Best of South Bohemia: Czech Republic to Its Fullest

Best of South Bohemia

7 night self guided bike tour in Czech Republic

A great way to experience the Czech Republic to its fullest! Visit the most beautiful historic and natural monuments, and float down the most charming section of the Vltava river on a boat. This route is ideal for those seeking history, natural beauty, and a slower pace of life.

This tour is also available as a guided tour for an additional fee. Please inquire for further details.

Highlights

• South Bohemia
• Cesky Krumlov - historical UNESCO site of Czech Republic
• Sumava Forest National Park
• Hluboka - a beautiful chateau
• Trebon - city of thousands lakes
• Boat trip on Vltava river
• Sailing on Lipno lake

Learn More

Learn more about self-guided tours

Daily program

Day 1: Tabor – Cervena Lhota – Jindrichuv Hradec (34 mi/55 km)
In the morning, transfer from your hotel in Prague or Linz to historic Tabor, known as the center of the Hussite movement. Begin your bicycle journey through gently rolling countryside with pine groves and picturesque lakes. Halfway through the trip you'll discover one of the pearls of South Bohemia, the romantic chateau of Cervena Lhota, built on a tiny island in the middle of a lake. In the evening you'll arrive to Jindrichuv Hradec, a historic town with its own dominant castle.
Overnight in Jindrichuv Hradec

Day 2: Jindrichuv Hradec – Trebon (34 mi/54 km)
Today you'll ride through a countryside of lakes and pine groves. This landscape is full of romantic little nooks, meadows surrounded by forests, and a sandy-bottomed swimming hole. In the afternoon ride to Trebon, the center of Czech fishing as well as a town rich in Renaissance architecture with its own castle.
Overnight in Trebon

Day 3: Trebon – Cesky Budejovice (28 mi/45 km)
Today will be quite an easy ride, leading first through pine forests and ponds to Hluboka nad Vltavou, arguably the most beautiful castle of the Czech Republic. Don't miss the castle tour!

After lunch, continue on the new smooth trail, Greenway 12, along the Vltava river to České Budejovice, the city that gave the name to the famous Czech beer Budweisser Budvar. We reccommend that you sample the local beer specialities at Masne Kramy restaurant, the flag ship of Budvar Brewery.
Overnight in České Budejovice

Day 4: Cesky Budejovice – Cesky Krumlov (18 mi/29 km or 32 mi/52 km)
Today there are two options. A relaxing route follows on the main trail, Greenway 12, through the Vltava river valley and picturesque village Zlata Koruna to where you finish in Cesky Krumlov, the pearl of Czech Republic. You can spend the afternoon wandering through the narrow streets, visiting castle museum or just relaxing on the boat trip on the Vltava river.

If 18 mi/30 km of cycling is not enough for you, choose the second option. The route leads through rolling terrain to Holasovice (UNESCO), a village famous for its "village baroque style" houses, and then climbs through Blansky Forest, with the highest peak Klet (3556 ft/1084m), to Cesky Krumlov. Both options offer a possibility of a morning tour of Budvar Brewery.
Overnight in Cesky Krumlov

Day 5: Lipno – Vyssi Brod – Dolni Vltavice (26 mi/42 km or 30 mi/48 km)
First we take you by van to village Lipno, where you will start your cycling day. The route takes you through the Devil´s Wall Nature Park with its impressive rock formations to Vyssi Brod, with its magnificent monastery. This would be a great place to have lunch.

The relaxing route continues along the right bank of Lipno Lake to Kyselov, where the ferry takes you directly to your hotel in Dolni Vltavice. There are many oportunities for swimming in the lake along the way.

If you feel like a longer ride, from Vyssi Brod you can continue through more hilly terrain along the Czech - Austrian border through abandoned villages Kaplicky and Krasne Pole to Svaty Tomas and Vitkuv Kamen, from which you can enjoy an amazing view of the whole southern part of Sumava National Park and the Lipno Lake. From here it is only 6 mi/11 km descent to the ferry.
Overnight in Dolni Vltavice

Day 6: Dolni Vltavice Loop (28 mi/44 km)
You can tailor this day to your own preferences. The route leads along the Schwarzenberg Canal, a technical monument to lumber transport, and you can decide for yourself how long you wish to bike. Either you climb the highest peak of Sumava National Park, Plechy (4541 ft/1348m), or after swimming in the Lipno Lake, you wander down to the cafe. Either way it will be a memorable day!
Overnight in Dolni Vltavice

Day 7: Dolni Vltavice – Cesky Krumlov (24 mi/38 km)
Today you have the option to appreciate the virgin landscape of Sumava and Lipno Lake from the deck of a catamaran. Enjoy your sailing on the lake! Then continue on bike across the restricted area of Boletice, stop off at the newly reconstructed church of St. Mikulas, and continue to Cesky Krumlov, where you spend the last night of your trip.
Overnight in Cesky Krumlov

Day 8: Cesky Krumlov
Enjoy your last day in Cesky Krumlov and choose from these different activities: boat trip on Vltava river, guided tour of the Eggenberg brewery, visit to a castle. Transfer back to Prague or Linz later that afternoon.

Surface and terrain

The tour consists of relaxed cycling with occasional hills and distances up to 35 mi/55 km per day.

The tour follows cycle routes through rolling hills around Jindrichuv Hradec, lowlands around the lakes of Trebon, moderate hills of Blansky les, Sumava National Park, Lake Lipno and Cesky Krumlov.

On this tour, 41% of the riding is on roads shared with traffic, 53% on quiet roads (with little or no traffic) and 6% on dedicated bike paths.

Hotels

These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.

Accomodations are four-star hotels.

Hotel Concertino, Jindrichuv Hradec
www.concertino.cz

Hotel Zlata Hvezda, Trebon
www.zlatahvezda.cz

Hotel Budweis, Cesky Budejovice
www.hotelbudweis.cz

Hotel Krčínův Dům, Cesky Krumlov
www.krcinuvdum.hotely-krumlov.cz

Hotel Relax, Dolni Vltavice
www.hotelresortrelax.cz

Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.

How to get there

Tour start and end
Nearest airport and train station: Prague (PRG), Czech Republic

Transport from and to Prague (or Linz) at the beginning and end of your trip is included in the tour package. Transportation can be arranged to/from Vienna for an additional fee of €30 per person.

Tips on getting to and from your tour

Dates

Prices

Included services

• 7 nights accommodations in 3- and 4-star hotels and guesthouses
• 7 buffet-style breakfasts
• Luggage transport hotel to hotel
• Detailed description of the routes in English, including high-scale bike maps and town maps
• 7-day service hotline in case of problems or question
• Transfers as included in the daily program
• Bike rental
• GPS navigation (Mio Cyclo 200)
• Cell phone
• Transport from and to Prague at the beginning and end of your trip
• Tours, trips and activities as per program

Bike rentals

Bikes available, and included in tour price (must be reserved in advance at time of booking):

• Hybrid touring bikes: Giant X-Sport 3

Bikes available for an additional fee (must be reserved in advance at time of booking):

• Electrically assisted bikes*

*More about electrically-assisted bikes >

Bikes are equipped with the following at no extra cost

• Mud-guards
• Rear rack with panniers
• Handlebar bag
• Bottle holder
• Water bottle and cage
• Kick stand
• Cyclocomputer
• Repair tools
• Puncture repair kit
• Inner tube
• Pump
• Bicycle lock
• Bicycle helmet
• Front and rear lighting (at request)
• Side mirror (at request)
• Toe straps/cage (at request)

Pedals:
The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

Helmets:
Helmets are available on this tour, but we recommend that you bring or buy your own for safety and hygiene purposes.

Tour Company