’ve got room (and you know I did), don’t miss the apple strudel with ice cream - it’s unbelievable.
Other restaurants that I’d recommend on your trip around this region are Restaurace Černý Medvěd in Prachatice, Hotel U Martina Rožmberk nad Vlatvou in Rožmberk nad Vlatvou (get the Houskový Knedlík, which is essentially bread dumplings with meat and gravy), and a visit to Restaurant Solnice is a must if you’re in České Budějovice.
And keep in mind it’s the Czech Republic, so they all have absolutely exceptional beer on tap. I’ll talk about a few specific breweries I visited later in the article as well in case you’re a beer lover like me.
If you’re enjoying this post, you’ll also love my post on arguably the Most Beautiful Castle in the Czech Republic, Hluboká Castle or my article on the Most Beautiful Cities in Switzerland
Gravel Bikes Are Perfect for Cycling in the Czech Republic
In simple terms, a “gravel bike” is essentially a road bike that is designed to tackle a variety of surfaces. Basically, a good gravel bike will enable you to move quickly like you can on a road bike, but enable you to go off road. It’s a fine balance of speed and control, and much of that has to do with the fact that gravel bikes use thicker, more treaded tires than road bikes, thus allowing you to go off road.
Europe Bike Tours made sure that we were locked and loaded with some beautiful bikes. We were riding on the Specialized Diverge COMP E5 105 Gravel Roadbike, and it gave us a lot of flexibility in our routes.
On our most ambitious day, for example, in which we covered roughly 75km (travelling from Stožec to Frymburk), we spent much of the morning in the woods of Šumava National Park, but then took to the roads with a vengeance in the afternoon to reach our goal before dark.
I’m a huge fan, and actually looking into buying a gravel bike in Canada as we speak. If you’re just sticking to roads and covering 100km a day, perhaps you’ll want to stick with your road bike, but if you want to spice it up a bit and not be too concerned about getting into the woods a touch, I think a gravel bike is a very solid option.
You Can Easily Use Prague As Your Start and End Point
If you’re reading about this decidedly South Bohemian cycling adventure, but you want to make sure that you see Prague during your visit, don’t stress.
For one, a lot of tours start in Prague (especially when looking at the cycling tours offered by Europe Bike Tours), but even if they don’t it’s not a problem. The Czech Republic is a well connected country with good roads, and plenty of private transport options even if you’re doing this on your own. Not to mention, buses and trains are frequent in all directions.
If you’ve never been to Prague before, I would recommend adding at least two days on either side of your trip (and this is going to be even easier if you’re starting and ending in Prague, of course.)
At least two days prior makes sense so you can acclimatize to the time difference a little bit and see a bit of Prague. People who haven’t been to Prague totally underestimate how compact the city is. As far as European capitals go, Prague is very manageable to see, so you’ll be shocked by what a feel you can get for the city in a short time.
I would say, though, that having two days on the tail end is crucial as well as it will allow you to rest a little before your flight, and check off a few more things on your list when it comes to Prague.
My good friends Scott and Megan from Bobo and Chi Chi cover what you might want to do in Prague in this article.
Drink All the Czech Beer You Can
Okay, before I get too excited (or sued), I should stipulate that if you’re going to be biking across the Czech Republic, you can’t be permanently drunk off Czech Beer.
As it turns out, cycling is one of those activities that doesn’t mix terribly well with aggressive amounts of alcohol - perhaps it’s something to do with the high speeds and precision.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t sprinkle in the odd beer while you’re biking, especially at lunch. Also keep in mind that if you’re doing a long cycling trip in the Czech Republic, it’s very likely that the towns and cities you’re staying in are going to be inundated with good beer. It’s almost comical - it’s impossible to avoid fantastic beer in the Czech Republic.
Take, for example, when we spent the night in the town of Prachatice in South Bohemia. Pivovar Prachatice (Prachatice Brewery) was no more than a stone’s throw away from our hotel. We went downstairs with the owners and I must have tried five or six beers that wowed me. They make classic Czech style pilsners that could not be more easy drinking, yet have that classic bitterness that beer lovers beg for out of their pilsners.
Also, if you don’t know, Pilsner was literally invented by the Czechs in 1842. Thank you, Czech Republic, thank you!
I’m not sure if I’ve gone on record saying this elsewhere, but I believe the Czech Republic has the best beer in the world.
For a while, I wasn’t sure if Belgium took the cake for me, but after this most recent trip to the Czech Republic, I’m firmly convinced. The beer is just so crisp and fresh, and the attention to detail in every beer is astounding. I swear, in some towns and cities, the brewery is more of an institution than the church or city hall.
Again, I think any restaurant or any brewery (pivovar) in the country is probably going to treat you well, but if you’re in South Bohemia, there are a few spots that I’d outright recommend. I loved Pivovar Zvikov (Zvikov Brewery), for example, as it was a simple brewery with hearty food and all the beers I tried hit the spot. And we weren’t biking that day, so I did mean to say “all the beers.” It’s right beside Zvikov Castle, which I’ll mention later on in this article.
Finally, I would say that, if you can, you should grab a pint (or two, or six) at DEPO Pub in Český Krumlov. They’re known for being especially focused on the pour, and how much head (foam) they leave on the beer. Their bartenders are experts at the “small cut,” the “milk pour,” and the “smooth pour,” which all have different amounts of foam that change the way the beer tastes and settles in your stomach.
So yeah, I think you get the picture. Beer and a Czech Republic vacation go hand and hand, even a trip where your main goal is cycling in the Czech Republic.
If you’ve appreciated this article, you’ll probably also love my article on the Most Beautiful Cities in Germany or How to Spend 2 Days in Lisbon, Portugal
Take the Time to Dive into the History of the Country
The Vyšší Brod Monastery is one of the most historically significant sites in South Bohemia!
If you’re choosing a tour, then you want to make sure that tour is going to cover more than just the roads of the Czech Republic.
We built many stops into our itinerary that made the trip considerably more fruitful for someone like me. And by “someone like me,” I mean somebody who loves being active, but also wants to take advantage of where I am.
If, you’re cycling in South Bohemia, there are a few places that you should think about adding to your itinerary, or at least examining your itinerary of your proposed tour to see if they might be there. I should also note that if you’ve got a group, and you’re on a private cycling tour (like we were), then it’s the job of your guide to cater to your interests, so don’t be shy about trying to create the trip that best suits your needs.
One place we visited which has stuck with me is around the town of Stožec. There are still vivid remnants of the occupation of the USSR and the great lengths that they went to to ensure that the Czech people weren’t fleeing the county, including some monstrous watch towers, barbed wire and developments around the border. It’s an eerie but important reminder of a not so distant past.
If you follow along closely with my brand, you’ll also know how much I enjoyed visiting Hluboká Castle, a place which can trace its roots back to the 13th century, and has taken many forms over the years. It has an intriguing history and an aesthetically pleasing facade that any photographer would drool over.
Speaking of castles, if you’re cycling in the Czech Republic and you’ve got some flexibility in terms of your route, I’d make sure that you stop for a moment in Rožmberk nad Vltavou to take in the marvel of Rožmberk Castle. It’s one of the oldest castles in South Bohemia, and can easily be added to an itinerary, especially since it’s not all that far from Český Krumlov, and my assumption is you’ll be heading there if you’re biking in South Bohemia.
We ended up seeing this last castle I’ll mention on the way back to Prague after wrapping up our Czech cycling trip in České Budějovice, and I suggest you do the same. I’m talking about Zvíkov Castle, which was the seat of the first Czech kings and ridiculously picturesque. It’s straight off a postcard, my friends.
If you’re following some of the main cycling routes of South Bohemia, then it’s also not going to be hard for your to pop your head into the Vyšší Brod Monastery. From the research I did and the conversations I had, I feel as if most Czech people would say that this is one of the, is not the, most important historical landmarks in South Bohemia. It was founded in 1259, and has remained relevant throughout the ages, including very much to this day.
You're Going to Have an Amazing Chance to Focus on the Local
Can we just take a second to appreciate the fact that goats are pretty much always smiling?
Perhaps the best part about cycling in the Czech Republic, or cycling in general, is the opportunity this mode of transportation gives you to stop where you please. To get from city to city, it turns out you need to go through town after town.
It’s important to look local - to visit the brewery in the town you’re cycling through, or plan a meal in a town for lunch and walk around a bit to get a feel for the place.
In one case, we went downright rural, and that was to visit the Výrov Goat Farm. Visiting with the goats was wonderful, as goats are just adorable, but it was the goat cheese and goat milk that left me speechless. The Výrov Goat Farm is thought to have not only the best goat cheese in South Bohemia, but in the country at large, and, who knows, perhaps the continent. It’s important to visit and support local businesses like this, and these are the stories that matter in a lot of ways, but don’t necessarily get the attention they deserve.
Speaking of supporting local businesses, we also tried some cured meat at Pavel Zdeněk Butcher Shop in the city of Vlachovo Březí that knocked my socks off, and also provided some much needed energy to continue the ride.
If you’re loving the local vibe, then you’ll also find two more destinations not far away that will give you an insight into local culture and business. The first is Ky. By Garden, a garden with traditional herbs and flowers from the region, and the other is Creamery Škarez, where you can visit with some cows and eat even more cheese!
As I alluded to above, these local experiences are all close together, and you can tackle all of these experiences in a day with e-bikes if you’re setting out from Prachatice.
So, How Does Cycling the Czech Republic Sound?
In this article, I was trying to give you some specific and actionable tips that would allow you to build a bit of an itinerary, but more than that, I wanted to give you the sense that this is not only doable, but something that should be on your radar.
As I said in the beginning, I’ve been fortunate enough to take maybe two hundred and fifty separate trips now in my life to thousands of cities, towns, and villages, and have visited 80 countries along the way, and this was an experience that really floats near the top of that list for me.
Now, don’t get me wrong - it’s not going to be easy. If you’re not someone who is terribly active and doesn’t like the struggle and grind of a long cycling trip, it’s worth understanding that. However, you can easily build a trip or find a tour that suits your comfort, skill, and endurance level.
I underestimated how much I would enjoy the autonomy and control of cycling across a region like South Bohemia and being able to stop where I pleased. I’ve done a fair bit of hiking, but this was the best of both worlds, as I was able to cover great distances, but it was also still very intimate.
Also, and I’m sure I’ve stated this elsewhere, I’ve got a great pet peeve with trips where I’m sedentary. Long bus rides in particular are just brutal for me, as I’d love to be out there running along the side of the bus rather than in it. A little absurd, I know.
For me, this was the perfect blend of all the things I love. We had a sprinkle of history, a dash of beer, a lot of exercise, healthy portions of hearty food, and some good time with friends. The only thing it was missing was Bri.
You don’t need to build the itinerary I built when you’re cycling in the Czech Republic, but know that you can build an itinerary in South Bohemia that will check all the boxes for you, all from the seat of your preferred bike.
I want to humbly thank Czech Republic Tourism for hosting me as media. All opinions are completely my own.