By air
Prague (PRG), ~2 h
Europe · Czechia
Bohemian Switzerland, Czechia
Sandstone arches and gorges
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to October — hiking weather
Don't miss
Pravčická brána
The Edmund Gorge
The Wild Gorge
Hřensko
Things to do
Hiking to Pravčická brána
Boat rides through the gorges
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Pudelek · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Hiking boots
A quieter corner
The Jetřichovice rock lookouts
Questions travellers ask
When is the hiking season in Bohemian Switzerland?
May to October is hiking weather. Bring hiking boots.
What are the highlights of Bohemian Switzerland?
Hike to Pravčická brána, take the boat rides through the Edmund Gorge and the Wild Gorge, and stop in Hřensko.
How far is Bohemian Switzerland from Prague?
About 2 h from Prague (PRG).
Where can I find quieter viewpoints in Bohemian Switzerland?
At the Jetřichovice rock lookouts. Afterwards, refuel with hearty Bohemian cooking.
About Bohemian Switzerland
- Forest
- Hills
Where it is
Bohemian Switzerland is a national park in the north of the Czech Republic, in the sandstone hills on the right bank of the Elbe north-east of Děčín, bordering Saxon Switzerland in Germany.
History
The name was inspired by the 18th-century Swiss artists Adrian Zingg and Anton Graff, who found that the sandstone country reminded them of their homeland. In the Romantic era painters and writers celebrated its rock towers and gorges, and it began to draw tourists in large numbers; it became a national park in 2000.
People
People in the villages around the park, such as Hřensko, Mezná and Jetřichovice, speak Czech and live mainly from tourism. Many villages keep their timber-framed Upper Lusatian houses, a traditional folk architecture of the region.
Known for
- Pravčická brána, Europe's largest sandstone arch
- Boat rides through the Kamenice gorges
- Sandstone towers, ravines and lookouts
- The Elbe village of Hřensko
- Hiking across into Saxon Switzerland
Did you know?
Hřensko, where the Kamenice meets the Elbe, is the lowest-lying municipality in the Czech Republic, and the country's lowest point, where the Elbe crosses into Germany at 115 m above sea level, lies within its bounds.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.